The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-24
LITERATURE.

CAMP, COURT AND SIEGE: A Narrative OF Personal Ad.
ventures and Observation IN Two Wars; 1S6l-ls65.
1870-l87l. By Wickham Hoffman, Assistant Adm.
tant General United States Volunteers and Secretary
United States Legation at Paris New York Har-
per Brothers, 1877.
Colonel Hoffman tho war out in the Department.
OF the Gulf and there with Butler
ragut franklin, Candy, Banks and host Of less con.
spcuous personages and in short tour OF service ia
Virginia had personal observation Of Grant As Soc.
rotary OF Legation In Paris he the closing days Of
that gorgeous mass Of putrid ana phospnorcscent
spendor. the Second Empire; the progress OF
calain tous with the Germans, lived the Siege
Of the brilliant capital and witnessed the rise and fall
Of that wild political orgy, the Paris Commune,
and the comparatively placid establishment of
the Republic In the reference OF the title.
therefore, to the extent OF tue personal
adventure and observation chroniced In this
little volume he puts II very modestly. therefore, al
the experience Of two wars; for shey were Of
extraordinary character. and the civil turnoi!s that
between more charged With incident and
ha,rbreadth accidents than tho themselves
IL experience OF q wider range than
monty falls 10 tho lot OF either soldier diplomatisG
An experience 30 extensive, so varied, at times so
filed with the l!veest elements, would have afforded
ambitious bookmaker scope for far more
tended chronicle than Is ventured upon by Colonel
Hoffman; nor would II have bcen great labor have
kept up the interest through many more pages, for
the number Of books made by persons who
had opportunities for immediate observation Of
the facts too great any OF the topics
hero handled, either on the French
or the revolutionary turmoils incident to that
war; while the history OF legation in Paris in that
period, field Of which tho Colonel might have had
especial possession, Will always be Of great interest
So far we know, only book has hitherto beon
published here on the Commune and we know that ia
be oIerably worthless Iritis o virtue at all times &
wriso little book where q large might have been
reasonably expected Colonel Hoffman Is DO credited
with having exercised that virtue under peculiar
temptations to a contrary course
But the Colonels book is good It Is ttle 1t 10
tcrsc, concise and pithy For brovty and clearncss
statement and Tor tho happy narrative faculty with
which It presents the that follow another In
its pages with almost panoramic rapdity Is without
any superior In this walk Of literature, which
perhaps than any other walk abounds with good
books-thc unlaborcd and graceful productions OF full
minds Good books OF this class, while they have
behind them that consideration as to their
substantial value tnat they are history, though
history the higher moods Of the muse, have tho ad-
dtonal excellence 10 general readers that they
entertaining as romances On canvas Of recon,
times can one see more famous figures OF our own
times and OF tho generation Just apsing into shadow
land than on pngos OF this litLlc book. Nor car
they be found anywhere moro happily accu raieIy
appreciated. But this httlc book drops from III,
press very quietly and is scarcely chronccd to gen
that makes eEd oil iilim liable
dcluge OF novels tina, the very subnty OF literary
trash For quot summer days reading. jus,
adapted to those too lazy study yet disposed to
lose their time. We commend this agreeable volume.