Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-30

geometrical figures. The earth Is here dis
sected. as II were after the manner of a
surgeon, and the hidden parts laid open
to view Eclipses, solar and lunar, repeat
themselves very similarly, after the period
of eighteen years and ten or eleven days
called the Saros. And much can be learned
by comparing the successive eclipses of one
series. For example, We learn that a total
eclipse. after the lapse Of years may be-
come annular or vice versa, a fact evil
dent enough when stated, but writer
heretofore has mentioned it. The astron-
familiar with this subject will find this
work the most convenient handbook for
computing eclipses, and also for OCCUPATIONS
of fixed stars and transits of Mercury and
Venus
Prof Buchanan is assistant In the Maui
teal Almanac office, United States naval
observatory. and for twenty-three years
has been computing the eclipses for that
publication.
A JOURNEY TO THE sEABoARp SLAVE
STATES; in the Years ls53-Is54, with Re
nns on T1sT sss by Eer Nth law
biographical sketch by Frederick Law OImsted
tr., and an introduction by William p. Trent.
In two volumes. With portrait. New York: G.
z. Putnam's Sons.
There is a certain degree of historical I'm
portance In the republication OF this work
by a man who. since its first appearance.
scape artist than as an author and traveller.
The lapse OF half a century from the Issue
Of his letters in the New York Times.
which were later collected into a book. has
afforded a perspective through which 1t Is
possible to view Mr.. Olmsted's observations
calmly and analytically. He went south
to seek the actual conditions. His resultant
writings were bitterly assailed by those
southerners and their sympathizers who
read them. and they awakened a CORE
spondingly keen interest In the north on the
other side of the slavery question. 1t has
been said OF them that these letters did in
the realm of Journalism almost as much to
arouse northern sentiment as did Uncle
Toms Cabin" in fiction Yet Mr.. Olmsted
did not go south as a propaganda or a
knight Grant. He sought with a fair mind.
and he transcribed what he saw judicially
and clearly, without passion. He talked
with all he met, and they were of the hum
bier. rougher classes as rule. 1t Is for
this fact that the work has been criticised.
1t was said at the time that Mr.. Olmsted
should have brought himself more directly
In contact with the real culture of the
south, which he could not find on the travel
lines of the day in taverns and stagecoaches
and roadsides But It would seem though
he avoided such contact. prefering to
the south in its ruder aspects and to CLEAN
his Impressions from the outspoken speech
of the uncultured rather than the more d.
plomatic utterance of the social leaders.
English reviewers of the day compared his
work with that of Arthur Young, whose
Travels In France" published on the eve
Of the French revolution, gave the English
speaking world vivid, convincing picture
of the conditions that led to that great
cataclysm. The pages are replete with
beautiful passages. inspired by Mr.. Ohm
sted's intense nature love. They contain
many amusing bits of dialogue quaint
character sketches, instructive descriptive
of the homely ways of the people and the
terrors of stagecoach travel in those middle
| days of the nineteenth century. 1t makes
excellent reading apart from any historical
| or controversial view that may be taken
of 1t today by partisans or students.
A FOREST DRAMA. By Louis Pendleton. author
of The Sons of Ham,, etc; illustrated. Phil
ington: William BaiIantyne Sons.
With little editing this sprightly story
of adventure in the Canadian wilds would
have been entitled to rank among the really
worthy fiction of the summer. 1t is marred,
however, by imperfections Of style and alb
surdities of statement that detract from
it's smoothness and convincing quality 1t
Is rather too much, for instance to be ex-
pected to receive with a straight face the
young priest who, forgetting his vows, ven
lures to kiss pretty girl after Laughing
a low laugh" There are many other d.
verting passages. The story turns upon the
exploits of an escaped English burglar who.
in the woods. encounters the young woman
through whose talents artist he was
first captured and sent to prison. He kid
maps her because he loves her-generous
ex-burglar that he Island is pursued into
his far-distant retreat by two of her adj
mirerS. There is a lot of description OF the
trail and portages and canoeing and life in
the wilderness and communion with the In
a ha wifi ba
ex-burglar bound and glaring hatred and
his blessing and the chosen one recovering
from his wounds.
coMICAL CONFESSIONS OF CLEVER COME
DAMS. By p. Pitzer. Edited by De Wolf
Hopper. New York Street & Smith.
1t would have been better IL the exact
degree of responsibility of Mr.. Pitzer, who
Is described in the accompanying literature
as born humorist," had been plainly set
forth in this work. For 1t is a heavy re-
sponsibility, to whomever 1t belongs, that
the book entails. Mr.. Hopper may have
assumed some of 1t. and the actors who
are quoted as telling tales on themselves
may have helped him out by consenting to
stand for the banalities put into their
mouths. AS the case stands somebody
ought to have a fair case for damages.
Certainly the alleged jokes told by Mr.
Hopper himself. by James Powers, Francis
stader, William Collier Walter Jones. Jo-
seph Weber. Digby Bell, Frank Daniels,
Ezra Kendall, Charles BigeIow, Sam Ber-
nard, David Warfield and Peter Daley are
not up to the standards established by them
in their professional stage work.
BOOKS RECEIVED.