The New York herald., 1878-02-25
WAR conREsr oNpENcE.

pages, contaiuing u continuous history OF the war
between RUSSIA and Turkey IRON its commencement
10 the fall Of Kars. IL is made up OF the CORE.
spondence OF The London Daily News from the seat Of
war, both In Europe and Asia, the various reports and
descriptions Of battles beng joined together by tre
connecting narrative Tho letters from such well
known correspondents as Mr. Archibald Forbes. MIR.
J. A. MacGahan and many others OF almost equal
merit though less distinguish and IL Is claimed
the preface 10 the collection that other communi
cations ever despatched from fields OF battle have
been widely reproduced and generally
read. They certainly have valid claim
to such popularity, Tor they are not only
full and exhaustive their details OF all occurrences
directly with tho war. but written with
such and Drilliancy To make them models
Of correspondence. Considering the difficulties under
which they composed and despatched II is mar
vellous should have taken in their
preparation. IL thing Tor tho historian TO sit
down the quiet seclusion OF is study TO write u
glowing description OF battles WHICH he has never
quite another 10 stand the field while the
battle raging, anu, with ears deafened by the noise
Of conflict and fingers oramped with cold to dash of
an equally brilliant and quite accurate an account
o great events which still occurring The latter Is
the tasg correspondent Of daily paper, and
his brioi letefs-wrtteu, perhaps, before breakfast
or In ths dead hour Of tho ngkt ON the field OF VIC
trest--havc an interest and . value independent
OF and In some respects greater than that which at
taches 70 tho calmer productions ol the closet In
reading the volume before written chiefly in the
present tense) feel that are looking upon the
described and await With interest equal al
most TO that the parties engaged the result Of each
advance the chances of success in an impending at
tack the fatal possibility Of repulse and quick
retreat There q charm about such writing which
appeals the duiest and most dsinterested reader
and there oan be little doubt that this contemporane
GUS history of the will be road by thousands Of
young and old in this country well in England.
In addition to the main narrative there is chrono-
logical table of hbe principal events Of the from
the Russian declaration Of hostility the 24th OF
Apru 1877 70 the capture Of Kars, November II and
IS last
BOOKS OF THE wEEK-NovELs. TRAVELS AND
sHAKEsPEARIAN sTUDIEs-MRs. DAVIS
LATEST STORY, AND LlrE1ARY CHIT CHAT
"a LAW UNTO HERsELF."
America has but few emss uovelists Of any great
count utamong that few there one who couid bold
her own against greater rivalry We refer to Rebecca
Harding Davis, whose "Lile in the Iron AiIls gaze
her q proud position IN the literary worl4 both 81
home aud abroad. Mrs. Davis writes IKE man. IT
s seldom that the pettcoas through her pages
~
in the working OF charsoter. she nsvor gets
confused among her dramdtis persona but preserves
the cbaracaeristies OF distinctly that one
knows by the speech, without looking ~ the name,
which of the characters Is speaking. 1t has been
| some time since MRS. Davis has givcn the world q
story any length, and after reading "A Law Unto
Herself H. B. Lippinco:t h Co.) mud that have
waited to purpose. This story Is full Of the
usual 1t does not glide quietly along In beaten PATH
| but 1t strikes out in q one and introduces many
effective characters and scenes Take the very nrs,
| for exampie-the spiritual seance in the deserted
house on the outskirts OF Philadelphia. What could
bs more weirds And how she thrilling situation Is
| brought to q practical close by the opening OF
| a shutter and letting the honest sunlight into the
ROOM The oout,n uation Of the character of the
dunn In role Of princess and general adventures
is very dramatic. The character OF Jane, the clear
headed, pure minded country url stands out like
cameo against the background OF this gypsylike
adventurer And Miss Fleming, SO different from
| either The relations OF the two men Of the world,
Van Ness and Neckart with this simple child even
fore her development into something more mature Is
we'll managed Van Ness the sleek, polished villain
Neckart tho open hearted fearless man. We are not
surprised that Van Ness devoted his alter life TO pre-
siding a. reugous meetings; neither surprised
that the reporters occasionally alluded to his early
career as one that would bear the light OF day.
The end OF Charlotte, tho medium, the princess ana
the would be suicide, the leader Of opera bouae
company, is very characteristic dramatic and pow
erIul story Is "a Law Unto Herself, " and hope
that If Mrs. DAVIS has any more such bidaen away
the pireon holes Of her brain she will not delay In
! bringing them 10 the light
'AS VERDICT"
Miss Braddon has been at il again and ground out
another novel Of the usual Sort Alike as Miss Brad
sh.~
actcr in which feel interested and this character
is seldom either the hero or the heroine. In IAN
open vsrdct" (Harpor Brothers) Bella, who s only
a second character, attracts much moro than the
weak minded Beatr.ca There IL good natured dew
il,ry about Bella that makes one follow her career
With interest We like girl TO kick over the
t,onalit.es once Ia while IL she does II ladylike
way The story spons rather stupidly, but gains In
interest as Il goes There Is nothing new In IT,
The heroine mistaken girl and the hero Is q thick
headed curate. The plot is easy to read from the
start and surprised by anything except the
accident to poor Bola Miss Braddon's popularity 10
not remarkable for the devourer OF novels likes to
bolt his food without chewing Any OF this au
thor's stories can DO swallowed whole without fear
OF indigestion.
.oy FRoyTIxR."
Almost every man who goes West to shoot the
peaceful buffalo and other large game PUSHES intc
print the moment no returns TO civilization, and gives
tho world the benefit of his adventures One OF ths
latest othese sportsmen is Major J. g. Campion, anc
hts book "On the Frontier" published by scribner
Wexford Armstrong, rs a very interesting and pleas
ant account OF his various experiences The Majo
seems 70 bo something Of sportsmau, for he speak
in his first chapter Of shooting in England, France
Albania and Canada, as we'll a. the Far West wnik
Major Campion's style is hardly elegant 1t is enter
taining He writes. as we imagine he hight talk, In
colloqual, on-hand manner. The author describes
sem,-rclgous dance by the Mojaves Indians, callet
the "Harvest Full Moon" dance He says that few
white men have seen or know anything abou, 4,
The ceremony is begun by all hands drinking larg
draught OF mcscal Intoxicating drink made by tb
Indians from species Of century plant ltis yer.
fiery and intoxicating. There were 100 couples dane
ing. The women, the writer says were decotie1 Il
the heels monotonous chant served as the dane