The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-14

VIEW OF VIEW B00KS.

-'Tenton's Quest, by NJ. E. Braddon, is
of necessity highly-spiced novel, in which
what might be called the higher criminal
classes OF Great Britain are made to figure
prominently. The illustrations, which are
numerous, represent women with large
and liquid eyes and men with huge whiskers
and severely aristocratic countenances, and
the artist has very accurately hit
off the characteristics of the people
who are introduced to the readers of
the book. These big-whiskered gentlemen and
big-eyed ladies, 1t is true, are apt to become
tiresome when one meets with them too fire.
quently; and the peculiar vein of romance
which Miss Braddon opened some years ago
has since been worked pretty industriously by
numerous initiative admirers, so that it is
scarcely possible such a novel as 'Fenton's
Quest" can at this day make quite the same
impression it would have done ten years ago.
1t is an interesting story, however, and it
may be read with pleasure by the public out
side of kitchen and stable circles, to the ex-
elusive delectation of which Miss Braddon
has wrongly been accused of devoting her
talents. For sale by Claxton, Remsen Haf-
felfnger.
-'The Diary of the Besieged Resident in
Paris" by II. Labouchere, M. P, is a reprint
of series of letters to the London Daily
Neaos written during the siege of Paris, and
which attracted much attention when they
originally appeared in the columns of that
journal. Mr.. Labouchere writes in humor-
ously cynical vein that renders it impossible
to tell at times whether he is jesting or in
earnest, and the want of seriousness in treat
ing very serious subjects certainly detracts
much from the value of the diary, and makes
it often far from pleasant reading. The
work, however, as a record of the impress
sions and experiences of disinterested and
bipartisan observer of the sights and sounds
inside Paris during the great siege, make, it at
once interesting for present perusal aud an
important contribution to the history of the
great Franco-Prussian war of 1S70-71. For
sale by Claxton, Remsen & II affelfnger.
--''An Oral Method with German" by
Jean Gustave Keetels, published by Leypoldt,
Holt & Williams, is an attempt to teach
German by the natural method, or in the
same manner that one learns to speak and
read his own language. The method of Mr..
Keetels appears to be an eminently practical
one, and it is worthy of the attention of
teachers and students. For sale by Claxton,
Remsen & Haffelfnger.
-"Guilt and Innocence" by Madame So
phie Schwartz, translated by Elma Borg and
Marie A. Brown, published by Lee & Shep-
ard, is the third of the series of novels by the
great Swedish authoress now being issued. 1t
has q we'll constructed and highly dramatic
plot, some excellent character sketches, and
is graphic picture of certain phases of Swe-
dish life. 1t is to be regretted that so admi-
rable novelist as Madame Schwartz should
be introduced to the American public through
the medium of such bad translations as the
one before us and its two predecessors GER
tainly are. Mesdames Borg and Brown may
understand Swedish exceedingly we'll, but
their knowledge of English is limited; and as
specimens of literary work the three novels
they have translated are not entitled to very
hearty praise. For sale by j. B. Lippincott
q Co.
-Messrs. Lee q Shepard have also pub.
lished in a neat pamphlet Mr.. Summers lec'
Germany" which our readers will recollect
was one of the prominent features of the
s'Star" course of last winter. For sale by j
B. Lippincott & Co.
-"Vera or, The Russian Princess and the
English Earl" published by D. Appleton
Co., is love story which is clever and enter
tanning, but not sufficiently remarkable
among many thousands of love stories t.
call for particular comment. For sale b!
Porter q Coates.
-''M, or NJ" by j. S. Whythe-Melville
published by Leypoldt, Holt & Williams, is
not very successful attempt to treat the sam,
subject that Wilkie Collins did in his ''N'
Name" Mr.. Melville is not very vigorous
writer, and he totally lacks the faculty, pos
sessed by Mr.. Collins in an eminent degree
of making the extravagantly improbable ap
pear at least not impossible There is on
scene in the novel before us where tn
heroine, young lady of majestic presence
absolutely awes a robber who has forced hi
way into her chamber, and forces him dow
upon his knees to ask forgiveness, mainly b.
the power of her splendid black eyes. In tn
hands of some writer's such a scene could b.
made intensely exciting in spite of its im
probability, but as treated by this author it /
simply ludicrous, and is fair sample of tn,
rest of the story. For sale by j. B. Lippin
eott & Co.
II. B. Peterson & Brothers have publishe
q new cheap edition of ''Twenty Years After,
by Alexander Dumas. This is the second G
the ''Three Guardsmen" series, and it is nc