New-York tribune., 1906-11-21

Don F6UM F6Icn. iti2 f2mo. PIP. 2ss. G. P Putnam's
sons ,,7r,7 rs N AMERICA. BY the Rev.
HIsToRlG- hli3l-i n n Ii D. illustrated svo.
- sze Thomas Whitaker. -
BLBIIQGef1i 1i-toTon,led By George willis Cooke.
9.s gs ~ 11f-otoeravure portrait Svo, PIP * rs.
Hougdton Mihiin q %
~ has made pleasant little book out
,,s lectures which as sandars Reader IN
o.,+v se delivered at the University Of
-.-.br.6ge IN 1929 and 1904 he might nave
g even more satisfactory II he had de-
,,.,1a from the lecture form IN printing
- .sr+ hut he puts so much information before
+hs connpass of a small volume, and is,
-, 60 Interesting that We can easily over
,o,nt Of editorial treatment This study
- clear idea Of the Development Of English
- n the rer.od surveyed. The author is
80 - Caxton. Without going minutely
=. .ta matter which would. indeed, be unnec-
be expresses his conviction that the
o,ors volume which some authorities take
-I-1rp Caxton a predecessor on English soil.
.-ss its repute, such as IL Is, 70 misprinted
s.,e Passing quickly from this old point OF
o-r,rneut Nj Duff gives a capital sketch Of
r.,to, and OF his record OF ninety-six books
,5nted in England. and then discusses Wynkyn
=. worde with the same terseness and sym
-.+sv A few facsinliles add TO the value OF
.,sss pages Mr Duff deals throughout more
,e,sciaIy with the printers, but he has also in
s--,c+,ve things TO say about bindings and about
-. statiouers. those types of business energy
,ho foreshadow the modern publisher
These stationers We're booksellers for whom,
,,sn. a whole edition would be printed. Lon
son vas their trade centre. where they had their
,onses beneath the shadow of St. PauPs. and
,rssr little one-storied shops, on the fat roofs
70 sfa and n itch, I1a
,sseants 50 common in the early history OF
rrroue Also they travelled about the country
,isttng the fairs. and even carried their books
s.-,ad for sale upon similar occasions. In
--sting of the hookselling industry in its in
.s,cv Nj Duff has some interesting notes on
ne relations of the government TO printers and
sationers. - first, when the press was still
YER much Of a novelty. foreigners were only
100 welcome. The native Brfton took time TO
develop into competent craftsman. and even
n 1888 when Caxton had been for some years
a, work an unknown connoisseur appears TO
have thought il worth while 10 have printed IN
tsraEay Venice a book intended for sale in
England But as time went on and the craft
rrospered al home the government stepped in
with an act prejudicial 10 the free wholesale
Importation Of alien printers. Mr.. Duff writes
20 well On this subject that We wish he had
gwen It more space in his hook.
II his chapter on the bindings he is especially
useful as regards the old technique. He not
orly gives Us q good impression Of the character
q early English bindings. but throws light on
the manner Of their making. incidentally, he
notes few ot those points which are so helpful
70 the collector. IF binding has four clasps"
be says, ~one Al the top and bottom as well as
fvo in their usual place, you may be sure that
he binding IS Italian" and he goes on with
gone brief explanations Of the use OF clasps and
r5bons IN short, this IS q practical book. and
snts-taining into the bargain.
Dr. Wright's Historic Bibles IN America" de-
E-ibes great number OF volumes IN this coun-
IT. having historic interest because they were
oace II the possession OF noted persons" This
suggests rather 100 flexible principle Of selec-
ton bu;, a matter of fact the compiler is
careful 70 avoid the citation Of specimens hav-
ing only & local trivial significance The
book opens with e list Of Bibles owned by roy
Ey OF other persons Of title, the first entry re-
Sung 10 an Ethiopfc manuscript Of the four
Gospels which once belonged to King Theodore Of
Abyssina, was captured by Lord Napier, and
vas presented by him 70 General Grant. Il is
nov in the Smithsonian. IN different sections
descriptions are given of Bibles owned by our
Presidents and tRer families, Bibles belonging
70 statesmen and others in public life, Bibles
owned BY military men, by cIergymen, by men
q letters, by Free MasOns, and so on, until
reach the Bibles owned by various persons"
The descriptions embrace many odds and ends
q Information of interest 10 the photographer,
and scattered through the volume are illustra-
ions showing tide pages. inscriptions and other
items Dr. NrighC's labors viii be appreciated
I" al who are interested IN this important
Phase n book collecting
The autobiography Of James Russell Lowell"
compiled by George Willis Cooke, IS the second
volume f. q series Of special limited editions
Printed al the Riverside Press. The first. com
pAsd by Nina Z. Browne. was devoted TO Haw-
lhorne By and BY We are 70 have similar pub
Acaslons concerning Holmes, Emerson and
-horeau The series Is admirable. In the first
pace, Il ernbOdies q sound idea II is desirable
hat students Of american literature should be
supplied with Just such means to quick re-
search IN matters Of chronology and the like.
furthermore, the scheme has been planned with
GOOD zense IN the present volume we start
With chronological list Of Lowelrs works Then
comes list Of the bibuographies previously
available. and this is followed by divers other
lists which cover the whole field down TO and in
caoing biographies. letters and "reminiscences,
sna the salient notices and criticisms 70 which
--NO- o-4 4~i'f14A lL+-sL1L cry DDSalDly WISH u
refer. At the end Of the volume there Is q brief
but sufficient reference to the mass of Lowell
manuscripts given by Professor Charles Eliot
norton 70 Harvard. We may note that the de-
scrlptcns include the dedications and in some
cases. rather elaborate notes. The text, IN hand
to'ne typography. IS printed on only one side Of
NE page 50 that the photographer has abundant
space in which 20 make his own additions.
work Ike this is an honor 10 American letters.