The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-26
NEW BOOKS.


days.
And anybody's book, unless it is not quite good
enough to be great and too good to DO utterly
trashy. will ind readers.
Some publishers understand this to the incest
point OF calculation.
Take Carleton, for example. No one not pos
sessed OF his courage and foresight would have
dertaken the publication OF Miss Evans novels.
"Beulah," "St. Elmo" and "vashti." He not only
undertook 1t, but made money out OF her books
and became, too. the recognized publisher OF
Southern novellsts.
We observe that no announces "a in press new
books by Miss Sallie A. Brock. author OF "Kenneth.
My Kings" Mansfield T. walworth, Richard b.
Kimball and John Esten Cooke.
the publishers OF Mr. Cookies latest novel. oHfer
Majesty the Queen" are J. b. Hppincott 4 Co.
There are two fatal objections TO this book IL is
not an American novel, and Englishmen can write
much better English novels
IL Is amusing to note how these two publishing
houses throw their protecting arms around certain
classes OF bookmakers The earlier school OF Ameri
can humorists-DOesticks. Artemas Ward and Josh
Bings-iound publisher in Mr.. Carleton. His
goodness OF heart has Just induced him to become
the publisher OF . very dull and stupid book called
"Romance and Humor OF the RAIL- We were un.
able to find either the romance or the humor OF the
book. and 1t Is not even absurd enough to be read
able.
The Lippincotts, on the other hand, are the guar.
dian angels OF bad poetry. They have assisted
more poor poets-p0or in purse well as in inspi-
ration-to get their verses between the covers Of
book than any publishers in the country
Their latest work OF this kind is "Leis-
ure Moments by II. Helen Nunez. 1t is
collection OF nearly 400 pages Of the most COM
m0nplace verses we have ever seen in print.
most remarkable book Is new novel, published
by the Lippincotts, called "Why She Refused Him."
1t is dedicated to w. w. Corc0ran, the benefactor
OF the South" which means. we suppose, that the
unknown author OF the book is a Southerner
Like most OF the American novels OF the present
day, the scene is laid abroad 1t has the common
fault OF American novels OF being devoted to high
art-in this case classical music. One OF the
earlier chapters opens as f0llOws:-sJean and
had one day been studying duo OF Kalliwoda,
Opus 1873 BY some tacit agreement he always
played the sec0ndd. l enjoyed Kalliwoda greatly
that day. The allegro agitat0 the allegro grazioso;
then came the adagto. Somehow my soul thirsted
for the slow music when played with little Jean
Paul" But Jean Paul. like all good children, died
young, whereupon, we are told, "Had he lived his
works would have ranked with Liszt's, Chopins,
Mendessohn's and Onslow'su The following is q
specimen OF the dialogue
t'YOu will improve, Joujou; but as you are you
suit me very well, for you remind me OF enc
when in Paris have thought Of her pure earnest
warnings. have no friend like her now must
look to you for solace. Play me something Of
selected his "Sonate Pastorale,n Opus %. He
must have been touched with those beautiful COM
resting on the back OF the sofa. AS II talking to
.'She played that but not SO feelingly.n
m ia nj m huf xvnp orah xvhn ohn vyoc
Then l commenced Beeth0ven's "Septetn ar
ranged as piano solo by Liszt
should not encourage such gloomy feelings when
he can De 80 soothed by the harmony OF Beethoven.
Were ! 2 practical musician should choose him as
my model-his style IS so rigid, toO.o
stopped after the allegro movement.
-, "oh my cnild'" he said, "go on forever Play
Il have not studied it. / can't play Liszts fear
full stretches without practice"
lyon do well to play as you do. You can't ex-
pect to rival the great masters at your age. To-
morrow night List gives u concert. You must go.
shall take you, Jouiou."
This extract gives fair ideal OF the style OF the
book, and only remains to be added that even
unsteady the novel is OF no value.
Turning from feeble novels like this one, where
pedantry takes the place of imagination. we find
i'm book crammed with facts all the distinguishing
qualities expect IN work OF fiction. The series
OF articles in the London DAILY Ne,cs on .The Men
OF the Third Repubc'' have been gathered into q
handsome volume which is published by Porter Il
Coates, OF Philadelphia Beginning with NJ. Theirs
and ending with Victor Hugo, the volume is one OF
great interest and value and gives better insight
into the France OF to-day than anything we have
seen.
In marked contrast TO 1t is o book called "Llfe
Sketches" published by Weed, Parsons Co., Al
bany. The subjects Of these sketches are the men,
bers OF the present state Legislature. Each biog-
raphy is "puf.n The remarkable thing about the
book is that it shows that very few of our legisa
tors are fitted, either by education or experience
for the duties they are expected to perform.