The New York herald., 1879-11-24

Wentworth ''The Rebel Flower" and Bunker
Hill in 1875. the best poems written by any woman
the themes that were popular at the time of the
Centennial. are IN this book. ard also the widely
copied "King's Kiss" and Barbara" but the best
things are "a Tramp" character study aud ''Her
Lovers Friend" the title poem. This is q carefully
wrought delineaton of the feelings of an honorable
man who loves his friends betrothed who knows
that he could win her love- but will not tell his
tale Of passion.
For what new bliss might in spirc
Conld shield her frem the scorching dre
81 herce remorse. whose withering haine
Would cast u blight of ban aud blame
wpen her tender woman's heart
TSa, TSas no n.~ passion and no art
Remove and leave her life rs white
Wemes - '"' D"'' 0''''s
Those verses are something remarkable for .
woman to write in these days. when most women's
heroines leave two three broken engagements be-
hind them on their way to the altar. Mrs. Piatt's
book has three divisions. dramatic Persons and
Moods" Double Quatrains'' ana "with Children"
The first is the best the second being slight and
the last little nne drawn here and there There
are few women as fearless Mrs. Piatt, few who
have the artistic frankness not to the sentiment
that Reades Italian girl expresses by asking aren't
you ashamed? Telling the men rything?" Mrs.
Piatt does tell everything pitilessly Brown
ing himself. and "a Wall between" and "a Pque at
Parting" might almost have been written by him.
after the Quarrel also fine, each in it's own way
RAMPANT ENGRAvER.
Mr. W. j. Lntons Practical Hints ON Wood Eu-
craving, which is TO be published neat week by Lee
Shepard are, apparently. given for the express
delectation OF three or four gentlemen, who have
volunteered to defend the illustrators Of ScriJ-
aaerS Magdztne against some attacks which Mr.. Lin
ton made OH them. "My Reviewers. "Noble Sim
plicity" "Facsimile," "White Llne'' "liechanism
rt OF
Hints the titles of the chapters. In closing. Mr..
Linton says that lie ''has but to sit down and pa
tently await the scalping knives of the pursuers.
and he will probably not have to wait long after tho
appearance OF his book. Engraving is Intimately
Art with q very large "a" that few men can talk
about it without losing their tempers find
them after having lost them and this book is proba-
bly, not the last which Mr.. Linton's article in the
June Atlantic will cause. 1t is battle OF schools."
AN OLD FASHIONED LADY.
''The Autobiography and Letters or Mrs. Delany"
is an abridgement OF the and elegant book pub
lished by Bentley in 1861, and has been skiiiully
edited for american readers all the uninteresting
matter having been eliminated. and every thing hav
ing been retained that throws light the manners
OF Mrs. Delany time enables one to understand
her character that OF her sister, Mrs Dewes and
of her friend, the Duchess of Portland. The letters
are charming and womanly, dealing with dress and
letters always do, but rising in tone whenever tho
occasion demands 1t and showing the fneness of the
mind ana the nobility OF spirit that won the respect
OF every from George Ill. to her own maids.
COSTLY COSTUMES.
Some Of her revelations about dress will cheer the
hearts OF men who think that their wives
travagant. Queen Caroline's coronation pettcoat.
decorated with jewels worth 400 0OO rather sur
pusses the rorgeousness of modern royal ATTIRE
and Mr.. Spencers indulgence in shoebuckles worth
$50. 900 seems proof that the men were as lavish
of money as the women. The first suit
white and silver. fine brocade aud trimming
could make it; the second, blue and silver; the
t,i the fourth. pias PINK coiored satin Bad taste
occasionally visible. for instance, in the case
Of Lady Scarborough, who wore violet colored
satin. the pettcoat embroidered with clumsy fes-
toons OF nothing at alls. supported by pillars no
better than posts. the gown covered with embroid.
Oueensbury wore q white satin petticoat bordered
around the lower edge with "brown hills, and every
breadth had an old stump that run ssc up almost to
the top of tho petticoat broken and ragged and
worked with brown chenille round which twined
nastersians (sic. ivy honeysuckle. periwinkes con-
volvuluses and oil sorts of twining flowers, which
spread and covered the petticoat and vines with the
leaves variegated you have seen them by the sun,
look very light; the robings and facings were little
green banks with all sorts OF weeds, and the
sleeves and the rest OF the gown loose twining
branches Of the same kind as those on the
petticoat; many of the leaves were finished with
gold and part OF the stumps or the trees looked like
the gilding of the SUM- The American embroidery
fever has not yet been accompanied by any such
serious manifestations as this gown, but its like
may appear before the Decorative Art ladies finish
their work. Mrs. Delany anu her friends began
modestly, but ended by producing this astounding
garment.
family and some things that are related OF Queen
Charlotte seem rather contrary to Nine. DArbiay's
account of her and pleasantly different from Thack-
erays severe summing up of her character. The
autobiography aud Letters" Will be published next
week and will be accompanied by the name of Its
editor, Sarah Chauncey Woolsey, who has never be-
issued any book except under her pseudonyn Of
Susan Coolidge
Mr.. HALE's BOOK
The Rev. Eiwara Everett Hale's "Stories of War;"
told by soldiers is a brief history OF the late civil
contest, with ali the accounts OF the battles given
in the alleged exact language OF soldiers who served
in them, and sometimes repeated by alleged extracts
from newspapers. 1t Is a little book that will be
found exciting by young readers and that will thrill
even those who remember the scenes it records.
MISCELLANEOUS
D. Lothrop Co. have a second series OF 'Poets'
Homes" papers in press, and also 'Waifs, by A. A.
Hopkins. The latter is u collection of biographies
OF those minor poets whose work appears only in
newspapers and magazines. and is not collected into
a volume. 1t Is to be pound in the same style a.
the Poets Homes"
'.The Breaking Waves Dashed High" Lee Shep-
ards Christmas book, is much better than those
previously issued by the firm. The paper and press
work have always been good, but the pictures have
been rather unequal in strength some being decidedly
weak This year nearly all exceedingly good,
and some OF the views and the strong, lovely
face illustrates the fourth stanza excellent
NEW MUSIC.