The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-14
a Few Recent Novels.


found Ia ULnAcns Madame 0ossc'm. Tho
writer's name has. for many yours. boon ia
mlliar to hts countrymon us that Of an accom-
pishod man Of letters who has done good
work. not only In prose fiction, but In poetry
and criticism. II he has never evnced con
spicuUus genius In any direction his bright and
diverse talents hayo boon usually guided
b. nice discrimination OF right models
and methods. and exercised with tiroless
industry. He is one Of those mon who shine
disciples rather than as masters. who are sensi-
tive 10 what is vital and admirable In schools Of
art. conceived and founded By more fecund in
tolccts. The long catalogue Of Ulbach's writ
ings mirrors for us. happily enough. all the
eddcs and reactions which. during tho past
forty years. have marked the current Of literary
taste. His stories are numerous. some Of them
gaining not only the esteem Of cultivated read
ers, but wide popularity. and. We may add.
that three or four Of them ara quite as well
worth reproduction as the one here Sc
lectcd. Yet 50 far as We know. Madame
Gosselin is the first Of his works 70 appear
in an English version. aud this ID the moro
surprising when We consider what attention
has been paid to the vastly inferior perform
anoes Of Bt6t and Garborian. Tho present
volume will doubtless prompt desire for moro
intimate acquaintance with the author. and will
reveal what effective and credtablo workman
ship is exactcd IN France Of those who scarcely
n pirc 10 u place above the second rank. II
should he mentioned further that tho translator
has acquitted himself we'll. Here and there we
note trivial slip as when La Belle Cleopatra.
a screw steamship. II called schooner
for however faithful tho word may be to tho
French term. which keeps in view only the rig
of "A vessel 1t conveys u wrong notion OF sise
a.. .h H., .ri nj m tab "a
trifing blcmish would be an oSrcgious compli-
ncnt to ordinary versions. bloched and slovcn-
ly rs they are. hut in this casc the execution
viii hear sharp scrutiny. and Il Is TO he hoped
that similar tasks may be committed to the same
hands.
Madame Gossein " Is one ofthe books which
most easily bear translation. it, merits being OF
a robust and durable quality. lis charm de-
ponds in no considerable degree on the style
which. however is sufficiently terse and spirit
ed. while. rs might he expected from an expert
writer. there is no waste OF material In the
shape of de=ultory dialogue or cxtrinsic incl
dent. Perhaps the most va may hope
for in any English versions Of French
novels Is the core Of tho book. aud this in the
present instance happens 10 bc sound and sue
culent. There is both strength and novelty In
the motive; the construction is compact and
W 9"'' 9N"'-"''"i va" i""''h'n' VI "ho
plot is calculated To- edify our careless story
writers. The fundamental conception Of the
taic il one likely to bc frequently handled in
the new literature which Is adjusting itself To
III" drift of scientific speculation. How IL a
convinced nlatorialst. who rcpudiatcs the no
tion OF a personal God and OF life beyond the
grave 10 deal vith the temptations and trials
anu p'o'"hS Nui'n pe7s' huhAhitS' nuch
man. III "u'c ll'e'''' II sUpp"hehted
~ an IRON VIII VIII N'r' pr"paoS os Il
IA" un'' h,nS'"' now "eL' VIII he iur" Ia uhe
pVo9'V'V 'o',''o,' VI nus own p"'p"7VS W"h III"
"''n'''""' ",u'""n0oH vi riN'' anu s"'I' me =
'i"", mn iui,"o,' sou'lous ,'npus's ahu pro
'. ~ 'uo,''S' "i,u """' i"o' iHo'a'''n
W '"'0u ''''n"'i ""," ','e V"S''
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o,as All la CT Vu ".'e 'S,
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netro,,n,, 4, sa,.rJ Va, Ia a., -, ,,,,1i.' : 4,
his character tbcrn IL mn, n ,ro,e ~ .rvthino
MALIGNANT or i,nohla 10th criros ora, al
tated bv tho sor,n n,ro,tol tanaar,oss 90 rhi,,
he has nlreadv sacrificed lih.,t, .uI ra,,n,o,io,,
W. saw both grimes h.o,,,sa Tho oh,.ot -, a.
second nisJeoJ s,,.m. 10 b,v. haer 10, 80
much IN sacurc bIs nar.,n,I sot.,v ~ ~
aven n nainf,I disc'varv ,ro,, III. L,u
drar IT, .on.r,., ho,,..o III
1oyin With whi.h u,ts ;ns.,nI,, 80,
se.Ls his a,Is Will nnIr ,,dira',
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