New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-13
NOVELS AND SKETCHES.
THREE BOOKS OF THE DAY.

THREE BOOKS OF THE DAY.
KING ARTHUR Not a Love Story. by the Author OF
"Johu Halifax. Gentlcman.' LIMO pp 80.
Harper & Brothers.
THE DESTRUCTION o, GOTHAM. by JOAQUIN
MILLER. 12mo. PIP oh Funk Wagnslls.
OLD SALEM By ELEANOR PUTNAM T. lifted by AGLO
BATES. l6mo. PIP 100 Houghton, Miiin & Co.
We are little surprised ut the complaint Of Mrs.
Crdik i'll her preface to " King Arthur" that
" the world, vo!uble enough on the duties of chill
dren to parents. is strangely silent on the far more
momentous one of parents to children" 1t had not
occurred TO us that there any lack of literature
on the topic which she mentions. But however
that may be, the world Will thank her for touch
ing and beautiful tale. in which the lesson Is not
oDruded but very delicately conveyed. There is
plot enough to keep ones interest alert; there are
strikings contrasts of character and charming
pictures of honest, simple and gentle lives; ard
two or three of the situations ale ingenious and
dramatic.
One Is not quite sure whether Joaquin Miller
nowadays is in earnest. He has done literary
work of various kinds so long that he must be
aware Of the absurd badness of his last performance.
which Is neither a story, a satire, picture
OF life nora "prose poem," nor anything else 10
which a sane and seif-respecting writer ought to be
willing to put his name. 1t sometimes awakenS a
far-away echo of Les NisGlabes, as if Bowcry
Victor Hugo were breaking up halfprice rhapsO-
dies into four-line paragraphs. 1t has a familiar
theme the suiferlng5 of tho poor and the crimes
Of the rich. describing both with a mOnOtonous
theatrical vchemeDce which is generally grOteSque
and always Ineffective because overstralned. 1t
presents some gross carrcature portraits behind
which the author makes attacks upon personal
character and habits which he would hardly vent
ure IN the open. This 4 sort of license to which
several OF novelists have shown themselves i'll
clined and it seems that truth Is
Justification Of SO cowardly aud dangerous
practice. Mr. Miers book has no plot, but 1t ends
in general coGhagratiOn Of the city as the out
come OF u great strike. The catastrophe is profess
sonally oh erved and reported by poor but able
and heroic journalist who stands to his duty even
after his Office has taken fire and the melted type is
running into Franklin Square at the last moment.
saving the manuscript which there Is no ono either
to print To read, no escapes over the housetOps
VITA a little child This scene, the climax of the
extravaganza. is travesty Of Hugo at his widest.
The papers on " Old Salem" contributed to Tie
Alaniic Monthly by the late Mrs Arlo Bates. under
tho name Of EieaLor Putpsm.' attracted good
deal OF attention. They showed fine power OF
observation a delicate relish for quaint and
honely things, pOeticai feeling and gentle, I'M
forced humor. Descriptions OF decayod New
spectrcs of dead gentlity. are common enough and
even Mrs Bates's manner was not altogether new.
Nevertheless there was a fresh touch in these
charming articles and we looked for the addition OF
another bright namo to tho list of New England
essayists. The fragment of sketch entitled, "My
Cousin the Captain" broken oil by the authors
death, indicates that her powers were still enlarg
ing Tie design appears to be much holder than
that of the magazine papers. the art more sure and
careful. the cooring richer aud more various 1t is
plain that she had discovered unsupported POSSIBLE
tiles in her subject, and gone upon her fascinating
search with always increasing zeSt; and If she had
lived we have little doubt that her picture of the
mouldy little seaport wodld have taken a per-
mauent place in our literature OF the three
atlantic papers here reprinted, Old Salem Shops
A Salem Dame-School" and Salem Cupboards"
it is hard to say which is the best They are much
alike IN Tone and in the nature of tho persons and
things described The same type of faded gentle
woman and superannuate,l mariner the same relics
of the great days of the East India trade fragrant
shawls, marves of ivory work, high shou dered
blue jars, ginger and rock candy and strange
shaped beads, repeatedly exhibited; but We
welcome them again AMI again. Just as the children
OF Eleanor Putnams time were always deli GIFTED ut
the reopening of the cupboards into whose
they had often already been allowed e. peer One
reason of the freshness of these sketches is that
they show us Old Salem through the wondering
eyes of child. 1t is not the critical magazine
writer who leads us through the deserted streets.
bat the little girl OF twenty years ago. TO whom
even then tho town ~ full of antique mysteries
Tho account of the Dame School" from the point
of view of tho pupil is of the prettest bits of
rominiscence We have lately seen. Mr. Bates has
added to The Anaafic papers number OF fragments
and memoranda and an intorestin. introduction.
With Kelly Gore OF tho Chicago Club In lett field
ths New York nins wopld DO hard " boat Oh, give