The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-04

Mr.. Frederick Barnard, whose character
Sketches from Dickens" have done so much
to bring the living, breathing men, women
and children of that immortal novelist before
us. has turned his talented pencil in the
direction of another and no less Immortal
novelist His latest portfolio is devoted TO
the creations of Thackeray's genius, and is
also published by Cassell 81 Company, Linn
tied. Here we have the pathetic Little Sis
ter" from the Virginians, and her opposite,
the volatile, reckless, fascinating, "Becky
Sharp" Pendennis has furnished the artist
with some of his best material. There Is
portrait of the Major himself in all his glory,
and of "Capt. Costigan" berry and loqua-
cious, sitting among the lares and penates OF
his daughters profession. Then we have the
digniied and elegant Col. Newcomb, prayer
book in hand, just leaving the church door,
and the gentle Major Dobbin with the baby
on his knee. Mr.. Barnard has worked with
an appreciative spirit, and put more of the
novelist than of himself in these admirable
sketches. The photogravure process Is seen
at its best in these reproductions which
form portfolio that no lover of Thackeray
can afford to be without.
One of the chief features of the new Serb
ner's Magazine will be the much-talked-
about unpublished letters of William Make
peace Thackeray. Nothing more character
istic or of greater autobiographic value has
ever been printed, say the publishers. Fac
SMILES of unpublished drawings by Thack-
cray will accompany the letters. Another
important feature will be ex-Minister Z. b.
Washburpe's "Reminiscences of the Siege
and Commune of Paris" taken from his pa
pers, private diaries, and personal recollec-
tions. The first of the four papers will be
preliminary, giving an account of the down.
fall of the empire; the second will be de-
voted to the siege, and the two latter to the
commune. All will be illustrated. Still
another historical contribution will be
"GIimpses at the Diaries of Gouveneur Nor
ris," who was Minister to France at the close
of the last century. In fiction there will be
serial story by Harold Frederick, the Lon
don correspondent of the New York Times;
novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, besides
short story of his which is to appear very
soon, and several novelties.
"The Young Wrecker of the Florida Reef;
or, The Trials and Adventures of Fred Ran
son." by Richard Meade Bache, which has
Just been issued from the press of Messrs.
Lee & Shepard, Boston, is strikingly realistic
presentation of the experiences of boy who,
without any apparent or premedltated design
of his own found himself out at sea on his way
to the West Indies, and finally engagingin the
exciting vocation of wrecker on the reefs OF
Florida, at time when the Indians numer-
ously inhabited the inlands contiguous to the
coast of that land of flowers. The interest
ing narrative keeps close to the exact truth,
and will attract the eager attention of boys
who admire incidents that are drawn from
actual occurrences. The volume is one
which will be "devoured by the said boys.
For holiday gifts, especially for gifts from
Sunday school teachers to their pupils, Messrs.
Lee & Shepard have issued some OF their
illustrated hymns and poems, reduced to
size for the ''vest pocket" entitled Golden
Miniatures" with all the original illustrations
of these beautiful poems. Included in the
series are, "Curfew Must Not Ring To night"
crock of Ages" ''Home, Sweet Home"
"Abide with Me-" "Nearer, My God, to
Thee" and "My Faith Looks Up to Thee"
These little books, the publishers say, are
made to meet the popular demand for low
priced books, and are very tasteful. The
familiarity of the hymns is an element of
great strength in the enterprise.