AMONG THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14447, 13 February 1909, Page 13

AMONG THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

It may be noted in connection with the recent award of tho Nobel Prize for literature, that "Rudolf Kucken's Philosophy of Life," by Professor W. 11. Boyee Cibson, is already in a second edition. Professor and Mrs Gibson have almost, ready for publication another book of tiuuken's, "The Meaning and Value of Life."

A notablo science book is shortly due from Messrs Macmillan. This is Dr Richard Spruce's " Notes of a Botanist, on the Amazon and Andes," a couple of illustrated volumes chronicling the author's many South American expeditions in tho middle of hist century, extending over 15 years. Tho late Dr Spruce- had a worldwide reputation as a botanist, and was well-known in Europe, and America as a most energetic collector. He was au observer ami a writer of the highest rank, and it is as one of his most intimate friends that Dr Alfred Eussol Wallace- has edited the work, ono which has also received the support of such notable authorities as Sir Joseph Hooker and Sir Clements Markham.

" Oeorgo Selwyn and the Wits," by Mr S. Parue.ll Kerr, is a 12s 6d net book which Messrs Mcihucn are publishing. No satisfactory life of George Selwyn has ever been written,' and, perhaps, at this distinct) of timo, no satisfactory life can be written; but in this memoir the writer attempts to make vivid and real a personality which has hitherto been somewhat elusive. Mr Kerr has been fortunate in obtaining access to a eerics of unpublished letters by Selwyn. These letters are nearly as important, as those published some years ago by Iho Historical Manuscripts Commission, and are equally interesting.

One of the cantoo-poems in English literature—worthy of a, place alongside Herbert's or Merrick's ejaculations or the epigrams of Landor—is a tiny eight-lino verse by ilio late Joseph Skipsey, poet and miner. In it ho puts, perhaps, tie sharpest pang of the everyday life of a miner—not the horror of a d'.isaeter, but the besetting dread of it every time that lie rises itt the dark of the morning, kisses his children in their sleep, and turns the latch upon himself lis may never touch again. We would have quoted the little poem from recollection, but aro afraid of impairing it W a slip; and misquotation is violence to a tender thing liko thk. We aro ram hided of it by the announcement of a memoir of Skipsey from the press of Mr Fisher Uuwin, from tlto Mo pen of l)r Kobert Spence Watson. And for fear our affusion to him as a m.iner-pcct should be lost on people who do not know .his vork, wo sliouid add t.uat it brought ■him the friendship of Bcfisctti, Bunas-Jones, and other leaders ill IrU'rat-ure and art. Also he came into eoirract with many other notable peonlo WTOiigh Ins curatorship of the Shakspcaic House at Stratford, during the later, and less strenuous, period of his life. Messrs Constable- are about to publish the tirst volume of a series of Concordances winch will be of the greatest interest to students of English literature. The work appears under the auspices of the Concordance .Society, which was organised at Yale University in 1905. The author chosen for this first volume is Thomas Gray, a, supremo word-waster in our language. The production of the volume has been supervised by some of tho leading scholars in the States. The edition of Gray' followed is that edited by Edmund Gosse-. Considering the importance attached to the study of English authors, ami the fact that a satisfactory interpretation of a great writer depends largely on a knowledge of his use of words, this series of Concordances should make a wide appeal.

George Borrow was a Celt by origin md almost a gipsy by adoption, "and the air of mystery with which ho contiived (o surround liis personality lias added (o tiia fascination of his books a very natural curiosity about the man. A new monograph, " George Ijorrow: Tlie .Man and His Work," published by Messrs Cassell, throws a new light on some phases of hi,s character and career. The author is Mr lv. A. ,]. Vailing, editor of the Western Daily Mercury, who has been able to get access to some facts and some correspondence hitherto unknown. Possibly what is known as " the Veiled Period "' of tho life of this strange genius will never be fully revealed; but his new biographer affords us an interesting glimpse behind the curtain by means of some correspondence between Borrow and Sir John Bowring. The relations of these two men, having been exceedingly cordial for 20 years and moro, suddenly underwent a violent transformation, culminating in the fierce attack on Bowring in " l.avengro" and the appendix to "The Romany Bye," unci this forms one of the most extraordinary pieces of vituperation m English literature. Mr Walling also gives some new information about Borrow and ."Richard Ford, the great traveller in Spain. The book contains an account of the little-knovn "Romantic Ballads," with, a facsimile of some of Borrow's alterations in them, made for a second edition which never appeared. A knowledge of the mental attitude and the intellectual equipment of the adherents to any religious system, new or old, forms the first stop in' a study of its historical or spiritual value. Realising this, Messrs Constable, now that their scheme, of Religions: Ancient ami Modern, is almost complete, and the complementary series of Philosophies is fairly launched, have arranged for a volume which will link both series together. This volume is entitled " The Psychological Nature and Origjn of Religion." "The author, Professor James H. Louba, discusses his subject under the following headings:—Tho Fundamental Nature oi • Religion; Three Types of Behaviour I Differentiated; Origin of tho Ideas of : Ghosts, Nature-beings, and Gods; Magic '; and Religion; Original Emotion of Primi- ! live Religious Life; Nature and Function j of Religion. Professor Leuba's little book is in-the press for immediate publication.