New-York tribune., 1880-02-29
BITS or CRITICISM.

BITS or CRITICISM
ANOTHER ENGLISH Cumc on Mr.. HENRY
not only reprint but not even written by an Erglsn-
man What l. the particular excellence OF Mr. Jamcss
| novelist lie makes everything quite plain for rue
reader He fills up all details. He spares pains 10
bring ont his characters into iull relief There J. moth
ing slovenly about his writing. Many OF onr able,t
noyelIsts, especially women. to write with sort
bef6ie he words become plain. Not 80 Mr. JAMES.
TINS is Mr.. James's secret-he gets upon good tIms
with his reader. But TO DO this, 1hackeray dd H.,
ard Mr. James suli does IT, requires not only great
deal ot humor0ut also great deal OF art WESTMINSTER
! Review.
The MISFORTUNE OF DUMAS THE YOUNGER.-
Had NJ Dumas been content to tread ~ The fnoscIs Of
his father. and honestly 90 DO his best artist
he would havo been very considerable parsonage; Die
audlcy, his ingenuity, his Intelligence the cevcrucss
the patience ana the skill with winch lie writes. would
have found legitimate employ ment, and the dramatic
world would have been the richer and the better by
some admirable work. Unfortunatcly however, al
brother who determined 10 be morast and pro
lessor and being much the stronger succeeded
his own likeness. The consequence is thar h- pieces
are most OF them sermons in acnon-lTAe Atheueum.
Mr.. BRET HARTE's LATEST BooK.-Mr Bret
Hartcs latest story Jeh B1Ggss LOyestory us iuI
OF the dash and the humor not unmixed with pathos, by
which lie hist won hr way INTO the position which he
young who landlord Of tumble little inn
ia Calaveras County. His aunt who keeps house with
skcched in has been deporng The ackof custom, when
the accident o 81 rm SENDS thTre visitors the hotel
Mavaed and their daughter Jef going out to brinc
the daughter il from tho stagecoach through the
swamp caused by torrents Of rain, takes er Tor child,
aud treats A'r IKE child and Is mortified wncn in the
indoors light she Is revealed as a young woman Of
acquaintance Of a Mr.. Bret arlcs roaders, Yuba Bll.
Jen Of fails desperately IN love with The cil
whom he las carried of the coach. equally
e9s cenp.e S G a Ses 10 m % Is u the S @ c m G
be beginning Of the story. which hiled IN NJ. Bret
Hartc's best manncr-lIhe saturday Review
a PENNYwoRrH OF PoETRY-R. II. Hornes
" orion" d" an enc poem IN thec books, price one
farhng" gna!lY published in the year -l3 1t
surmlsed, though believe II was never clearly
by TIE poet copy Of MS work dd not indicate any
OF humility ddcnce on the part of the author
but only intended TO awaken nation culpabY III
different 10 the merits OF eplc poems 10 duc sense OF
its own shortcomings. II u somewhere related that
while the author sitting day IN the shop Of bis
on the counter shouted for penn'orih of .OrGns'"
Three editions at arhng are sad 10 haye been sold;
so that the public aDPe!rto have been really awakened
Orion was much praised IN us time and the sub
iect euthusiasc 10y Edgai Poe. Its reputa-
however cannot be sad 10 nave Stood the test OF
time London Dally news
THE ANGRY OUIDA on AMERICAN PUBLISH
ERs AND READERs-The actual fact Is that English
literature America has an immense aud enjoyable har
vest which reaps and feeds on without cost or labor
aud Will not admit au equal TACT, That II Is unwilling
10 lose, or 10 have 70 ray adequately Tor, tins OngTe
joiced-in piracy. IL does show perhaps awaken
Ing The National conscience that they beginning
to apologize for 1t; yet am not sure that should not
prefer cynical confession Of the truth on the old Bor
der rule OF let hm Keep who can TO the elaborate and
somewhat BypOcritca efforts 70 Justify "A National
III
irritating enough TO De Told by American publisher
have been that were there international law he
could give me as many thousands year as he has given
hundreds under the present rt0ime; but, IN truth,
the blame does not lie with the American booksellers
nearly much II does with the American reading
public. The American public Is vast enough 70 carry
any pleased in the teeth and the heads Of any
single class, the vested interests OF that class
But the American public does not choose 20 have in
ternational law on the subject because IL ia afraid It
would have dearer books The whitehall Review.
THE New SCHOOL OF WooD- ENGRAVING
aiInf1a
mtted, the accusations brought against the Younger
force Their practice nothing han devel
opnent Of principle that has been tacity acknowi
az the earlier workmen to reproduce faithfully
the simple lines Of the designer they endeavor
aud color OF the original drawing. The degree OF
which they have attained can only be Judged by
reference to particular examples Dn ner Efforts would
certainly have borne very little fruit II they had allowed
TO Ps 1y nS PG1aSc 6 no rules sn %eo
Impose upon the art The Saturday Review.
HEISE's SUFFERINGs AFTER DEATH.-Hene's
dis Ike 10 this nation must have had something OF pro
phetic character he must have foreseen all he was
about to suffer at the hands OF English tfanslatOrs
Truly German poet has endured more. and yet per
versions Of his poems continue TO pour from the press
Heines ldosynciatc style Du III reply 70 the peadngs
answer OF the mllkmaid IN the nursery song Nobody
asked you sir she said No Que wants TO see favorite
author msrepreseDted; better be should remain closed
book than be misundersood.-lIhe Athen@um
JULIAN HAWTHORNES "UNEVENNESS. rev
writer's OF novels who have distinct call 20 their
profession as Mr. Julian Hawthorne are uneven in
their execution. In taking up new book by him
in doubt Whether 10 be delighted by the ful
filed promise OF Brcssaut" and OF Garth whether
are 20 be ANNOYED with the grOtesque unreaty OF
IdOlatry" We are prepared for the state the
other since Mr.. HawthOrnes genius is untemDeTed by
critical faculty or bY any of humOr, but
pared TO find In the author Of Saxon studies
defects thai hint of want of perception aud betray
lack OF general observation. This Is not the
Kind OF thing many people who read 'Bressant " ten
years ago thought Mr. Hawthorne would be doing ten
years afterBard. - lrhe Nation.
Mr. EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN's POEMS
II is when treats Of the sup-rnatura when, passing
through region OF dim change doubt. and DIR am Do
explores the mystery which bGf ,s OF tnat
Mr.. stodmau Is at his best. Mr. SteduIan. in
deed who ,ometimes fails 10 charm IN minor themes ~
often delicious In those which exact the sulocr ard
rarer qualities OF Imagination. Wltb many OF his IN
tal and pastoral pieces could well dispense hut we
should grudgc parting with hs lew songs, winch. as
rule are fresh, tuneiul, u Of color ana epigEmmauc
th0ut strain He excels again. In kind Of Apologize
which combines poetry Of idea with realistic aud even
humorous treatment. Il Mr. Stcdman ~ just 90 himself
he will cOnfne himself those themes OF tender rcorct
and aspiration hlch hs eieRy on Bryant cAenpIncs,
or in Ills ehter vein 10 modern fables, Ike hs Pa1
point, show such free ana careless grace-Ihe Athe-
nIudI