The Portland daily press., 1875-01-23
Recent Publications.


with the cover of odd device, contains well
selected excerpts from the Greville Memoirs,
Journal of the reigo of George ". and William
~. by Charles Greville, Clerk of the Council of
those sovereigns. This journal was designed to
preserve record of the less known causes and
details of public events which came under the
authors observation, interspersed with the con-
versation of many of the eminent men with
whom he associated. He seems to have been
influenced by a real love of truth and by
hearty hatred of shams. His perceptions were
quick, his style animated, and his knowledge
of men and events extraordinary. The journal
makes one of the most entertaining books of
the season. As originally published, it con-
tains much that is uninteresting to all except
historical students. Mr.. Stoddard has done
what most readers would do, has exercised the
divine right of skipping. and has thus produced
"a volume, the quality of which may be judged
by dip into its pages here and there.
There are some interesting particulars told
Grevile by Wellington about Waterloo. He
said he had $4,000 men there, having begun the
campaign with $1,000, lost 5000 on the 10th,
aud had a corps of 10000 at Hal, under Prince
L TeueTlCk. ne Sdlu IL WAS tHuV ~
body who had ever spoken of these operations
had ever made mention of that corps, and Bo-
naparte was certainly iguora Mt of it. He said
that the French army was the finest he had ev-
er seen, and that in the previous operations
Bonaparte's march upon Belgium was the
finest thing that ever was done, 50 rapid and
so well combined. Greville thus gives Lord
Anglesey's opinion of George w. "The
Kings Incidence is so great that it is next to
impossible to get him to do even the most or
dinary business. His greatest delight is to
make those who have business to transact with
him, or to lay papers before him, wait in his
ante-room while he is lounging with Mount
Charles or anybody, talking of horses or any
trivial matter, and when he is told, Sir, there
is Watson waiting ETC., he replies, Damn
Watson let HIM wait He does it on purpose,
and he likes it, This account, says Greville,
corresponds with all have before heard and
confirms the opinion have long had that a
more contemplate, cowardy selfish dog does
not exist than this King, on whom such fiat
terry is constantly lavished.
Here is one of LuttrelPs jokes about Sharpe,
with whom the author dined. He was a whole
sale halter formerly; having dingy complex
ion, somebody said he had transferred the col
or of his hats to his face, when Luttrell said
that it was darkness which might be felt. Gre
vile thus refers to the display of plate at King
William the Tvs birthday. Bridge, the jew
eler, came down with the plate, and was hid
during the DIM ner behind the great wine cooler,
which weighs 1000 ounces, and he told Sefton
aftorward that the plate in the room was worth
e200 900. There is another service of gold
plate which was not used at all. The King has
made it all over to the crown. All his plate
was ordered by the late King, and never used;
his delight was ordering what the public had to
pay for. Dining with Henry Taylor, the au-
thor of Philip van Artevelde, he told story of a
girl among the savages Of North America, who
bad been brought up for the purpose of being
eaten on the day her masters son was married
or attained certain age. She was proud Of
being the plat for the occasion, for when she
was accosted by missionary, who wanted to
convert her to Christianity, and withdraw her
from her fate, she said she had no objection to
be Christian, but she must stay to be eaten;
that she had been fattened for the purpose, and
must fulfill her destiny.
The conversation at Holland House was
always entertaining, and Lord Hollands rem
iniscences form most attractive part of it,
He believed that the younger Pitt was not so
eloquent as Chatham. Grattan said, 'He
takes longer flights; does not soar so high"
Referring to Lord North. the violent and
foolish Tommy Townshend said in some de-
bate, sNothing VIII satisfy me but to have the
noble lords head L will have his head"
Lord North said, "The honorable gentleman
says he will have my head. l bear him no
malice in return, for though the honorable
gentleman says he will have my head, can
assure him that would on no account have
his" At Lord Cifton's, Tom Moore told a
story about some Irish who had emigrated to
some West Indian colony. The negroes soon
learnt their brogue, and when another ship
load of Irish came soon after, the negroes, as
they sailed in, said, "Ah, Paddy, how are
you?'' "Oh, Chrstr' said one of them,
s'what, y're become black areadyp'
THE BABES IN THE WOOD. A tragic comedy. BY
By James De Mile, author of The Dodge Club,
&C. Boston: VILLAIN F. Gill. From Loring,
Short s. Harmon.
By 'Babes'' the innocence and inc experience
of the Dramatis Persone are personlfied, and
the general frskiness of their demeanor favors
the delusion.
By ''Wood" is meant Italy in 1848. Italy
before the introduction of railroads, or the
consequent advance toward law and order
Italy in the early days of romance, the good,
old days when parties travelled in their own
carriages, were mobbed and robbed by banditti
surrounded by gems darmes and tracked by
spies all to vary the monotOny of these noun
tain passes as all readers of De Miles novels
know full well.
In this particular story the author has been
easy with his readers and more considerate to
his party, at least while they are on the road.
A carriage simply breaks dow n, a fascinating
countess is rescued from peril, by a chivalrous
family, who make room for her in their car
riage and away they go to Rome in COM
pany.
But when once in the Eternal City not only
Rone but the "babes" and spectators "howP'
in concert-no babes in real life were even so
tossed, tumbed and ierked about. The author
is on his native heath and his pen swings free.
William Patterson Esq, better known as
''Billy" and papa" in the domestic circle,
and his own wife Loo,oheezer are the two
principal ''babes' and are very funny speci-
MEMS They are made to perform round in the
most laughable manner. 'Arriet. their daughter
has had educational advantages and is ashamed
of the worthy couple. Kitty, petite blonde,
travelling TO Rome t2 meet her lover, McGinty
the lover in disguise accompanying her "un-
beknownst' and Fred, the irrepressible lover,
are the remaining babes. In Rome few more
are added and then we have a series of catas-
trophies which stand unrivaled in modern
fiction. They fall into the clutches of the Red
Republicans, each individual gets bewildered
and lost-even to the "mama" who is separa-
ted from the papa" and occasioning the most
absurd situations and the most startling de-
nouments, till the final climax is reached
Then the papa" is happy once more
Beneath the dome of Caesar
He finds his own Loo-wheezer.
He opens wide his arms The "mama'
shrieks wildly 'Bil-le-e.e" and rushes into
them. 'Arriet recognizes the author of her
being and she too bounds forward shouting
s'Pap-pa-a" and all embrace.
Explanations are in order. The right person
ceases to love the wrong person, and all go
happily to the altar hand in hand, while "papa',