New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-07-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
RECENT NOVELS.

novel, but there are many who VIII read ana ENJOY ~
because It s full OF The writer has the faculty
Of invention and understands the tastes Of the great
hungry multitude of novel readers who devOur books
in the hope Of being puzzled, excited, and
surprised by tho quick changes OF lively
story. Even these uncrltical people, however will not
be satisfied with "Rothmel" The story, designed with
tome cleyernes is put together with little art and tho
curiosity which pqued in the earlier chapters de-
cnes tho narrative runs and disappears before
we reach the feeble and foolish conclusion Nothing
that happens the book has adequate cause and the
mysteries generally lead TO result that pays for the
trouble Of devisng them. The characters are all
familiar with the selfcontained and miraeu-
lOus mediealman the white aud pOetical childwfe, the
model young man, the bad young man, and the dusky
and passionate nurse with Indian blood in her VEINS
the only creations in the dramatis persona are an
interesting family in humble life, whose elder mem
bers talk bad Yankee, while the son OF the house
uses beautiful Irish brogue Working people of the
agricultural class we know are expected in novels TO
adopt one or the other Of these modes of speech but to
mngle them unfortunately is violation of proba-
bility But then TO be sure the same charge
may be made against the main idea of the story. The
model young man has been madly IN love with the
heroine for years when the end Of the book she
turns out be a wife ana mother Tn the twinlilng
of an eye transfers his affection to the daughter and
the mother, who has Como into a convent, puts on
white satin gown and out TO the wedding, for
this occasion ony-an escapade which appears 10 eA-
cite no particular surprise either in the convent or IN
society As piece Of literature RothmeP does not
invite criticism.
"Hammersnlth: His Harvard Days" Chronicled by
Mark sibey Severance. Houghton, Osgood, Coz Per
haps the title sufficiently explains the book For Har
ward men first of ALL and next for college men IN gen
era it win in filling some pleasant hours and call
ing up many cherished associations. The scenes which II
paints belong to the golden years OF our lives ana Iey
are dashed of with vigorous if not very fine strokes
hpnf- and
elections nocturnal uproars and evening parties are pre-
sented in a vivid and often alluring light; we have
almost everything IN students career-except posi-
bly, study; we are hurried from Cambridge into the
strife and glory of heroic Dattehelds ana
we close . the book amid the music OF the
marriage bells. Tom Brown is the model upon
whom the historian of Tom Hammersmith has
tried to fix his mind but there is vast difference
between the original and the The young American
student As after all only lively and healthy animal,
somewhat addicted to tobacco wine, and riot the one
serious man in his class honest prig whose death
Is not unwelcome and there is trace in the story OF
any OF those higher influences Of college lhe the mould
ing Of character the cultivation Of maniness or even
the development Of the intellectual powers, which give
value to a university Tom Hammersmith and
his friends occupied in long and not entirely inno-
cent lark. If Harvard Days land mighty were filled
with nothing better than the pursuits chroniced in this
bosterous volume, Harvard would be dangerous and
useless school
'The Clifton Picture" by the author of The odd
Trump u. b. Lppincott& Coz, is novel OF mystery
and adventure The story is told with drectness ana
animation and it takes us almost all over the world and
into a variety of exciting situations From the Bristol
Channel to the summit of the Hmalayas from Calcutta
to East Tennessee tho strides in which we are
asked accompany this ndefatgable manipulation OF
wild enterprises and perplexites We run the blockade
at CharlestOn we witness fight with tiger ~ Bengal
and another with division of troops in Americas We
in mao
prowI in the company of detectives and under all cir
tumstances are entertained.
Esther Pennefather." Novel. BY Alice Perry.
Harper g. Brothers) This Is the first issue OF
new Library of American Fiction by which the Harpers
Intend 70 supplement their popular series of reprinted
works Of fiction All the tales contained in it are to be
products of the American intellect, and in order TO
elothe them properly gayly Illuminated cover has been
devised, wherein characteristic products OF Amerl-
can nature-the golden MAIZE the seductive pumpkin
bursting cotton pods, and canvasback ducks-dlsplay
their outlines on o background Of corn color. The
novel chosen TO introduce the new enterprise is
announced as the first published book Of young
author. As the essay OF beginner 1t is clearly a
work Of than ordinary interest IL mas
certain fascination that betrays the giftsas yet I'M
trained-of natural story-teller, and certain wild
force that with proper direction, may accomplish bril-
liant results 1t is characterized Also by feeling and
poetic insinct-both oversrained at times and prone
to run into extravagance-Dut both genuine IL Is not
Sgithout humor. Crude disjonted sometimes spas
,modie often absurd 1t is nevertheless book Of fair
promise, and originality. The story seems to
fan apart into three divisions which have no real con-
nection in the plot and not enough uniformity in the
treatment The first part is the most vigorous and the
most unsatisfactory. 1t shows us the interior OF grs
boardngsehOOl where pupils and teachers are madly
I'm love with the physical beauty OF the
big cold. cruel, stately impasslye principal
Miriam Snow; the young women are forever touching
chic with hands Kisses;
one OF them dies of unrequed love for her. and Esther
Pennefather marries dreadful cad In order 70 save
Miriam from annoyance. Then suddenly repulslVe
Miss Snow and the whole feverish school drop out OF
the storynever to have anything more to do with 1t
and we are set down in the midst Of new scenes ana
different set of characters Here again the central idea
seems to be the romantic devotion OF one woman 10
another; and in the third scene, when an elopemeDt
gives the signal for another shifting OF the stage ana the
introduction OF players it again the fierce
friendship girls that supplies the motive OF action
There quite too strong suggestion OF young ladies'
semnares about all this The next work from the same
hand will show less gushing emotion and more common
sense
"Justine's Lovers" the second issue in the same
SERIES is much better than the first as book though u
has lot much merit novel; Justine, losing hef iOr-
tune is cast of by her afianced young man, an i'm
IneuseIy long clover and unpleasant New-YcrR lawyer
in her poverty she accepts another lover, Fho oles'
leaving her half million Of dollars and as tae curtain
falls two undeclared admirers are seen hOVeTng uncer
tain in the background That is almost all the story
Yet, upon so slight a framework, tho anonymous
writer has spread lively and entertaining picture OF
contemporary life and manners The narrative OF JUS
tines search tor q clerkship In Washington H.
teryiews with magnates Of the departments, fruit
less waitings in the ante-rOoms Of secretaries
is told with the deep feeling and graphic power
of one who has seen and suffered the agones Of office
hunting the rude rebuffs and cruel wrongs the petty
deception and hypocrisy that wait upon that painfu
Quest The comments upon Civil Service abuses are
sharp amusing often just, seldom rancorous or mali
cious and the scenes at the Capital are enlyened by
will