Life — April 8, 1897 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

« Masterpieces of Literature 000000 0000000000000000000000000' The two volumes just issued of Charles Dudley Warner's Library of the World's Best Literature repeat the excellence of those gone before. The crowning virtue of the work is that it delivers the masterpieces of literature of every age and country into the hands of the peo- ple, to whom they properly belong. The two volumes now before us range from Bion, the Greek poet, to James M. Barrie, whom only the other day in New York, publishers and editors were jostling each other, to banquet and pla- cate in the hope of securing the right to publish his next novel. Along with a remarkably intelligent and sympa- HAMILTON W. MABIE_ ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF THE LIBRARY thetic study of Mr. Barrie’s genius is given the best of his stories, and even fineepisode from ‘Sentimental Tommy, which in a work of the magnitude and enduring quality of the Library, is keeping up to date with an emphasi: One of the most interesting ions in this volume is that devoted to Balzac who died in 1850, with the world not yet half aware of his wonderful powers. But now the name one hears on every | hand, not only in literary, but also in ethical and scientific discussion is Balzac. For a person of general culture not to know something of his life and writings is what it would be for English readers not to know something of Shakespeare. | Mr. Warner's Library makes it possible | to get out of the great bulk of Balzac literature just what the general reader ought to have, and to_get it in an ex- tremely pleasant way Professor W. P. Trent, one of the few men who have read for themselves every line Balzac published, gives within a space of twenty pages an account of Balzac’s life, the scope and character of his work, and his place in literature, that contain the essential parts of the hundreds of essays that have been written about him. Then follows such a presentation of his writ- | ings that one can approach them, not as a task but as a pastime—like going to a play. In the Beecher Section, which fol- lows, Dr. Lyman Abbott, Mr. Beecher's successor as pastor of Plymouth Church, furnishes an interesting sketch of the latter's life, and a description of his qualities and power as a writer and preacher. While not often named asa man of letters, Mr. Beecher has left no small body of writings, many of which, as revealed in the Library, will be inter- esting and inspiring to men for many a day to come, «Masterpieces every one,” may truly be said of the varied and interesting contents of the Library, also of the special articles prepared by over three hundred literary celebrities of this country and Europe. In these exhaus- tive reviews, not only individual authors but entire fields of literature—of Assyria, for instance, Egypt, even South America —are covered, giving the reader a con- nected, comprehensive and impressive idea of the history of the rise and prog- | ress of the literatures of the world from | the earliest time until to-day. With the aid of these thirty volumes one may acquire in a season's easy read- ing a wider grasp of literature than could otherwise be obtained by the in- dustrious study of a lifetime. The Library really contains a well-rounded literary education. | The first edition is, of course, the most desirable, because printed from the fresh, new plates. Usually a higher | price is charged for this edition, but the publishers of the Library have actually reduced the price, and are making a special offer, so as to place a few sets in each community for inspection, The puyer who acts promptly saves nearly half the list price, besides having the privilege of easy monthly payments. But it is possible to take advantage of this price through Harper's Weekly Club only, which offers a limited number of sets, to introduce and advertise the work, The demand for this most de- sirable first edition is so active and the number of sets allotted to be distributed so limited, it is safest for those who really covet this invaluable Library of Mr. Warner's to write at_once to Har- er's Weekly Club, 91 Fifth Avenue, New York, for sample pages, and special | prices offered to members of the club now forming and which closes the last day of the present month. SSAC ACESS ms Cracela _ Waverley Bicycles are pleas- ing to the eye. Their mech- anism is perfect. What more could be wanted than the famous’96 Waverley greatly improved at such a price? Better than them all Is the 1897 WAVERLE’ bsolut rus vecetcre 9100 Send for a Catalogue. Indiana Bicycle Co. + + Indianapolis, Ind. Garter Easy and Secure. Ext¥a Super Webs. Finest Nickel Trimmings. @sttionBut TON “— CLASP — Lies flat totheleg. Cannot Unfastert Accidentally, SOLO EYWHERE Sample pair SilkSo*