The New York herald., 1876-11-26
LITERATURE.
NEW NOVELS.

EVERY PALAIE--A GREAT ART WORK
EDNA.
"Edna; or, Missing since Midnight" Is the myster-
title OF Mrs. Henry Woods latest infction upon
long suffering public, published by I. b. Peterson
| Bros. What mind Tor horrors that woman must
have II her dreams are visited by the creatures oil
her fancy night must prove terror to her soul Her
books. however bnd a ready sale or she would not
| grind them out at such Mrs. Wood has never
equalled "East Lynns' for power popularity Even
tha her best work. Is not possessed OF great literary
merit but it is dramatic and emotional In "Edina"
we nnd horoue dreadiully" good that We are re-
! minded OF the little girl WHO
Wien she was bad was very bad indeed.
But when she was good she horrd.
five believed in the old saying that the good die
young, should have looked for the death OF Edna
Ut any moment; but alas, sho lived 10 make happy the
declining days Of Mr.. George Atkinson, middle aged
maa with pious turn OF mind, who sealed his pro-
posal with text wnIle "the singing BIRDS warbed in
she branches above; the distant hills were iar and
smiling; the pale, blue sky had never cloud; all
nature spoke OF peace. And within their hearts
reigned that holy peace and rest which comes alone
from heaven--the peace that passeth all understand
! ing" Amen
| wEsDERnoLME.
| Very different from the foregoing ts .swender-
home.' by +. 9. Hamerton tRoberts Bros.y Mr..
Hamer.ons book is a novel by courtesy. II rather
series OF character skctcne5 anu Artistc descriptions
OF scenery held together by light thread of plot TO
tho reader in search Of blood-curdling horrors and
nauseat,ng sent,mentalty would say. do read
| .wenderholme; - but 10 who enjoys bright
vcrsations, graphic landscape painting and clover
character skelching we say, read "Wendcrholme,"
by all means The authors style Is simple and
his language tho choicest We wish, however,
that he did not continually the word "whist;
II has such stiltod sound and in keeping with
the rather colloquia style OF the book. Whenever Mr.
Hamerton has picture a room to describe we feel
the presence OF o man Of taste and refinement
versatile genus is Mr. Hamerton He dips into all
sorts OF literary undertakings, ana II he is great
all he Is agreeable at anything he turns his hand to.
whether 1t be an art criticism or a book for boys
'rnE RIVAL BEAuTIEs."
"The Rival Beauties" by Mss Julia Pardoe Ct. B.
Peterson g. Brothers), is one of those books which
school girls delight smugge into their desks and
read in those stolen moments when the teach
er's back is turned. The names Of the heroes and
hero,nes SO high sounding :--Frederc Mortimer,
Gertrude Mortimer and Syb Deamcrc. Augustus
Fitz Jones dc Courccy not suggestive of
wealth and aristocracy. Frsderic's mother wished
him to marry his cousin Gertrude, and Gertrude
more than willing to follow her aunt's instructions.
This beauty OF the blonde order, fragile, shrink
ing thing who communcd with tho stars and uttered
mystic thoughts Listen to this murmured by Ger
trudo at tho OF seventeen the rays OF tho set
ting sdn touched her rich hair:-"It must be sol
That golden arch, shedding its dazzling reflection
all around It, and tinging tho golden vapors win a
thousand prismatic nues must be the open portal
OF eternity, through which tho wonder
ful shadow OF the Creator makes itself
for q briof space visible TO man, as IL
to invite him to win his entrance into the moro
solemn AMI perfect glorles beyond And do you
know dear aunt" she continued, turning with
shusiastic smile to her wondering relative ~ have
imagined despite the OF the learned, that
the lovely stars taught to look upon worlds
may In reality be nothing the dust Of Heapcn
lung from the feet Of the Eternal lie In His
majesty above the clouds OF nightl' What could be
moro peeticf Tho italics are ours, but the author
will forgive them only wish call attention to
her vivid and original imagination. Tho other beauty
was Syb Delamere, whose dark, rich beauty was
almost dazzling, highly accomplished, OCCASION
ally profound. in her remarks [could she have
been profound than Gertrude?l, with great
knowledge Of the world and specous and winning
manners; she always cheerful, witty and at times
slightly sarcastic Frederic the wretched young
placed between these two attractions, had
o high and noble brow, adown which fell
ringlsts of glossy black He "rich in anec-
ton ardent in temperament although frank
In manner; thirsting to be loved he ielt that he
could himself Loves full OF hope for the future,
although the present cloudod by heavy sorrow;
generous, ngh-hcarted." ~ He had thorny path
tread these rival attractions Gertrude with
her mystic thoughts forgotten and Sybi held
reins. 1t much fog the susceptible Mortimer
whom the glossy coils OF sybils HAIR foil their
comb and rolled down At his feet, Till she "twssed
the scattered into knot the
nit OF her small and graceful head" and went with
the iove-making. This finished Frederic, and hc
swore eternal fidelity Here he showed h,s youth for
what man past thirty TO woman's hair
tumble at her feet? 1t gives him sense of insecurity,
and then he knows that when she twists IL up she
sure get the knot in tho wrong place, and how
he talk sentiment to girl whose top knot keeps slid
ing down her ears GIVE we'll coifured head
with plenty OF hairpinsl Finally, Frederic married
Sybi who turned to be sdventuress and a bad
woman. and OIL with another man before they had
been long Gertrude did not die of the broken
heart but accepted the love ofa ane young fellow and
lived 10 happy old age while Frederic ended his days
In misery.
HIS
The most striking feature OF ''HIs Young Wife,
G. W. Carleton Co.. is Its dedication, into which
Mrs Julio ?. Smith tho titles OF her several
books curious manner:-sTo George w. Carleton,
my friend aud publisher, and may not rhe Young
Wife, DO safely and confidently consigned 10 his care
who was neither astonished dismayed by "A
widower, Ten O,d Maids. or Married Bee.'"
Mrs. Smiths novels do not find favor among the ad-
mirers OF George Eliot still they have great many
readers as their large sale proves, and 'The Young
Wife," although not yet In general circulation, has
sold an edition OF 900 among the booksellers
PHILIP SoLAS's FRIENDS
"Philip Nolan's Friends have become ours by
stant companionshp. Scribner's Monthly without
this serial will look unnatural In magazine form,
to be honest, 1t seemed 10 drag trihe. but
bound up book II does not appear TO be page
long. Mr. Halo wrote this story with object, ho
avows in his preface Philip Nolan real charac-
ter who played an important part our history Ho
was murdered by tho Spanish government, who dis
tonored their passport for his murder The story