New-York tribune., 1906-12-19
Remints of Classics, and Other HoG'
dan Publications.

New editions Of good books. which the pub
.sne-s are bringing out all the year round, are
..-4ioularly acceptable al this time We al
ors hal the reprints OF the classics in Eng
az literature which are produced for the holi-
s,vs. often il more or less festal form. but in
~ case well printed and altogether made to be
-.os In this annual holiday group Of books
..s-e IS almost invariably one reprint upon the
-,oarance Of which we can calculate with
.o,ethfng Ike certainty. i is that charming
o-r of the Lambs. the Tales from Shake
.ros-eE i presents itself this season In a
handsome edition published by the Brentanos.
>, Two well proportioned volumes. It IS Canon
a,nce-s edition, with his peculiarly sympa-
,beric and instructive Introduction. 4 fine
,pslity OF paper has been used, the type is ar
,,sric and hold and the Illustrations are repro
Auctions OF the ole engravings after Reynolds
surAa, Hamilton. WesJau. and the rest. The
.-7rtispiace IN the first volume IS a rnezzotint
ro-t-att OF Lamb by 6. Arlent-E Edwards. who
has also made for the second volume a similar
,'ste after the portrait OF Mary Lamb. hv T. 6
cary Tie binding is Of green cloth stamped
With e decorative design in gold. The delicacy
v3th which this book was written and the sue
cess OF the couaborators in blending the at
--osphe-e Of Shakespeare with the individual
ouality natural 70 themselves gave It an abso-
lutely unique place in the literature OF its kind.
Intended fo- the young reader, as an introduc-
ron 70 the study Of the poet. the Tales from
Shakespeare" has an equal attraction for all
lovers of the Lambs. Il IS 10 q wide audience.
therefore. that this beautiful reprint IS ad-
dressed
tribute of considerable interest IS paid to
the fame Of George Eliot in the Historically Il
lustrated Edition oc ''Romola," which has lust
been published by a. c. McClurg & Co. Of Chi
cago I is edited. with Introduction and notes
b. D- Guido BLagi who has for so many years
presided--o The profound satisfaction Of literary
visitors 70 Flcre-ce-ove- the destinies Of the
Iaurertian Library. The two volumes, illus
trated with lG0 halftones. the subjects for which
we're selected by the editor, are obviously the
tru,t Of q labor of love. Dr. Blagt has a great
saniratLon for the book and its author and It
Is with keen pleasure that he brings forward GER
tain hitherto unpublished evidence 70 show on
what thorough researches George Eliot based her
m0s- ambitious narrative When she was in
Florence with George Henry Lewes they obtained
book after book from the Laurentian Library
u. B.aEt has discovered in an old cupboard the
receipts given. with Lewes's Signature for these
books and the titles on them well serve TO deep
en our Impression OF the romarcer's scholarship.
she Gid a1 enormous amount os reading IN the
IeTG--fc OK ll-e ttflD4 Sile -l1G LE-GeEL1a-el 10
rt-create fl the pages OF 'Romola" We see her.
L Or. B.arfs earnest introduction, taking pains
&c. or-y where books might help her. but where
the study of old buildings and OF contemporary
Illustrations might enable her 70 strengthen her
backgr0uu5. The reproductions from manu-
SCRIPTS. drawings. erEravings. paintings and so
G. which aL0rD this new edition are like 6Ocu-
mel-s 6-ar1 from her own notebook The vol
rmes though not Iuxuriously made, are printed
WITH dignity and are bound in good taste. 10
one who cares for George Eliot can neglect them.
The same author has provided the occasion for
rvo other holiday books one Of these is a re-
print Ct the Scenes Of Clerical life" pub
Hshed Hv the AIacnilans n that exquisite
series. illustrated by M Hugh Thomson. IN
which We have had editions Of "Cranford,' ''The
Vicar Of Wakefield. % Henry Esmond" and other
uaste-rleces. We may 50 designate the Scenes
q Clerical Life" II the book IS not master
piece IN the superb triumphant sense IN which
the word is applied IN .'Ez-ond" IS, ~ all
events George Eliot ar her very best Never
did she slav q rr-er insight into human nature,
never did she show more art, than in these rich
pages. Mr. Taomsou's style IS well known. It's
light animated and graceful qualities are here
Irssautez with the new accent that color sup
piles. Many Of the full page illustrations have
this charm 70 delicate tirrs added TO the drafts
mans picturesque line THE printing Of course.
as is 70 be expected IN the 'C-auford Series" IS
Ier.ec-. and The cover. elaborately decorated in
sod is one more cf ar Thouson's unqualified
Successes. DuIald & Co publish under the
tile Of Boys and Girls from George Eliot" a
book by Kate Dickinson Sweetser. in which that
author tries to 60 what she tried 70 do in her
Zen Girls from Diczans"-Io interest young
people ia d classic. and in that way turn them
idea 4
plausible enough. and IS carried out with
ceye-aess 1Ir. g. A. Williams provides the /
Illustration. one of them, the frontispiece, be /
ING printed il co3ors.
One volume - Thacke-ay appears in q holiday 4
reg-r-. T-1a Pu-1a1s issue an edition os the I
Ballads and Songs" with illustrations by Il. /
4 Brock THAT artist can be picturesque when .
required. and. even more, he can be Gaintily /
humorous. as The illustrator Of Thackeray's /
verses So often has To be. His best work Is .
oo2e in the head pieces. and the little sketches /
sca--srel through the text His fun page illus /
tarcls. c.- some occult reason, are al COM /
@o1p.4oe. The book has gilt edges and the I
rec cloth binding - elaJorately stamped IN gold
/ F. Du--o1 d Co send Us Irving's Brace /
bridge Han" and Miss Manning's Household (
q Sir Thomas More" charuinsiy illustrated in /
oo-ors 10y o. T. Brock, and very prettily got up .
IN pale green and gold bindings Both these /
volumes are lueIy printed by Dent Of London. I
Il AR EickW.ek.s Christmas" the Baker q I
Taylor Company reprints those chapters in 4
bcEeGss immortal book which expressly deal /
vita the -ays q the Piekwicklaus at the Manor |
Farm There IS q brief Introduction on the sub
!ec- by 2Ir George Alfred Williams, who also /
Provides the Illustrations IN coiors and in black
and White. Some q the decorations, and all of /
lie borders. are printed IN green Everything
ma makes for the dissemination OF Dickensian