p. 15 | LITERARY NOTICES by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 21, 1906

LITERARY NOTICES.

By Editor

"A Dictionary of American Authors." By Oscar Fay Adams. Fifth Edition, Revised and Enlarged. Houghton, Mifflin & Company, Boston and New York.

This is an excellent, convenient little work, concise, independent, and as inclusive as a work of its size can well be made. Over seven thousand names are given of American writers. The author exercises his independence of judgment in drawing a distinction between the poets and the verse-writers, tho some of the admirers of the versatile verse-writers will hardly agree with him. Some of the lovers of Will Carleton will surely count their favorite author equal to the Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, and we shall sympathize with them, tho we should count neither a poet if measured by their popular dialect pieces. But this is apart from the object of the work. It tells who the people are. We hope the next edition will be alphabetically consecutive. Every succeeding edition secures greater accuracy. It is a convenient little work.

"International French-English and English-French Dictionary." Bound in cloth with leather back and corners; 602 large octavo pages. Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, 31-35 West 15th Street, New York City.

This splendid work is one of a series of "International Dictionaries" which this firm, that has already done so much in the way of education, has set itself to publish, in somewhat uniform style. German, Latin, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Russian, and others will follow, treated in the same manner, all bi-lingual.

This volume is for the English-speaking people, and is designed to be thoroughly standard. It has for its editorial critic on pronunciation in French, Paul Passy, professor of phonetics in the University of Paris, secretary of the International Phonetic Association, editor of Maître Phonétique, author of "Changements Phonétiques," "Sons du Français," etc.; and for its critic of English pronunciation George Hempl, professor of English philology and general linguistics in the University of Michigan, president of the American Dialect Society, and recently president of the American Philological Association, and president of the Modern Language Association of America. The very latest dictionaries have been consulted. Both brevity and clearness have been sought, the page is large, the type clear and legible. Irregular parts of every irregular verb are given. The definitions are not long explanations, but largely equivalents. When difference in idiom demands fuller illustration, phrases are sometimes given. A list of French proper nouns is given with pronunciation and English equivalent. The pronunciation is indicated by a full respelling in the alphabet of the International Phonetic Association. When understood and properly used, it is the best means yet devised for indicating in one system, simply and accurately, the pronunciation of words in various languages. A key is given for the application of the phonetic alphabet to both English and French, and it does not take long to become acquainted with it. Yet we fear it will trouble many. This series should prove the help in this country that Cassell's series is in Great Britain.

"The United States in the Twentieth Century." By Pierre Leroy-Beaulieu, authorized translation by H. Addington Bruce. 8vo, cloth, 400 large, neatly-printed pages, price, net, $2.00. Funk & Wagnalls Company, New York and London.

This work is considered one of the most striking books on the United States since Bryce wrote his "American Commonwealth." While the author is a foreigner, he shows a remarkable understanding of the country and a good grasp of its resources, social, political, and economic. The book is in four parts: "The Country and the People," "Rural America," "Industrial America," "Commercial America." All these phases the author discusses intelligently and lucidly. While he points out great problems to be solved, he finds no cause of discouragement. His last sentence on "Commercial America" reads thus: "The day—doubtless still far distant—when it does regain it [that is, America regain old-time maritime power] will mark the extension of its economic influence over a very large portion of the world, if not over the entire world." The author does not touch social or moral conditions. America ought to be glad.

"Frenzied Finance. The Crime of Amalgamated." By Thomas W. Lawson of Boston. 560 pages. The Ridgeway-Thayer Company, New York.

This tremendously-vigorous book is volume 1 on "Frenzied Finance." It deals with the "Crime of Amalgamated." Many thousands have read the book in the articles in Everybody's Magazine, for this volume is a reprint of those articles. We have followed them carefully, unbiasedly, in Everybody's, and we are glad to get them in this form. They were doubted at first, now we opine they are generally believed. Mr. Lawson writes with tremendous force. His style is always interesting, at times decidedly brilliant, coruscating with striking similes and flashing metaphors. He has opened a great and ugly sore in American commercialism which extends its poisoned suckers, its devil-fish tentacles, into every phase of national life, political, social, commercial, religious. Knowing it or not, Mr. Lawson is recording some of the phases of latter-day corruption foretold by holy prophets. He will propose a remedy which he thinks will be effectual to arouse the American people and enable them to throw off the vampire-incubus of the system. But will they? He will be disappointed. The malady is too deep and wide-spread. The world has many prophets to warn, many to point out the evils, and Mr. Lawson has been a bold, uncompromising one; but there is one Saviour—God-sent—and Him the world will not have. But the warnings will rouse many. For that we are glad.

"Addresses for Young People." By Charles C. Lewis, President of Union College, College View, near Lincoln, Neb. Cloth; 280 pages; price, $1.00; Union College Press, College View, Neb.

The author has been for many years a teacher of youth, spending his summer months in attending meetings, conventions, etc. He has thus given many addresses. This book contains those considered most helpful in leading the young to a better, higher, nobler experience in the path of life. Among the subjects treated are "Christian Manliness," "Manual Training in the Public Schools," "Ideals and Ambitions," "The Sure Foundation," "Workmen Approved of God," "Acquaintance with God," "Habit and Education," "Behold He Cometh" (blank verse), "The Keeping of the Heart." The reading of these addresses, we are sure, would help young people on their way. We can but wonder, tho, at the advice the lecturer gives on page 61. If one thousand poor souls should start out to investigate and compare and test the Bible by the works there named, nine hundred and ninety-nine would get hopelessly lost in as many quicksands and quagmires before they came to clear light. John 7:17 is the one best test of Christ and His mission. Of course the Old Book would stand the test if man were competent to make it. But it meets man's needs, and the same book translated in part in many of these addresses, and we doubt not, all (we have not found time to read), will be helpful to the young.

"Glad Tidings, No. 1. How to Obtain Health and Happiness." By John J. Snyder. Cloth, gold side stamp, 104 large pages, 6¼ x 9¼. Price, post-paid, 50 cents. Address Goodman & Co., Publishers, Ravensword Station, Chicago, Ill.

The author has written this book for the sole purpose of bringing souls to see the privileges which they have in Christ Jesus. If when the author says all healing is from God, he by that means all true healing, which leaves not one ill to remove another, we agree with him, but if he means all the apparent and real physical healing on the part of many who know not the first principles of Christ's Gospel, we do not believe such healing is of God. Satan can afflict, and for aught we know, remove the affliction to better secure the soul. "Glad Tidings" bases pardon and healing on obedience and faith, on the obedience of faith. May God bless the little book to the good of all its readers.