The New York herald., 1873-12-08


pretty girl, Howard OF the true blue, about
whose birth there was neither mistake nor
mystery. The Princess IL whispered, was
OF literary turn, and by and by came announce
ments OF her book. Here is the book itself, brave
in blue and silver and devices OF ornamental
Typography, heralded by blasts from all kinds OF
trumpets, especially audatory fantasia In the
quarterly ReUeao from Mr.. Abraham Hayward,
who is much at all times, but most when he can be
archaeological, historical and gosspy all at once;
and, like most books OF the kind it is an indlffer
ent specimen OF cram.
The style is bald. the anecdotes are ancient-in
fact, all the people Of the past who frequented Ho
land House had SO many little people to catch
them at 1t and record the fact that the chronicles
OF the London land lively copy Of the Hotel dc
Rambouillet are rather iatiguingy full. However
the volume IS pretty one, the Illustrations are
charming, and the Princess book may be said to be
one (which no lady's boudoir should be Without
THE CUBA QUESTION.
There has been misunderstanding" between
the respective publishers OF TWO books concerning
Cuba. Mr.. Walter Goodman wrote one, which was
picturesque and Bohemian Mr. Antonio Gaenga
wrote another, chiefly consisting OF reprint OF his
letters to the Times, which political and prac-
tcal; and each gentleman called his book ''rhe
Pearl OF the Antilles" Then arose a tempest in
teacup, and the rival publishers claimed priority Of
advertisement and registration and the printers
devil only knows what. Mr.. Goodman's book Is
clever and amusing, and makes one wish TO go
there; Mr.. Gallenga's is rather dreary, rather
pOmpous 1t rather implies that nobody has ever
been to Cuba before who had a head with anything
| like the adequate supply Of brains in 1t, and it
makes one prefer stopping at home.
RETIRED.
The well known firm OF Strahan Co. has ceased
10 exist, and the business Is carried by Mr..
lsbister, a former partner under his own name.
The difficulties of putting the business to rights
have been considerable. The old firm had knack
OF discovering prodiges and Offering them wildly
fancy prices in advance. Somehow or other the
prOd!gles did not develop, the books did not
get written and the prices did not get recouped, so
the whole thing was remodeled and many OF the
literary experiments were shunted over to Corn
hill, where they have been undertaken by Messrs.
II. S. King Il Co., not it would appear with
distinguished success. Mr.. Isbister has
recently published some very pleasant and
interesting one-voume works. including
a poem by the author OF est. Abe and His six
Wives" which was as you are doubtless aware,
very generally attributed to James Russell Lowell.
This poem, called "White Rose and Red,' is equal
to the first in originality force and "go," and the
author is Mr. Robert Buchanan. He has bided his
time, done his work, held his tongue, resisted the
temptation OF sudden and great success. and
made his critics their words. Since Keats no
young writer has been more coarsely and cruelty
handled than the poet OF ''Undertonesn and here
he Is acknowledged by the very writer's who
peted him with mingled abuse and satire to have
a large property in all those qualities of which
they most strenuously refused to admit his posses
sion.
1.-THE EGYPTIAN SKETCH BOOK"
by Mr.. Charles Leland. is Of those attractive
single volume books. 1t is difficult to characterize
1t in summary like this and yet, OF all books, it
can be tasted in sip, or rather in long succession
OF sips, for you can't read 1t through. 1t makes
you laugh too much for that, more than an Eng
lishman has any business TO laugh In London
November, and you would be very sorry when you
had finished it. II is as "uncategarinabeu book as
"Hans Breitmann's Ballads Mr. Leland is great
at manufacturing adjectives; he is welcome to the
above) and as delightful Mixed up with such fun
as all can still happily understand-rhough we can
not produce 1t in this country-there little
bits OF true criticism, sound sense and reliable
erudition.
The inevitable dragoman has never been made
SO amusing as Mr.. Leland renders him. and it
would be well II all Nile tourists compelled to
register VOW that they would never do the drago.
man business In books any more. They can't i'm
prove upon Mr.. Leland, and they might remember,
for their warning, that they quite certain to be
compared with him.
Miss NJ Betham Edwards has been to the
Nile and to the Pyramids and to other
Places concerning which she tells pleas
ant things in a pretty holiday volume. But her
style-which would be pleasant If she could keep
we-worn Latin and Greek quotations out OF the
text-grows more and more pedantc. one feels
that she never looks at any OF the objects which
she no doubt genuinely admres without settlingin in
her mind ali the time how she is going 10
turn the phrases in which they to be described,
and so her enthusiasm acquires capital letter-of
navor which spoils IT,
COMING PRODUCTIONS.
The lists OF forthcoming books are very full, but
the books will not be ready until the middle and
end OF this month. Bentley lorestalls the Christ
mas Illustrated books by superb English version
of "Humberts Japan Ilustre," translated by Mrs.
Cashel Hoey, and an English version OF "Plon's
Thorwaldsen,n by the same translator. new
novel by Miss Broughton, called Nancy is just
out. 1t is rather nimsy production, chiefly COM
posed Of the sayings and dongs OF as disordery and
unmannerly young family as ever was not taught
better and the proceedings OF a very -tem-
pered young person, whom grayeyed
and gray-bearded hero marries for ap-
parently sounder reason than because he could
very little plot. and the inevitable lover tries TO
win the affections Of the married lady by bullying
and rudeness which would utterly unfit him Tor
mems society, but are, of course, his grand quail
fcations for winning hearts according to our lady
novests. Nancy has is attractions however;
very pleasant, sparkling bits; an il-tempered
father rather implied than described all through.
and delightful urchin known as the Brat. 0cca-
sional touches OF coarseness, which Miss Brough
ton seems unable to avoid, therefore most proba-
bly, to discern, disfgure the book.
.LUcIus D'AvAREN.-
Miss Braddon's last novel; .Lucius dAvaren,"is
a much better story than any which she has writ
ten Tor some time. There is nothing else remark
able in fiction just now, and all the magazines for
this month are preternaturally dun. The CorfhfH
is publishing a very extraordinary and powerful
story called "Young Brown concerning which
staid people are much exercised In their minds.