New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MEMORIAL OF MRS. II. NJ. FIELD.

The numerous friends Of the lady whose recent
death has called forth such sincerc expressions 81
grief from a wide circle Of acquaintance, viii wei
come this volume as q precious, though inadequate,
memorial of her social virtues and the brilliant
powers of her intellect. They will not indeed, find
in it's pages the cordial tones of her voice and the
animated features Of her o0untenance, which int
parted a perpetual charm TO her presence, but they
will everywhere perceive the tokens of the singular
aautHness of observation, the clear and NlvN per-
eeptions and the pervading sanity ofinteect which
marked her social intercourse, and made her con
versation az Instructive IA it was dchghtfnl.
Hal Mrs Field chosen tn devote herself TO literary
career, il in certain that she would have won
signal Iiumplls She possessed breadth and soiidty
~ mind which Is seldom found even in the most
popular female writer's Her creative fancy was
always under the dominion Of good taste and good
sense Free from every tendency to erratc eXceSscs
her sound in lunent no less conspicuous than
her brilliant imagination. Combined with these III
teectual qualities her power of expression IN spite
of the enbarrassrnents Of foreign language, always
enabled her present her thoughts the pulest light
OF truth without invoking the aid OF artihcial eu-
bellishinent. Her success in literature was thus
assure both 10y the structure OF her INTELLECT ana
the traits of her character. Bat she possessed niue
of the ambition which is the usual spur to productive
authorship. She was content with the ample tr-
course of society and cherished no lingering desire
for distinction in wider sphere Hence, she
was far less known by her writings than by her
personal influence. The justness Of thought and
yivacty Of expression which would have gwen
her % name in literature, had they peeh
treasured in tho pages OF book, were
only embodied In the transient graces o her con-
vorsation. The prfsens volume consists mainly or
fugitive papers. which she had written under the
.f.a nrteraf tha
desire of large publicity, but Whit afford faith
ful transcript OF the feeling aud intelligence which
distinguished her character A specimen OF her
talent for vivid description, take the following
passslgss from letter an Tere Hyaciiithe at the
church of Notre Dame III PARIS;
AtIastI have sen aud heard the famous peTe Iiya-
cnte, vhesa name reached NJ on the otter sidc OF Ihe
to PARIS hal el for Brussels where he was TO
preach In Lent had little hope OF being able Ia Crafty
y curiosity But when the journals announced that he
w.: os to fS epjnny and At Si eeSk
lns accoInpaIicd by friend from New or. Mac al
arrive but already crowd occupied the chairs
oSad Ss E SSS We s s and Ss e S SnG
AZ the sermon was not to eoinncGe ~ = we pttpIDn
heS thTee hours Of rcvery You know fOndnees for
Sss S% Although w3sD the e%cs n a%y
e wss no rush or nos no me srSwa GSsrea Ig
sSHs 's e %SSa the, is S %sTe Of rs o.
the s SS at ri Tt .se q scsoS The Whole IS
costume, entered IN PROCESSION and iened H. the solemn
e'sb ersly what Was passing around the grand Altar;
R1t The chanting, grave and now pa!ntye mneling
away in IN the arches ahove hid sG effect iudeschly
%SS aud d iSGss snsd '1 ws 1s auf
snd passion thai the preacher MAS to speak
1sss, slowly through the Church; and again qll rcld
aS iencs until tS moment when the high altar was
seemed issue frem all s,des. we're heard ntonng the
nss,ine and a. that sharp cry rang throh the long
aisjes seemed vail Of anguish WIRING from human
a. ,es i"mcni Xd,re Dame was black with the Immense
eruwd which aed ever corner Of the vast eses We,
owe ANA solemnity, which was eepectally moved as
s, srSys aT oa SIS d sSs a%
Sh,SS fnr thu day offered to the alteration
moment mo- spard the Whole impression ut the
s,aht ~ thsso relies VIII feeling Of asioniShni aud
pity. Had they been presented to US s,Dly as emlIcs
We might salute With reslaet for must conf
the iGlturs inaaeAse over the moses o. that Which
laid up NJ authentic relles Of our saviors death we
canno ba, regard It % | an, praepgnG On nns
which followed msda but . very FAINT and cold aiusi
to sacred relics. which ne did not ike to see put On
saa Low the tail swiss hateerdr, making pas
s SS Sy,S,o aSs and s,sS sS, nds Se Whole s %
faces is tnruct toward him with an EXPRESSION q
who n u s j. g i ss s,t sas 70 C
his ewes east down, his face % and ipountinG The sopt
OF the pulpit be ke down. aud barrd his face III silent
or aud for some none Dls gared in silence those 10
whom be was to speak, White deep sigh mvuunInlii
Although Was alIvady under the magnetisn Of tbs
extraordinary eye az an artist took IN all he sur
exceed the beauty Of the tsloan,-pe DARK background
Of tho pulpit in ansent carved oak the form VI lAt
Che Ia oaryaelito mo,k aud wears lSns sers. gown
with any sals Un his fecu win bis white e'wi thrown
bask upon his shoulder his head shayen 50 as u lev
above fell upon his bare bead and his so SAD
ali The regards turued toward him sureg, il he lad
studied ali THE sise sesne he Is mastrr III the art
lie bsgaR % speak aud from that moment wished 10
believe IN the sincerity in the p'e,y IN the Christian
faith Of ,hs uaS sar b. y not a, THAT h. p"fianes
yo,ce symthebc strike my ear; never did ar woe
perfect capuvatt and eontro) tho human hart
The pspsr enttlol Home I.ifa in France will bc
read with interest as defeluse Of French society
against tho assertion that does not possess the ee
nents of household feeling or ths love Of family.
Foreigners, as Mn. Field remarks. are apt to take
their impression solely from Paris, which attracts
them by it's br,llianey thsy great deal of gay
ETY. aud rivoty the surface and hastily conclude
that this is the whole of Frsneh domestic lfe but
Paris 10 not Franeei nor have they had access to
French society Of the better class correct
irspression is given IN the following picture of the
in,rrioT of French domestic circle:
uIwght without indiscTeton iift the curtain, for
fn.ne MT FROM interior rlSh as nave oUeh seen, II
would give better idea u Fseneh family than any
general description. ~ the large sGtoe-wbth N nJt
tie wssis i.aiiS-paSens and clifiren sIe ,s,I,I
getAer areuDd table, who's" central iaLlp
G GsI az Are net aaaisAsd, Tor IN TTanSe hey a
Ssu trained and wel mannered thai Instead of b. inc
OF th hol houesh d How ohee ful the aspect OF ia,
roomi Mai Of culture III the choice books, ad in
stin yoang upsa vii her ns.ss work, tbe iathtr