The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-08

LONDON. Jan. 81, 1874.


vo,ume of Mr. Forster's "Life OF Dickens II Is
unite "A well that this biography has been brought
ont oiecemeal though the irst iervor OF feeling
regarding Dickens has naturally died away. The
lapse OF time permits the author to deal more
canddly with his very dificult task, and will
enable the public to bring calmer judgment to
bear upon his ulnlment OF IT. In biography we
nave an interesting 'Le OF Mrs. Somervillen writ
ten by her daughter, and erring only by its
breyity-a most uncommon error. The details OF
the ilustrious woman's life are most interesting,
and it Is pleasant TO find that she was the simplest
the most patient, the least luer well as the most
learned OF ladies' She had large circle OF friends
and was as much beloved for ner personal qualities
as she admired for her exceptional genius
The biography and letters OF Mr.. Archibald Con-
stable are rather interesting though, perhaps, be-
cause there are very lew OF hts own letters and
great many OF other peoples sydney Smith.
Goodwin, Lockhart and Sir Walter Scott were
among his most frequent correspondents. The
third volume OF the memoir deals with the rea-
lions which existed between Sir Walter Scott, the
Ballantynes and Constable, and is intended to re-
rute Lockhart's account OF Constable's treatment
OF Sir Walter. Probably no one cares much about
It at this date; but there Is more to be said for
Constable than We ever supposed could be said;
but, perhaps the truest comment is to be found in
that phrase Tor which, among so many others, we
have to thank Dickens ait was all a muddle." The
publishers took their gold laying goose for
phoenix and lo the flames consumed him in
earnest. The memoir of Constable does not clear
any OF the parties concerned from blame; 1t only
distributes 1t a little more equally.
Messrs Hurst 4 Blackett have recently pub
lished q 'Iife OF the Right Honorable Spencer
Percevaln including his correspondence with sew
eral distinguished persons. The lie is written by
his grandson. Mr.. Spencer Wapole who has lived
from his boyhood among statesmen and politicians,
and is thoroughly wen versed in The history OF his
grandather's time. The book is useful, authentic,
conscientious and dull.
The journal OF Sir Hope Grant. published under
the title of 'ncidents in the Sepoy War, 1875"
is remarkably interesting volume. It's temper.
ate and humane tone-that, be it remembered, of
a man invested with immense responsibility, on
the spot and in the midst of all the facts-cOn-
trasts curiously and 1avorably with that OF many
OF the Criticisms upon It, BockroOds Magazine
for instance, revives, with malignant and indeed
ludicrous fury, all the absurd stories OF outrage
and mutilation which hardly gained credence even
at the time among persons whose judgment had
any foundation in knowledge. and were, a
searching Official investigation, utterly dis
Proved and exploded. This Is the more 70 be
regretted because the cruelty OF English reprisals
rcmdlus u DlOL upon our HlSSOIN III Iuuld rOT
what countless murders is the story OF the pair of
chids boots found in the road at Meerut account
able Almost everybody believed that the little
severed feet in them, aad even English
women boosted of the vengeance taken for the
deed in the name OF "the ladies and the babies,n
until, months afterwards, it came out that there
were no feet In the boots, which had merely been
thrown away as useless by an ayab. The account
OF the mutlnl, from military point OF view, is
done by Captain Knollys, r A., who is too much
bent praising General Arson and denouncing
public criticism OF military affairs and officers tG
be very instructive convincing. II any event in
our history can be said TO place the value and i'm
portance of public criticism and the popular vigi-
lance over the military service quite beyond dis
pute, except Dy sticklers for aristocratic prlvt-
leges and the right divine Of noble lords to spend
the public money and degrade the national dignity
by unabashed favoritism, without rebuke or ques-
ton, that event is the appointment OF General
Arson as Comm Chief OF the Indian army.
We do not think Captain Knollys will convince any
one to the contrary-certainly not by denouncing
the right OF the public 10 mold, TO express and to
enforce their opinions.
colonel Chesney's Essays on Military Biography"
Is very interesting. The most unmilitary reader
must find the book pleasant, were 1t only for its
charming style and its refreshing impartiality. 1t
is partly biographical, partly historical, partly
speculative and in all clear and impartial. Your
readers will we believe, be especially attracted by
Col. Chesney's handling of the great antagonists,
Lee and Grant, who have been called "the Hector
and Achilles of the American niad.n To English
readers the book is especially charming because
it tells the story OF the achievements OF Lieu
tenant Colonel Gordon, popularity known as
"Chinese Gordon whose heroic deeds in
China, with their immense results IN res
cuing the Inhabitants OF vast districts from
the frightfu cruelties OF the Taipngs-a tyranny
but imperlecLy understood previous TO this ex
position OF it form a narrative Of absorbing in
terest. Colonel Gordon is personally, the mos,
unassumng OF men. He has declined all the splen
doris profered by the young Emperor OF China, and
has gone to the interior OF Africa the leader
OF the Khedive's expedition, in place of Sir Samuel
Baker, whose new work is TO published at the end
or this month.
very able translation from the German of Ma.
jor Won Schnen has Just appeared, entitled "The
Operations of the First Army under General Won
Steinmetz to the Captulation OF Metz" The
translation is by Captain Hollist r. A., and
the book, though technical, is emlnently read,
able. The second volume OF Captain Duncan's
History of the ROYAL Artillery has appeared. II
Is much more interesting than the first, and
abounds in capital anecdotes.
An antiquarian work Woodstock Manor, by
Mr.. Marshall, formerly fellow OF c. c. c., oxford,
hitherto non-existent, which, considering the ex
traordinary wealth in MSS. OF every kind pos
sessed by the various colleges and the great pro-
prietors. is inexplicable. Mr.. Marshall is an ex
ceedingy laborious but dry and unimaginative
writer and 1t is characteristic OF his qualities both
positive and negative that he makes only the
barest incidental reference in a foot note to Sir
fom .syvo .
yet the history Of the place and the time ia a:
closely observed and as inseparaoly connected
with ScOtt's Woodstock" as that OF Plessis-les
Tours is with 'Quennn Durward," or the Isle OF
Man with "Peveril OF the Peak
Among works OF travel Captain Buffers "wilC
North Land" is incomparably the most interesting
A second edition was announced week alter tn.
publication of the first, ana the run" upon a
Mudie's Is tremendous. 1t is even more admirab.
written than was the authors FIRST work, 9TH
Great Lone Land" and the intense, unnaggni