New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-27
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

THE DyNAMIrER BY RoBERr LOUIS sLE.nNs To,f f 4
FANNY VAN De G"ifr erE'hs'o''
pe.dars NJ the Anew Arabian Nights VII,
.ogsrlv nrocuro volume which. under the general
title q More New Arabian Nights PROMISES
r.newol Of the amusement Mr.. Stcvensons nis'
assay IN that line afforded. Sooth 10 say INC nav,
of the New Arabian Nights has not peeh iihpa,'ou
To this second series, though 1t is pot 10 NC
concluded that the latter is failure OF iaohi"s
interest. In the original volume theio was
pecular ouaintness and originality Oh co"0ep"o-
md treatment which under any circuine'an ~
mnst have been very difficult to maintain, ana inc
introduction of another writer TO tne scheh0 IT,
itself unite enough to change the style in0
n,,nom;,arn however is a brilliant piece OF WORK,
and contains elements of grotesqueheSS qu''e ~
own The central idea is of the chief agent VI al
anarchist organization, who is forever engaeoo ~
urenarinp dynamite outrages but whose dyhain'
and clockwork are alike so defective that ho'n,"s
ever comes of the attempts, and the cohSpi"'0.
himself sadly describes his explosives as o'ine
q NOT wore dangerous than toffy." alt was entirely
barmlessp he sighed. "They describe IL as purhins
like tobacco" .,;
The Prince Florizal of the "New ARABIAN
Nights cxleA, dethroued. Impoverished appo",'
here as the proprietor OF topaceoniS' o"p
Js;ee.ter Souare He is the centre OF the thm po''
duction of a number of stories of adventure ai'ho
cxtravaaaut and well told. The embarrassheh'S
causea Inv the devious stratagems of the dynahters
are amusipcly worked out, but the most skiliui
creation il the character of the chief conspiraVol
who is known as Zero to his companions. ineio
is really much subtety in the conception VI 'n'e
fellow. who is represented as following " mus,
infamous business with q curious philosophical
innocence of enthusiasm. He cannot unueiS''"u
vbv ANYBODY should shrink in horror nom MN
because of his occupation. lie discusses the pioJ0u
sIougbter of old men, women and children with
ludicrous INCONSISTENCIES of inlquity. ihe a''eiP
of the author has evidently been 10 snow ho" 'iie
most discordant views and principles may and
often do lie peaceaby side by side IN tno e'ii'0
character. especally when there i'll that character
the moral deficiency which disables it from forming
intuitiye decisions on ethical points Beneath
the finn of the story there Is really skiful mental
anatomy in the drawing of this man. somerset
who ia meant as type of the young modern
Agnostic. believing IN nothing, yet more moral
than his creed through inherited restraints Is less
natural AS to the girl, she is utterly ana wholly
impossible out Of stage extravaganza anu noi
stories are somewhat too obviously dragged Ill 10
fill space since they would have had Just as much
relevancy in almost any other kind OF hction'
The fate of the dynamiter is perhaps more tragic
than the general tenor of the story renders con-
aruous though it does not SIGNIFY since none Vi 'no
dramatis persoRe are real or lifellke The style ID
lively and bright, the terms interesting I'LL" un
hackneyed and the situation edd enough 10 "no,u
amusement to the average weary reader Oh NOVELS.
AS volume of summer reading. " The Dynamtcr
10 entirelv seasonable and it also possesses enough
originality and piquapcy to claim longer remeih-
brance than the ordinary hot weather literature