The New York herald., 1874-12-20
TALKS ABOUT NEW BOOKS.

"How do you like Farjeon's last novel'' said
the Doctor, glancing at copy OF "Jessie Trim''
(Harper & Bros.) that lay upon the library table.
81 think that it is among his best, replied MISS
Rachel who had laid the book down few mo-
ments before. at not equal to 'Grif' but 1t Is
way ahead OF London's Heart Farjeon depicts
q certain class Of characters with great cleverness
but never could understand how his admir- ers
can possibly compare him to Dickens. The COM
paris0n cannot but hurt FarjeOn.r
''The only similarity that I can see in the two
novelists Is that they both draw their characters
from low hfe" said the Doctor.
Miss RACHEL-But there the likeness stops.
Dickens common people we're very uncommon,
while Farjeon's are commonplace.
FRLICIA-I am always more interested In
Farjeon's stories than in his people, although
think Jessie Trim and Mrs. Carey both good char.
acters.
MISS RACHEL-The people he introduces as sort
OF side shows are usually more attractive to me
than the principals. instance, the little girl who
gave Mrs. carey her nalEpenny and the poor
street girl who died in Bryan Carey's arms.
FEIIcIA-l hated Bryan Carey. There is no ex-
cuse for such mOrose, sour men. They generally
do as he did-get a notion into their heads and
can never see over or around 1t. could not help
feeling sorry for the old man when Chris. talked
to MIN 80 savagely the night OF Jesse's night.
That was undeserved, for he had always been
kind to Chris. The West family are very enter
tanning particularly MISS Josey and Turk. Far
jeon seems to understand theatrical people very
well. He should write play, for he certainly
would not be at loss for plot. and his sense OF
humor is keen enough Tor comedy.
Miss RACHBL-It seems to me that novels writ
ten In the first person are apt TO make prgs OF
their heroes. Sucn ''goody-goodyn fellow as
Christopher Carey is very uninteresting, in his
own hands, at any rate. Perhaps, If the story had
not been In the autobiograpnic form. he would
have been more attractive as boy ana man. 1t
must be hard to do yourself justice without SEEM
ing TO overrate your good points.
THE KING OF N0LAND.
While the Doctor was deep among the pages OF
s.Jessle Trimn Miss Rachel took her cousin on TO
retired corner to tell her about Fafjeon's Christ
mas story. "The King OF Nolandn tHarper Il
Bros.), which she had heard read aloud at the
book club the evening before "'Ihe King OF No.
land,'n began Miss Rachel, 'Is an allegory. The
King is Prince when the story opens, who chaies
and frets at the restraints put upon him on ac
count OF His Princeship. lie runs away IRON the
palace every day and plays with peasant boy in
the neighborhood. Prince Sassaras is dreamer
and sort Of mystlc-just the kind OF Doy who
spends his childhood in talking metaphysics TO the
flowers and fritters away his manhood in the same
sort OF talk with men. He never knew exactly
what he did want until he was aDou. nineteen or
twenty years OF age, and then he married the
sister OF the peasant boy, who, by the way has no
idea OF his RANK In life When his father.
tue King, dies the young Prince succeeds
to the throne, which appears to make
him very unhappy. The courtiers iawn about
him and the people hate him. He Is shot at for a
tyrant, which greves him very much, for he loves
his people, and would do anything to make them
happy. One day party OF his subjects, headed
by an old radical, visit him and make known their
wrongs. The old man gives 1t as his humble opin-
ion that the monarchica Institution had proved
itself utterly inadequate 10 remedy these evils.
The King listened to all he had 10 say and that
night he fed from the palace, leaving a commu.
nication declaring that he had resigned his throne
to the people. For full year he lived alone In the
forests with bis peasant bride. At the end OF that
\ time the people found him out ana begged him to
return to his throne. They were more unbappy
under their own government than under his; so
the ever sensitive King resumed his crown and
relgned peacefully and quietly over Noland to the
end OF his days.
'sThe story has hit at England for her demon.
strations over the Sbah OF Persia, ana the moral
OF 1t is that while Great Britain is not ready for
repubncanism It is not satisfied with the present
state OF things, and would like IL better II the head
OF the government took more interest In her sub.
jects."
| THE PHANTOM or THR FOREST.
81 enj0y book like this once In great while, y