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Show I 1 REVIEWS OF -BQQKS Ii 1 1 A BOOK ON ERIN'S WEONGS. 'Ireland, Yesterday mid Today." By HiiRli Sutherland. With mi lnlioduc-i lnlioduc-i on by John U. Kedmond. M. V. Piib-llched Piib-llched by Tho Xortu .mcrleau, .Philadelphia. .Phila-delphia. 3d"r. Redmond's inlrodiie.lion is an on-thusiastic on-thusiastic ondorsomeul. of this work, which comprises letters written by Mr. Sulhorlnml to the North America a du ring r-ing his visit !o Ireland, whero ho mnuo an invostipition of (ho Irish question, and of tlio Irish people Mr. Redmond calls (ho book -'A powerful, eloquent and convincing appeal in behalf of Ireland." Ire-land." Ho savs that the letters exhibit ex-hibit a thorough and comprehensive crasp of tho Irish question in all its dotallH, historical, political, moral, and material, and for theso reasons, L hcart-ilv hcart-ilv commend this volume to the serious consideration of American politicians nud thinkers of all partios and all creeds." . , . lu his preface tho writer explains how he came to write tho letters. Jlo undertook them under tho patronage ol tho North Aniorican seven years ago, and in them to Rive proper treatment to tho great, subject involved.- The purpose pur-pose was, ns far as possible,, to make it "an Aniorican textbook of Ireland s progress and Ireland's natural aspirations." aspira-tions." That is his ambition, and sure-ly sure-ly he has realized it well. Tho work is divided into three parts. Phst, "Tho Problem of tho Land," on which twelve letters were written; second, sec-ond, "Tho Land Problem Solved" in nine letters; third. "The Demand for Homo, Rule" in eight letters. There 5s also a poslcript dealing with religious questions, and there is a large number of illustrations, including portraits and interesting scenes in various parts of Ireland. ' There is no doubt, whntcver, as to the vividnets of theso letters, and tho interest they arc sure to awaken in the jninil of the reader. Mr. Sutherland is a man who is evidently a skilled, strong writer, and ho has prepared hiuifcclf to write these letters by getting all the facts attainable, and presenting them from the Irish viewpoint in a way that jp absolutely convincing and often pil-ifully.dramatic. pil-ifully.dramatic. The outrages described as having occurred from tune to time are something frightful. They are enough to give one a most despicable opinion of the people who have gone betore, as well as of a large number who vet live. Nothing better could happen for the Irish cause than to have a wide circulation of ihis volume among the Annricnii people. As Mr. Redmonds as "The publication of theso letters Jn book form, and their wide circulation circula-tion in America cannot fail to be. of enormous service to Ireland." . And when ho refers 1.0 America, he says ho does not mean merely the Irish Americans Ameri-cans from whom Ireland expects support, sup-port, both sentimentally and materiajly. hn " morica as-a whole, the thinking men of all parties in the republic, whose pvinpathv constitutes- one of the greatest great-est assets of the Irish movement for national sclf-covernme"t, because it is tiini-.i!lv ii,n.it.ciKlr. fur l.Tn rrl ri nit 1 1 iiinill- H fain in Ireland a system which the H judgment of America reprobates and Tl.c letters carry the history of Tre- H laud buck for seven centuries, and all H tint, time it has been a strue?lc, ac- H cnnumiiod bv irhasllv horrors, atteinpt- H ed extermination,. and all the afflictions - thai ntt a Hi to barbarous coiuiuests. The H Mnric-s of the victims are pitiful talcs. H Tic narratives of tho slrtu'fle for ox- B iM'Mve upon rocks knolls, and barren H riilcs is on" to rend the heart. The J no"v,;: of dm jrrent emiirations to the HJ T"u 'e l S'ates. of the help sent back H to Jrj!-'i homes from America which H saved the lives of the Irish kin- H dii-1 lv the hundreds of (lioiiands, is H e-M-fullv set forth and acknowledged. H I s m ro indefl to find a book written H Mi"i th" vividness, directness and H pnn r of reaching the pith of the ina.t- H ip' th::t every one wants to know, in H ti wtv thai this extremely well pre- H rented book does. Mr. Redmond is not H Hi'.l-ikcn when he says that this hook H is bonnd to have a most important cf- H f. c! in America, that it will be of H ' 'enormous huh)" lo the Irish cause. j SOME JOLLY -BOHEMIANS. H "TIi Top of Ibe Morninp." tty Juliet' H Wilbur Tompkins. Tlie Baker k Tay- H lot- Company. Publishers, New York. H This pleasant writer has won public f:nor lo' bo former novels. "Dr. El-len," El-len," and "The Open Tlou:.e." This H -pres nt one is not likely to add to her H fame. It is distinctly inferior to "Dr. Elleu." which was the best of the lot. H This story tells about a party of wom- H en and young men, who form a Bolfem- H ian society of their own in Nov.- York. H It w;.s all hospitable, clean, and good H fellowship. The center of tho group H wan Charlotte McLean, a widow who H had a "little boy" nt school in Eng- H land. All at once he turns up, but is H no longer a little boy, being a strap- j ping vouth, herculcau in proportions H compared with the other men of tho cir- H cle There is a Paul who was older H and wiser than any of them, but did not j Fceiu to be very well balanced after-all. H In bin case the question canio to be as H to whether it is bettor to adhere to the H clean, decent: society of thin little Bo- Hj hemiau. coterie, or to trail .off into evil H ''and vice under the leadership of a wo- H man artist, who wa.s entirely uuconven- H tiou.il, not to sa3 indecent. The author H makes Paul do his great work under the H incentive of the ejean IBohemiaus, but H after all there may be reasonable doubt H whether the inspired spark was not H kindled by the vicious contact with H Irene. It is a jolly company, though, j human, forgetful ol slights, enjoyable; H but after all. the book is rather iu- Hj conclusive and ono rather wishes that j Charlotte would lake up with her En- H glish cousin, who is so well able to pro- j vide for her, and who gives her such a H n'ol'y good time in his motor car. The 1 cud in tame, abrupt, and iu tho air. TO GET NUTRITIVE FOOD. H "Si lontiilo Living for Prlonping the Term H of Human Life, the New Domestic H Scl-iif-c Cookiny to Simplify Living H and Retain tii Dffc ISIenioiitn in H Fnod." By Laura Not tie ton Brown. H I'ubllnlicd by the Ilcalth-Culture Co., raaic. K. S. H The idea in this book is to emphasize H the great truth that iu the ordinary H process of cooking the organic elements H often become unorganie, and food values H are destroyed. Tho idea of t.liu author H is that when this scientific method of H preparing food is known and general- H .V practiced, the racial vigor will bo H fully restored, as nothing else can do H it. It will l'rco the woman from the elaverv of the cook stove, and will be H come ii large factor in the solution of H the bcrvanL problem. As usual in this H sort of book, it is hard to get at just H what, the author seems willing to sliow, H but by diligent search ono finds out j that tho tireless cooker is about the H thing that protects the vital elcmruts H iu the food at ICi'H labor aud expcDKO 1 aud in a more tasty manner than iu H the old method. The author insists that j less, seasoning should bo applied, and H that there should be a scientific adap- taliiui of means to end whereby the 1 ono who eats will get that particular 1 form of fnnd that is hest. tor him, pre- H pured iu Vseh a way as will he most useful to his body uind pleasant lo lus taste. It is an alluring proposition also, but prettv hard to get; at. About one-tenth one-tenth of 'tho hook would do if tho essential es-sential part, were concentrated where one could read it readily; but diversities diversi-ties as it is and scattered through long treatises about the cheihistry of cooking, cook-ing, tho chemistry of the vegetables, meats, etc., tho whole matter is too elu-aivo elu-aivo for practical application. There appears ap-pears to be an effort to make a book-on book-on rather a small idea and to pad it out with assumption and commonplace. PLAIN SPEAKING FOR TURITY. "Tlio Market for Souls." Uy Elizabeth Goodnow. Published by Mitchell Ken: nerly, New York. Tho author of this work explains that she became interested in tho woes of tho women of tho underworld, in making, mak-ing, with ono of tho workers in a settlement, set-tlement, a visit to the night court. She there saw, for tho lirst time, the girl of tho streets. She was there in all tvpes and ages, from the young girl or sixlceu to the "old timer" of forty. The author says, "It was all pitiful and tawdry, and my ire was raised to sec a girl compelled to stand tfoforo the .pidge, surrounded by a lot of men that touched elbows with her aud laughod at hor story, looriug at her with not ono bit of sympathy or pity in their faces." From this sho .became interested in those women. Sho sought, information about, them wherever it could he had, and sho established a little place in the settlement where she could have those women visit her, tell their pitiful stories, and where tho desire- existed, get ou the way to leadiiiq a better life. The- prominent and rovolhng thing that first came to her notico in this villainy was tho wretched rascality of men who lived upon the women who sold themselves. them-selves. and1 the -stories that sho tolls of this phaso of the life aro oxtromoly revolting. re-volting. Aud yet the reason why the women support thoso men conies out very strongly. Tho little sketches that form tho bulk of the volume arc grievous and wretched wretch-ed indeed. That they aro true life pictures pic-tures (hero is not the least reason to doubt, and the influence of that little house of refuge for qvtod cannot; in the least be doubled. It is strong, pathetic work, a touching nppcal to tho heart. HIS LAST WEEK. The Seventh Xoon. By Frecdrick Orin Bartlctt. With illustrations by Edmund Ed-mund Frederick. Published by Small. Maynard aud Company, Boston. The scheino of this story is that, a ; young man who had had rather a hard time of it. in his life, without much prospect pros-pect of wealth and on.io3'nient. determines determ-ines to end his existence. Tie, talks the matter over with a "scientific gent," who is a great chemist, and who argues against tho idoa of suicide. At ' the same time, however, this scientist, who is strong in chemistry, says that he has invented a new poison which i leaves no traco of its presence, and ' death exactly seveii days after it has been taken. In corroboration of the chemist's theory, a pup is brought in that has been doped with this poison seven days before, and exactly at noon his time- is up to die, and he 'collapses, according to schedule From this the would-be suicide is greatly affected. When the chemist's back is turned, ho steals tho poison, drinks it. and then starts out to have his lling at life with tho two thousand dollars he has succeeded suc-ceeded in saving. Great things immediately immedi-ately press upon him. Ho has adventures adven-tures without number. He .becomes a hero, lifts a widow and her childreu from want by buying her a farm, then i becomes acquainted with a Jovablo girl. ' does immediate service for her iu deal- ing with her brother, who is addicted: to Jiquor and opium, comes lo love her very dearly and sho him. All the time, however, ho has to fight off the idea of marriage, as he considers himself doomed, and dare not tell what his fate is to be. However, on the last dav, just before noon, he seeks his friend, the chemist, as the seventh noon approaches, ap-proaches, and finds the relief which is at once unexpected aud irrepressible. It is a decidedly entertaining story, well told, with tho subject brought out skillfully and dramatically. Tho author has presented a good, finished work. It raises strongly tho question, "What would yon-do if" you knew that vou had just seven days to live?" t FOR THE LITTLE GIRLS. "When Mother Lets Us Sew." Bv Virginia Vir-ginia rtalston. Iilusl ruled. Mofr.it Yard and Company, Publishers, New York. This book is one of tho pleasant scries sc-ries issued by this linn, tho preceding ones being, "When Mother Lets Us Cook." "When Mother Lets Us Garden," Gar-den," "When Mother Lets Us Help," and "When Mother Lots lis Give a Party." The present book is a worthy successor lo those tine books of this series. Tho present one seems to bo chiefly concerned about the little girls making dresses for their dolls, which suroly would bo an incentive for them to exercise their ingenuity in fitting and sewing. At the tamo time, tho different differ-ent stitche.s. the running stitch, the basting stitch, the gathering stitch, the stitching stitch, tho back stitch, tho hemming stitek, over-handing, catch stitch, and blanket stitch aro clearly detailed, with instructions how to make them all. The hook is decidedly entertaining enter-taining as well as instructive to the lit-tlo lit-tlo folks, and would be good for every household that has in it little girls growing up. FOR THE SCHOOLS. From the American Book Company, Chicago, we have "Piano Geometry Developed De-veloped by tho Syllabus Method," by liugene Randolph Smith, A. M., head of the Department of Mathematics, Polytechnic Poly-technic Proparator- School, Brooklyn. N. Y. This book is prepared on the idea that. tho proofs of geometry should bo worked out by the pupils-, either in class discussion or individually. It does not favor the memorizing of the theorems theo-rems and the proofs to sustain them; the book is written in the hope of encouraging en-couraging teaehern to undertake the leaching of Igcometry by tho "no-text" method. Tho effort is a good one, but; it will necessarily fail, because the schools have uoi enough teachers who arc so thoroughly grounded in geometry geom-etry that they are able to carry out the plan. From the same we have, "Plane Trig onomotry", by Edward R. Rob-bins, Senior Mathematical Master, tho Wil liam Peiin Charter School. Tho author of this work has prepared it with tho idea of eliminating much that is supor-tluons supor-tluons in a complete nnd scientific understanding un-derstanding of trigonometry, that hns crops into the class-room and text; books in recent years. I.t almost seems as though he has skeletonized tho study. and yet sufficient is presented heroin give a complcto training in trigomctery. The hope of the author is that, by these eliminations of materials which arc not necessary, a better and moro practical understanding may be had of this important im-portant study. From the tame wo Ivavo "Pupil's Notebook nnd Study Outline in Roman History," by Edna M. McKinloy. Ph.B., Teacher of Ancient and European History, His-tory, Syracuse, X. V. This is simply a prepared notebook lyith skeleton charts which seems desirable, and with tho various topics dnlv sot down. It will doubtless be useful in hist or study iu tho schools, but. ono roadiif history for instruction could hard! make uso of such a book. TWINS AS . OPPOSITES. "Tlio Master Spirit." By .John C. Klober. I'liblfyed by the Coclirano PubllBliint: Company, New Yorlc. 'Phis is a -story of two brothers, Maxi niijian and Mareellus Montgomery scions of one of tlio ancient familii:! , of Virginia. They wore twins and hai just, arrived at their majorit3' when tin war broke out. Marcellus, who is sain to4 havo been of a stolid and dcpravoi. mind, feeding on tho vain truths of science sci-ence and digging into the facts . ol community life and of history, is the villain of (ho story. A predilection for science and provable truth seems to have been his undoing. Maximilian, on tho other hand, was devoted to the classics, clas-sics, to poetry, and to tho elevation of spirit that tho masterpieces of literature litera-ture aro sure to bring. Marcellus is a depraved wretch sure enough. Maxi milian is au exalted man, who suffers the loss of his sweetheart at tho hands of his depraved brother, and things are mixed up in very bad shape. The book attempts a harsh, severe arraignment of science so far as its influence on the human mind and character is concerned, con-cerned, and it is rather a belated apotheosis apoth-eosis of the elevation of spirit conferred con-ferred by things that are iu fact merely an ornament. Tho depravity of tho scientific sci-entific brother sets things all awry, and after ihe story is happily rid of him through his death, there, is a kind of after glow of spirit which sets things as right, as can be after such ruin has been wreaked. Tho story is told with rather poor skill, and is in fact dreary rending. LITERARY NOTES. The lending nrticlo in The J.lvinc Ago for February fi Is by Sydney Brooks, who writes of "Liberalism and tho Future" Fu-ture" with his accustomed force and clearness. The article was written on the cvo of tho elections In Great Britain, nnd jrlvos a sagacious forecast of the questions which are now to bo meU Charles Scrlhner's Sons will publish "Tho Glory of Ills Country." by Fred-crick Fred-crick Lnndls. on February 10. Thin Is a striking and moving story of patriotism and pelf-sacrifice in tho civil war. with a climax as unexpected as it Is stirring. William Dean IIowcDh makes mention of the King of England In a passage In "Seven English Cities." his recent book which is so full of genial commentary n things Fngllsh: and the paragraph is being quoted In London as "an American's Amer-ican's Idea of our king." Tlio pa.s.sagc reads: "Probably no man in his kingdom understands bettor llinii F.dward VII. that he Is larg ly n form, and that the more a. form ho Is the moro comparably he Is to the English Ideal of a monarch. But 110 Englishman apparently known bettor when 10 leave olT being a form and become a man, and ho has endeared himself to his people from lima to time by uncli Jiisplratlnnn." Goraldlno Bonnor, author of "Ulch Men't; Sons," etc., lias wrlllcn a novel colled "The Emigrant Trail." which will bo published this spring by Messrs. Duf-ie Duf-ie & Company. Tho book Is a remurk-.ible remurk-.ible tour do force In thai it relates entirely en-tirely to -tho experiences of a small band of overland travelers In J S 111 011 their .nogrcss over "the emigrant trail." so allod to distinguish It from tho Santa Fo trail farther to tho south. Within Mils scope there is a reinarlcablo variety if typos and adventures, besides a harming heroine and two vlrilo heroes, -he strong.)!- of whom iu tho successful vouer in tho end. To many Aincrlejins it may bo a surprise sur-prise to le.-irn thai tho late. Georgo leredllli. the Memorial Edition of whose vorks Jh now being brought out In this ountry by tho Scrllmeis. was for many cars "Hondor" to one of tho oldesL anil noHl famous of English publishing firms Chapman and Hall, who published the .vorks of CharloH Dickens. In a series of "letters from America." Mr. O. Lowes Dickinson has been eon-tilbutlng eon-tilbutlng to the English Review his Impressions Im-pressions of this country received during dur-ing his recent visit. They arc brilliant, like everything that Mr. DIcklnsoij writes, but superfluously caustic. Tho Living Ago reprints tho first Installment of them in Its Issue for February 1". Tlio Century Company la issuing Nanette B. Paul's "I'arllamonlary Uiw" (with diagram of motions), an elementary element-ary presentation of a much neglected science, Intended for every member of any organization nnd for students In school and college. The author Ib Instructor In-structor of parliamentary law In the Washington College of liw. and the book puts into simple and helpful form the harvest of her years of experience In teaching both young students and well educated men and women. Howard Chandler Christy has made the illustrations for "Now York Society on Parade." tho forthcoming l)ook of observations ob-servations by Ralph Pulitzer on those members of society who arc entitled to begin the word In upper case. It. is notoworthy that neither author nor artist will bo in Now York to witness Society's expression when this book Is published. Which will bo, according to the latest Harper announcement, almost Immediately. Immedi-ately. Mr. Christy is In Ohio, whero ihe Christy family has Its home. Mr. Pulitzer Pulit-zer Is abroad. "Germany's Real Attltudo Toward England." a subject which was much under un-der discussion during tho recent English elections, when the Unionists made all tho political capital possible odt.of the Gorman bogey. Is considered from tlio Gorman point of view by Charles Tueh-maun. Tueh-maun. in an article which Tho. living Ago for February 12 reprints from The Nineteenth Century. That Charles G. D. Roberts understands under-stands animals and sympathizes with thorn as do few men In this busy world. Is again proved In his now bonk. "Kings In Exile." which tho MaemlUan Company Is to publish shortly. This collection of stories presents a scries of stirring- Incidents In-cidents in the lives of thoso great kings of the animal world who have been taken away from their native haunts to live as captives among men. Mr. Roberts's Interpretations aro all Individual and aro remarkable for tho way In which, without with-out resorting to the usual means of making mak-ing animals talk llko human beings, they reveal tho humor, tho pathos, or tho . tragedy of the prisoners;' situations. The point of timeliness Is well considered consid-ered In tho publication of "Tho Passion Play of Obeiammergau," translated and with au Introduction by Monlrnsn J Moses. Mr. Moses'n book appeared at about th tlmo when tho principal char-actors char-actors In tho Passion Play began to let their hair grow last November In readiness readi-ness for rohearnals. Tho production at Obeiammergau, In .Iun6 ana July of this year. Is said lo have aroused moro Interest Inter-est than ever, so much so that all accommodations ac-commodations from American ports to Naples and Genoa. 1 In- points nearest to Obcramnicrgau. have been fully ongaged for some months since. The Passion Play Is performed only every ten years, nnd for this year. In order to reduce I ho excess of sightseers, tickets are to bo sold to foreigners only on condition that they board and lodge two nights, in tho village Henry William Elson, tho historian, whoso "Child's Guide lo American History" His-tory" Is ono of t.ho successes of the Baker fc Taylor company's fall list, speaking recently of the many loiters he receives concerning his history of tho United Slnton. said: "Oh, theso descendants, descend-ants, they are a difficult folk to please. I havo received letters from many of the descendants of prominent characters in our early history complaining of the scanty trealmonl I had given their respective re-spective ancestors. Ono uifin In Massachusetts Massa-chusetts writes me that his particular ancestor of colonial days Is very Inadequately Inade-quately treated In my history. Intimating that at least ono chapter should havo been devoted to him, though. It may be added, ho was but a secondary character and Is scarcely mentioned In tho briefer histories. It Is far easier for a northern mnn to wrlto for tho south, or for a Protestant to write for Catholics, or vica versa, than for any ono to write history that will please tho descendants. I am glad I am not a descendant." Tho living Ago for January 20 reprints re-prints from the English Review a compact com-pact and Informing article by Professor Renter, entitled "The Righta of Finland at Stake." which makes clear tho exact present situation In that unhappy grand duchy. |