New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-22

lsh by John Florio. In three volumes Vol
I'LL Folio. pp. 49, Houghton. Mifiiin & Co
It has taken something over year to COM
plete the new edition of Florios Montaigne.
printed at the Riverside Press. But no one
could grudge the time that has been gener-
ously lavished upon this enterprise. for to the
extreme taken by the publishers we owe
what must undoubtedly remain the definite edi-
ton OF this Anglo-French classic. Though the
lover OF Aiontaigne who Is fortunate to
possess the edition of Florio published In the
series of Tudor TRANSACTIONS in 1892 will not
dream of dismissing those beautiful volumes
from his shelves. he will prize the three folios
issued by the Houghtons as being more beaut-
full and. in divers ways. more useful
Mr.. Ives is one of those judicious editors
who realize that they can best fulfil their duties
by keeping themselves in the background He
reegates his notes to the closing pages of his
three volumes. and in them all he cuts to the
bone If he has verbal difficulty to clarity he
clarifies it with the fewest possible words and
passes on to his next problem. II he allows him
self the pleasure OF throwing little light on
the text it is with reference to some such sub
ject Montaigne in his library that he expands
his notes. Thus, apropos OF the passage in the
present volume dealing with that favorite room
of the essayist. whence all at once command
and survay all my household Mr.. Ives repro
duces the following notes of Nj. Courbet:
On the second floor (second above the ground
to the chateau Is the laboratory OF the Essays.
IN and less Rn three
high The door is tiled. and the beams divided into
painted and by time are the nscTp
spot where Montalgne sat at his study table Is at
the left at an equal distance from the door and
n a the
try. From his arm chair he could see ut glance
Ia all In u,
the thousand E; volumes Of which his library CON
sisted The dispersion OF that precious collection.
ary even OF that which was fastened to the wan
very greatest value to the inscriptions written in
small capitals on the he beams Through them We
that Imposing cell
on the her ~ linz Of the library the
a n SGG OF o 'h me I'VE nhat me books
text Of this offering to friendship is conceived in
worthy omission not to reproduce 1t here: Michel
dc Montaigne. bereft OF his most loving. most in
learned. the most agreeable and the most perfect
perpetuate the memory Of the love- which Bound I'd
them together by special testimony OF mis- graft
expressive manner. has dedicated to that memory
all these paraphernala Of study, which Is his Joy"
In other notes Mr.. Ives adds to our knowledge
OF Montaigne as n man Indifferent to wealth;
exhibits the essayists regrettable willingness to
forget that his great-grandfather made his fort
une humbly enough, In the sailed cod and her
ring trade. and thereby enables US to see him
not simply as a writer. but q man. In his
chapter "Of Vanitie' Montaigne says: What I
have not disposed of my afrsires. or settled of my
state. when 1 was in perfect health, let none
expect l should doe 1t being sickle Whatever I
Will doe for the service OF death is aIwayes
ready done. dare not delay it one onely day."
MIR. Ives. in n note on this passage quotes from
work entitled Comments on the Customs of
Bordeaux" by one Anthone. these words: 1.-The
late Montaigne. author Of the Essays, realizing
that his end was approaching. got out of he'd IN
his shirt. put on his dressing gown opened his
study. called all his servants and other leeatees