New-York tribune., 1885-03-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


CHE poison TREE Tef GI Hnan By
Miriam s. Knight. l6mo PIP; kF's ,ibner a. Wei
T. Fisher Unwin, Ne"-fofH' 0'i''A
A preface from the pen of Mr.. Edwin Arhoiu III
forms us that the author OF TINS story is al
nlisbed Bengalee, ranking as one OF the mus. -
liant and popular of school OF wri'eis "no
giving to India new aod very interesting of
ular literature We do not
the Uindns as povel-readers; auu ~.
=. sav rotbino of their ancient poe.-
soy ,iu.. thew have the wel-nigh uni
varOal taste for fiction, and among the iaSniono
.,;oh prronea, intercourse has introduced aihohR
.ho,, ,be modsru novel seems to hold not uD
,,ortapt nlace The specimen here presehteu W
Mrs KNIGHT in n translation which Mr. Arpeu
vonches for as correct and intelligent ID ou.
osity of a high order The poison-tree 10 on 49,
regulated passion of the human ho'i" -
lesson of this tale of irrational love Is 'h"'
who fails TO curb his impulses is IN dahgei vi -
ina AWAY his own happiness and pIlhsnN
,,non tboss who are dearest to him. Perhaps
the lesson is little trlte' ouO !" ~
fpl The Hindu philosophy OF lue
a,so,,nt fron, our that we find some difficulty IN
.,nnotb;z;ny with the characters and the Ulals ol
Perk;m,s nersonares We fail to discover In MS
1york the "true genius" which Mr. Arnold sees
tbore but we are struck with his "vivacious Ia
yention dramatic force and purity OF aln WIN
the second of these three qualities even more 'h''
with the Others. Mr.. Arnold THINKS that ,ho hnoo.
,alnoh,o thing in the book is the faithful view IL
gives of tho gentleness and devotion Oh 'no
average Hindu wife" There Is something oeopy
affecting in the conduct OF SurJa huAni
under the most cruel test; and II
IL is true, as Mr.. Arnold says, that such
beroism of self-sacrifce is positively common III
the Fast there must be indeed wealth OF coneuga'
bann,ness in a society whose constitution seems
s;nular,y hostile TO that form of felicity. Inc re-
turn of Surja Mukm to her husbands mouse Is
strik,ngy beautiful scene. which touches au III
stinct universal in the heart OF manKihd' "oS'
readers will probably be attracted prlhcipaiiy ny
the pictures of contemporary domestic lho III pch
gal which are wonderfully fresh, vivid, anu ul'er-
sjfed. The ordinary household interiors OF the
wel-to-do classes still substantially untouched by
English customs, although the native mihd Is
becoming warped by English ideas-the daily pur-
spits of the women, the intercourse within tho
family the relations between native masters and
servants are shown more distinctly than we have
ever seen them before; and the exhibition has all
the novelty of disclosure. As an example OF the
authors manner, we quote from scene ID the
women's apartments Of the establishment OF pros
perous middle-class land-owner-apartments IN
babited not only by the membeIs of the family,
properly so called, but by large tribe OF female
relations:
The widow Kunda Nandini passed some time in
Nagendras house. One afternoon the wh0le mousse
hold of ladies were sitting together IN the older
d,vison of tho house, all occupied according to
their tastes in the slmple employment Oh vnLlee
women All ages we're there, IRON the youngest
eirl Ia the gray-haired woman. One was blndlng
enoiher's hair the other suffering It to he bound
one snhmittiug TO have her white hairs extracted
another extracting the by the aid of grain OF rice
one beauty sewing together shreds OF cioth into
quilt for her boy another snckIh8 hei chu on. one
heating her child, who now cried aloud, now
ouiety sobbed by turns. Here one Is sewing carpet
work another leaning over II III admlrlng exaIlna-
fion There one of artistic taste thinking OF some
ones marriage. is drawing design on the wooden
seats TO he used by the bridal PAIR One learned
lady il reading Dasu Rails poetry. An old woman Is
deighting the of her ieghbors W th complaints
of her son a humorous yOung one In voice half
bursting with laughter relates IN the ears OF her
companions whose husbands are absent some JOcose
story of her husbands, to bcguile the pain OF separ
alton. Some reproachIng the GTihtm mouse
mistress some the hOrtd masterl some the ncghbora
some recting their own praises She who may
have recel Sed gentle scolding IN the morning
from Sur;a Mukhi on account of her stupidity, 10
bringing forward many examples OF her remarka-
HE acuteness of understanding. Sne IN whose
cooking tho fayoTs can never be depenleu upon Is
diIatn9 at great length upon her proficiency IN the
art She whose husband rs prOVerOial III inc village
for his ignorance, il astounding her companions by
ber praises OF his superhunan learning. ohe whose
children are dark and repuslvelooklng, is plumlng
herself on having given birth to jewels OF beauty
Suria Mukhi was not Of the company. che was
little proud and did not SIT much WIN These peo-
nIe: II size came among them her presence was
restraint upon the enjoyment OF the rest All reared
her somewhat and reserved toward her
Kunda Nandini associated with them; sue was
amono them now teaching little boy his letters at
his mothers request. During the lesson the pupils
ewes we're fixed upon the sweetIneat III another
childs hand, consequently his progress was , not
great At this moment there appeared amongthen
a BOisp1Ii lleInaie mcndlCant). cXclalmlng " Jdt
Eadkika 2" Victory to Radhika, Iwlie OF krlshnaI
constant stream OF guests was served III Nagei-
dra's TRdkur bari, and every sunday Quantities OF
rice were distributed in the same place. but neither
Boisnapis nor Others allowed To come TO the
womens apartments to beg; accordingly, on hear
inc the cry Jdi Hddkd I" in these forbidden pre-
cinets, of the inmates exclaimed p" what,
wOmani do you venture TO mtrude here go 10 the
Ihdkar bari" But oven as she spoke turning 10
1ook at the BOisRdC she could not nlSh her speech,
Int said instead "Oh ma, what BoisHGr are you ~
Looking mp, all with astOnishment that the
Boisadpi was young and OF exceeding beauty; III
eepti9g Kunda Nandini, SO beautiful as she. He!
trembling lus .wellformed nose, large lotus-eyes,
pencilled broYs, smooth well-shaped forehead,
arms like the lotus-stalk and complexion Ike the
obamgak flower. were rare among women But had
there been present any critic OF oveness he would
have said that there want OF sweetness IN her
beauty, while in her walk aad III her movements
there was masculine character
The sandal mark lthe caste mark made with san
dai- wo od powder) on the BotsRapis nose was long
and fine. her hair was braided, she wore sar with
a colored border and carried "A small tambOuTiDe in
her hand. She wore brass bracelets, and over them
Others made of black glass.
One of the elder women addressed her saying,
1Who arc you r . - -
The Boisaaui replied. g My name is Earidasi. .Win
the ladies like a sOnO !"
The cry q Yes yes sing II sounded on all sides
from old and young. Raising her tanD3nTlne the
Bosaai seated herself near the ladies' where Kunda
was teaching the little boy. kunda was very fond
of music: on hearing that the BOisndpi would sing
she came nearer. Her pupil seized the opportunity
.s.l.s 10 a4sana M fhpRn chi "a