New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-06-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


SnsT PRINCESS Translated sss from Ssnss ene McclSrS
OF a. L. GAGsEth' Aos'o' ~"
&Co.
WHEN the details OF the hendish plot wnieh to
,,ed {, the assassination OF the Car were oro"sn'
to urbt an additional thrill of horror was iei' ~
.verv,ne On learning that two OF the consPn"'o'
most deeply implicated were women anu ',,', o
az them Sophie Pieoifsky, was young "o''
ho.u,,f,l and accomplished. What strange iaSoi'''-
tion could have drawn such an one INTO 'he WIZ
of revolution and anarchy. and made her on ~ ~
,lice IN n fearful crime Not only dld her eAoou''
and that of her companions excite scnct"i s''"F
fbv and regret bat it is said on good authority 'a'
Az r,,,res. herself pleaded earnestly though IN
oeectuay for their lives. The translator Oh
Nihilst Princess" hints that Sophie was the orle,-
nal PRINCESS Wanda AMI IL mas well be So since &h
the characters rive one the impression oil having
bcen drawn from life and several or the hclue"'S
1--WE are told in foot notes arc autheauc.
NJ Gag,eur Ia now Ilame to us among french
royelis 8, is worthy 10 stand beside lurgeheN'
a,d Ike him has thoroughly sounded the uouoied
waters OF Russian society. though We NUS III
Nibilst Princess" those subtle and deh'a.e
fouches which especially charm us III iu'S'ho!'
The authors style is dramatic ana lhteiselS i'@i
is.ic but he writes less as n romancer IMAM a.
man moved by strong convictions who knows that
where L ne uUlf1hs, ann 10 iinlNiANN -
burning words His book is, iii fact All apology ior
NihiI;qm He laws bare TO us the h0liowness, the
ro.teun.ss the yenalty OF the whole official SYSTEM
and the cruelty, oppression and misery winch lie
Lel,v the pilled surface Of Russian society. lie
paiuts in glowing oolors the martyr-hke deVo'ioh
md sef-sacrifce of those who seek the regeneration
Of their country, though it be through pioou anu
fire. and would fain make understand sometn"s
of the attraction which their example and doc'il's
nossess for the nobler spirits among the youth Oh
both sexes In point of fact, the active ana eh''-
siastic part taken by women of all classes III inc
Eibilist movement forms one OF its most Striking
and most puzzliug features.
Wanda. NJ. Gagneurs heroine. is young girl OF
dazzling beauty worshipped in ST. Petersburg so
rety and idolized 10y her father, typical Russian
noble. polished narrow minded, hard and cruel. she
bas dim recolectous o. the sad fair face OF her POsh
mother of serfs beaten like dogs, women scourgcu
without mercy and villages RACED TO the grounu'
and her keen senseof justice rcvots at the tyranny
of the strong over the weak
Co whom she met Katia Lawinska her mind was
already prepared Ia receive the new laisn' Sne Ms
"a born rryolutiOnist-romantlc as fOie anu Nlo'eiV
as Cossack. She delighted IN consplracles. III 81
cret correspondence every extreme measure;
Intrepid and enthusiastic, she loved danger, auu
thrilled with delight at every heroic deed'
When Wanda learns her mothers story and the
or,ety with which her sympathy for the serfs had
be punished, her affection for her father turns 10
something very ike hatred, and she dehes his author
Ety. Nevertheless bad the old Prince Is, one ieeis
1t rather severe OH him when Wanda returns nome at
o'clock in the morning. dressed as a man, and ac-
companed only by her waiting-inad kata, similarly
attred and positively refuses to disclose where she
has been. She follows out her new creed to " She
bitter end" but we have no space to follow her as
ehe casts aside rank and luxury going rs ono OF the
s..;... ;caHv N lahQ a factory.
harsh, unlovely clothing. and preach among the
masses hatred of the oppressors nd hope Of freedom
The tragic end is very painfu-the more so IRON
having been so closely aad recently repeated In real
life.
On the whole, a Nihilist Prince S. can scarcely
be read with Indifference but must excite either
sympathy, admiration strong dislike Its appear
nnce certainly opportunc and 1t throws fresh light
upon one of the most difficult and burning questions
of the day. With the exception of few spshod and
inelegant expressions the translation Is good.