The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-24
TIE BOOK SEASON.

> There is almost nothing doing In the book pub
fishing business at this time. and there IL little
promise Of any new books Of importance before the
Autumn. ~t
Mr.. Stewards long-promsed narrative, which Is
soon to be issued by d. Appleton Co., Ia the work.
OF exceptional interest among the few forthcoming
volumes. It viii be published by subscription, and
SO rigidly Is the plan to be adhered to that it VIII
even be denied to the press for review. '
The same principle is not applied to the trash OF
third fourth rate novelsts- This is always open
to pufery. We have been fairly deluged with id
during the Winter and there Is no prospect that
we shall escape till a new writer OF exceptional
fiction appears set the fashion in this generation
as Dickens did in the last.
Modern fiction is threadbare, and unless the IA
miliar novests of the period cease writing We
shall be compelled to classify them under the name
OF Mr.. Yates latest novel, "a Bad Lot"
Mr.. Charles Reade wants people to forget tina e
he is the author OF LIZARD Cash" he has only adj
to the list OF his works books like "The Wandering
IIeir.v
II Professor De Mile desires to blur his reputa<
ton as the author OF "The Dodge Club he has only
to remind people that he also wrote "The Lady Of
the Icen and "rhe American Baron"
His latest novel, IAN Open Question:" proves
that his case is closed. He writes too much and ha
The tall end Of the book season shows other signs
OF feebleness besides the publication OF poor novels
with well-kn0wn names on the title page ~ '''l
The reissue OF works which had an ephemeral
success when they first appeared ia OF the fea-
lures Of the dun season. Events of no great sig<
nihcance are seized upon to give old books tem<
porary sale.
The death Of Napoleon I'LL ia one OF these, antH
"Thc Napoleon Dynasty" OF G. Edwards Lester isl
already hed INV q ~ u io n
full OF personal details aud in this 1t is nterestng
but among other things 1t perpetuates the Old
SANDER that Napoleon owed the command OF thes
army In Italy to Josephne's interest with Barrast
Thickness seems to be great virtue with publ
fishers, and even the Protestant Episcopal Society
for the Promotion Of Evangelical Knowledge doeS
not forget to send as at this particular moment a
volume OF "Lenten Thoughts on the Collects, Epis@
ties and Gospels"
There are, Of course, few books coming rom
the press which are not timed so nicely to meet
| the demand which passing interest may create
One OF these is Thomas Sully's "Hints to Portrait
Painters" published by ]. M. Stoddart Co. These
"Hints" OF the distinguished artist were prepared
more than twenty years ago, but they were mott
published during his lifetime. Anything that Mr.
Sully wrote upon art cannot fail to be of interest
to artists and this little volume will be generality
welcome.
depend upon seasons or events Is q new transla3
ton OF "The Electra" OF sophoces by J. Cd
Brncklc, which is published by John Campbell q
Son, OF Philadelphia. The design OF this transla1
ton Is OF course to reach closer approximation tI
the form Of the original, but IL often degenerates
into the baldest prose, will be seen from the fol-
loving lines:-
Wherefore since we such oracle have heard,
10 these, whene'er an opportunity invites,
The palace enter
Orestes might wei have told the tut or to get I'M
by hook or by crook" as whenever "opportunity'f
invites. But the faithiulness of Mr.. Brinckle'd
work recompenses faults like this and some of tha
passages are remarkable for cearness, concisenesa
and vigor. The celebrated passage describing a
chariot race in the Pythian games is case i1
point, even the free version Of Lord Iytton NOT
being more spirited.
Speaking Of Lord Iytton reminds us that sinca
the appearance Of "The Coming Race" there has
not been genuine literary sensation. MrA
Darwns book on the expression OF thu
Emotions in Man and Animals was expected td
set every tongue wagging, but the result proved
that the Darwinian theory has lost its novelty It's
application to matchmaking In Mr.. Waiter Bage4
hot's "Physics and Politics" was, however, u
pleasing diversion.
II the new international Scientific Series" proc
jected by the Appetons is to be composed OF works
as fresh as this little volume OF Mr.. Bagehot's We
may expect new pleasures for semi scien lists. Nd
additions have been made to the series for SONG
time, and not even the publishers know which Of
the volumes Will next appear. Some OF them ara
expected very soon, and three or four OF them-ara
likely to be published In rapid succession.
People are beginning to be anxious for an AmerfI
can book which everybody must read. Such a
book has not appeared since "Uncle Toms Cabin.1
The Boston and Cambridge school OF writer's had q
season Of temporary success, but now they write
only to repeat themselves This Winter DR.. Mayo.a
novel, "Never Again." was subject OF consider4
able gossip in New York society, but it was TOD
weak in plot and too turgd to make any deep imx
preston. Tie Southern novel" was the most fire.,
quent contribution to our literature this season.
but none OF them made the impression OF Mis3
Evans stilted "St. Elmo" some years ago.
Southern ladies' seem to take naturally and
easily to novel writing, The latest work OF this
class Is Mrs. Westmorelapd's "Clifford Troup." a
''Never Again" Is New York story, SO Clifford
Troup" is Georgia story. The idea Of the 'un-
happiness" Is the same in botll-the businesa
necessities OF a supposed millionaire and the dcA
sire OF the father to marry MS child in ORDER ii
pay his debts and escape imprisonment and rel
proach In the one Mr.. Ledgeval wanted to giva
his daughter to count to whom he owed money.
In the other Clifford Troup ST., desired his Ia
marry the heiress OF "Mossy Creek" to help him t0
pay the mortgages on his estate. Love, OF course
was to be sacrificed Dr. Mayo could not deieae
the young lovers and so he unravelled his plot and
saved them by the introduction Of Nine. Steignltzs
who gave old Ledgeval the money he required, and
young Lansdale the wife he loved. Mrs. Wcstmore<
land sacrificed the lovers and left the "Manor'1
for which they we're sacrificed to be lost after ALL
Her story is singular story Of sefshness and dis
appointment, and while it Is not what can be called
great novel 1t will nd readers because it observes
them.
Southern poetry also seems TO be taking place
once more In our literature, though the South has
produced no new poets since the war. or the an'e-
war poets Henry Timrod-now dead-was one Of