New-York tribune., 1902-06-04

YEAR BY YEAR. BY Edwin Emerson, jr: @ Ml1h
an in6roPIcreh ree oiy,ne ~ On is5; 65-l252 1858
1924 P. F. Collier & Son
History is scarcely written in the manner
In which Mr.. Edwin Emerson has compiled these
three volumes. What he has really done Is 10
give a succinct running summary OF the chlet
events that took place in the nineteenth century
all over the world It was an arduous under
taking. and Nj. Emerson has carried it out con
scientiously and evidently at the cost Of great
a-,ounr Of research and the collation. Of widely
scattered sources of information Wars, pat
ties. the movements Of armies. revolutions, the
rise and fall of dynasties. occupy much space
In the three volumes-a space significant of now
far the nineteenth century was removed from
any approach to the peace ideal The first VOL
,,rne is chiefly devoted to the Napoleonic wars.
the campaigns and battles Of which are de-
scribed in detail down to 1915 The American
war Of 1872 with England occupies most of the
small remaining space. with a sparse summary
of the movement in literature, especially in Eng
land
The second volume has space for a greater Va
riety of occurrences. and progress in literature
art music, science and social relations is dis
ctIssed at greater length, but still with brevlty
There are biographical paragraphs sketching the
lives of the eminent men who died in each year
which are generally accurate so far as they go
and serve to give some idea of the work these
men accomplished and their influence on the
period. But in general Mr.. Emerson confines
himself pretty closely TO facts. and steers clear
OF extended criticism and Interpretation Some
times the space seems to be unevenly balanced
as when six pages are devoted to Thorwaldsen
as a part Of the summary of the reign Of Ber-
nadotte in Sweden
Ny Emerson does not hesitate upon occasion
80 introduce picturesque and amusing descrlp-
ton or quotation, when he gives Southey
ode upon the peace deliberations at Chatiuon In
1914. various verses of Byron's, among them the
lines on Keats's snuffing out by an article. or
Browning's on The Lost Leader" apropos OF
wordsworth's acceptance of the poet laureate
ship. It adds to the interest of such book, 100,
TO hear this of DisraelTs appearance in the mid
century:
Usually he wore a slate colored velvet coat
r;ned with satin purpIe trousers with gold
band down the outside seam, scarlet waist
coat long lace ruffies falling down TO the tips
of his fingers, white gloves with brilliant rings
outside them and long, black ringlets ripping
down over his shoulders. When he rose IN Iile
House he wore bottle green frock coat Win d
white waistcoat, colarless and needless dis
play Of gold chains
That it is impossible to expect absolute ac-
curacy is shown by Mr.. Emerson's characteriza-
tion of Ampere as the inventor Of the unit Of
electrical measurement which bears his name
tbe name was first applied in 1881. But usually
The author is fortified against such mistakes
Very little that is good can be said Of the aP-
nearance Of these volumes The paper and
typography are both wretchedly cheap The
Illustrations consist mostly Of half tone repro
ductions Of well known pictures; some that are
colored would much better have been left un-
colored The book may fulfil useful purpose
for reference.