New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-20

of the volume before US is devoted to subjects
which seem, by contrast, commonplace.
Mr.. Slater gives abundant information to
the external characteristics of books, sizes and
similar points; he treats of water marks, title
pages and colophons; and. besides manuscripts,
illustrated books and bindings. he tells us OF
some of the celebrated presses and Of some Of
the more important auction sales His book
brins over with useful facts and. as we have in
dictated, the facts are pleasantly presented. We
have only one quarrel with him. Since he has
seen fit to mention American Book Prices Cur
rent" and the Auction Prices Of Books" now
in course of publication by Dodd, Mead & Co.
it seems a pity that he could not find space in
which to name the accomplished editor of those
Indispensable works, Mr. Luther S. Livingston.
Mrs. Alec Tweedie. whose books Of travel
have won her some popularity, has made more
than visit to Mexico. Some three years ago
she published a book on the country. Now she
is at work upon q biography Of President Por-
frio Diaz. She Is compiling it with his sane
ton. She has been his guest in Mexico, and
has had access. through his courtesy, to all the
documents necessary for the authoritative ex-
ecution Of her task
French Profles' Dodd, Mead & Coz is
a book of essays by Mr.. Edmund Gosse on
modern French novelists and poets, most Of
whom still living. We say ESSAYS" with
more amiability than accuracy. for several OF
these chapters appear to have been put to-
gether by the easy process Of stringfng the
authors old newspaper reviews into line. If
they were extraordinary reviews it would not
matter. AS it happens Mr.. Gosse is not ono
of those critics whose every fugitive paper IS
worth reading We find in the table Of contents
bea
vigny" Barley d'Aurevilly." THE Irony Of
NJ Anatole France" and pierre Lott" but
when we turn TO the chapters themselves we
find nothing better than ordinary Journalism
The author has nothing new TO tell us-unless
it is perhaps in his account of the short stories
of lola which treat of a phase Of the French
mans work less familiar than that represented
by his newsstand he has no charm Of style
with which to throw glamour over his conven-
tional observations.
We speak thus Of the literary criticism of
which the book is practically made But sand
WICKED in between the two halves of the mass
of commonplace there is a bit of actuality, "A
First Sight of Verlaine," which is worth read
ing. It commentaries an April holiday spent
with Mr. Henry Harland among the poetic
Symbolists and Decadents Of Paris, eliminating
in an interview. at the Cafe SoleiI dOr. with the
chief IA bbi of that astounding Sanhedrim. Says
Mr.. Gosse:
Where I sat by the elbow of N. Moreas. was
opposite an open door, absolutely dark. leading
down. by obliqUe stairs to the cellar. AS idly
some ghostly shape huttcring at the bottom of 1t
1t took the form OF strange bald head, bobDlng
close to the ground Although 1t was so dim and
5Jag,le an idea crossed INV mind. Not daring to
sneak I touched NJ Moreas, and drew his at
tention to il. Pas mot pas geste, Mon
sieurl'' he whispered and then, instructed in the
guile of his race, nsidiaS Danaum, the eminent
author Of Les CantileneS" rose, making a vague
detour toward the street. and then plunged at me
cellar door. There was d prolonged scuffe ana
rolling downstairs; then NJ. Moreas reappeared
triumphant behind him something Topped up out
of the darkness like owl-a timid, shambling
figure in soft black hat, with jerking halldS, ana
II peeped with intention 10 disappear again But
there were cries Of 'Vene2 done Maftre, ana by
and by Verlaine was persuaded to emerge ana 10
! had been prepared for strange eccentricites of
garh but he was very decently dressed; ne re-
farred at once TO the fact and explained that TINS
lecture in in Belgium He was particularly PROUD
of a real white shirt; "C'est ma cheIlse De con
ference he said, and shot out the CUTS OF II WIN
,ardonahle pride. He was full of his experiences
UratIv things ABOUT Bruges and IT'S "beg'linaees,
and how much he should like TO spend the rest .!
f1ie life there Yet It seemed less the neIla=VaI
buildings which had attracted him than a museum
of old lace.
Mr.. E. V Lucas has completed the life or
Charles Lamb on which he has been working
such long time and the Putnams will publish
il early this season. The author has acquired q
number of letters hitherto unpublished and will
also give his readers the benefit of the study he
has made Of Crabb Robinson's diary in the
81 riYa