The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-18
LIT E r A T u r E.
LATEST ENGLISH BOOKS AND LONDON
LITERARY GOSSIP.

Among the traditional good cheer which
Christmas brings is an enormous number OF books
not merely Christmas books and magazines,
properly so-called and which are becoming year
by year more glaring in their and less readable
in their literature, but publications in all the
various ranks Of letters. 1t would be impossible to
enumerate the mere titles OF the Christmas num-
bers and Of the children's books, which are re-
markedly beautiful this year, while the gift books
produced by the most eminent publishing firms
are, generally speaking OF startling literary as
well as artistic value. Among Christmas numbers
two only are at all remarkable. One is 1.-THE Blue
Chamber, +" ny which AL the Year Round keeps up
its old established fame for holiday fiction. The
framework OF TINS annual selection of stories is
very cleverly cOntrived, and the stories are all
good; some of them are admirable, for instance
"Dare Devil Hans" and 'slmas REVENGE As the
hctions all OF q stern and dramatic type, the
CHEEKY briskness, the easy, social tone OF
the narration which brings them together
by a sufficiently quaint conceit is particular
welcome. The famous satire Of last year. which,
under the title OF 1.-THE Coming K-,n formed
BectOn's Christmas annual ana tempted It's loyal
subject and victim into the silly and useless
penditure and exposure OF buying 1t up, is now
followed by a satire as elaborate and as severe,
called .The Siliad." This production is remarka-
bly, clever; and II 1t be-as 1t undeniably is-ruth
essly savage, its severity is not Ill applied for it
certainly lashes some of the worst and most ma
grant vices OF society with right good will and
applies the whip in the right place. There is an
approach to an anaende In the concluding ''BoOk -
In which villtromache lectures Guelphos because
he does not more closely resemble the late
ixmented Albor, whose spirit has just been remon-
| strating with his perennially mourning widow,
and assuring her that he gets chafred by the mere
cOnvivia ghosts because she will not leave or be-
moaning him. Guelphos makes out, on the whole,
rather good case tor himself; at least he clears
himself from, the charge OF hypocrisy and cant
which ''Sinad" wages against many other and
more important personages. The Be,grGoiam An
nual Is very indifferent london Society beneath
contempt, Ti'aslevs, written by Ed. Fareon, and
called "Golden Grain,n very good indeed OF its
kind, which Is, however, a complete departure
from the original purpose and programme OF the
periodical. secorc edition Of this months
Fraser has been cated for in consequence Of the
interest excited by Mr.. Hayward's remarkably
clever article on J. s. Min's autobiography. An
edition" OF Fraser nowadays, however probably
means 500 copies. Among the Illustrated works
which merit special notice are translation OF
Humberts "JapOn nlustre, {" by Mrs. Cashel Hoey
The Illustrations are most curious and beautiful
and the design for the cover is a triumph OF adap-
tation. very handsomely got up translation of
M. Eugene Plon's 'IIfe Of Th0rwaldsen,n also
by Mrs. Hoey, and which contains a complete
descriptive catalogue Of the works OF the famous
Dane is another OF Mr.. Bentley's Christmas books.
Messrs. Macmilans list is tempting one. The
long expected volume on "Wild Animals" appro-
priately Illustrated by Wolf with series of exqui.
site drawings, announced as the last which he
viii execute, Is an absolutely perfect production.
Among the most rising artists book illustrating
is Mr. Waller who has done an immense deal Of
work OF late. His drawings are in MIR. Knatchbull-
Hugessen's wonderful books for children and also
in new edition of the "Won derlul Adventures
of Phaeton" by William Black Whose princess
OF Thule" Is quite the best novel OF the year, and
are fun Of beauty, quaintness and spirit. He has
also written clever little book on Iceland, de-
scriptive Of his travels there the tracks of the
Great Saga OF Burnt NAL, which had laid its spell
on him in Mr.. Dasart's famous version A
spendidly illustrated life of Leonardo da vinci IS
among the best contributions Of the year to art
biography. 1t contains all that is really known OF
the great painter, and makes the reader rather
savage at the remembrance of the sources of in
formation contained in the jealously guarded
French MSS, to which access is denied. The
"Landseer Volume" announced by Messrs. Virtue
has not yet appeared, but the specimens OF 1t
prove that nothing has been spared in renderinglt
perfect. collection OF Gilray's caricatures Is
much talked about; more talked about than ad-
mired, ! guess The Ileverness OF these perfor-
mances is undeniable but their manner is as OBJ
sOlete as their wit. pictures by Clarkson Stan
field" the great artist who commenced life as a
sailor boy, then became scene painter, and died
one OF England's most renowned Royal Acade-
micans is a very fine book, far beyond the drawing
room standard
OF che childrens books the name Is Legion, and
IL mugt su0ice tn mention n few OF the hest
Among these the "Children's Pleasure Book" Is
decidedly the most precious selection for children
"Pet," by Mr.. Hawels; the cover is poem in it.
self. "Out and All About" the only volume OF trne
fables, and not parallels or allegories, since Gay
and 'Lob-lie by the-fre," wonderfully clever
story, most humorous and Ingenious by Mrs.
Ewing, the daughter of Mrs. Alfred Gatty, "Aunt
judy" by whose recent death the child world has
sustained a severe loss. Messrs. R0utledge's
handsome Illustrated edition OF the "Christian
Year" is not altogether satisfactory, some OF the
Illustrations being unworthy OF their companions
Marcus wards pictures from the Japanese" are
very clever in idea and carrying out. They are
ARABIAN Nights" according to the Japanese ver-
sion OF those famous actions, illustrated by brill
liant drawings in Oriental style.
The list OF new books for the new year is headed
Dy Ivan de Biron or, the Russian Court In the
Middle OF the Last Century, by sir Arthur Helps
success in fiction, though the eclectic merits Of
Eis ''Reamah" pleased people Of culture, and
there Is more curiosity than expectation regard
ing TINS Russian history novel. The third and
fourth volumes Of Hepworth Dixon's entertaining
historical romance 1.-The History OF Two Queens,'
are IN the press. IL Is amusiny, far the first
Two volumes are concerned, though rather mo-
notonous and as much like history ~ DR.. Cum
mings performances are like scientific exegesis.
the nrst volume OF George Henry Lewes' much
talked Of "Prcblcms Of Life ana Nina" is out.
The work promises TO be as elaborate rs that ex-
traordinary production OF pseudo philosophy by
Mr.. Giennie. which was stiiiborn In the autumn,
for hts 10 only one volume of one SERIES 1t is
entitled ''Tnc Foundation Of Creed, - and is. If
not recantatlon, at least considerable mOdinca-
OF Philosophy" was written. For this extraordi.
nary alteration from the denial OF any locus
the metaphysical ideas OF force, cause, matter and
motive as the "kn0wable," Mr.. Lewes' admirers
especially as since Mr. Gladstone's ex PLANTATION
evolution may be held to mean any thing or nokhinR