The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-04-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

CONGO GENERAL Oh CosTA RIoA-Anotada, sdk
cionada, revsada Corregida Hasta 81 de Diceim-
bre, 1867, p0r Don Rafael Ramirez, Comisionado
especialmente al cfecto. Wynkoop, Hallenbesk
Thomas, New York, 1865, PIP. 500
Senior Ramirez was specially commissioned by tho
government Of Costa RIGA 70 meet the existing want Of
philosophical arrangement and codhcation the a
The republic; and this work the result of his labsrs
Having been Chief Justice Of tho republic he brought
the task large practical acquaintance with the subject
and the work does honor 70 him jurist and to IN
government which authorized IT, Ii has been we'll and
carefully printed, under the immediate inspection a
Judge Ramirez who 10 this city for that purpose
Childs & Peterson, Philadelphia
The first volume VI Gs important work s now euf
and fulns in most respects the expectations formed Of T.
The difficulty Of dealing with such immense e
materials the plan embraced has Of readersa
the labor Of condensation very great and many Win
nplan Of the briefness Of the notices s neverhs
less this very guilty which gives value 10 the work. r
had more space been occupied the catalogue Of authors
must necessarily have been very limited. Had aav
other plan been pursued the Dictionary must have bees
extended to dozen largo Volumes and would thus have
been placed beyond the reach Of persons Of moderate
means.
Dr. rIoNARY OF THE UNITED STATES CoHanxss
CONTAINING HISTORICAL SKETCHES OF IT'S MHM-
BgRs, by Charles Lanman. Lippincot Philadet
phia.
This useful work Of reference, and will find plaos
in every political library. As biographical compalatoa
it is however, wanting in those qualities which give pub
locations Of that character standard value.
TIE DEM MONDE: A Satire on Society. By
Alexander Dumas, Jr. Translated by Mrs. f. q.
Squier. Philadelphia: j. B. Lippincott Il Co.
it be true that the popular songs show the heart Of
naton the drama Of any epoch reflects less its ruling
foles and prevailing manners The women Of Congrevs
and Wycherly longer appear stage, either BE-
such longer exist found only in stratum
into which American e. gish dramatsts do dig for
their materials Perhaps is because they have
courage that French writers do hesitate produce
their stage the titled inrguones that have disappeared
from ours; may not be that public shutting its
eyes upon the Of society," only too willing b.
leve that they do not exsts Shall plume ourselves
upon superior morality, because Camille" whether
rendered broadly by Matilda Heron disguised by tho
bewtching voice Of Pccoomin, is looked upon typo
Of foreign society 0nlyone phase of IT, AT eas-and ands
counterpart among is said, however, that oven
In Paris public taste considers ITSELF not outraged at
least aggreved at this stripping bare Of its social evils,
and paradpg the image OF its vices before the fooh&s
and it would certainly be source Of consolation II
could believe that the evil itself had grown less
the mirror that held up to view had been condemned.
The author of that celebrated tragedy has hastened
make his peace with his patrons-qsesso besnedeyo
putloe-very much, it appears 70 us, on the plan Il
Mdshipman Easys celebrated apology 10 the first lieu
tenant and can be news 10 any OF readers who
take interest in foreign theatrcals that "Ie Denf
Monde" received ia Paris with such unbounded ap-
plause those only besow who, willing to be pleased
forget and forgive that they have boon offended What
them Is "Dcmi Monde?" In TRUTH the word ia untrans-
iatable, and to understand II must describe:-
O1lvw QoqMirl-Wen, enter fruit store and ask the
proprietor for his best peaches. He will show you
basket containing magnificent specimens separated from
ured by contact Ask him the price, and he VIM tell you,
we will suppose twenty cents each Look around and
equally fine in appearance only lying closer together and
thus not visible all Sides You will ask the price Of
these. and be told only fifteen cents each You viii
rally inquire why these peaches apparently large ue
ripe and tempting as the others, much less
value? The vender will then take up Of them at raa-
which its inferiority Well, my dear friend We
in tho basket Of peaches at fifteen cents each
Tho women you geo around you have all some fault
their past history, or some spot their name They
crowd together in order that they shall exhibit little
possible Of their true Character and with the origin
the exterior, and the preudices with women
Of society," they find themselves excluded from their
citation they constitute what we call the Dcm Monde"
which neither aristocracy nor plebiansm which foas,
Ike moving island, the Partisan which invites
and receives all who fall all who ergrate from the two
continents of society without considering who they arc
or nquiriDg whence they came
RAyMosD-But where does this world liver
OTEREvery where but In Paris it can be more easily
distin guished than elsewhere.
RAlMoSD-Ty what featurcs9
OINR-By the lack Of husbands! It full Of married
women whose lords are invisibe.-Ad H., Scene
This very brilliant and follows closely tho crspucss
and sparkle the original and only those who have tried
TO mould into st unyieldng English forms tho vi
vacy and picuresqueuees Of French dialogue can fully
appreciate the difficulty Of the task and Alexander Du
mas, J may fairly be congratulated therefore upon
admirable which his fair translator has placed
him before the American public.
And here might well have paused, with very warn
recommendation Of this translation those to whom tho
original 10 inaccessible; but Is whispered that tho
play is about to be produced here in this its Americas
Dress under auspices that render its toeraby
tain, fcw words may not DO out Of place. ara
matte representation Of social totally variance
with could have interest beyond that of more
curiosity e attractions Of scenic display Who would
60 twice 10 see Chinese comedy, intermuAble
Hindeo dramaS They appeal to do not recog
MISC, 10 sentiments do not understand and II witty
cannot the point. When the production Of the
dramatic school of nation closely allied by habits Of
cial intercourse ia brought before US, naturally ask,
does the interest it excites arise merely from its
being the reflection Of manners which, while we
condemn IN others, thank God do not pre-
vail among uss And does the moral convey
cd sting only the other side Of the Atlantic, and
pass by, pure republicans are, unscathed2 it
be go, should fear that after the novelty of first
production had passed away public interest might flag.
because nothing in the characters within the range
Of its experience. Our curiosity being gratied we look
elsewhere for amusement and instruction. years
ago we should certainly have taken this view Of "Ie
Dcmi Monde" Now We have changed wonderfully II
wealth has brought with refnemcnts luxuries tho
desire for these has introduced vices unknown to our
oroathers and the late revelations of our law courts
which occasionally lift the veil from private life, show
that there rapidly forming among phasc Of society
perhaps not yet hardened into distinct vitality, but
promising at very distant day. to burst forth with
Partisan bloom.
For what becomes Of all the compromised, dsgraocd
and repudated wivosY The first who found herself any
Of those conditions won't doubtless with tears and shame
into deepest solitude, there to depore her fall The
second search Of the first, aud when there were
tw0 they grew to calling their crime . misfortune or
error and thus consoed or excused each other Whea
another joined them they had little dinners and fourth