The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-20
NEW BOOKS.
Continued from Seventh Page.

Continued from Seventh Page
which history. anecdote and idle gossip
are shaken up together. Usually these
books deal with the neither de Of life at
tou t. The tie. "The Pc son ii Story' OF the
Upper House." adopted by Mr.. Kosmo
Wilkinson (E. P. Dutton & Coz may
give some hint Of his method He
calls his book "an inquiry conducted less
in the spirit Of the constitutional historian
than from the point Of view most likely
to find acceptance with those who read to
re interested as well as informed" That
apparently implies tumble of chronology
that is obscured by irrelevant anecdotes
and many inaccuracies
No doubt Indiana's present predominance
in literature must be admitted, still it seems
rather naughty in Assistant Professor Henry
Thew Stephenson Of the University OF
Indiana. in the preface to shakespeare
London Henry Holt 4 Coz. to declare
that "no work OF the present kind has yet
appeared II we except the contemporary
Survey OF London of John Stow" Sew
eral excellent works on that subject have
appeared Of late year, though not from
Indiana. notably Sir Walter Besant's last
undertaking. The professor has put to-
gether a laborious and conscientious essay.
derived mainly from book knowledge, we
should say, rather than long familiarity
with the scenes he describes. and illustrates
It with many excellent pictures. As may
be inferred, his tone Is somewhat dogmatic.
The late Mr.. Thomas Enfield Harbottle
was a diligent compiler Of books OF ref err
ence. The last work from his pen Is Die
tionary Of Battles (E. P. button 4 Coz.
This is a list Of battles since the beginning
OF the world. with statement as to the
victor and loser in each. the time and place
and the consequences, and, at times, with
the numbers Of the forces engaged and
notable incidents. We should imagine
that such list would find more fitting
place in general historical dictionary.
but even in this form it may have it's uses.
All the earmarks OF an academic sociolog-
ical study will be found in DR.. James Elbert
Cutters "Lynch-Law' Iongmans. Green
a Coz. The author has rnered with
great pains the historical cases OF summary
executions In the United States. He has
put together the statistics gathered from
such sources az he could find. 1t may be
that he has given undue weight to abolition
ist accounts, and. perhaps. to later figures,
but statistics are the breath OF sociology.
He maintains throughout an admirably
impartial attitude and draws conclusions
which are just, il rather obvious. as Ia the
habit Of sociological inquiries. Prof. w. G.
Sumner. in a one page preface, th'nders
ex cathedra his disapproval Of lynchng,
In which he will find many to agree with him,
Ten years ago Mr.. George Bernard Shaw
contributed to an eccentric London maya
zine a short article which he entitled 'On
Going to Church This is reprinted in
pretty little volume by John W. Luce Il
Co.. Boston. 1t comprises sol1e Of Mr..
Shaw's views on vegctarianisn, on art,
on religious observance and on life in gen.
eral, ard may serve az an Introduction to
him for those unacquainted with his para
doxes.
To the -Caxton" series Of thin paper
volumes published by George Newnes
Charles Scribner's Sons) has been added
Robert Herrick's "Hesperides and Noble
Numbers" 1t makes charming and con-
venient editio of delightful poet whose
revived popularity has not wared
Another invalu& le Baedeker comes in
time for summer travel. This is the Bel
GUM and Holland" (Karl Baedeker; Charles
Scribner's Sons), in its fourteenth English
edition. In Holland we notice the indioa-
ton of the site for the Peace Palace" at The
Hague. The Belgium part will be needed
by those who attend the Olympic games at
Brussels.
The reader OF -The Dark Side OF the Reef
Trust" by Herman Hirschauer Theodore
z. Root. Jamest own, n. ", If he accepts
all the authors statements, will probably
turn vegetarian and never taste meat again.
All possible malfeasance in the prepare
ton Of meat for the market is hero de-
scrihed and attributed to the great pack
ing establishments. We fear that in spite
OF the horrors disclosed people will con-
tinue to consume canned goods and packed
pork products.