Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-03
LITERARY NOTES.

JOHN HENRY BoNHR
LITERARY NOTES.
MEMOIRS OF COUNT DE, MEL1To. Edited by
Gssse1 HoaT FrHm the French b Mrs
Scribner's Sons Washington: Robert Bean.
1t Is not often that a volume so full Of inter-
est, so ntelligently edited and 80 faithfully trans
lated as this is placed before the general reader
Memoirs OF prominent personages are always in
terestlng as giving the thoughts and feelings Of
actual participants in stirring events; and these
before us are exceptionally so, because OF the
momentous period covered by the writer's Oh
serVatt0ns as we'll as on account Of the pecu-
narly advantageous opportunities enjoyed by
MIN Tor studying the principal events and per-
sonages OF that period. Born In 1772. the
autnOr entered the public service in 1885,
and passed rapidly from military to diplomatic
lie, where he was employed in nearly every
grade OF service during the French revolution
and the supremacy of Napoleon, to whom he
always sustained relations of confidence. He
was thus not only an eye witness of what he
describes, but often an active If unseen agency
IN some OF the most stirring scenes described.
his memoirs are therefore valuable authority
on the Consulate and the Empire, and also on
the career OF Joseph BOnaparte as ruler of Ma
pies and Spain. Their main interest lies, how
ever. in the fact that the author was intimate
with Napoleon in his early career, and the light
thrown upon this point is often new and always
attractive. The following sketch of the future
Emperor. whom he first met at Breschia during
the Young conquerOrs first campaign in Italy,
whittier Mot was sent on diplomatic mission.is
an interesting study. though hastily made. Napo-
leon, IL Will De remembered, was then hardly five
and twenty. He had held command of the army
OF Italy but few months but he made no con-
realment OF his determination to regulate his
conduct In complete independence Of the gov
eminent at Paris. The Count says:
Nothing could he nnie az he ms IDS. R
alton had formed OF him. In the midst OF a Mum
eroas stan saw man below the middle height
hair oddly cut, and falling squarely below the ears
reached down to his shoulders. He was dressed in
straight coat buttoned up to the chin and edged
WIN very narrow gold embroidery, and he wore
trcolor feather In his hat At first sight he did
not strike me as handsome; but his strongly
ns auek and piercing his
spirit, while his wide and thoughtful brow was
that t OF profound thinker. He made me sit near
sentences and, at that time of his life very incor-
rectly. He crossed the rooms adjoining that in
M a ne received me- and gave some orders to Mu
rat, LanneS and JunOt, his aideS-de-camp and
other on1cerS In attendance Every one maintained
toward him an attitude Of respect, and may even
say OF admiration. saw none of those marks OF
familiarity between him and his cOmpa mons that
l had observed in other cases, and which was con-
sonant with republican equality. He had already
assumed his own place and set others at dis
lance. 1geturned to my hotel, greatly
Struck and in some sort bewildered by what had
just taken place."
Equally graphic and interesting are Miot's
sketches of the leading characters of the revolu-
ton, but for them it is impossible to find room
The memoirs are written throughout In a man.
ner which places the author in the foremost rank
IN this branch Of literature, and his book must
take lts place with the best works of its class.
MIAMI WOODS: Golden Wedding and other
ID, pat.
ROBERT Clark Washington: j. j. Chapman.
This handsome volume Of more than $50 pages
will be warmly welcomed as we'll by the eastern
as the western friends of the veteran poet. whose
voice has ever been raised for Nature, Freedom
and Humanity. The title poem of the volume Is
a charming pastoral, in seven parts in which
the attractions Of one of the most delightful
portions OF the country are depicted with rare
fidelity and grace. The pages seem indeed to
be fairly vocal with the song Of birds and the
murmur OF running brooks, and redolent Of the
doors OF MOWERS and trees. Many of the shorter
poems are familiar IN their mouths as bonse
mold words" to the young, BY reason of having
been transferred to various School Readers. and
may therefore be regarded as having taken a
permanent place in American literature. OF
these may be named 'The West" "A HYMN or
the Day that is Dawning," "Be Firm. be True. :"
Truth and Freedom" and that noble lyric en-
titled ''The Laborer," beginning:
''Stand up-erect! Thou hast the form
And likeness Of thy Sod Who morei
a. s9 Saij as aaunt hssrt mid the storm
And pure as breast e'er bore.
'ewhat thenl Thou art IS true MAN
As moves the human mass among;
That with cEeations dawn began
AS any Of the throng."
second volume will shortly be publsbed
embracing poems of the war and other efforts of
later years.
AN ECHO OF PASSION. By GEORGE PARSONS
K4ThRof Boston M HaScughton. Mifdin Co
Among the younger authors of the country
no one seems to be coming to the front more
rapidly than MIR. Lathrop, and the book before
US must add considerably to his reputation. The
idea involved in the story is the strange one of
an echo bringing to man idling away a sum-
mer holiday the voice Of an early love. The
hero is married now, to young, pretty and
loving wife. yet he follows the voice, and finds
himself face to face with his flame Of eight
years before, who is now a charming and
cOquettish widow. In the old days he had not
thought himself in love, but he forthwith de-
liberately puts himself In the path of tempta-
ton. The direct result is easily foreseen. He
spends all his time with the new-found en-
chantress, leaving his wife to weep out her
heart alone. She feels and acknowledges the
attractive influence Of her rival over the in
1atuated husband, but can only suffer "a silent
unutterable radical grief" The DELINQUENT
husband cherishes the belief that his love for
Ance is only PlatOnic, but awakes with shock
to find 1t no longer so. The struggle of both
against their dangerous passion is well por-
trayed, and the final triumph Of the devoted
wife forms pleasant ending to the story
ONE OF CLEoPATRA's NIGHTS. AND OTHER
FANTASTIC ROMANCES. By THEoPHILE GAU-
TIER. New York: b. Worthington. Washington:
Fantastic, indeed, and weird enough for
dreams are these graphic and sensuous pictures
Of Egyptian and Eastern life and scenes, which
carry one back to the times when Egypt was the
seat Of populous and powerful empire, and
Pompeii city Of luxury and pleasure. The
tale of Pharaoh's daughter, told in "The
Mummy's Foot" is in the authors best style.
always inimitable; and several of the other
stories are nearly as fascinating. In appear
ance the book Is sumptuOus one.
THE HOMESTRETCH.s A Novel. By s. NJ A. G.
New York: George W. Harlan
Although apparently the work Of hand
rather unframed, this Is clever and readable
little book. The scene is laid in the southern
states and the descriptions are faithful and the