Literary Miscellany. A POET'S ESTIMATE. TRUSTWORTHY, surely, I may well call thee; Honest and clear, I may safely add, Excellent mentor! and ne'er may befall thee Luck to be venal-a fate most sad! Into thy presence subjects are crowded; Asking no favors, yea, none desiring, Over my lines run again, if needful; Running, two things keep clearly in mindLeisurely start! of extremes be heedful! Don't see it now? Ah! well, you are blind! -Boston Literary World. PORTRAIT OF LOWELL.-A beautiful life-size lithograph portrait of James Russell Lowell has just been published by Houghton, Mifflin & Co. at the nominal price of $1. It is from a very late photograph, and is worthy of high esteem as a work of art not less than as a likeness. MRS WILLIAM MORRIS, wife of the London artist, poet, and Socialist, is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world; she is described as having "features that are perfect in their regularity, a complexion that baffles description, and eyes deep, soulful and actively sympathetic." A BIG CALCULATION." A curious reviewer has estimated," says the Providence Sunday Journal, that the ten octavo volumes of Nicholas and Hay's 'Abraham Lincoln' contain about 475 pages each, and the number of words in each, estimating roughly, is about 150,000. For totals, therefore, we should have 4750 printed pages and 1,500.000 written words. Green's (larger) History of England' contains about 780,000 words, Gibbon's Decline and Fall,' 1,215,000, and Bancroft's History of America,' about 1,250,000." As IT SOUNDS.-One cannot see why any one should find the titles of Prof. Drummond's books particularly hard to remember; yet only a fortnight since in Kansas City, according to the Chicago Tribune, a lady insisted upon calling "The Greatest Thing in the World" "The Biggest Thing on Earth;" and within the last few days an order came from a New York booksell er to the publisher of the book for one copy of "Packs for Biscomb." After seeing this ingenious distortion of the title "Pax Vobiscum" one is prepared to credit anything that he hears or reads of in this line. ZOLA'S NEW NOVEL.-" M. Zola is suffering intensely from rheumatism. In an interview recently reported," says The Critic, "he said that he was going, within a short time, to visit the city and battle ground of Sedan, in order to obtain material for an account of the famous battle fought there between the French and the Prussians on Sept. 2, 1870, when Napoleon III., at the head of an army of 90,000 men, surrendered to the victorious Prussians. The description of this battle will occupy a third of his next work, which will be entitled 'La Guerre.' 'Outside of La Guerre,' Zola said that he had not decided what to do in the future. The peo ple who credited him with the intention of dabbling in dramatic writing were better informed than himself. He asked anxiously about the United States Copyright bill, and said that it would be a boon for French authors; that it would increase their revenue, and secure them better trans lations. The translations had hitherto been dreadful. Zola also spoke of the regular bourgeois manner of living of modern writers, in contrast with the old Bohemianism, as due to the necessity to earn a great deal of money; saying that 50,000f. a year was now comparatively a small income." MARKING BOOKS.—“What do you think of the habit of marking books?" I asked an old bookworm and book-lover. Why, I think that if the marker himself doesn't mind it, no one else ought to." "I do not understand. Why should the person who marks books mind it?" "Because it is such a reckless give-away. It is bad enough to have to stand by the things you say yourself, without adopting a lot of things some one else has said in addition. When you mark a book you often put on exhibition sentiments which you would express only with the greatest reserve, but here they are open to the criticism of friend and foe alike. I have always had a private opinion that the marking of books showed a lack of proper reserve and delicacy. It is making the public a present of what belongs to yourself and your friend. Our ap "Then, apart from the revelation made to other people, you often find marked books an uncomfortable record of your own past mental poverty. If you should read the same work, but in different copies, once a year for five years, and mark at each reading the things which struck your fancy, the five copies, when compared, would show you some startling facts. preciative ability grows faster and surer, I think, than any other. You would be heartily ashamed of the things you approved at a previous stage of development. On the whole, it is a very dangerous process for the person who cares for his own and his friends' good opinion, to stand sponsor for the dictum of an author, simply because, on reading it for the first time, he felt an agreeable responsive glow."-Kate Field's Washington. LONGMANS, GREEN & CO. HAVE NOW READY: Physical Religion. Being the Gifford Lectures for 1890. delivered before the University of Glasgow, by F. MAX MÜLLER. Crown 8vo, 422 pages, $3.00. This volume contains the second course of Gifford Lectures delivered before the University of Glasgow in the beginning of 1890, with a few additions, mostly printed at the end of the volume. "The author's history of the Vedic literature, his analysis of its contents, and his comparison of them with other forms of physical religion are full of knowledge, insight, and suggestiveness. He treats the subject, which he has so completely made his own, with unrivalled force and authority.”—The Times. A FAMOUS WORK. THE MEMOIRS OF TALLEYRAND. Edited, with copious explanatory notes, by the DUC DE BROGLIE. Volume I., octavo, with four portraits and fac-similes of manuscript, $2.50. The work is to be complete in five volumes. The volumes will be sold separately. Volume I. includes an Introduction by the Hon. Whitelaw Reid, and the General Preface by the Duc de Broglie. The memoirs in this volume comprise: Part I. The Years Preceding the Revolution, 1754-1791— Part II. The Duc d'Orleans-Part III. The Convention; The Directory; The Consulate; The Epochs of American History. Early Years of the Empire, 1791-1808—Part IV. Edited by ALBERT BUSHNELL HART, Assistant Professor of History in Harvard College. The Colonies, 1492-1750. By REUBEN GOLD THWAITES, Secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin; author of "Historic Waterways," etc. With marginal notes, bibliographies, index, and four colored maps. 322 pages, $1.25. There can be no doubt that these studies of Epochs of American History' will be accepted both in higher institutions of learning and for general reference as incomparably the most concise, authoritative, and philosophically instructive survey of the genesis and growth of the United States that has ever been issued from the press.”—Boston Beacon. Racing Reminiscences and Experiences of the Turf. By SIR GEORGE Chetwynd, Bart. 2 vols., royal 8vo, $7.50. . "A book which is, almost continuously, pleasant reading. So far as we are aware, it is the first book of the kind ever published-the first book, that is to say, written by one high in the racing world, and who, in addition to taking as much interest and active participation in it as any one of recent years, has thrown in just enough of the society author to obviate the monotony which two volumes of racing pure and simple would present to the average reader."-The Field. Spanish Affairs, 1807-Part V. The Erfurt Interview, 1808. Talleyrand's long diplomatic career, his eventful life, his unique character, his exceptionally incisive and powerful intellect and his keenly satirical analysis of the men with whom he had to do, render it probable that his longexpected Memoirs will be one of the most noteworthy books of the century. His remarkable utterances upon America, and the probability of some new light being thrown by him on the character of Napoleon, will give a special interest to certains portions of the diary. The second volume will be ready April 4. (Full Descriptive Prospectus sent on application.) A LITERARY MANUAL OF FOREIGN QUOTATIONS. By JOHN DE VOE BELTON. 8vo, half leather, gilt top, $1.50. The distinctive feature of this compilation is the presentation of the English equivalents of the originals, together with extracts from the writings of noted authors in which the quotations have been used. "It is not alone a good book of reference, but is entertaining reading. An apt quotation often gives a sparkle to a sentence, and brings the long past in communication with the actual present."-N. Y. Times. CHARLES READE'S WORKS. DE WOLFE, FISKE & CO. ANNOUNCE TO THE LOVERS OF CHARLES READE That they will hereafter break the sets of their new edition of CHARLES READE'S WORKS, and will supply any of the volumes as desired. As this is the only good, uniform set of Reade in the market, and is very handsomely made, it will, without doubt, prove very salable in this way. It is in sixteen volumes, 12mo, illustrated. Price per vol., $1.50. The volumes are as follows: Foul Play. A Woman-Hater. A Simpleton. Love Me Little, Love Me Long. A Terrible Temptation. The Course of True Love. Griffith Gaunt. Peg Woffington. Never Too Late to Mend. 2 vols. The Cloister on the Hearth. 2 vols. DE WOLFE, FISKE & CO., Publishers, Boston, Mass. JUST READY: JERRY. The anonymous novel which has attracted so much approval as it appeared in Scribner's Magazine. 12mo, $1.25. WOMAN'S WORK IN AMERICA. Edited by ANNIE NATHAN MEYER. Introduction by JULIA WARD HOWE. 12m0, $1.50. Containing 18 chapters, such as The Education of Women in the East; in the West; and in the South; Woman in Literature; in Journalism; Medicine; Ministry; Law; State; Philanthropy. Written by such women as Miss Eastman, Mrs Franklin, Dr. Jacobi, Mrs. Livermore, Mrs. Lowell, Mrs. Wyman, Miss Willard, Miss Barton, etc. The Christian Union says: "The story of such a movement, the aspiration and inspiration that are embodied in it, cannot fail to be a stimulus to all women, however remote their interest may be from any practical participation in this vast quickening of feminine intelligence and activity." Harper's Weekly says: "A very valuable chapter in American history not elsewhere to be found. is at once very interesting and very instructive." It BISHOP H. C. POTTER says: "Very valuable and interesting. An inspiring evidence of woman's increasing emancipation from stupid and unjust restrictions and of the noble service to her kind which she is so richly gifted to render.' HENRY HOLT & CO., New York. DRUMMOND'S WORKS. THE AUTHORIZED EDITIONS. GREATEST THING IN THE WORLD. The Address made at Dr. Moody's College at Northfield. By HENRY DRUMMOND. Leatherette, gilt top, 35 cents; illustrated edition, cloth, $1.00. "Thoughtful and powerful, with a wealth of illustration."-Churchman. "It is in Drummond's best vein."-Christian Union, "A brilliant essay.' PAX VOBISCUM. By HENRY DRUMMOND. The Second in the Series of which "The Greatest Thing in the World" is the first. Leatherette, gilt top, 35 cents; illustrated edition, cloth, net, $1.00. "The volume is small, but mighty in power, and its influence will be wide. "It is impossible to read anything from the pen of Henry Drummond and not feel quickened and enlightened."-So. Christian Advocate, Dec. 25, 1890. THE CHANGED Life. An Address by HENRY DRUMMOND. The Third of the Series. Gilt top, leatherette, printed in blue, 35 cents. Just ready. FIRST: A TALK WITH BOYS. By HENRY DRUMMOND. 32 pages, paper cover, to cents: leatherette, silver edge, etc., 35 cents. Just ready. NATURAL LAW IN THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. By HENRY DRUMMOND, F.R.S.E., F.G.S. Cloth, red top, title in gold, 438 pp., 75 cents. New edition. "Natural Law is the latest and most magnificent discovery of science." JAMES POTT & CO., Publishers, NEW YORK. MURET. Encyclopædic Dictionary of the English and German Languages. A PARALLEL WORK TO SACHS-VILLAtte. With pronunciation after the Phonetic System of Toussaint-Langenscheidt's Method. Complete in about 33 parts, each part consisting of about 112 pages. Price per part, 50 Cents Retail; 30 Cents Wholesale. Part is now ready, and will be supplied to the trade with return privilege. The succeeding parts will be published in intervals of 2 to 3 months, about 5 parts per year. MURET'S Dictionary is the most ample and com an the number of independent initial words, each with A systematic attempt to disentangle the per-prehensive work of its class. Thus, from A to Achaplexities of English compounding. A book for Authors, Printers, Teachers, Telegraphers, Stenographers, Typewriters, and all who care for the correct writing of English. Murvale Eastman: CHRISTIAN SOCIALIST. A Novel, by ALBION W. TOURGEE. 545 pp. Cloth, decorated, $1.50. "Full of incident and felicitous interchange of thought and opinion in conversation, while borne along naturally on the moving current of the story is a powerful discussion of Christianity and its relations to the turbulent questionings of the time, such as wealth, capital, labor, speculation, etc."-Magazine of American History, N. Y. Sitting up to read it at one sitting-a compliment which I rarely pay any novel. Its spirit seems to me admirable."-LYMAN ABBOTT, D.D. Midnight Talks at the Club. Reported by AMOS K. FISKE. 16mo, vellum cloth, gilt top, $1.00. Stim "Vigorous thinking and bold utterances. ulate better thinking. The sharp questionings of an earnest mind."-San Francisco Bulletin. "Oftentimes eloquent and at all times sincere, even when the playful humor lies beaming to the surface, it is a book that will carry light and consolation to many doubting minds."-New York Times. For Sale by all Booksellers. FORDS, HOWARD & HULBERT, New York. the pronunciation fully given, arranged in alphabetical order and preceding the exposition, amounts, even with the suppression of self-evident compounds like afterapplication, after-blame, etc., to no less than 1,671 Here the other principal dictionaries give respectively about the following numbers of words: Murray, London, 1884-9, The Century Dictionary, New York, 1890, Lucas, Bremen, 1854, 1,468 1,312 1,220 942 911 809 721 Muret's work will be the best, the most complete, and the newest English-German Dictionary in the market; it will surpass any other Dictionary in existence. NOW READY. 5th Editton of Amerikanisches Skizzebüchelche Zwei Epistel in Versen. BY GEORG ASMUS. New, People's Edition, One Volume, Cloth, $1.00 Re tail; 65 Cents Wholesale. THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS COMPANY, 83 and 85 Duane St. (1 door east of Broadway), New York. THE NEW WEBSTER JUST PUBLISHED ENTIRELY NEW. M WEBSTER'S INTERNATIONAL DICTIONARY A GRAND INVESTMENT for the Family, the School, or the Library. Revision has been in progress for over 10 Years. More than 100 editorial laborers employed. $300,000 expended before first copy was printed. Critical examination invited. Get the Best. Sold by all Booksellers. Illustrated pamphlet free. G. & C. MERRIAM & CO., Publishers, Springfield, Mass., U. S. A. Caution! There have recently been issued several cheap reprints of the 1847 edition of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, an edition long since superannuated. These books are given various names,-" Webster's Unabridged," "The Great Webster's Dictionary," "Webster's Big Dictionary," "Webster's Encyclopedic Dictiona ry," etc., etc. Many announcements concerning them are very misleading, as the body of each, from A to Z, is 44 years old, and printed from cheap plates made by photographing the old pages. Houghton, Mifflin & Co.'s New Books. James Freeman Clarke. Edited by EDWARD Including an Autobiography, extracts from his Diary and Correspondence. At the time of his death there were probably very few American citizens more widely known throughout the nation and more respected than James Freeman Clarke. He had not only visited many sections of the country, always to be received with honor, but through his published works he had become known by a very large constituency, and was recognized as one of the wisest, most patriotic, most public-spirited men of the time. The record of his unusually active and useful life cannot fail to commend itself to a very large circle of readers. King's Chapel Sermons. Japanese Girls and Women. By A. P. PEABODY, D.D. Crown 8vo, $1.50. By ALICE M. BACON. $1.25. Miss Bacon has enjoyed exceptional advantages for learning of Japanese domestic life. Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. With Extracts from his Journals and Correspondence. By SAMUEL LONGFELLOW. With seven portraits and other illustrations. New edition, rearranged. 3 vols., crown 8vo, gilt top, $6.00. In this edition the contents of the two volumes of the original "Life of Longfellow," and those of the later volume of "Final Memorials," are recast so that they fall into their proper chronological order. The story of the famous poet's life and remarkable literary career is now continuous, and the work is both more complete and far more satisfactory to the reader. Ballou's Alaska. Tourist's Edition, describing the places tourists would naturally visit, and giving a great deal of desirable information. 4 maps, $1.00. Two Coronets. An excellent Novel of New England and Italy. The Odyssey of Homer. Translated into English Rhythmic Prose. By GEORGE H. PALMER, Professor in Harvard University. I vol., crown 8vo, $2.00. This volume contains the entire Odyssey, translated with singular fidelity to the original and rare beauty of form. Professor Palmer's aim, as stated in his Preface, has been "to give to the thought of Homer a more direct and simple expression than has hitherto been judged admissible; to report in all their delicacy the events which Homer reports; to employ persistently the veracious language, the language of prose, rather than the dream language, the language of poetry; and still to confess that the story, unlike a bare record of fact, is throughout, like poetry, illuminated with an underglow of joy." A Handbook of Christian Symbols and Stories of the Saints as Illustrated in Art. By CLARA ERSKINE CLEMENT. Edited by Katherine E. Conway. With many full-page illustrations. New edition. I vol., crown 8vo, $2.00. AT ALL THE BOOKSTORES. |