New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS
DU MAuRIEh's SKETCHES.

TIL. sixty three pictures collected by Mr.. Du Maui
rer year ago from his contributions 10 recent 'or
umes of Punch have been reproduced by MI Us
good in book less Injurious indeed ,han the orig
NAL in the matter India paper, foe press-work
and broad margins. but at the same time more
modest IN price IL cannot be denied that Du Mau-
rier's work requires for its proper effect a much
more careful printing than most of the other styles
oil wood-eugravIng which have contributed TO
the popularity of Punch but the American
sl,tion will be acceptable nevertheless to
hundreds who cannot indulge themselves with
Tho costly first impressions issued in London. Iney
will find here at all events sufficient manifestations
Of the extraordinary powers which make pu
Maurier the greatest living satirist oil 1ashlonaoe
English society. As john Leech gave peculiar
character to the Panch IF twenty years ago, so Du
Maurier-even more perhaps than Iennei-'m-
nresses mon that periodical at the present day ihe
jeep stamp of his individuality Leech was not
,at ist at all. but n humorist, pure and simple 1T
he held ND 10 view sometimes the vulgarltles, al
fectations and absurditles of his counrymen. the
,rcnosterous performances OF the Cockney on the
ontinept and in the hunting field, 1T WIS not because
ne felt an impulse to scourge folly as 1t neW,
mt bacause he took such keen delight In the
sonic aspect of every incongruous SITUATION. HIS
laughter was always good-natured. Nothing tex
,ent an Italian organ-grndcr) seemed really 10 star
his spleeu We could not help recognizing IN MN q
oud and lovable disposition. a rare sense OF MANI
ness aud beauty, tenderness for pretty women
and healthy children and good horses. He chose
most of his subjects from middle-elass lie, ana
from incidents which correspond with the general
,x,er;soce. His pencil therefore delighted every
,l,ss of society. and the charm of his pictures IS
always fresh Du Maurier speaks to n mach smaller
audience than Leech. He has long been admired
nv the ma, rons OF Tpncb for the decacy and grace
81 certain of his draw lngs-for beautiful chiloreh'
elegant aud welbred ladies, clearly denned type
If feminine beauty more stately and ethereal IMAM
that of the wusome girls Leech taught US 10 adtnne
an elaboration of details aud accessories whlch
would hardly have been IN place in the more popu-
lar sketches. II is only within few years, now
sver. that the artist seems to have developed hrs
real powers lie has struck out a new path, as the
,atrist OF fashionable society and OF the vugartY
which apes the Alterations and foes OF the great
The quality as well the OF his work Is much
like that Of 1hackeray The high-bred IN
.oleuce of affabe duchesses the wretched
little schemes of Mrs. Ponsonby de Tom
kvns. the insincelites of the drawlDg-room, the
wand conversation OF lords and ladies' the tricks OF
mannuyring lnammas, the oyer-blOwn spendOrs OF
Sir Gorcins Midas. the holowness of life which
IS all parade and pretence and the essential mean
ness which deerades AMI bettles alike the highest
rank and the lowest Du Maurier exhibits all this
with startling boldneSs and vigOr lie seizes upon
the salient absurdtles OF the day by d sort OF
intuition The satIrist Of course never displays the
BEST aspects of any epoch; hls business Is rather
with Characteristic faults and weaknesses; and
the merit of Du Mauuer is not that he shows
US the typical society of his time, but
that he exposes with cauStc severity tne
sham cultivation, sham elegance, aud sham enthu-
siasms which prevail all classes like fashions
Il, . bafi Unyy L.
morcesslv handled by bim in the current numbers
of Punch and a few Of the first pictures of this series
are included IN the present volume. Telling how
ever as Du MauTeTs satire is II is rarely bitter. II
is sweetened by rich vein OF hulnor winch breaks
oat now and then into roaring fun In large pro-
portion of his society pictures, even the most severe
I'm subject there are touches OF inimtabe dlollery
Coinical faces look at us out of the crowded
backgrounds; character speaks IN the lines
of the odd cOunteDance or the pose OF
the figure. Mus. in the parlOr is
favorite snbject with Mir Du Mauricr, and he always
treats it with racy humoy as well as satircal
mower. Satire and drollery evenly mingled III
the large drawing of q room full of ladies' sucking
their thumbs in imitation of the last new beauty,
and in the picture Cf pre- Raphaetsh danlsei ask
ing PLACID and commonplace MIR. SMITH who las
lust been introduced for the purpose OF taking her
down 10 dinner Are you intense ~ while IN the
way of pure fun Leech could not have surpassed the
sketch of near-sighied Lady Jones dropping penny
into the hat of General Talbot de la Poer Sangrazu
Ms the veteran officer stands uncovered for mo-
nent at the church door, looking up at the beaun-
full afternoon sky.
MEMOIR OF GOVERNOR ANDREW, WITH PER
sONAL "REMINISCENCES By PELEG W. ChAAD-
IgR. $40. Roberts Brothers.
This is not the biography of Governor Andrew
which we have been anticipating. Long ago Ii was
---....oot .i,.t 40 of the disrinpusleI War