Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-04-10

lJcNt ucaftuW no interest utlnN u -
notes, fractional currency, and gold
certificates, 4I225.8l3 oG
Total Debt April l. 1906 s2,GG3,7lS.37l is
!" conn., eap treasury slo5ose.477 %
In the treasury,
currency. 8i.325 ,s26 %
llo,gs5,3o8 "A
Debt less cash in treasury, s2,52342s,o5O a
To YouNG MrN.--rhe opening lecture, by Rev.
Mr.. Lord ON Sunday evening, a notable event
in Montpelier, both for the excellence of the pur
poscaud the beauty oftho performance. Mr.. Lords
great powers his profound thought wealth Of illus
traon, clcarncss of statement and elegance Of die
ton were an brought into full play and chained the
attention ofthc audience through an unusually long
discourse. As the archer must clearly see the
distant mark and aim high to reach it, and he who
would cross the ocean must study his charts and
carefully mark his course, SO he who is entering up
ON life for himself should aim Ugh and have clear
idea of bis voyage, It's courses purpose and final
end, thc courage to say ''No' to every thing that
would tempt him from the right way, and an amb-
ton for positive cxcelency of character and work.
In conclusion Doe urged the christian life as the
highest type of excellence. This discourse is to De
followed ly others, and we hope they will attract
more and more the attention of the young. The
seats are free and we venture to promise that the
old will give way, need be, TO the young. one
suggestion we have to make, and that is TO give
lsitcr ventilation whenever again the hall is so
filled as to make respiration oppressive.
LOUISAMUHLBACTSmsTOMCALNOVE NOVELS.
D ID. .ft
should read Miss lluhlbach's novels. Scottish his-
tory offered no freshcr and more romantic material
TO the Woodworking hand of Sir Walter Scott than
She finds in the annals of the German courts In
point of interest and of torical fidelity her books
are not inferior to the Wayerly series But they
are altogether different from those from all 9TH
or historical novels ever written. in the one remark
able respect that they are the work Of q woman
There is something charming in the idea OF a wo-
man. who adds to the zeal of the historian the mag-
inaton of tlo poet Rummagng among the ARCH
ives and traditions Of courts, she is sure to find
great quantity of things which no man would even
think Of looking foriust the things to give the last
touches Of truthtulness TO the historical picture
We learn from her not only how Frederick William
and Frederick the Great, Joseph the Second, Vol
toire, Rousseau, Baron Trenck, the Empress Gath
arine, Maria Theresa, Sophia Dorodca, and other
brilliant creatures walked and talked u their grand
roies but how they powdered their hair nirted and
took tea. Nothing j., so trivial as to escape Miss
Mulbach's notice if in any way it can add to the
background of reality against which her heroes and
hcroincs pcpoually move. No writer-not even
Thackcry in his "Virginians" and Henry Esmond"
has more entirely identified himself with the spir-
it of past age. This is the only way that History
can be written. The writer must know not only
about the great pcrsonagos and events of the time,
but the customs and manners the dresses the cuis-
me- the little foibes as wen as the great vices in
fact the whole social hy-pay Of people Macaulay
hit this secret in his " History of England" AS
interesting as a novel; everybody said. OF course
because it novel, in respect of its picturesque
accessories. 1t was essentially novel too, in the
free sweep which the author permitted to his imag-
nation in specializing upon the causes OF acts and
the motives of actors Miss MuhIbachs novels are
history, quite much Nacaulay, perhaps with
this difference, that she owns mt the start that they
are novels. But they do the office of history just
well gravcr records. and are, therefore worthy
the attention of the student well OF the reader
who desires only to be amused. Never was history
made more fascinating It is useful knowledge
sugar-coatcd When one has finished Frederick
the Great and His Court" or Joseph the Second
and Iii, Court" for instance, he finds that BE has
not only made most agreeable journey, if thro'
fairy land, but has uncousciously stored up mass
of important historical facts which every one ought
to know, but which most people would never learn
if they were Obliged to take them ia a regular
course Of historical lectures, like medicine.
Miss Muhlbach's perceptions of proportion and
relative distance, colors and shades, are artistic
Her characters are not incongrous nor hudded to-
gcther. Every person moves clear and unobstruct-
ed through his or her part. Her talents are varied
and equal to all occasions. She describes battles
balls, hirtatous. loye-making, law proceedings, Dip
lonaiic iuggery, with the same facility. Her con-
versations are excellent. For the crazy old Fred
erck William the romantic Great Frederick, and
those cynical philanthropists, Rousseau and Vol
tare she finds just the words that they might be
expected to speak. As conversations make up at
least two-thirds of the average novel, this art of in
fusing natura ness andlogcal sequence into dialogue
is indispensable for the production of a readable ro
nance. Miss Muhbachs style is perfect Free
from mannersms and marked individuality, it is
scarcely noticed as style This is because it is so
good. The style of some writer's is like co.ored
glasses which give an unnatural tint to everything
upon which they are turned. Her style is achro-
matte showing things in their true colors, and is
clear and translucent as an arctic atmosphere.
The Appletons have already published spirited
and faithful translatons Of Frederick the Great
and His Court" Berlin and Sans souci," CLOSEUP
II and His Court and "The Merchant of Berlin"
These have been received by the public with am en-
thusiasn such no historical novels since SCOTS
have ELECTED in this country When their extraor-
binary merits become more generally known, they
will be found ON paror tables and library shelves
as common the WWerly novels once were.
Either of the above will be furnished free by mail
on receipt OF the price, which is 81 each. d. APP
pleton q Co., New York, are the publishers.
NEwsrAPER CHASGE, Mr. d. L. Mlliken has
sold the Bratdeboro' Record to Mr., L. F. Acker-
man, who has been associated with him for some
time editor ofthe paper. Mr. Millken, howeyer,
retains the privilege OF issuing the Record be-
fore, at Springfield, Brandon an Waterbury,.
The RNEnslDE MAGAHSr FOR YouNG ProPIE.--