The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-22

We had imagined the type Of Englishman
OF which Mr.. Percy v. Martin. author Of
Through Five Republics Of South America
Dodd. Mead and Company. u . specimen
to be extinct. Certainly It IL long since he
has appeared In print with such admira-
ton for all things British and such out
spoken disliks for all outside people. MI.
Martin informs Va In his preface that he ts Q
Journalist and that he has spent three years
investigating tho countries he describes,
Argentina, Brazil. Uruguay. Chic and
Venezuela He seems afflicted with the de-
fusion that these lands are properly British
Possessions. which have been carelessly
allowed to alp away and which tho United
States. obJect Of his fears and dislike. may
seine upon II not forestalled. or the natives
In the several States and their capacity to
govern themselves he has q poor opinion.
The merits OF tho British colonies and Of
individual British settlers are extolled.
The ways In which British influence may
be extended and British capital invested to
advantage arc pointed out. Mr.. Martin
seems to have made a study OF the railroads
and other business enterprises in the coun-
tries he visited that may possibly prove
useful to any one who Is able TO make duo
allowance for his peculiar point Of view.
The town government lie the foundation
Of democracy in New England, at any rate.
and In the States settled from New England.
Though treated almost as II extinct in
scholastic dissertations, IL Is fortunately
very much alive yet. Mr.. James 8. Gar
lands New England Town Law Che
Boston Book Company. Boston, has, there
g.. nzw.I Vk.-mN kk.- ,,-,nIIu
attaches TO legal treatises. 1t begins with
an admirably clear and brief exposition Of
the history and functions OF the town from
the lawyers point Of view. This is followed
by q digest Of the statute law Of each Of the
sir New England States that deal with the
towns, their officers and powers. The pag-
ing for each State is distinct. 80 that IL will
be easy to supply the individual digests
separately.
Though rather uneven In It's proportions.
Mr.. John s. Patton's Jefferson, Cabell and
the University Of Virginia. Che Neale Pub
fishing Company Is mighty interesting
reading. The story Of the beginnings is
told fully and frankly; II should edify purists
and reformers about the methods en-
ployed In the good old times to attain de-
sirable ends. The fathers Of the Republic
showed themselves past masters OF log
rolling and wire pulling in planting their
university where Jefferson wished 1t to be.
The later history Of the institution might
have been put more ooherently and would
have gained IL a. much space had been de-
voted to the work OF the faculty as has been
given up 10 undergraduate activity.
An interesting and important book has
beeu compiled by the Rev. J. William Jones,
D. D., in Life and Letters OF Robert Edward
Leo CThe Neale Publishing Company.
Though the author obtrudes occasionally
In a rather unnecessary way, he has had
the discretion 10 limit his biography to
what L. strictly required and to let the
letters tell their own story. The relation
In which DR.. Jones stood TO Gen. Lee and
his family put . great many Of these at
his disposal. The temper shown in the
narrative is excellent. and the letters Of
the noble man. that Lee was, written 10
those close to him. should be read BY every
one.
Ober In his DE Soto Harpers) II he wishes
his work to be taken a. a serious biography,
should start In with q Sylvanus Cobb
romance, which he admits is wholly hypo-
thetical. Unfortunately It involves the
question q his haro's character. That
surely should rest on something positive.
After landing De Soto In Florida, however,
the author has safer chroniclers to follow.
A sentimental tale, including q comic
Irishman, 10 offered as the true story Of
the ancestor Of various members Of the
HuRuenot Society by Alicia Aspinwall In
The Story Of Marie de Rozel, Huguenot'
E. p. Dutton and Company. IL would
have been much improved II the author
had either stuck to the plain facts about
the lady or had frankly tried to build up a
romance about her.
A great opportunity has been lost by
somebody in "A Sailor OF Fortune" by
Albert Bigelow Paine Mcclure, Phillips
4 Co... These are the personal memoirs
Of Capt. B. 8. Osbon, whose life has been
az full Of adventure as any man could wish
for, and IL seems as though the place OF
honor on the title page should belong to
him rather han to the person who put
down his statements. It Is a mere skele-
ton account Of remarkable things done,
In which the personal history OF the actor
dominates the incidents. It has often proved
true that the men who do things are not
those who can tell about them best. The
material placed at Mr.. Paine's disposal
is enough to make the mouths Of writer's
OF fiction water. Why did be not draw
out from Capt. Osbon full details Of his
adventures In the South Seas and with the
China pirates, and work them up as they
deserved It In natural that about the
events Of the civil war and subsequent
adventurous enterprises the Captain should
wish his personal statements to prevail,
but what q treasure Of matter Is lost to
the In that process. Historical
accuracy would not havO been lost in a
roo-a troa O~InativA kraakmank