The New York herald., 1879-09-01

Having this soft spot in his nature are surprised
| to learn that
| Along with the absence of emotional excitabilty
Mr.. Wright was characterized by the absence OF
| aesthetic impulses needs. He was utterly insen-
sible to music and but slightly affected by artistic
beauty of any sort. Excepting his own socratlc
presence there never anything attractive ABOUT
his room, or indeed anything to give 1t an individual
character In romance too. he was equally deficient;
After his first and only journey to Europe observed
that he recalled sundry historic streets in London
| and Paris only spots whore some happy general
| ization had occurred to him.
| Professor Fiske devotes q lengthy essay to Mr..
Buckles fallacies. all the opinions in which he
takes back in postscript. Tho concluding chapter
of this volume is devoted to tho writer's duties as
assistant librarian at Harvard. which proves that the
| position is sinecure.
''rHE coMEDIE HUMANE AND IT'S AUTHOR"
| For some reason which we shall not attempt now
to discover Balzao has never been popular in Eng
lsh dress. Twenty-Five or so ago an effort was
made to popularize him in America. through the me-
dium of cheap series Of novels. published in the
same form as the Franklin Square and Lakeside
libraries. but at ten cents volume he found no
English readers Later attempts have been made.
but to no purpose and our publishers havo wisely
concluded to let Balzac rest in his own tongue. An
English publisher however, has been found to make
another dash at the public with this untranslatable
novelist Mr. II. H. Walker has written a some
what elaborate essay "The Coincide Humane
and It's Author" (Chatto windus) which is accom-
panied by translations Of "The Purse" 'Gandisart
IL. or the Selim Shave" and "Albert Savarus." for
the first tme put into English, we believe.
There is little that is to be said of Balzac. Mr..
Walker tells the old story in his own way. and Of
necessity it is interesting His eccentric habits
dwelt upon at length. First. the bare garret. with
tho miserably clad. self-starved author; then the
handsome salon, tho s.white cashmere dressing
gown, with golden girdle;~ the "soid gold scis-
sors" and the jewel studded walking stick. We arc
all familiar with the story of his manner Of writing.
How he shut himself up for weeks at time. turn
ing night into day, and drinking quarts of coffee.
and the pale emerging into daylight after the task
was done. But George Sand tells US that this is
fiction that he wanted people to think ho wrote in
that way, but that she had often surprised him
working like any other author We prefer to believe
the fantastic story. however. for it seems more in
keeping with the mans character. Mr.. Walker
seems to think Balzacs characters more real than
Dickens. "Le Pere Grandes is real person." he
says, "but who believe in Jonas Chuzzlewitw
An argument which ho puts forth to prove Balzacs
realism is that he never loses sight Of money. In
many of his tales money is "the mainspring Of tho
interest the motive power Of the actors and there
fore necessarily prominent. "In short" says Mr..
Walker, no "never for instant loses sight of the
that there s situation in Hfe however trivial
or however critical in which mans sentiments his
conduct and his fate are not influenced by money"
Mr.. Walkers essay is we'll worth reading notwith-
standing its shortcomings In his translations he is
often fault. though he chose the smplost storios
to put into English because they present special
difficulties in translation"
''How I Volunteered FOR THE CAPE"
..How Volunteered for the Cape CTinsley & Co..
London) is the latest addition to South African lit
erature. The author. T. L. Fem. was in active
vice lieutenant Of the Frontier Light Horse. and
had many adventures in that capacity. His book is
exceedingly boyish. but it may be taken as fair
Of the experiences that fall to the lot Of
soldiers in the Kafhr Lieutenant Fenn takes
pains to give minute advice to those who propose to
serve in Africa to the luggage they should carry
The smallest quantity the better. He says by all
means take thick well ~ thin clothing. for he
found his heavy ulster one of the greatest
comforts, the evenings being often pierre
ingly cold. 1t is the youthful opinion
of this author that missionaries do more harm than
good. He says that the Kaifir who has been taught
to read and write is the most bloodthirsty and
treacherous. Education teaches him. among other
things the taste for strong liquors. to which he
becomes y devotee." says Lieutenant Fem. He is.
however. willing to acknowledge that tho mission
aries are good men. and thoroughly earnest in tho
work they are engaged in" Like other young
writer's Lieutenant Fem imagines that what ho says
will shake the world to its foundations, and no feels
some computations Of conscience for the severe
words he has written about the missionaries, and
| would tighten "the storm" which his "outspoken
| words threaten to bring down." The largest num-
ber of Lieutenant Tenns readers will be. venture
to say. mothers who have sons and wives who have
| husbands in South Africa.
THE OLD FRENCH CHATEAU.
A solitary horseman drew rein before an old
French inn late Septem ber afternoon while his
''tired steed drank OF the crystal liquid" in the
| stone basin at the door. His name was Arthur
Stan wood, and he had to Toulouse to discover
the ghosts that haunted the old chateau. The gar
CON took the horse and the rider entered the inn
| and supped 'bread. coffee and salad in oil. !"
| His adventures began at once. st. Remy the chief
| Of the gypses. cnticed him out for walk while
Giaco his follower. robbed tho unsuspccting Eng
lishmans cloak pockets of letters. But Arthur re-
turned in time to catch him in the act and with
easy movement hurled the giant to the ground.
| young man Of the town accompanied
| him to the chateau. On tho way they met
| beautiful gypsy girl. who told his for
| tune. and for whom he conceived q quick
| regard. More adventures came with the night and
pistol shots wero hred ut intervals into the dark
ness, who curses filed the air. At the same time
| that Arthur shooting ghosts in the chateau q
noble English family. in driving up hill In the
| neighborhood. met with an accident and sought re-
fuge IN the chateau. Arthur was captured by the
gypsies notwithstanding his great prowess but the
fair Incz cut the cords that bound him. and he
made his escape. The heart of the gypsy maiden
was touched. She plightcd to the rufiian Giaco
| but she shrank from him as from monster. ''The
doom Of the traitress Is DEATH and but for my claim
you would faco it this houri Col" said Giaco when
| he found that it she who had released Arthur.
| who, however, was retaken. But Inez did not quail
drawing her form proudly up. and fcarlcssly look
| ing into the countcnanco OF Gaco," she said
ssychemently" :-"Stay not your hand for that