New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-08-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
RECENT NOVELS.


THE CREW OF THE SAM WELLER By JOHN HABBER
Ton. 1smo pp. 1B1. @. p Putnams Sons
Aa SeF Td me 0f eRah by MARY 4 ROBSso
pers HRitHOur seues lsno pp o. Harper " bIO'ne's,
In six to One" the peculiar features OF SOCIAL
life in the lonely Island the Massachusetts, coast are
transformed into materials tor bit Of pleasant romance
The editor Of a NewYork daily newspaper who had De-
come somewhat exhausted by rage aud extreme toh
In the pursuit his vocation s advised by his physician
10 break off from the Of his abors and seek recrea
ton rural retirement, strongly recommending
the Island OF Nantucket Of the favored spots where
he could oafe and invite his SOUL" with no let or hin
drance from excitemens OF society or the yanies OF
the world lie luckily remembers that he has pretty
cousin living on the island who may form an eXcep-
ton to the hsh-wives and ancient virgins
picked in the east wind" Of whom are tue
Nantucket women, and decides to try the experiment
proposed by his DOCTOR On his arrival he is hospltaDV
eutreated by lis fair knswOman, who introduced nun
10 charming circle Of young damsels, making haii
dozen on one himself the other not surplus
man 70 mar the masc Of the sweet society Inc weeks
pass aw tje eniOyments OF Nantucket NE OF Weh
the breezy narrative presents many fragrant skeches
the pleasures and the pers of the are boldly braved
the delights Of an island cambake are duly honored the
hero OF the story RECEIVERS his health but loses his heart
and coming as invalid, returns as lover Inc story
Is of slight texture, though the narrative often tapers
down to sharp point in the mases OF ingenious tem
nine discussions but as natural cture OF UNDUE lsIau
eOceiy IN which men classed with potatoes, as ne
cesstits not uxure 1t will be welcome to many read
The second series Of SAKE Holm's Stories " wei
susans the interest which has made the name OF the
author subject Of discussion with literary gossps ana
won the admiration of intelligent readers for sueh at
traetive specimens OF pure and wholesome ncton
peculiar feature of SAKE Holm's writings is their unat
fected simplicity They deal in trckery of sentiment
or expression The writer goes out OF her way
for exciting scenes or wonderful Incidents but Is coli
tent with the portrayal OF natural emotion ana the
common experiences Of daily life among plain people
Her finest touches of romance are usually IN connection
with homely details She throws delightful veil OF
poetry over every that appeals 70 the imagna
tion but is never camorous for effect by fantastic IN
yentions. Her sympahies are with the tender ana pa
thetc aspects Of human experienced In these she hnus
the materials for her touching pictures but she never
bewilders the mind Of her readers by the lhu-
sions Of false sentiment, or dazzles their
sight by the display of artificial color
Her conceptions Of character are original she derives
no hints from favoIie mOdels and they are usually
wrought out with no less delicacy than truthfuness
Many Of the scenes are laid in New-EDgland; they
evinee intimate acquaintance with the mental habits
and social features of the peculiar people in their
primitive estate preserving the flavor Of their whimsi
cal WAYS and quaint dialect with the perfection that be-
wrayeth a writer to the manner born" Her pure and
vigorous English, Of which she faeile COM
mand that no scholastic training supply, affords an
effective foreground to the racy bomespun Vernaeuiar
which she Such eNceuept
OF the dialogue. The present volume contains five
stories: "a Fourleaved Clover" Farmer Bassetts
Romance" My Tourmaline," " joe Hales Red Stock
jDgs," and Susan IaWtOns Escape, OF Wllch FARMER
Bassetts Romance is perhaps the most characteristics
The farfetched incidents from which the story OF
"The Crew Of the Sam Weller" is derived do not greatly
impair its merit a study Of character, ayey de-
serptive narrative The craft which rejOiees in the
name OF Sam Weller Mississippi hatboat, plying
between the upper country and New-Orleans, whose
owner was powerful exhOrter in the Methodist persua
sioD and strange to tell equally enthusiastic in his ad
miration of Charles Dickens ana his devotion religion
No less Jealous his love of souls the skipper Of the
boat was also pillar Of the church. staunch Presby
teran deacon OF ardent Dety, with shrewd policy and
his attachment to religion, devoted TO the in
terests Of trade. Each OF these worthless free
spoken hardheaded busting OF business, OF rude
manners but pure life and ready at making bargain
as at winning soul Among the nOndescript crew OF
the Sam Weller who had shipped for the voyage down
the OHIO and Mississippi, a mysterious young man
who seemed TO have dropped from the clouds, but
who turned out to be a defaulting bank teller OF New
York and whose "misfOrtnnes" had thus made him
quainted with strange DedellOws" The interest Of
the skipper in the wonderful stranger is strongly
cited and saving the claims Of profitable decker, he
resolves TO make his conversion the great of the
voyage. In relating the process by which the shifty
deacon went work with his nets and his TO
ture the soul OF the defauer the author finds occasion
character with which he have become familiar
from personal experience As story, the work lacks
unity and purpose It is collection OF pointed touches
and spicy fragments not well-wTOught consecutive
whole; but a series OF sketches, showing quick per
cepon Of grotesque and whimsical traits Of character,
with natural vein Of not over-refned humor the
reader VIII find it amusing companion for the summer
holidays. The writer appears TO be possessed Of SIN
religious spirit, though Is here manifested IN the
soTm Of caricature.
In the pathetic story Of "The Citrate of Orseres the
legend Of the Alps related in LOngfellows Excelsior
is Illustrated by a series Of incidents duringthe passage
OF the French Army through Switzerland ON It's way 10
Italy under the First Consul Although founded
historical events it HIS DOthng OF the usual b1Ocade Of
the historical The plot is equally simple and
touching characters from the Swiss peasantry
and rhe narrative Is enlivened by brilliant pictures OF
Alpine scenery and the domestic habits Of the noun
taineers We ought call especial attention TO the
translation OF this admirable tale When every school
girl after few months Of OllendOrf finds herself com
petent 20 render the masterpieces Of French and
German fiction into appropriate English without even
smafterng OF the principles Of either language, 1t Is
altogether agreeable to find translator with knowledge,
With practice with Of expression with perfect good
taste. with conscientious thoroughness presenting
piece OF literary workmanship with the Character Of the
present Her experience has evidently enabled her TO
estimate the difficulty OF the taskior good traDsatng
is in some respects difficult than good writing-and
she has performed II with as much care as II she we're
composing a work Of her In many instances, in
deed she has added new grace to tue beauty OF the
on gna and thrOn bOut the translation she has pre-
served tie freshness aud natural movement OF an
on ginal production.
SAMUEL JOHNSON. BY LEsLIE STEPHEN. English Men
Of Letters. eOted by JOHN ModEY) Harper q Brothers.
In this vigorous monograph, Mr.. Leslie
Stephen makes use OF the familiar details the life Of
the great English essay list for fresh and original
analysis OF his literary character According to Mr.
stephen few men whose lives have been devoted 10
letters for 50 long period DR.. johnson, have lett
besiud them such scanty and imperfect memorials.
During great part OF his he worked only under
the pressure circumstances and very small proper
mon was occupied in pursuits OF purely literary nature