The New York herald., 1869-03-20
LITERATURE.

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LITERATURE.
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: Reviews or New Books.
THE LIFE OF FATHER DE RAvIGNAN. BY Father dc
North Wales. New York: The Catholic PuDlos-
ti0n Society.
A biography OF q truly great and good man ID
always pleasant to read. But few persons in tho
United States are Familiarity acquainted with the
history Of De Ravgnan, the Jesuit, and yet it Ia
doubtful II among the many prominent members of
the clergy Of all denominations who have become
distinguished during the present century there was
q more thoroughly pious and good man. Father
Ravignan was born in France at q time when athe-
ism had well nigh driven Christianity from the c0un-
try. The ceremonies Of baptism had to be per-
formed In stealth by Paul Benedict Noquez, o nom
juring priest in "a back room in the house OF
Matchmaker at Bayonne. Fortunately the child
was placed under the charge OF Christians and grew
up thoughtful, religiously inclined youth. When
quite young man he became q lieutenant in the
army and was warm supporter OF the Bourbon
cause and subsequently he held civil position a.
magistrate under the government. On Thursday.
April Is, 1922 he attended the deathbed Of young
lady and on the Sunday following suddenly disap-
peared. The first information OF his wherea-
bouts came from himself In letter 70
S bnS 4sraa u 1a ehe ns
Sulpice. at lssy, and intended to carry out q
long cherished design OF becoming Jesuit: His
career as one the book fully tells Father de Ravg
nan was only one Of the many thousands OF CathO-
lies who have devoted their lives to the cause OF
shown us how the whole heart and soul can become
wrapped up in religion. The years he passed on
tianty and its attendant virtues Possessed Of much
sweetness OF temper, indhearted, charitable dis
position ana M great powers o. persuasion ne made
His DEATH too, was worthy OF his life. Even as ne
had throughout life placed his entire Dependence
fn faitn Of an eternal life with ihe Son Of God. the
book before us is very interesting Even Protestann
pure, the charitable, and above all the Religious
belong to all denominations OF Christianity.
PREHISTORIC NATIONS. BY John D. Baldwin, A. n.
New York: Harper Brothers.
There Is undeniaby much in this book to interest.
but we cannot ind anything Of particularly In
structlve character. Mr.. Baldwin has said1no moro
than many other men have said well, and perhaps
better. The merit ia the work ies in fact, in the
happy manner in which the researches OF numerous
authors have been condensed In single volume.
Mr.. Baldwin, albeit he Is q member Of the American
Oriental Society, cannot lay claim to having made
any discoveries, or II he can we have not been able
to find them embodied in hts work. In some parts
he either endorses openly or by implication the
widest OF theories regarding the various races and
their origin. Count de G0bineau's ridiculous claim
that "the inspiration of poetry and art came from
the black raceh is referred TO here in manner most
favorable to endorsement, although Mr.. Baldwin must
surely have been aware that OF all works OF the higher
class Of literature none have been more ridicuIed and
more severely criticised than de G0bineaus "On the
Inequality OF the Human Races.n And we read In
an English review, II we recoIlect Alright, most
exhaustive and convincing refutation Of his asser.
tion regarding "the inspiration OF poetry and artn
ken aa more
copious work. His book Will be read only by the
thoughtful, and TO this class the number OF pages
makes but little difference. TIE subject is one OF
great Importance and Ia well worthy OF research.
Unsatisfactory. vague and incomplete Ia our know
ledge OF prehistoric nations, and as years roll on
the space between antique and modern civilization
grows wider open, making 1t more diicuit than
ever to solve great problem. Probably in the cities
Of India there are written records which would
rave the mystery OF 10000 years ago, but they are
certainly not TO be found In the rooms Of the Amer
The INDIAN PASS. BY Alfred b. Street. New York,
Hurd Houghton.
Mr.. Street has taken subject worthy OF q poet and
given us very interesting book in prose- Tho
Indian Pass. situated In Essex county or this state
Mounts Marcy, Mcintyre and other interesting parts
Of the county were visited by the author who ap-
pears TO have either taken numerous notes or to
have had the scenes witnessed very strongly i'm
pressed npon his memory. His descriptions are very
graphic and minute. Speaking OF Essex he says:--
The surface OF the country gtters a network OF
lakes, ponds and streams. The first two lle In long
and narrow ceits OF the hypersthene rock. with an
extent ranging from few acres to twenty miles
steep, densely wooded mountains soar from their
sides, yielding dark glass to the molten silver Of
these lovely chaices; fairy bays ndent their borders
and lealy points jut out; spring brooks tinlde In:
outlets, bowers Of branches creep forth, while the
amber Shadows are fringed with water grasses
tufted by purple mooseheads, red Mohawk tasscIs
and tawny 1ags that CLEAN with flying insects and
glow IN mosaics OF silver and gold from the white
and yellow water lllles. -,
This is certainly very pretty description; pen
paintng-exaggerate IN fact It may be, but very
pleasing to read. Here and there this fine writing
Is rather forced aud wearies one but the fault Ia not
often repeated. Mr.. street has o command OF Ian
guage which he uses well, as general rule We
object, however TO the ftyeight pages of introduce
ton over nfth part OF the entire book) Had they
been included In the main body the work would
have been better finished Indeed, the paragraph
quoted II taken from the Introduction, which must
rank In interest with the account OF sthe wander
inCs."
MABEL CLIFTON. Novel. BY Frank f3rierwood
Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen q Hairelfnger.
When will American writers learn to depict life a
1t naturally cxistsS In mabel Cliftonn we have
characters which never have hnd probably never
VIII exist in any country. They arc unnatural to
degree. 1t Is the more to be regretted, too, that
there should be this fault as the author Is evidently
capable OF producing work OF merit. His error
has been in producing style OF literature which
may be very well for the trashy literary weekes Of
the times but which is rejected by the better class
OF readers Gypsy fortune tclers and their re-
alIzed predictions belong 10 q past era. James was
the last author that had anything TO do with them
with success aud even his popularity was not very
long-liyed.
THEATRE Couprrr DE JEAN RACINE. Avec des re-
marques Litteraires ct Choix de Notes Clas-
slqucs. New YORK: Librairic dc ID. Appleton ct
Gle.
TO nil readers OF French the works OF Jean Racino
will ever lie welcome The edition before US Ia ex-
ceenfly printed and bound.