The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-06

Cherbuliez's meta Holdenis"--A
German Becky Sharp.
A QUEER GIRL OF THE PERIOD
The Art Of Beauty-Mrs. MouIton's
Pcems-Literary Chips.

In Meta Hodcns' ID. Appleton & Col victor
Chcrbuiez has painted an adventures as clever as
the adyenturcr IN his samuel Broh and Company"
Meta Holdenis is German Becky Sharp. drawn by a
French hand. We have class of novellss VINO
paint character as we lind It In Chcrbuliez's books.
He tells such straightforward story that 1t
though his characters stood beside him. There is
no padding there; tho story runs on from lac:
TO tact. There is u word than Is necessary
to convey clear meaning, and feel that he is tell
ing the story for the storys sake The characters In
! this work few ana they admirable Tho story
is told by young artist Tony Flamern, In the style
OF letter or letters to lady friend. Tony is living
with gentleman, NJ DO Mauserre, who had cJoped
| with another mans wife, woman conspicuous for
her virtues, who had sufficient to her
| husband If ever woman had Tho guilty coup!a
wait tor years Tor tho husband die sc
that they can marry. In Tho meantime they
| have u little daughter, Tor whom they want gov
erness when at the age OF nvc years. One
is sent them, Meta Hodenis. who Ia not unknown TO
Tony. She wins all tho household as chanSpions
account Of her soft, quiet ways; then she lays her
SHARES for he lord OF the manor, ". Do Mauserre,
who, while All excellent diplomat, is weak in
private life Metals plan is to have De Mauscrrc
ouy love her. but marry hor as che IS free He comes
very doing 1t, but is prevented In II
singular that Tony could have beer in love with
Meta so one when he knew that she tried to
drown him. besides being aware OF her conduct in
gard to NJ do Mauscrre The telling OF this story is
OF absorbing interest. 1t is impossible to finish it
at asittng Cncrouliez's style Is delightful he goes
orsathlessIy on, only stopping long enough to say
some witty aside and then with the tale.
There is no ono Ike him outside OF France One feds
like going through the book with pencil in hand and
marking the striking passages which abound in every
chapter For instance, this is ood:-"DcsDite both
our efforts, however, the conversation was mbarrass
inv aud draggcd we had many things to avoid
| speaking oil"
| 'sruE tIIL or THE PERIOD"
We thought that offensive creature the girl of the
period dead and buried. but 1t not. II dead
she has been resuscitated by J. b. Lippnco, & Co.,
who publish a small volume entitled "rhe Anne rican
| Girl OF the Period--Her Ways and Views" by Garry
Gaines. Our idea of tho girl OF the period was that
she was of toerably good education, rather cloud" in
her style and rather given TO overdong the fashions,
! but that she was the coarse abomnation painted
| in this book we nevor dreamed. We have JAILED
discover 'the vein OF satire running through the
worx' to which the author calls attention. 1t is
mot intended to wound or even offend tho most
sensitive reader IL is adopted in the belief that it
best suited to tho general character and ooec, tho
work and best calculated to give point pquancy ard
effect TO its inculcatons." The point and piquancy
We have also tailed to discover Here is the girl IN
| church,
Therol l wonder who Is that handsome stranger in
| Mr. Clarks pow Hos awful s~ ect-has such lovely
whskers aud I'll warrant hos rich, for that's a
splendid solitaire lac has on his little Dngcr wish
could manage to get acquainted with him-he's look
ing right over this way now--ssraght AT me- do be-
handkerchief Irritation with him, just for the un IT,
| If pa wasn't watching. l can hardly Keen
my eyes OF Of that handsome felo w-be's as pretty
as picture. And what delicate hands he mas as
white as ladys. He's none OF ypur mechanics, Ill
bet
Here she is tho street,
came up town purpose to you; made an OK.
cuse to 60 TO the store Tor some pins and mud real
nice l't,e Irritation with one Of the clerks. Ho is
bookkc eper-tho sweetest fellow Do take md in
and give me Introduction. All the girls crazy
10 got acquainted with him Bring him up 10 our
house tonight; pa aud ma will DO zone TO PRAYER
meeting aad wel invite IN some OF the girls and
havs game Of euchre. ,'will 90 10 the dance
Well, We can walk as far as tho next
| together, ana ther "good-by" That was a clever
trick oil mine not TO let Jack iurther with me,
for want to 90 nome by way OF the hotel and
can catch glimpse OF that handsome drummer who
OF follows ridicuiousiy jealous Of those
travelling men, and never want the girls to make
their acquaintance
| She wriies to iriend-
| The idea OF OF the girls in .our se,n being
'spooney' on working fellow and inviting MIN 10
promenade to church with herl Wouldn't 1t be rich
You know their hands always are SO rough and nut
meg graer-y.
Ii that's the game they want to play on us girls,
| IT," J.,
snow 'em WON'T stake any Young Mems CHRISTIAN
| Associations in mine" No, sir; not 'qf the court
knows herself, ana she THINKS she DO"
The foregoing will show the style OF the book. Bad
as the girl OF the period was she SO bad as
the depicted In this book. If the writer Of this
volume considers himself satrical or piqnant VIC Gun
only say that his ideas OF nsso qualities and ours
totally disagree.
'THE ART or BEAUTY"
| Mrs Haweis ''rho Art OF Beauty" (lIarper &
Broihcrs) is at amusing AS we'll as an entertaining
book. rhc writer treats this old subject with
siderable freshness although there Is ttio that Is
new to be said As forerunncr OF originality she
calls her preface "Author's Forewords." She says
that the culture OF personal beauty Is OF the first
terest and importance--'A woman's natural quality
Ia to attract ana having attracted to cnchain" In tho
present day she thinks our improved conception OF
womans capacities has led US TO think OF the mind al
most TO the exclusion OF The body. \ woman ought
to care, this writer what she Tor her
sake and for the cake OF those around her 1t Is
fault, virtue, TO be reckless tho impression
one lcavcs ou the eye just as II Is iaat to DO ndi
icront to the feelings OF others 1t rs rather amusing
TO hear English woman crlticising French dressing
as bad. This Mrs. Hawcis dCes with u starp pen.
She says:--"Wthout. ever, seldom, producing
costume which really beautiful, meeting all needs,
they have originated KIND OF language OF dress
vulgar and less cxcusabic than the Italian language OF
Aowcrs." Mrs. Hawcs would have US wear sandais.
she looks upon shoes az deiormers oI tue feet.
Sandals might do for summer wcar, but when the WIN
try WINDS whistle ana the snow Is on tue ground VIC
prefer shoes or stout boots. She says-"Wc have
often thought, considering how much NO lose by shoes
and how very little we gain, that II IS u thousand
p,ties women do not DriIg In sandals" We 10 not
agree with the writer that bnro feet parlor
menr Theoretically. Dare feet are pretty practically,
We prefer them covered. Toward Tie end OF tho BOOK
Mrs. Hawes gives excellent hints ON house FUR
nishng, which seems 10 DC the iayog.tc subject
adays.
MouLroN's POEMS.
Roberts Brothers Layo recently published n small
volume OF poems by Mrs Louise Chandler Moui ton.