New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,,p CRawroRp's NEW STORY.

AZ Crawford's new book is long enough to he a
-, IN. Il is only slight tale. II does not at
tempt the description or analysis OF character; IL
.en hardly be called a picture OF manners, al
though Il does offer hasty sketch of some aspects
Of Italian life and it is quite free from anything
like the complications of plot certainly IL Is
nuch weaker than the disagreeable TO Leeward,
and much less brilliant than the crude though en-
pertaining Mr.. Isaacs"; and If we to take it
AS fair measure of the authors development we
should look to his future with many misgivings'
But a successful young novelist is under strong
temptations to publish too fast to waste ma'oilal
bv throwing oft ideas before he has thoroughly
worked them out. In supplying a hon"i
Singer TO The atlantic Monthly. MI CRAWFORD
seems 10 have contracted to furnish mover Will
ont being quito sure that he had one rea"y. MS
facility. which is much greater III writing Una" !"
construction betrayed him. The result Is q s'oiS
which apounds in good suggestions anu "uo"""S
also i'm disappointments. The motive is INC NV
n Young Italian tenor singer Tor the ocauVNiu'
daughter of a stf Prussian Colonel. Inc lhcluon's
which directly contribute to the progress Vi 'n'
story are only two, and neither can be called
o,io,al or striking; Nino sings his way to the
girls heat. and he carries her of, without much
stratooem or difficulty, from a castle in which her
father holds her prisoner There is not much IN
these two incidents: but Mr. Crawford has great
skill IN narrative and he makes the account highly
interesting minglng with it an excellent deScrp
ton of an old Italian hill-town. and some VIVA
sketche. in Rome. A pleasant and somewhat
piauant flavor is given to the tale by putting IL III
the mouth of the old Italian professor, decayed
gentleman under whose care the peasant ooy
destined to be the great singer Nino Cardegna mas
been brought up
One of the most obvious defects of the book is the
narrator. Professor Grandi Mr.. Crawfo has taken
some Mains and one or two of the other subordinate
personages are at least sketched boldly, but Nlno
and Hedwig are as absolutely colorless as the crea
tions of the industrious Nh Sylvanus Cobb we
do not exaggerate when we say that neither the
hero nor the heroine exhibits even the sllgh'eSV
mark of character any individual trait Whatever
Nno is madly in love; Hedwig is pale beauty out
what either of them is at heart what either OF
them would naturally do under trial. we suspoc'
that their author has not the least idea we Ioiio"
their adventures with some interest, because 'Ae
adventures are well described but we can have no
sympathetic concern for pair OF lay ugureS. we
hoped that some blood might be found in the ola
Colonel when the crisis of the story came but ne
too Is of wood. The Jew. BenOni, is indeed alive
and the scene i'm which we are introduced to him
has much of the vigorous imaginative quahy
which distinguished Mr.. CrawfOrds first book: but
his connection with the story Is awkwaTdly man.
aged and no adequate explanation is gwen oil 'ne
Colonels infatuaton In favOring his pretensiohs 10
Hedwg's hand while the discovery that this mys-
FERROUS and accomplished beng is only a Iunatlc
after all is absurd. The grossest artistic bemsh'
however is the anonymous Baroness, who promises
in the first part of the book to make distressing
complications in the affairs of the young lovers ana
after one sensational encounter is suddenly dis
g ,Nal will OY
given an excuse for her existence Mr. Crawford
il seems has not yet learned that woman under
the influence of awless animal passions is generally
n disgusting object His Baroness is hdeous; but
even if she were not such bad company her presence
in this story where she only Tetards the narrative
without Influencing its course, would De grave
fault of construction. We suspect that MI Craw-
ford meant to use her in making plot but bndlng
her too much for him, and deciding to dispense
with plot altogether, he killed her early to get her
out of the way.
"A Roman Singer" leaves MS more doubtful than
ever about Mr. Crawlords place in literature. Con-
sidered merely piece of writing 1t seems 10 DC
moro careful than his earlier works and yet in
those essential parts of a good noyel-Story, char-
acter and springs of acton--it is surprisingly
weak. Perhaps it is not really serious effort and
the gain in polish and cOmposuTe of style is not the
fruit of care but only the result of practice.
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE SALON New
York: J. W. BOutOn.
This wel.established publication contains IN adj
Aition to the list of 1888 pictures and examples OF
sculpture and a plan of the galleries, nearly 3OO
reproductIons of paintings and statuary in the ex-
hibition after designs by the artists themselves No
one expects these illustrations 10 be much more
than memoranda of composition but as such they
will be found of interest especially by those VINO
are unable visit what after all, Is the great art
exhibition of the year We find The Prayer" by
Mr.. Charles Sprague Pierce, and "Who loves me
follows me- by Ar. Henry Bacon, among reproduc-
tons of paintings by such old acquaintance as
Clans, Bouguereau Lefebre, Hagborg, Smith
Hald. Beraud Mesdag, Henner, Duez, Artz,
Neuhuys and Jules Dupr6. Some Of the peculiar
features of Salon exhibitions amply set forth in
these illustrations, which, at least furnish clear
idea of the class of subjects preferred by French
artists. The enterprise which places the Catalogue
Illasr@ before while the Salon Is fresh subject
of interest is worthy Of acknowledgment. Among
the thousands of names in the catalogue Of the
Salon are the following Of American artists: Henry
Mosler, Alexander Harrison, w. Delaney, X. Mills,
H. r. Poor Thomas w. Shields, Whistler, |.
Stewart, /. Iempleman Coolidge, Miss >. Dods0n,
Miss E. Gardner, Miss +. Strong, of San Francisco,
G. r.. Donahue f. NJ. Boggs, G. w. Chambers,
Charles Davis f. S. Dillenbaugh, w. Dannat, Her
man Herkomer Ia cousin of the English artist,
Hubert herkomer, Walter Gay, Charles Rheinhart.
F. Penfold, J. 5. Sargent, Edward Simmons. G. 7.
Grayson and Eugene Vail
QUOTATIONS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BY, CRAw-
FORD HOWELL TOY, Professor IN Harvard Univer-
sty. New-YOrk Charles Scribner's Sons.
Discerning students of the Bible have clearly
perceived that in order to formulate inteligently
doctrine respecting its inspiration and authority 1t
is necessary TO undertake a process of induction.
Ii requisite to ascertain what the Bible really is
by the application of recognized historical and
critical tests. The high priori road is easy one
10 travel 1t is still preferred by those ensaved to