The Caucasian. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1874-1875, 1874-04-18
Book Reviews.

st. New Orleans; we are in re-
ceipt Of
"93" BY VICTOR HUGo-HIs LAST
WORK.
The writings Of the author of Les
Miserables; The Toilers Of the
Sea and the Man who Laughs, al
ways command attention from the
reading public and find a ready
sale among the lovers Of first class
Literature. The style of Victor HUI
go is exceedingly queer, if the
TRANSACTIONS OF the French do him
Justice, and his characters general
|ly formed after a pattern OF his
own, that strikes us as being rather
over wrought, and wanting in that
union Of nature with fiction, where
in consists the true perfection OF
novel writing.
His incidents are rather unnatu-
1al and strike us as being the re-
suit of an effort on his part to be
singular. For instance, in "93 "
the whole Of the chapters devoted
to d description of the antics of a
cannon that broke it's fastenings on
board the ship at sea, is too dra-
matical in all its details; and the
battle O. the single disabled ship
against the whole opposing fleet is
too unnatural to appear well. Ia
ken altogether, however, we like
1893" better than either The Toilers
of the Sea, or The Man Who
Laughs, and would place it next to
Les Miserables. From the same
source we have
THE GILDED AGE,
by Mark Twain and j. Dudley
Warner.
In taking a partner IN with him
in his latest literary effort, Mark
Twain has improved considerably
upon . Roughing It," ana Eivalled,
if not excelled, the humor Of bis
''Innocents Abroad" We don't
know when we have finished. the
perusal of a book from which we
derived so much satisfaction and
pleasure as was afforded us by the
Gilded Age. Our disappointment
in "Roughing IT. was SO great that
we took up The Gilded Age with
considerable hesitation and many
doubts as to it's excellence.
We had, however, only reached
the genuine humor of the old Oar
keys prayer to the Steamboat
which he took for "de Lord" and
finished the pathetic story of tie
funeral scene of the little orphans
mother, when we were ready to
give his last work all the praise
that the author himself could have
claimed for The Innoccnts Abroad |
or hoped for the book in question.
The keen satire Of his criticisms |
upon Congress, is without an equal
in modern literature.
Those who have not read the Gil
ded Age, have a treat in store for
themselves, that they can i'll afford
to lose or postpone. 1t is sold only
by subscription, but orders sent to
James A. Gresham's will meet
prompt attention. We are also
indebted to Mr.. Gresham for the
Campaigns Of Lieut.. Gen. Forrest
Of the Confederate Amy by one of
his officers.
Gen. Forrest was one. of our post
effective Cavalry officers during
our war for independence, aid a
history OF his campaigns cant not
fail to command the attention of
tho Southern people. We have
too few such histories, and unless
historical writer's are encouraged to
supply the deIicid ncy while tifI re-
collections of theI war arc frest in
their minds and while notes;and
data are in the hands OF first par
ties We are in ;danger Of bs,ing
without authentic acco unt1 Of
scenes aud battles, that must ever
be dear to us. We have only g;Sven
tho book d cursoIy reading, Sbut
found plenty to:intcicst us sand