Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-23

The Wilmington Institute Free Ii
brary is maintaining its reputation for
keeping abreast of the times Al all
times il is well equipped with books on
current topics, which are helpful TO the
public and especially TO people who are
interested in what is going on. The
following extract from the current issue
of the Library Bulletin gives an outline
Of the latest reading OF this character at
the library:
The acquisition Of seven new sets Of
standard authors has been recorded in
the regular bulletin, but o word or two
OF additional explanation seems due The
Daudet set in "a volumes is well bound
in red bucxram and is equipped with
an explanatory introduction to each book
and a number of good illustrations. The
translating, editing and illustrating of
each work has been done by different
individuals.
The Cornhill edition Of Thackerays
Works in 30 volumes published in 1905
and edited by Prof. Trent and DR.. j. b.
Henneman deserves especial mention
because il contains material not found
in other editions. Tho notes, critical
comments and special introductions at
tached TO each volume have exceptional
value. The illustrations include many
OF Thackeray's own quaint drawings.
An edition Of Jane Austen in 10 volumes
and one of the Bronte sisters in II volumes
are also among the new sets. Both of
these are published in England and are
printed on excellent paper in large type.
They are easy to hold in the hand and
should be appreciated by all lovers of
these authors. The Bronte edition con-
tains also the life OF Charlotte Bronte by
Mrs. Gaskell.
Admirers of Robert Louis Stevenson
will be glad to examine the well-known
Thistle edition recently added to the
library. Il is the only complete edition
OF his works. Although published several
years ago, il has not been superseded
and still ranks as the best edition
No book Of travel nowadays is COM
plete unless it is illustrated with repro
ductions of photographs taken by the
author or some companion on his travels,
and considerable ingenuity is exercised
in getting photographs of out-of-the-way
places and things. This is especially
true of G. G.. Schilling's "With flashlight
and rifle" which is not, strictly speaking,
book Of travel at all but n record of a
hunting trip in equatorial Africa for large
kAlAANs ~ II u NAAIeAAAAlA VI a. 0NilliNI
work and describes the experiences Of
the author in his endeavor TO get good
photographs of wild animals. He was
exceptionally successful in getting photo
graphs at night by means of fashlight.
The reader gets reliable information con-
cerning species now almost extinct. the
preservation of which the author strongly
urges.
The library has recently added two
books on the Congo Free State which
take exactly opposite views of King Leo
pold and his policy in Africa. T. ID.
Morel's "King Leopold's Rule in Africa"
is a bitter attack on the Belgian ruler
and a scathing denunciation of conditions
in the Congo Free State. The authors
ability TO form an authoritative opinion
will not be questioned by those who
know that he has been q writer on West
Africa questions for several years and
that he was a member of the committee
of the West Africa section of the Liver
pool chamber of commerce.
John de Courcy MacDonnell in his
"King Leopold II" tells again the story
Of the origin. methods OF government.
&c. of the Congo Free State. His pur-
pose is TO prove that King Leopold has
fulfilled all his promises and to champion
IN glowing terms the present condition
of the Congo Free State under the Bel
gian protectorate Many readers will
take his statements with reservation for
on the whole his arguments are uncon-
vincing. Such as it is, however, il is
good presentation of that side Of the
question.
The present session of Congress prom
ises to be one of the most important in
its history. The entire country is taking
an interest in the proposed enactment
Of important measures and the merits
and dement's of each measure arc being
discussed all over the land Possibly
the most important measure favored
by the administration is the question OF
the regulation Of railroad rates. The
library has recently added several books
dealing with this important question. II.
$. Haines Restrictive Railway l.egis-
lation' consists Of - lectures delivered
before the Boston University Law School.
IL has no brief either for OF against the
railroads, it simply shows how the rela-
tion of the railroad TO the public has been
affected by legislation already passed.
Considerable historical matter Is in