The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-03
LIT e r A TU r E.


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Criticisms of New Books.
ROMAN IMPERIAIIsM AND OTHER LECTURES AND
ESSAYS. BY j. X. Seeley, NJ. A., Professor OF Mod
ern History In the University OF Cambridge. Rob-
erts Brothers. Boston.
The author OF 'sEcce Honor requires no introduce
ton to American readers No man OF our day thinks
more clearly more independently. or writes more
fellctously than Professor Seeley. Few anonymous
workshave ever acquired popularity so general and
so Immediate aid "Ecce Homo" The grace and
nish well the good taste aud good temper of the
work, commended II to all thoughtful and inquiring
readers. In these lectures and essays we discover
the same excellencies, although cannot say that
the high tone or "Ecce Home" Is uniformly sus-
tanned throughout The best pieces OF writing are
the three lectures on Roman Imperialism. The con-
cepti0n Is admirable, the composition Is exquisite
aud 1t Is not zoo much to say that they are more IN
structve as well as more suggestive than many
volumes OF Roman history. There are two essays on
Mton-one on his political opinions ana another on
his poetry. Nothing 80 fine has been written On
Milton since Macaulay's magnificent euogy first
saw light In the Edinburg ReUfec. Among the
other essays there Is a noteworthy one on "Tne
Church rs Teacher OF Morals" This essay Is able,
daring, revolutionary, and proves Mr.. Seeley to
belong to the broadcast stripe or the broad Church
party The central idea OF this essay Is taken
from Carlyle, who says that q nations true
Bible Is Its history. Enlarging upon this idea Mr..
Seeley advises that In place OF perpetualy holding
up to the people the examples Of Abraham OF Moses.
or David, OF the Prophets-men who lived In an age
essentially unlike own-whose surroundings
were totally different from Ours-the preachers
should draw more largely from recent ana particu-
larry from national history for illustrations Of their
moral teaching. "The most impressive and
practically useful Of Biographies" says Mr..
Seeley, ''are, ceterls pd11bus, those OF fellow
countrymen Of the most recent date.
Their characters are eglble to US without
effort, their conduct imtable without much modld-
cation, and everything about them Is interesting to
us. Their relics are among us, ready for worship
which need not be pushed to extravaganza" This
Is hero worship undlsguised. Mr.. Seeley's position
may not be quite defensibje; but We nevertheless.
commend to the attention OF the preachers this very
suggestive. II daring. essay. 1t may not be adj
visabc for them to go so far as the Cambridge Pro-
lessor advises but the Cambridge Professor touches
truth which the clergy viii do well not to disre
gard 1t Is no. necessary to abandon the OLD record
but the lessons OF the pulpit would not be less
effective II enforced by illustrations drawn from
wider historical field than thlt which the Bible
presents
Curtus. Translated from the German by A. w.
Ward. Vol. /. Scrlbner Il Co.
This Is the first inStalment OF a translation of Dr.
Curtius' History OF Greece, work which has deserv
eddy excited great deal OF favorable comment
among scholars. The present volume is divided into
O couple of books The first book gives interest
Ing sketch the facts of which based wholly upon
pathological conjeotures of the migration OF the
Helene branch of the Argan race from Asia to the
land in which their genius reached Its highest
development; and 1t also narrates the semt-mytncal
growth OF the earliest Greek States. Dr.. Curtius
insists more strongly than any OF his
predecessors upon the marked. likeness
In national character as well as In Ian
guage-between the Greeks and Romans. He
devotes much space also to bringing out the kernels
OF truth imbedded In the hero-legends and displays
great ingenuity in freeing the well known fables
from film after film OF absurdtty and exaggeration.
until they are reduced to residuum OF possible
fact The second book gives the history Of Pelopon-
nesus and Attica, from the migration of the Hera-
clda to the Persian wars. The narration clear ana
yet graphic and while vast mass OF unmportant
details that overload Grote's history are thrown
away, the essential facts preserved. This history
Is readable and yet thorough and 1t supplies the
want long felt Of good brief account OF growth
ana character of Hellenic civilization.
CROWN JEWELS; OR, THE DREAM OF AN EMPIRE. By
Emma l.. MOtiett author OF 'CragfOnt.n Carleton,
Madison square, New YORK, publisher.
The author Of this work has given us q romance
founded on page OF history which thrilled the
tire world at the time OF It's occurrence, and Will
continue to do through all time as successive
generations peruse Its record. The very names OF
the Emperor Macmillan ana the Empress Carotas
are synonymous with romance, love and misfortune
'.Crown Jewels" Is written by q lady OF Columbus,
Ca, whose secession prOclivties occasionally make
themselves manifest. The book Is not without grave
faults especially in Its earlier portions. much of the
dialogue being forced and unnatural. Maxi
milan OF Austria startes by quoting
Upper, Jeremy Taylor, and even Hooker;
while the familiarity OF the entire Court
with Byron. Colerdge, Wordsworth, Southey,
&C., cannot fail to excite surprise the mind OF the
attentive reader. The author, however, appears to
warm up to her work as she advances with it, The
historical portions are given with cearness. preci-
sion. and fidelity. Unhappiy but little coloring is
needed to the tragic events which occurred during
the short duration OF the empire Of Mexico TO give
the book all the sentiment ana romance that could
be presented In the most sensational work or fiction
There Is little doubt that 'Crown Jewelsu Will find
many readers. 1t Is divided into three parts-the
opening scenes are In Brussels, and the Princess
Carlota Is Introduced at the time when the Arch
duke Macmillan had asked her hand in marriage
1t Is well known that the noble pair were, IN
fact strongly attached TO each other. and
this gives the negotiations for their union an In
terest too frequently wanting In the alliances OF
those Of royal blood. description or the wedding
the residence of the young couple at their beautiful
castle Of MiraMar, the offer OF the crown to the
Archduke, the circumstances which led to TINS offer,
the coronation, and the commencement OF the
voyage TO Mexico, are all given In book the first.
The second part Is devoted to Mexico, the arrival
there of the new-made sovcrelgns court scenes and
the ex-confederate colonization OF the Department
OF Vera Cruz; while the story OF the life
and loves or beautiful Spanish madden
Inez Gonzales-glve TO this portion OF the
work strong undercurrent OF interest
In the beginning Of the last hook the treachery OF
Colonel Miguel Lopez Is already discovered by som.
OF Maximihan's faithful adherents. but, unfortu-
natey. he refuses credence to the tale. The deser.
ton OF both empire and Emperor by France, and