Phelps, Charles Edward Davis. Accolade. [†]$1.50. Lippincott.
In this story of the fourteenth century “the hero, son of a worthy Englishman, being kidnapped into France by a ship’s captain, betakes himself to Italy, wins a knighthood through gallantry, and returns to his native England with wealth and honor just in time to prevent his sweetheart from entering a convent for lack of him. The poets are reverenced in the persons of Chaucer and Petrarch, and it is from a careful study of the writings of the former that the rather difficult and multifarious dialects of Mr. Phelps’s book are constructed.... The rudeness of the England of the period and the refinement of Italy serve as foils, each for the other, and the whole tale is in the nature of a treasure house for the student of customs.” (Dial.)
“The book shows the most careful study and great painstaking, and abounds in varied adventure.”
| + | Dial. 38: 393. Je. 1, ‘05. 160w. |
“It cannot be said that the mantle of the old storyteller has descended upon the modern.”
| — | N. Y. Times. 10: 356. Je. 3, ‘05. 320w. |
“At times the Chaucerian English in the sprightly conversations daunts even the conqueror of polyglot dialect, but the real interest of the tale carries him safely through to the satisfactory final scenes.”
| + — | Outlook. 80: 137. My. 13, ‘05. 90w. |
[*] Philippi, Adolf. Florence; tr. from the German by P. G. Konody. [*]$1.50. Scribner.
“In commendably brief space the author gives us a comprehensive survey of Florentine history, the part played by all its leading citizens both in politics, literature, and art, the origin of all its important buildings, with extensive architectural notes about them and excellent illustrations of its churches, palaces, groups of sculpture, altar-pieces, frescoes, and noteworthy details.” (Nation.) There are 170 illustrations. The lives of the Florentine painters and descriptions of their principal works are also given making the volume a good supplementary guide book for the artistic traveler.