Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-07

were built and the course of various
municipal changes Giving this data a
narrative and statistical form. at the be-
ginning of each year it was published in
the columns of the National Intelligencer
These public spirited efforts, extending
as they did over such long series of
years. provided annals of a peculiarly
valuable. not to say unique character
which for their sequence and merit stand
unequaIed as materials illustrating the
life and progress of this city. In addition
the figures of the vital statistics are in
Guided. which for much of the period can
not be found elsewhere.
The volume also contains a paper by
Hugh T. Taggart on the early days of
Georgetown. which shows how rich In
events of interest and in the character
of the men and women of the time is
that period about which SO little has been
written. Mr.. Taggart brought to the
treatment of this subject mind stored
with Information obtained as the outcome
of patient research in long forgotten and
sometimes obscure records. His narra-
tive is frightened by the relation of in
cIdents which also serve to give vivid
impression of social customs and modes
of living of the times.
4 peculiar interest attaches to the pa
per by the late A. r. Spofford. which was
read before the society at the April
meeting of last year. as it marks his last
participation in the meetings of the so
ciety in whose success he was so deeply
The title of Mr.. Spofford's paper is ''Vir-
ginia Three Hundred Years Ago"
richly illustrated paper is the one by
Madison Davis, in which he gives the his
tory of the old cannon foundry above
Georgetown and it's first owner, Henry
Foxall.
Other papers in this volume are as fol-
lows: with Camera Over the Old Dis
trict Boundary Lines" by Fred f. Wood
ward: 'rhe Archives of the Federal Gov
eminent
Progress in Historical Work. by Colyer
Meriwether and Historic Washington
Homes by Hal II. Smith,
ENGLISH VOYAGES OF ADVENTURE
AND DISCOVERY; Retold from
Hakluyt. BY Edwin NJ. Bacon. Au-
thor of Historic Pilgrimages in
Y York Ghsres seqisners s Sew
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Few casual students of the history OF
the English colonization of North Amer
lea realize the extent to which the al
most unknown Richard Hakluyt figured
in. the work of discovery and explora-
ton. In this volume is retold the nara
tive first set forth by Hakluyt in 1857
in his divers Voyages Touching the Dis
covery- of America. etc Hakluyt was a
preacher with taste for narration and
fondness for stories of sea ventures. The
intrepid Work or the early BRUSH eX-
plorers appealed to him and his successive
papers on their experiences were respon-
sible In large measure for the spread OF
interest in the new found western world
1t is appropriate that there should be
laid before American readers this excel
lent work. descriptive and in part repro
ductive of the Hakluyt publications, now
to be found only in the museums and most
carefully guarded libraries Much of the
Hakluyt narrative treats of Sir Walter
Raleigh and his experiences in this coun-
try. In this publication are given fac
SMILES of the old manuscripts and some
contemporary portraits and prints. to-
gether with modern illustrations.
THE PERFECTLY GOOD CYNIC'S
CALENDAR; With Astronomical At
tachment. By E. w. M. Grant, Ad-
Olson Miner and Oliver HEREFORD.
New York: Paul Elder G. Co.
Too good to be new" say the CO.
authors of this latest edition of the
cynic's calendar. The phrase aptly de-
scribes the book. Started several years
ago as an experiment in bookmaking. it
has become institutional 1t is. as the
title claims. Perfectly Good" from one of
the highly decorative covers to the other.
The illustrations are up TO the stand
ard of earlier years and the distorted
proverbs are all as clever as ever.