The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-06
New Novels.

thor OF s.Brownlows," ''Zaidee," &c. New
York: D. Appleton & Co.
This novel, which has been running through
Appleton's Journal as serial, is now pre-
sented in book form by the same publishers.
Mrs Oliphant bids fair, in very short time,
to rival the late G. P. r. James in fertility.
1t is not more than few months since
"Jobn" was reprinted from Black@oods
lfaqazine, and we believe that she is now
publishing still another story in an English
periodical. We are bound TO say that there
is nothing in the ''Three Brothers" which
makes unlikely the hypothesis that it was
composed at precisely the same time as
its companions, and that the author passed
from one room to another debating il turn
! to various amanuenses, as the veteran nov.
elist to whom We have compared her was
popularly supposed to do. The idea ii,
would be a misnomer to suy the plot OF the
story is novel and not lacking in ingenuity,
but the details are somewhat tedious, and
the machinery cumbrous. Still it would be
wrong to conclude that the book has not
many merits of its own. The episode oil
Laurie and the Padrona is well conceived
and well told The best thing in the book
is speech of Mr.. Weby, r. A., to Laurie,
though the thought is not particularly orisi-
nal: 81 don't understand how you young
"men can be so rash; for my part, | think
'there is no picture that ever was painted
"equal to the sublmity of that blank can
'vas. Why, sir, it might be anything !!
"Buonarotti or Leonardo never equalled
''what it might be. 1t thing that strikes
'me with awe; feel like wretch when
'put the first daub of vulgar color on it.
"Color brings it down to reality-to our
sfeeble efforts after expression-but in itself
''it is the inexpressible. I don't. mind your
"chalk so much. It's desecration, but not
"sacriIege-a white shadow on the white
"blank-but it might turn out anything,
'tsir! Whereas, ifyou put another tone on it,
"you would bring it down TO your level.
'''rhe wonder to me always is how a man
'who is true painter, ever paints line !"
VERONICA. BY the author Of "Mabes Pro-
gress." New York: Harper & Brothers.
The author OF "Veronica" is said to be q
daughter Of Charles Dickens. II so, (and
we don't believe it,) she has only cuught ut
the skirts of her fathers mantle. The book
begins well, with simile about field OF
corn changing color in the swaying breeze,
'as u face pales and ilushes at sudden
whisper" but the promise is not fulfilled.
None of the characters have any distinct
ness: aud, though the style Of The book is
graceful and easy, it is, after all, much ado
about nothing.
TRUE To HERSELF. BY P. W. Robinson, All
thor of Stern Necessity" &c. New York:
Harper / Brothers.
Here IS another of MIR. Robinson's provok-
ingly unsatisfactory hooks. We fear that
there is an ingrained defect in his talent
which makes him always fall short of what
apparently little more trouble would have
secured him. The book is marked con-
trast 10 the one we have just noticed. Here
there are many original characters with
nothing to do-there number OF common
place luy-fSures did great deal. Perhaps
the lwo might be combined into one good
novel by anybody who understood the art.
AS it is however, "True 10 Herself! is sim
ply an sggravating failure