The sun., 1903-04-18

Northern Shrubs and How to Know Thom,
by Harriet L. Keeler. This Ia . botanical
description Of all tho shrubs that grow in
the Northern States, with Q popular de-
soription Of their uses and qualities and
the way they may be employed for deoora-
ton, and so forth. The illustrations In black
and white are admirable.
Prof. James Harvey Robinson Of Colum-
bia University has felt called upon to add
his share to school text books In AN In
PRODUCTION to the History Of Western
Europe (Ginn d co.,. In about 100 not
over large pages he undertakes to recount
the whole history Of civilization from the
Roman Empire to the present day. His
book unavoidably becomes thus an epit-
ONE or syllabus Of history rather than
an introduction. Where he gives himself
room to expatiate on important points
his work Is well done. He takes q page
to explain the matter Of indulgences in
Luther's time, and leaves no doubts about
his views, which fair-minded Catholics,
We imagine, will accept. The point Of
view Of selection as regards omissions
and inclusions IL that Of culture rather
than general history. 1t is to be expected,
perhaps, that II colleges will demand Of
candidates for admission such courses as
this book represents, men who should be
doing better work will feel obliged to write
school histories.
The only sure test Of the merits OF an
encyclopedias is daily use. and that the
volumes Of The New International En-
cyclopodia,' edited by Profs Daniel Colt
Gilman. Harry Thurston Peck and Frank
Moore Colby (Dodd. Mead d Company
have 90 far stood well. They have sup
piled accurate information on many out
of-the-way points in Q manner as unex-
pected as 1t was gratifying when dealing
with an American encyclopaedia. There are
gaps and faults no doubt that must be
remedied in subsequent editions. but the
great German Konversations-lexicon have
had to grow, too. Some day. perhaps, We
may ind respectable maps. The eighth vol
ume. just out, carries the alphabet to -Ha-
litherium.' 1t contains an unusually large
number OF illustrations and these are gen.
orally important. Among the longer arti-
cles we would call attention to those on
Fungi. Gases. Germany and German Lit
erature. Glass. 0oethe, Greece and Greek
Literature. and Guns and 0unnery.
A biography Of Poe that formed part Of
the Virginia Edition of his works is pub
lished separately in two volumes as life
and Letters Of Edgar Allan Poe by Prof.
James A. Harrison OF tho University OF
Virginia (Thomas Y. Crowell 4 CO... In
reviewing the edition We pointed out the
unsatisfactory character Of the biography;
1t 10 not rehabilitation. yet the biographer
leaves nearly all critical points in doubt
without giving the reader the materials on
which to form Judgment. Poe has doubt
less been maligned and IL judged much
moro charitably now than In the puritanical
times In which he lived; but there wore,
equally without doubt. errors in his life
that contributed to his failures, and II is
no kindness to blur these 80 as to mystify
those who wish TO understand Poe's life.
The rehabilitation Of traitors seems to
have become a craze with Mr.. Charles
Burr Todd After his efforts to whitewssh
Aaron Burr he now turns to Arnold He can
not delete his treason, but in The Real Bene-
dict Arnold "a. 8. Barnes d Company, by
the process Of emphasizing Arnolds un-
deniable and glorious services to his country
and Of imparting to q woman the cause OF
his detection. he tries to minimize his guilt
TO an almost venial sin. The real incent-
i've for the book appears toward the end.
Mr.. Todd's accusation against Arnold's
wife is based on an alleged confession made
TO Mrs. Provost, who married Burr. and
Burr. Of course. was too honorable a man
to have invented the story. Mr.. Todd, no
doubt, has q right to his own standards Of
patriotism and honor. but he has no busi-
ness to inaict on the public his euloRies OF
traitors as the real Aaron Burr or Bene-
dict Arnold.
Two neat little volumes contain sEyelina:
0r fha Htafnrv 81 q Y - II.
Into the World, by Frances Burney q. M.
Dent Il Co.; Macmillans). The surprising
thing is that 'Evelina' was not long ago
one Of Messrs. Dent's convenient littls
pocket classics.
In the same edition the old Morse sagas
are retold delightfully."- in Heroes of the
Norselands, by Katharine +. Boult q.
M. Dent Co.; Macmillans). The author
has retained a. far as possible the stiffness
Of the saga style. which u here assuredly
excusable and tells the tales Of Sigurd the
Volsung and Ragnar Lodbrog and Frithjof
and OF the Finding Of vineland, and Others
besides. The illustrations by T. H. Rob-
inson are good and fitting.
An anthology prepared some years aeo
by George H. Ellwanger. M. A., under the
title Loves Demesne' has been worked
over anu ~ now puDlished with the title
Loves Old Sweet Song by Dodd. Mead
a Co. The selection is from the poets Of
the nineteenth century. and is made with
no marked taste. There are plenty OF
good poems inevitably and there is much
mediocre verse Every reader will re-
member better love poems by the real
poets in the collection than those Mr. Fn-
wanger has chosen. He supplies n curious
rhapsody which he calls a critical intro.
duction' and various bits Of verse bv him.
self.
In Brooklyn. where the Rev. Newell
Dwight Hills now breaches original ser
mons in Plymouth C1orch, Mr.. Edward
Howard Griggs has been lecturing to en-
raptured feminine audiences. For them
he has put together "A Book Of Medita.
tons now In q second edition CB. w.
Huebsch). Mr.. Griggs has travelled in
Europe. He felt II his duty while travelling
to have "thoughts- and to lot those
'thoughts' down. They are great thoughts
couched in noble language. There has
Continued on NinA PaeG