The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-07-18
LITERARY NOTES.

"Man Proposcs. A Novel of American
Life, tl'ostcn Lee Shepard, is an original and
unconventional story, fun of dramatic Interest. The
saturday EronipD Gosttte says. "rhe style In
which this book Is written Is distinguished by easy,
graceful how refinement of taste and dellcacy OF ex
preston while, at the same tie 1t lacks nothing In
animation, masculine force, and pctures,lueness
The scene Is laid in Boston, at the opening of the re-
South, upon which the leading Incidents OF the story
turn The military scenes are depleted with spirited
realism, and the way in which the perscnages of the
story are woven into them Is exceedingly skiliul.
The hero, Robert Prescott, religious enthusiast.
manly, tender, earnest, and true, serving In the
army Of the Lord, hut drawn by his patriotic sense OF
duty into the ranks of those who rus to the field in
the service Of their country is finely conceived and
finely developed character. The leroine Phoebe, Is
another charming conception, carried ont with rare
kindly, eccentric, and learned Italian, slsnor Reye
dere, Is evidently careful drawing from life, and Is
as delightful as he Is entertaining. The affected
mother who insists upon spelling her son. and tho
son himself who is purified and cnnoblcd almost In
his own despite through bitter experience, are also
powerful and skilful delineations. The story can
hardly fa to win the warm appreciation Of every
1t Is written but for the strength of Its plot the in
terest attaching to the srongy.drawn characters,
and the skill and Judgment with which all these
qualities are blended to produce an harmonious
whole.'' Received from Ballanyne.
"No. 13 Rue Marriott" from the French of
Rene de Pont-Jost, by Virginia Champlin. rBoston
Lee & Shepard This Is a thorough Partisan story,
reminding one of Victor Hugo and Edgar Poe blended
In the conrivanCe of astonishing and plausible nrl-
cacles and the simplicity of the truth when unolded
A mysterious murder ban,es the Incompatible detective
force of France and through continued and Intense
excitement by real characters powerfully drawn cew
after clew Is sifed, and the private lives Of suspected
French police force quiet home life of the Partisan
odger, the horrors of the MOrgue and the inner walls
OF Paris prisons, are graphically aud skiiluly Inter
woven IN the story. That which renders the work Of
especial interest to Americans In the fact that the hero
Of the plot, whose hand 1t is that rights the balance
when the whole detective force has gone astray, is
level headed warm hearted Keen sighted and self
controlled American, who performs his feat SELF au-
torzed and even In opposition to the authorities The
slrewd aud dangerous adventures by which he accom-
plishes his ends and himself banics and ouoes the
police force, form most entertaining portion OF the
plot. Received from Ballantyne.
There is no monthly we open with more
pleasure than ''The Magazine Of Art" tCassell,
Peter Galpin Co., London, Paris, aild New
York; The. current (JuIy) number opens with No.
VII of tho '1reasure Houses of Art which treats
of Wilton House, the family residence of the Earls of
Pembroke. This is profusely Illustrated, and all the
plates Interesting from the Urn OF Probus and the
Suits Of ArmOr worn by the first Earl Of Pembroke at
the battle of st. Quentin, and by the Constable Mont
norency and Duke do MontpensIer who were taken
prisoners by him on tat OCCASION to the psmbrSke S
Series OF ''Our Living Artists" IL continued with
an illustrated sketch Of Joseph Edgar BoehIn A. r.
A. The rest of the contents Of this number vau-
able and Interesting.
Colburn's United Service Magazine " for
July contains the following among other articles:
"The German Field Artillery, by Lieut.. j. NJ.
Giieison, II. A.;' "Thc Majority Of the Volunteer
Force, by Field onlcer Late Of the General staff
Notes on the History and Services of the Thirty
second Foot;'' ''Thc Progress Of Ocean Steam Nav-
Cation, by W. II. White, Assistant Constructor,
X. !" Z" Field Marshal, The Iioube, Henry sey-
monr Conway, by capt. salisbury; With the
In the Arny:'' "The Position In Afghanistan, ~
and "My First saver-A Tale Of the Zanzibar
Coast - besides variety OF Editorial Notes and
critical notices, and various news items. tLondon:
David Bogue, publisher, ~. Martins Place, Ira
falgar square, w. q.
The Berlin correspondent of the London
Morning Post says Of the ocial history OF the Franco
Prussian war, the last volume Of which has been Just
completcd ''1he entire work has been composed
under the personal supervision Of Field Marshal Won
Moltke who may be regarded rs Its main author, and
all reviewers agree that II reflects high credit upon
him az an historical wOIk, distinguished not only by
lucid style and graphic description, but by COM
pete grasp Of the subject dealt with In all Its details
assisted by an extraordinary amount OF technical
knowledge, less than by strict regard for Justice
ami impaftiality.'
Col. 7. 7. S. Laidley, of the Ordnance De-
paItment has issued revised edition OF his admirable
"Course Of Instruction In Rifle Firing '-prepared
by order o the Department and the standard authority
for the entire Army. In the edition the chapter
very considerably enlarged; n description has been
given of new markers shelter, and the whole work
has been gone over carefully and revised To date.
Mr.. Goldwin Smith, in his latest utter
ances describes Andromache as - savage woman +"
whose herce wall really semi physical aud
capable Of exact translatUn.n Was ever u woman 4
fierce wall otherwisep