The New York herald., 1877-09-10
LITERATURE.
The Prevailing Cloud Of Gossamer
Bookings.
SENSATION IN TITLES
A Book on Beauty-Waifs from the
Writer'S Word


people, but our good nature never put to such a
severe test as it has been recently by the makers OF
books There is something rotten in Denmark.
Either diocy has broken out among the writers the
readers have lost their wits. new kind OF literature
has sprung into favor, nauguraied by Mr. Habberons
"Heen's Babies.r book which was well enough OF
its kind, but the kind not to perpetuate. The
idea new however, and now idea in literature
Is mine that il worked vigorously that II
becomes old Endless precocious children followed
Mr.. Habberton's until we clt Ike throwing
the entire progeny into the sea- Thank Heaven
there be nothing lett to chronicle in tho
way o: children's sayings and doing aud just as
we're congratuating ourselves upon this fact whole
eamy, with all its various anhcatons, Is put INTO
book form and thrown upon the market Tho style is
the that of the baby hterature--a simple
chronicle of the sayings and dongs Of grown ups,
which stupid than those OF the children. Tho
first OF these books 10 show It's unwelcome presencc
"That Husband of Mnc;' which was i'm
nediateiy followed by His Grand mol thers and .'My
biosher-in-Law 'sTLat Wife Of Mino is announced
rs IN press good place to keep her. Tho titles OF
these books rather taking at least they strlk
ing which leads those who have glanced through
their pages to believe that spent much
time In hunting up unique title that he had mono
left in which to write tho book The publishers OF
'That Husband OF Nine spent a great deal
OF money and Ingenuity IN advertising their book they
posted IL over the country like travelling show and
the result has been enormous sales. No sane man or
woman could read "That Husband Of Mno" without
yegretting the time wasted in Its perusal 1t is utterly
silly from FIRST page to last and those women who can
trace any resemblance between their husbands and
Charlie Harman had better not say 60 such an as
sertion would be equivalent to calling man an nsui.
ierable donkey and a new kind OF idiot. Any who
would dance his bea until he broke it down
TO be punished child. There is not particle OF
humor in the work. The which tho author
evidently looks upon as humorous rs anything IN Dick.
ems Is that In which the husband appears before
drawing room full of guests in his nightgown aud
rushes around like Wild He is supposed
20 be under the influence OF laughing gas and
the guests find 1t very amusing. The reader cannot
end 1t So ior it is utterly common and vulgar Plac
ing his hat in the custard another OF the very funny
things done by "that husband OF mine" The wife,
who tells the story, is continually reminding the
reader that her husband IL OF the most noble and
delightful OF gentlemen, only little torGetful. We
should say that he gentleman At all. When
mans forgetfuness leads him TO joke about widows
IN the grossest manner IN the presence of a widow
iady who is his guest we should write him down
being exceedingly ll.bred and not forgive him the
plea OF thoughtessness When thoughticssness
reaches such pitch it becomes boorishness, and a
boor Is certainly not a gentleman. Tho next door
ncighbor, Mrs. Nettleton, is no better than a Bill
lngsgate dshwe. 10 judge by her language, yet the
writer speaks OF her disagreeablc than vulgar
The love business that is introduced is thoroughly
commonplace There Is no excuse Tor such book
and the that edition OF 1OO 600 was sold in
weeks time docs no. speak well for the integ gonce
o; the reading public. "Hls Grandmothers the sec
ond OF this intermnabc family, Is the best written and
The only ono OF these books which has claims to
hnmoE Grandmother Ogden is n character. A great
many people will recognize her 4 relative though
not always grandmother. Her bustling, stirring
ways we'll conrasted with the quiet, geutle Grand
mother May. Grandmother Ogden dotted on her
grandson. did not like his wife. She looked upon
her intruder ana usurper, whereas she only
wanted her rights, but Grandmother Ogden was one
OF those women who are nothing If not captain. She
was born director Shc had rnanased'' her hus.
band into his grave, and she was never happy unless
managing somebody. Shc never wanted others to
have wills OF ther own; her will should
be theirs II She heard body say he was
going out for walk in the morning she would
insist upon his going in tho evening" that the
ings too warm, if hc said that he going
the evening she would say the evenings were too
damp morning was the time to walk. Grandmother
Ogden Insisted upon keeping COW, consequently the
family was cut short in Its allowance of milk, for
family IS always dry She used to get UP before
daylight aud stir around her that the sleepy
household thought that she must be moving every
article of furniture in the place. She didn't see any
in sleeping away the best part Of the day. people
nowadays not like they were when she was
young. The description of the visit New York of
The two grandmothers Is very amusing--the one SO
smid and frightened, the other so bold and fearless.
Altogether "is Grandmothers' is interesting little
book and In justice its author should be said that
II was press long before 'sThat Husband OF Mne'
announced s'My Mother In Lawo is d direc. imi.
tation OF 'sThat Husband of Mine both in style OF
writing ana binding. 1t is very light story, with
little or no plot and only farly written In tra,h plot
seems TO be OF the least Importance this gossamer
literature Title Is the point. Though lacking
literary merit the book has backbone than ''That
Husband OF Mine" Every with mothcr.in law
will probably read the story and try find something
in common with his own experience. Tho writer is
more consderate OF this much abused class OF tho
community than the reader Is led 10 suspect He
avoids jokes, and although his mother naw IS
somewhat of Tartar he her pretty well the
whole
1t might not be amiss state that these books are
ali written py different authors, who are namcess
and published by different publishers who are respec.
lively Lee Il Shepard S. J.. Putnams Sons and
Lockwood Brooks Il Co., which makes their similarity
Inc moro conspicuous.
II This style OF literature III hardly fair dignity
1t by that namo) would only stop short with thIs last
volume would try 10 forgive, we certainly shall
forget Are to be inflicted with any morcs IL Is
question for tho public TO decide Such food VIII
certainly bring mental dyspepsia Let US raise a
funeral pyro IN tho market place and lay upon IL "rhat
Husband Of Nine "EIis Grancmo Others "rhc Four
Irepressibles" and 'sMy Mother-in-Law," and apply
toich. Nothing else can rid US OF this pestiorous
race. Come, where il the ire 10 burn these ''books
which are books," or, II that won't 10, to burn
thoi authors?
BEATTY MADE MORE BEAuTItuI.
Every lady in the laud will want a copy Of 'Personsi
Appssance and the Culture OF Beauty, with Hiuts 70
Charcer," oy 4. s. Sozinskey, N. d. ph. D., pub.
lshcd p Allen Lane Scott Or. sozinskoy begins by
asking What beauty question no takes several pages