New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-10
NEw PUBEroArIoNs.

..~-.---~--1--g 08AaBA
street, has received the following:
SrDoNIE. A novel from the French Of Al
phOnse Daudet. Boston: Estes & Ian
riat, No. 30l Washington street.
The facts that this novel has been sold
up 70 moro than s., 900 copies by one house,
translated into English, Drowned BY the
French Academy and dramatized, are
sufficient to establish q reputation for Il.
The Boston Saturday EUening Gazette thus
speaks Of Sidonie:
"Alphonse Daudet's novel, 'SidOuie,,
upon its first appearance in Paris, rapidly
ran through twenty editions, and was
crowned by the French Academy. 1t was
dramatized, and proved no less successful
on the etege. The story is one of undoubted
power. Its plot is simple, but 10 intensely
interesting. The principal theme is the
familiar one SO persiAtently treated by
French authors, but In this instance vice is
not made alluring, and great moral lesson
is taught with pitiless force. He has con-
trasted vice with virtue in the most exqui-
site manner, and the latter connection has
drawn one of the most charming and
delicate pictures to be found in the recent
literature of his country. The style of the
book throughout is fascinating in its grace,
It's simplicity, its pleasing fancy and its
easy naturalness. The characters are all
drawn with vivid power, and with q skill
that occasionally reminds us of Dickens
In his best moods. Daudet is unquee-
tionably q man of genius, gifted with
q strong intelligence, g delightful re-
finement of taste, q sympathIzing
nature, and an ardent love of what is truly
good in human nature, These qualities all
appear in fall force in this book The hero.
inc, SidOnie, is an intensely realistic bit of
drawing in her heartlessness, her mad love
for dress, her ineradicable vulgarity, and
her low estimate of the end and aim of life.
She excites no compassion from the begin
ming to the end, but remains an object of
contempt throughout. Certainly an I'M
promising heroine, but one having her
cOuRterparts by thousands in the world
about us. A mastery conception artistic
ally carried out is the old commedian DelO-
belle, who is O species of French Micawber,
always waiting for situation to turn up.
He is an admirable piece of quiet humor,
with his propensity to pose, after the stage
fashion in private life. Utterly worthless,
seen through by everybody else, he appears
q suffering hero in the eyes of his devoted
wife, who works for him day and night that
I his dignity as great artist may not be i'm
paired. Their daughter, Desiree, crippled,
loving hOpelessly yet uncomplainingly, an
emblem of purity and sweetness, fading
| out of life br0ken-he hearted, Is described with
exquisite tenderness, and without any trace
| of maWkieh eentimentality. The absence of
this quality in the pathos in which the story
abOuuds is so unusual q characteristic Of
| French novels of this nature as to prove
| particularly striking here. The interest Of
| the story is absorbing, and many of the in
cidents have q dramatic intensity of re-
markable vividness.
"The translation is exceedingly brilliant
| and able. In fact, we can net call to mind
q more artistic TRANSLATION of a French
story chan the one under notice. 1t is flow
ing, fresh and spirited, and, above all, sc
idiOmatiO that, were its source not known
it might easily pass tor an English work
| This is the perfection of the art of trans
lating, apparently so easy, but really al
most as difficult as original composition
| The book will doubtless have as large cir
culatiOn here as it had abroad, where it il
pronounced the best novel that has ap
peared in France for twenty. years."
HALE HOUR RECREATToNs IN NATURAL
HISTORY. By A. s, PACKARD, Jr, Boston
Estes g. Lauriat.
The twelfth number of "Half Hours will
Insects" has Just been received. 1t com
pletes the first volume of the series of Re
creations in Natural History, of which Their
will be eight, as follows; Nos. l, insects
9, birds; 8, wild animals; A, domestic ami
mails; 5, reptiles; 6, plants; z, trees; 8, fishes
Each volume will be edited by cOmpe
tent person. The series, when complete
will form very excellent text book on th
subjects embraced.
LoRMG's TALES OF THE DAY-"Helen'
Babies" and "a Widow of Windsor.
Boston; Loring, corner Of BrOwntelt
and Washington streets.
'Helen's Babies" has probably been rea
by nearly everybody who travels, as we
as by many who stay at home. 1t is a
entertaining little narrative, well wort
the half dollar, which is the establishe
price of the books of this series.
"a Widow of Windsor" by Mrs. Ami
GAskeIl, has Just been received from Lorinl
1t is very delightful story of highbre
English women, in Mrs. Gaskelfs bel
style.
An especially timely book, yet one to b
! held as Of lasting value and use is "Son
Victories of the Bliss and Sankey Hymns,
with biographical sketches Of Ira d. SaI
kew and P. P. Bliss. 1t is issued by
Lothrop g. Co., Boston. While it is of
self evangelical and powerful in its inf
ence upon even a careless readers heart,
contains hints of use to the pastors, Sunds
school superintendents and active layme
of all denominations, and can hardly ia
to fully illustrate and exalt the stirring r
vival power of Christian song The boo
has also permanent value as collecting
form convenient for reference the history
, many we'll known hymns. 1t serves all
as a memorial of the work accomplished
Bliss, the lamented and gifted song eva
gelist, and places in shape to be preserve
Z an account OF his tragical death. 1t is
= Illustrated with excellent portraits OF bot
Bliss and Sankey, accompanied by aut
: graphs.
boards fifty cents, in cloth seVenty-h'
Cants.