The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-19

VIEW OF NEW BOOKS.


merry magician and the genial philosopher,
who uniformly acts upon the principle that.
it is good thing to be happy and to try and
make others SO. 1t is doubtful whether any
performer before the public has been the
source of so much innocent enjoyment to old
and young as Signor Blitz, and although he
has at times fallen under animadversion
as special representative of the old
gentleman in black who rules in the regions
below, few readers of the volume before us
will hesitate to coincide in our opinion that
the fifty years in the magic circle have been
well spent by the merry Signor, and if he
should happen to disappear some fine day
through his famous magic table and never
return again to gladden. the eyes of his mum
dane admirers, the belief will be general
that he has vanished with ''presto pass" to
the regions of the stars, leaving Old Scratch
to scratch his head over the wonderful escape
of his intended victim. But the Signor is
not ready to perform such feat as this just
yet, and it is to be hoped that he, with
''Bobby" and the birds, will entertain the
oldsters as we'll as the youngsters among us
for many years to come.
Signor Blitz has travelled over nearly the
whole of the civilized portions of Europe and
America, and as a natural consequence he has
seen many strange and amusing sights and
has been the hero of innumerable adventures,
the recital of which could scarcely fail to
make an entertaining volume. ''Fifty Years
in the Magic Circle" beyond a brief sketch
of his early years, is little more than collec-
tion of anecdotes, arranged generally, but not
always, chronologically, so as to make a con-
nected narratives andit is very amusing book,
which thousands of persons who have en-
joyed the performances of Signor Blitz will be
glad to possess as a memorial of the pleasant
hours they have passed in witnessing his
wonderful performances. A work of this
kind is necessarily egotistical, but the egoti7A
of the Signor, so far from being offensive,
gives flavor to his anecdotes, and renders
them more enjoyable than they would be if
related by another. In fact, pleasant egotism
is the spice of such book, without which it
would have comparatively little value. The
Signor in narrating the adventures of his life
does not affect literary style, but writes in
the same pleasant gossipy way in which he
talks, and we hope his "FIfty Years in the
Magic Circle" will achieve the success it de-
serves. Published by Belknap & Bliss and
for sale by subscription only. The agent for
this city is Dufield Ashmead, No III SAMSON
street.
-"The Ogilvies' and ''The Head of the
Family" are two volumes of neat library
edition of the novels of Miss Mulock in
course of publication by Harper & Brothers.
Miss Mulock is not one of the great novelists
of the day, but within her sphere she is one
of the best, and her works are fully deserving
of the popularity they have obtained. Her
stories are always interesting, while the
purity of their style and the healthy moral
tone that pervades them commend them to
the regards of those who are fastidious about
the quality of the literature to which they give
their time and attention. The two stories
above mentioned have always been favorites,
and they are deserving of permanent places
in any library For sale by Claxton, Remsen
d Haffelfnger.
Messrs. Harper & Brothers have also
issued "Anteros," by the author of Guy
Livingstone" novel in the entertaining but
sxtravagant and high-fown style of the
authors previous works; "a Lifes Assize, I"
by Mrs. j. II. Riddell, powerfully written
story in which the character of the hero if
he can be called the hero-"Andrew Hardell, "
is most admirably drawn; and "The Monarch
of Mincing Lane, by William Black, which
is improbable and somewhat ensational, but
well written and very readable. For sale by
Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfnger.
Gabrielle Andre" by S. Barring Gould,
M. A., published by D. Appleton & Co, is
designed to illustrate the current of feeling
in Church and State in France in 1898, or, in
other words, to take a view of the French
Revolution from its ecclesiastical side.
Mr.. Gonlds fame has hitherto
rested upon his archaeological re-
searches, for his elaborate and ambitious
work, ''The Origin and Development of Reli-
gious Belief, was an attempt very far beyond
his powers, and failed to add greatly to his
reputation. Those who are familiar with his
previous writings will be surprised at the sue
cess which he has achieved as a novelist in
the work before us. Gabrielle Andre" is
not only story of great interest, but it is q
valuable contribution to the literature of the
French Revolution, and will materially assist
many readers to understand some of the mosI
interesting phases of that great upheaval
For sale by Porter & Coates.
Part SO of 'Zells Popular Encyclopedia,
which has just been issued, concludes toe
work. This Encyclopedia is the most com
prehensive ever issued; for although its ar5i-
cles are many of them short, they give the
essential points and contain vast amount
of valuable information in a very small soaca