The New York herald., 1876-03-20
THE BOOK WORLD.
Edward Kings Pen Portraits
Of French Leaders.
ANNA DICKINSON ON THE WARPATH.
The Poems of Edith May-An Amer
lean SongStress.
THE BLACK HILLS.

FRrScR POLITICAL LEADERS BY Edward King. New
York G. p. Putnam's Sons
The Puinams did well in choosing Mr.. Edward King to
write the volume IN their series OF Brief Biographies
French political leaders Mr.. King is young Amer
Journalist who has spent considerable portion Of
lis life In France where he has the personal aequaint
nce Of most OF the leaders OF whom he writes Ho
ooks at the men who surround him with unparalleled
ayes. and his opinions formed with appreciation
and honesty that make his book Of ordinary
Interest and value His observations are keen and
intelligent, and his style is graphic vigorous and
graceful He is for moment drll but then who
soud be in writing OF such brilliant FrenchmenY Tho
bare record OF their lives would stir tho blood
Of tho coldest OF Nr King has made
= careful study OF his subjects, In fact
he had begun 'tlking notes" before he
addressed by tho Mossrs. Putnam. Mr.. 7. W.
Hggnson tho editor or this Series In his preface
10 this volume al know OF no existing book In any
language which comprising just tho
Information needed among in regard TO the present
political leaders of France" The work all written
In Paris, where the author is su living in atmos
phere created by tho partisaus OF whom writes aud
that fact gives freshness and charm the book and
lends II its enthusiasm. Mr KING does not claim
have dipped into critical analysts Of his subject but
merely to havo giveu series OF pen portraits OF
emporsneoas French leaders. and in thai obcc. he
has succeeded most admirably Among his most strik-
Ing sketches those OF Victor Hugo Adolphe Thers
Leon Gambctta, jules Simon, Marshal MacMahon, Ed
ward Laboulayc, Emile Olivier and the comte do
Paris There are ia all twenty.hree sketches in Mr.
Kings book. Rocheiort jules Favre. the Comio de
Chambord, the DGo d'Aamale. the Due de Brogle and
jules Grevy have all intensely interesting hstor.S
A PAYING INVESTMENT BY Anna E. Dickinson. Bos-
ton: James X. Osgood Il Co.
Malt l., NJ.
rlearest and strongest and 1t is be hoped that 1t will
penetrate through the thick walls Of prejudice and
awaken a responsive chord IN tho manly American
breast In this little book, which contains about
hours reading viii be found all the freshness and
piquancy that charms the listener in Miss DicknsoAs
q lectures "A Paying Investment might arouse more
applause its arguments forth IN the magnetic
ryle and impressive the lecturer, but they
could not be any moro convincing than they stand
fhe investment that 1t would pay to make is to give
tho rising generation the proper siarttO set it well
It's feet before IL Is taught to eve open wide
doors and invite the world What OF pro.
vision do We make for these guests when they appear
We swallow them certainly Do we digest and nssimi-
late themf Or all tho nerve forces used in other
channels and exhausted in other enterprIsesY" Again
she says of the American -He converts himself from
manhood into sort or double back action machinery;
he swathes himself in nterminable folds of business till
be is species OF mummy. He drains his body of all
hs resources to run his money grinding engine; aud
iapped and undermined in actual ruins with brain
trouble or half dead from dyspepsia has the supreme
ntisiacton OF hearing people say he goes by them
on the streets "A wonderful man, that wonderful
gan lifo without dollar, and is worth hall a million u
Presently the same people will say he passes them
carried, not walking-'DeadS or course he is dead
No man could hold out his pace long hear his
will Is TO be contested" IL is new thing for
writer's to cry against the absorbing interest Aner
have In "buslness" bat Miss Dickinson,
whom she handles a trite subject puts
h 90 that we It In and stronger
light Tho chapter in which she calls upon to do
heir duty In local politics particularly convincing
The way many men neglect their duties voters rs
most reprchensble. There are hundreds OF men who
hot only stay away from ward meetings but neglect to
sOte election day; then they complain Of bad laws
sorrups oncals, &C "who governs America to-day p"
asks Miss Dickinson; 'the peopeY Nobody believes
a. IL is governed by the politicians, whose trade,
whose business It Is Men OF educMlon, OF inteh-
sonee, OF ambition arc too busy about their per-
onal gains and gettings and spendings to hew panks
NJ platforms investigate the character OF those
who arc to stand upon them, or that the plat
form Is rightly supported" If the platform builders
are unit for gentlemen to associate with, how much
less are they Ut TO rule and govern these asd
most substantial in every ward attended the
ings during campaign and gave the weight of their
culture and responsibility the selection of candidates
for office, would not the result be satisfactory than
II Is At present. or course IL would. The eve of
slection, says Miss Dickinson, should be TO ovcry
avig and hts action Al the polls sacrament In this
country can live 10 himself for himself alone
she discusses the negro VOTE aud apologies Tor rs
by saying that have left them with
tbis tremendous weapon.
AS means toward great end, she recommends
compulsory education With all our free Institutions
have uneducated citizens than many European
countries ofthc IS. 55S S7l people in this land there
5,65S Ia who neither read wrte in brief,
Dnehfth ofihe population, and the majority OF these
are native born Americans We quote There no
disease subtly penetrating, none more deslruc-
1.-Two, more surely death frcightcd TO such govern
nent "a than that Of ignorance And II those who
rs Infected having The means provided TO wash aud
De made whole refuse to do, then IN selfdeience,
We ought TO see that enc they reject used,
and used efficiently to a healing wholesome end
Miss Dickinson is down trades unions "wha.
We wan" she says, sis training schools scicn-
tao and polytechnic There too many clerks,
and HO1 enough skilled artisans among Amcri-
sans Le, us have more schools. better at
1ended, technical stady a Of high school out
growth OF The school, that as the one hts tho
boy Tor the performance OF hts general duties as cit
lien, the other may prepare him tho special du-
ties OF his trade art Lot have more knowledge
more light for the good Of the individual aud the good
OF the whole" The chapters on PRISON reform are
among the strongest IN the work and should be read
BY every legislator the land III costs more 10 neg
cct our duties than 70 accomplish them says the
writer, and SO does In the iast chapter the woman
the polls question Is discussed violently or ex-
,iiedy, but calmly aud rcAson!ngly women who
As rule. cicauIy and careful IN their own
houses, and such admirable nurses in their homes
and such capital organizers 10 their small domains
would see that all questions concerning the general
health Of towns and cities The general care hospitals
and asylums Of all sorts better aud answered
than they are by the men who now face and settle