New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

\. STORY OR TWO FROM AN OLD DUTCH TOWN
BY RoBERT LOWELL l2mo- pp S22. ROBERTS bio,"
In his supreme devotion TO active LABOR III
ne cause OF religion and learning, the au'hor Vi '
solume has not failed 20 bring his tine powers OF ihas
aaon and description TO occasional ventures ~ ,ne
aeid of artistic composition His previous "oiAs Al 80
hind though few In number, are admiraDie i'll qu'9'
conspicuous for their originality OF cohcepton' le''
OF illustration and racy juiciDess OF expression
tors here brought together modest In pretehsoh'
49,, ntrov the hand of the MASTER perhaps too rarely
arcisea vet always delicate IN touch, and OF cunning
execution In the antique Dutch town. where the scene
of two of the Is laid at the distance OF nan
century from the present time, the rush OF thoe'n
progress seems TO have been subjected 10 speh VI
eootling enehantment; the streets we're mostly uH
changed from the srees of two hundred years before
few of the primeva houses still left aud more Oh
them would have remained had not the process OF Te
pair been delayed by the inertness OF the pnegmauo
Dutehmen os IL was. In some places niue ueeioP'
building century two old, was squeezed IRON edon
aide by a big neghbor Of the day, or an OLD mousse
would stand half crushed In its SINGLE upright story ny
TIA Jone hobby mossspecked roof opened by dormef
wipdoWs uneyenly set as founders eyes such w's
The sood little village OF Westenvliet, whose huOe
traditions afford the materials for these quaint skeoneS
which record the WAYS and doings OF jts worthy
burghers Of Dutch descent with the minute fidelity Oh
Dutch painting seasoned with the spice OF ideahy
which reresbes and anates the commOnest routine OF
daily lfe The elements of eccentric humor which are
more or Less latent every rural village existed TO an
unusual extent in westenvle and always detected
by the AUTHOR who mOulds them into his narrative
with skill derived from his keen perceptions OF what
comic IN character and Ddiyduasin conduct ana us
aptness for quaint and pointed deneatlon scIt
paihos is often blended with bis humorous pictures re-
mind u the reader Of gracious touches of Washing
Ton Irving but with force and vitality not always
found in the composition OF that most genial and Dc
loved Of American writer's Mr. L0vePs success may
be largely asoribed to his sympathy with the
people and pursuits OF Aud Lang syne."
with no morbid prediction for the past he
evidently loves TO revert from the feverish haste
and raasionateness of current fe to the homely sim
pcfty and inarGcs habitudes of bygone days. of which
bis vivid pages present such faithful portaitures In
the healihfu shuess Of that atmosphere he finds the
charm Of natural repOse which ia no less grateful to his
feelings than favorable to the exercise Ofinagn0uyea
One or two bits OF verse introduced with the D0e
eos prose Of the narrative an example Of which is given
in these dainty lines, on occasion Of wedding:
A CAROL FOR YOUNG WIFE.
Cone forth, thou pretty bridei With dainty foet
Treadthy fair world, where sundIlNeu SHADOWS neeti
This earth Is thine, with thine own SKY above;
and these flowers wheTewith the earth blooms love-
Come forth, where all things wait!
See this Is not the world, where thou vast born;
THIS is no world thou eawest yestermoIn;
The mead, the water. rock, AID height, ana tree'
lie wear, this day sweet BRIDE Tor thee!
Come ere the hours wear late!