New-York tribune., 1879-08-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

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l2m0. pp. Ala. J. b. Lippnoott q Co.
The sketches of travel presented In tins VOL
ume differ from the ordinary journals of foreign tourists
as photographc impressions differ from fancy paintings
They have an air Of intense reality which shows tha'
they are the fruit OF accurate obscryauou without '"e
fantest cooring Of romance The hOmeest features OF
the scene are described with much uncuoh as 'he
represented tho bloom OF Paradise and every appeal 10
the Imagination senced by the urgency OF pracucai
details Hence the freshness OF the volume, which grows
out OF the experience OF daily life, gives perpetual at
traction 10 perusa The writer gets her hrst sight
of beautiful France on landing at DepDc year ago
last Spring having crossed the English Channel from
Newhayon. There more drt and more freedom
than III England SIZE walks out for fifteen minutes to
gam passing glance Of the old Norman town. Women
are walking the caps. There is donkey with
panniers, aud high old wooden saddle OF the women
selling FISH IN the market there is no end. She buys
large but poor and wthered apple for two sous and
butter which smells TO Heaven IN big earthen pot
at eighteen the French pound, which Is almost
oncteuth heavier than ours" She lunches AT
buffet OF the railway station, ard fnds good butter
4" with little or salt" Though II Is stnl April ana
far north cattle ard out graz NJ, but they
aupeer 10 be tied" on arriving at Paris, she notices
that the peope have not the ruddy look Of the English
but sees one plump person with good color He is an
eccesiasuc OF the Roman Catholic Church, tall man
IN long black robe Her first dinner in Paris is at the
house OF gentleman 10 whom she had letter of intro
ductou The first course was the inevitable Partisan
soup with little tlickenng, but with bits OF
bread I'm IT," Then comes an Omeet, and afterwards
pece OF boiled beef with carrots, 0ud then fine cau
flower eaten cold, with salt pepper, vinegar ana OIL
bit OF fresh cheese with dessert oioranges Almonds
closes the repast. The writer's description
Of a private family with which she took board 3" the
rate Of forty francs week presents lively IDEA OF
French interior iu tie middle classes Of Paris victor
Leblanc and his wife, her host and hostess were young
married people. The husband was lame but very acFo
about the house they kept no servant Their apart
meut was rather SNOWY, with a piano and bronzes,
though on a small scale Victor bOokkccper, man
Of great ingenuity fertile in resource, knew how TO
handle Tools and If closet wanted could run up
partition himself Ou the arrival OF the guest, at seven
O'Clock in the evening they had the family dinner, con-
sstIuc OF ragout Of potatoes and meat, sar-
Dimes wine OF two kinds, and bit Of delicate cream
cheese for dessert The best meal is the breakfast,
which in the middle Of the day. Victor was an ardent
Republican, and IN tho dlninsrOOm was bust Of Vol
taire whom he regarded forerunuer OF the Revou
tion on the first sunday visitor was present at the
noontidc breakfast Victor begins his preparations at
early n0ur, making great display with the White
table CLOTH the oranges ana apples that he places on It,
and the scarlet radishcs which artistcsy arranged
the Ish. For breakfast the first thing is the lovely
radshes, with excellent bread and butter then piece
OF veal roasted ip tin Kitchen before the charcoal
crate, and uparyburiel in the toothsome sorrel
Iumblers. The next course dish Of young and
tender string beans with butter. Then comes salad
dressed with oil and vinegar, without sugar, accom-
paaled with a bottle OF choice red wne when glasses
touched all round, aud Le9ths drunk 10 Geri
badi and TO friends in America. The breakfast winds
up with the oranges and apples and black coffee win
sugar, which," says the writer, g told is from
beels, and costs fifteen pound, the French pound
being about one-tCuth heavier than ours" The volume
being devoted 20 an account Of the French common
people IN their everyday life, is naturally taken w
TO large with descriptions Of eating aud drink
ing household aGement and other terrestrial details
which may produce curl in the with certain
dainty readers, but which the less valuable
faithful pictures Of tho habits and manners Of class Of
The population which seldom attracts the attention OF
pretentlous tourists. Mrs. Gibbons made herself at
third class the railways, she made account Of ar
Gca social distinctions she the favor OF the people
wherever she by her kindness and good Manners
and has thus gathered up Of information such
rarely finds its way into books, but which is of
small value illustration Of peculiar national char
acteristcF. But in addition 70 these familiar sketches,
her work presents view Of the practical working OF
the educational religious, and political institutions Of
France the present moment which will be sought in
vain in more formal and ambitious productions. The
perusal OF the volume produces fresh and deep i'm
preston like that Of personal visit Frauce and is
thus singularly adapted furnish Of the best
fruits Of foreign tour without the inevitable trIss Of
hsea-vOysge