The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-22
SOME NEW BOOKS.


donly attained su'h WHO clI'ulal"h.
viii DO seen 'n"t opporuh"'s oil s'uuy'hg
Russian nie nave peeh eN''p'loha'y "rRo
nnd thW hor literary ohrcor mas pech mark'i
with STRIKING Ni'ssUudes. hor ia'h'r ana
husband h"v' su'''ssN'y holl the POST Oh
Professor Of ircnch ~ the tnlV'rt ~ OF
~ f''ersburg. mo iormer' VI. jean i"ury'
j. tolerahy VOL Known ~ men "i letters III
France by rather remarkable essay on
lMoclals. IL" educated ms daugh''r AHc'
with great care and when She WIS hii'en' took
her with him 10 Russia. whore She passed. many
years. partly In the capital. partly IN me coun-
try homes OF the Russian gentry Tier llrst III
erary ventures were 'ito lhfs pubi'sherS'
but they were all r'je'tol ana IN ono case with
quite unnecessary dspnrag'moht. $40 iHred
better. however. in st. irt'fsnurg. where a
French newspaper irinted series of her sto-
rios. About this time She married VI. Durdnl.
who mad taken her fathers place at the uni
vcrsuy. arl Win linn She returned about three
years ago to Paris. where her reputation os "a
novelist soon became established within two
years she published in book form no '-s than
ten novels viii u hal boon written long before.
hut all " which had unusual success. At first
sight her experience seems to confirm the want
Of r"rspiracity which authors ARE SO fond Of
charging upon publishers. There is reason to
think. however that the books declined werc
three novels whose scene Is laid in France.
and only one ot viii y. So Tar n we know
has boon REPRODUCED in English. This story,
The House ~ W1utie It''rsonsl. Is very
Slight performance nni would scarcely he
worth printing. unl'ss commended by we'll
known name. This ia not the ease, however
with the compositions which portray Russian
society. although these. also, aro oi various To-
greos OF merit Many OF them have been no.
ticed IN these columns. but the three most re-
comfy translated include two performances
which we incline to pronounce tho authors
best. We do not think. however the ApplctonS
specially happy in their choice Of Aridlne FOR
one OF the recent numbers in th"ir series II for
eign bction. IL is better than The Princess
ogh1rof. which Is almost the only stupid talc
dealing with Russia Tor which Madame
Durand is responsible. hut II is vastly
INFERIOR 10 tho Trials OF Eaissa.' .
which, owing probably to scandalous scene in
the opening, Inns n"vcr. We helicve. boon made
known to English readers. The plot - the lat
ter narrative quite closely resembles that Of
Shakespeare AIS We'll that Ends Well"
Ariadnc is not only sad story. unr"licycd
by any notes OF vivacity and gnyety. but the ono
figure drawn with distinc,ncss enough TO be-
termed character is ITSELF so pale and spectral
that we are unable TO follow her misfor-
hant sympathy. The young man, whose
ohdurate attitude Is tho spring Of so
much woe. Is such weak, colorloss. and
uninteresting parsonage that 'ho idea ~ COM
hitting sui'id" on his account touches the verge
OF Stiffness On me DINER hani, IN soma Peter
eonsh we nave an intense. vigorous, and charm
Ing production. From tho earlier chapters this
novelwould seem to promiset the somewhat hack
neyed story OF poor young man who takes the
place OF private tutor In Generals family. and
reneves inc tcdlum OF MS occupation by ialNng
In love with his employers handsome daush-
Ter. But we presently perceive that as the tito
Implies the true theme OF the books something
much moro fruitful and engaging. Sonia Is the
name OF oarciooted, halt-clo'hed. ill-fed little
peasant. for whose humble services kicks and
stripes form the usual gu"rdon, and to whom a
careless word OF Kindness from the new conner
seems thing 10 be remembered IN erprayors.
IL Is the carefully graduated ana thoroughly
natural transformation OF this poor creature
through gratitude anu umld' absorbing az
lec'ioh anu Tue eohlh anu lhNlGoratlhG sur
roundlngs 10 whl'h she IS removed whieh
forms 'he con'roilIhE mouVe OF th' b'"N' As
enc traces uls process OF deN"4opm'ht me
huthor Is l'u 70 portray mo character ana
manners OF inc russian h'oios-e IN the op-
Ios'" phhseS ol p'seh'9s anu OF virtue ana
- A~' ''''"' ~. W. ''i'''' =
p"t'd mouJlk IN society scarcely ne-innlns 20
conlrnh'hi the r'n''ty ~ reforms d''r'rd hy
~ 'e ~ ,.'.'',
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