New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-10
LITERARY NOTES.

curious photography. one recording the
works in English on playing cards and gaming
is On the eve Of publication. Not only are the
titles Of books on those subjects recorded-the
titles Of all books which contain sufficiently i'm
portant illusions TO them included.
IT is thought that the library edition of Rus
kin, now in course of publication, may be COM
pleted by the end of the year. The seventeenth
volume which has just been brought out, con-
tains some OF the authors writings which have
not hitherto been published
A new book on six great English schoolmas-
tiers is full OF amusing stories. OF DR.. Kennedy
fl is remembered that he had great dispute
with Charles Dickens over the word mutual.
What was his wrath shortly afterward when ne
discovered that Dickens had just produced new
book called 'our Mutual Friend" He declared
Dickens had Gone It on purpose. and added: Il
suppose people don't like to say common
friend? Then how dare they call II the Book
Of Common Prayer" DR.. Vaughan had an eA>
celent way OF getting rid Of shy schoolboys
who had been invited to breakfast and did not
know how TO get up and go. When all possible
topics had been discussed the doctor would rise.
and, extending his hand to the shyest and most
loutish boy, would say, Must you go? Can't
you stay?" DR.. Vaughan not man of wide
reaeing Matthew Arnold put the fact in a nut
shell when he said of him: "A charming man;
I enjoy a chat with him at the club only he is SO
brutality ignorant"
In a Just published record of DR.. Momerie's
life and work find this story, with which ne
once concluded 4 sermon:
when Dr. william Smith was bringing out his
Biblical Dictionary. being prudent EDITOR: ana
well he determined that the articles should contain
much science as was compatible with orthoaoGHy
written by man whom the doctor considered SAFE
but when ii finished IT turned out to be quite
heterodox. There time TO procure another,
as that part of the dictionary had TO appear at
covered only See Flood. A fresh writer was
then toqna beI Then ms afGle MOS nof Moved to
appear; DR.. Smith simply wrote: Flood. see Moan
When we dealt at length with The Historians
History Of the World" CThe Outlook Company
some time ago. nineteen of the twenty-five vol
urnes had been published. Since then the con-
Guiding volumes have been brought out, and we
have once more had occasion 10 look over this
admira bic compendium. 1t gains on closer ac-
ouaintance Especially do we appreciate the
n,rkraanlike arrangement of the vast amount of
material brought together in these volumes
Take for example the space that is given to the |
British colonies. 1t is divided into chapters |
which are at once brief and comprehensive; |
chapters which cut to the bone, so that the !
reader may find the information he wants with |
the least possible trouble. and yet so TO form a |
singularly readable and interesting narrative !
This work is up 10 date, too Witness the penul- |
innate volume which closes with a history Of |
China and Japan. II has something 10 say about |
the present war in the East and. in fact carries |
the record down 10 the battle of Liao-Yang. |
Throughout the scheme the same enterprise has |
been shown. Every effort has been made to !
give in these pages, so far is possible the last
word Of modern research. We have already de- |
scribed the general characteristics Of the history
as regards presswork, binding, illustration and
80 on, but we must speak again of one thing |
which is none too common in publications Of the
sort The volumes though not light feathers.
are not unduly heavy. and they stay open with
r-c-cracking. This is to say that they con-
Tenient to handle and promise 10 last
The accomplished lady who calls herself Yer
non Lee has a very pleasant way with her when
she sits down to write a little essay on some
subject which may may not be artistic or
literary, but which serves to bring all the ele-
ments Of her education in life 10 the surface.
The collection of papers which she calls The
Enchanted Woods and Other Essays on the
Genius Of Places" John Lane offers some
characteristic souvenirs Of her charming taste.
That taste is, perhaps, q little too charming. AS
we follow Vernon Lee in her ranblings through
places like Pisa or Trent Aries or Ravenna, we
cannot help wishing sometimes that she would
take her theme in more matter of fact mood
She is so subtly cultivated. she sees the world
through such an atmosphere of art and litera-
tUre and conscious poetry, that the SAVIOR of the
soil frequently escapes her. We WISH in short
that she were little more human. On the other
hand, the reader who meets her half way can
not but enjoy her delicateIy outlined impress
slons. They are beguiling bits of prose- and If
they suggest a literary decadent, they also sug-
gest a sincere lover Of all that IS beautiful in
European scenes. all that is romantic in Eu-
ropean associations. This book covers wide
field Of travel. and wherever the author goes the
thing that she elects to write about is a thing
that is picturesque or that makes for reflection
Her vein is well illustrated by the words which
she offers in essay on Tuscan Churches in
Summer" in praise of sacristies:
A sacr.sty has a intimate air of the past OF
the consecrated. than most often a church 1t is
SAFER from irrevereace. and from what is but a
lOTid OF lTreNeTence, that lndSCreet viii
knows exactly everything about divine matters as
u conceiVeS theni Whereas in q sacTfsty the very
gossip and snuff taking of the canons assumes a
CERTAIN symDOhcal air, and becomes robe
ana ClSrObe themselves and uncover their
elallces, a part Of larger and solemn ritual
sac5IslIes also possess, much more than churches
Nalo more properly, Tor a church should be for
every man and and child and for their
poor human rags and failings) that delicate swept
anu EetlllSHed Quanty which Is the
lent or holiness, and the principal reason for
sary medicinal onesideness
Sacrlsties have. moreover the inuersonal o5ol;t,,
"a quarry OF sacrifice vanity of sacerdotaI
1Llssllllscehee, and-Inay say so?-sacerdotal CO.