New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-18

situations are skfully managed, the charm OF the
book lies mainly in the STYLE and the descriptions
of nature Mr.. Stevenson can when he pleases
write with charming grace. brightness ana ieiolty.
There is at once fastdons choice OF language ana
n fluent Of xpression IN his best work which
reveals mastery. and never has he reached so hlgh
n pitch of excellence in these regards az In this
book. To read such composition is to taste sense
of literary luxury the style is so dainty, rich.
flexible. delicate and pure. When MIR. Stevenson Is
among the woods and streams nature inspires him.
The description Of the Princess's night experience
in the dep,hs of the forest deserves to rank with tie
best things of its kind in modern English fiction.
and th. picture of the dawn reminds one of Charles
Reade's splendid description of daybreak In
Australia Here is part OF the sketch referred to
A, last she began to he aware of n wonderful
revolution compared to which the fire or Mitt-
walden Palace but the crack and hasn OF
percusson cap. The cOuntenance with when the
pines regarded her begun insensihiy to change the
grass. too short as il and the whole winding
staircase of the brooks course, began 70 wear
solemn freshness Of appearance. Ana thls SLOW
TRANSPORTATION reached her heart, and played up0n
il. and transported it with serious thrill She
looked all about; tie whole face OF nature looked
back brimful of meaning, finger on lip leaking its
glad secret. She looked up. Heaven was almost
emptied of stars. Such as still fingered shown
with changed and waning brightness, ana pegan
to faint in their stations. And tho color OF the
sky itself was the most w0ndartul or the rlcn que
of the night had pow melted and s0itened ana
brightened and there had succeeded IN ,ts place .
as the herald of mo ming "O| she cred' Joy
catching at her voice. go! it Is the dawn"
In n breath 8 @ passed over the brook, and topped
nm her skirts and fairly ran in the dim alleys. As
she ran, her ears were aware OF many pipings more
beautiful than mnsic in the small disn SNAPPED
houses in the fork of giant arms, where they Dad
lain all night. lover by lover warmly pressed, the
bripht-eyed biQ-hearted singers began to awake
for the day. Her heart melted and flowed iorth 10
l. ind, And hoy
high perches in the cierestOries of the wood
cathedral peered down sidelong at the ragged
Princess she lifted below them Oh the Carpet Vi
the mess and tasSel. .,,. ,
soon she had struggled to a certain hilltop, ana
saw far before her the silent hoodng or the Gay.
Ont of the East it weed and whitehead the dark
ness trembcd into light and the stars were extn-
puished Ike the street-lamps OF human CITY.
The whiness Frightened INTO slvsr the SILVER ond
living fire: and the face OF the East was barred
with elemental scarlet. The day drew its first long
the woods sighed and shvered And then at one
bound the sun had foated up and her startled
eyes received days first arrow, ana 1uailed under
the brfet. On every side. the shadows leaped from
their ambush and fell prone. The day was come.
plain ana garlsh and MP the steep an solitary
eastern heaven the sum- victorious over MS c)m-
petitors, continued slowly and royalty to mount.
The concluding chapter Babes in the Wood
where Otto and Serapbina meet and are reconcied,
Is fuil of exquisite touches of the kind. The
breeze moves the trees the sunlight nickers among
the prodigal shades of green, the streams murmur
and sparkle the little cascades tinkle gayly, the
song of the birds heghtens and chastens the
sensuous beauty of the scene, and the lovers at
last comprehendmg one another, and made happy
by purifying misfortune sit there i'll the very lap
of nature. two fitting habitants of Arcadia In TINS
harsh workaday world the production OF such
pletty tender, fresh and graceful pictures is
bcnefac ton, and the author deserves orr sncerest
thanks and praises 1t does us ali good to get away
from commonplaces into such realms as this prln-
cipality of the Greenwood and to roam with poor
Princess Scraphina in the midnight wastes, or sit
under the sofened sunlight by the forest pools
where she renews her troih with her discrowned
princeliug There is not wanting in the story
plenty of shrewd worldly wit and the character
drawing is often fine and salful. bltterer sketch
of a petty court was never written than Sir John
Crabtree's account of Grinewald But Che reader.
while admirng and approaching al this Will
return to the descriptions OF nature again anu
again with sense of satisfaction and rerose con-
shutting the highest tribute to the authors work.
Mrs Dahlgrens new story is CONCEIVED in
highly romantic spirit and told in somewhat too
romantic Language. cheerful and chatty Old
gentleman connected with the diplomatic service
casually remarks one day to the hero: YOn find
me reaching into the autumnal shadows solitary
man, because it has ever been necessity of my
nature to remain Absolutely alone from time to
time. There periods, oft recurring. and occa-
sionally lasting for DAYS at a time, when feel
compelled to seek communion with myself and
retire from the pleasure of the material cares that
surround me 10 the contemplation of those subjects
that can only be considered from within the fort
ress of ones own inner consciousness. 1t may be
dual self that demands audience; but from what
ever source the eXactlOn comes, 1t Is peremptory"
My astonshmept" says Ernest, " as heard these
words was extreme; and indeed we do not blame
him for being knocked over for chatty old
diplomat must be very mellow indeed to talk in
such strain over his cigar The whole book is
vrtten in this superine dialect which, to the best
of our belief IS not and has been used by any
class of human beings. Ny Herbert" signs II fond
m other who thinks that her son is working too
uard ut college, " be not over-ambitious, beseech
thee" "Mother mine," answers the young gentle
han. las to ambition. it Is Unborn. would fain
snatch tie stars. compel nature to yield me her
most treasured secrets. find symbols and their full
meaning in the open map of the universe, and then
r,se to the infinite which alone can satisfy At
this remark Ernest seemed to feel =" the presage OF
some near coming VICE." The conscientious critic,
who must read good deal OF this sort OIL thing,
feels that the woe has come already The story Is
of the search of young American for his unknown
ancestors in France. He discovers that he is the
only lost heir to the title of Marquis of Saint
SorlIn, with a chateau aud other appurtenances;
and after getting much satisfaction out OF the
discovery he returns to bis native country and
proves himself true American. in the last line OF
the book by becoming journalist. This was
probably the most aggressively American pro-
fesson that Mrs. Dahlgren could think Of The
incidents are unnatural, and the sentiment Is
greatly over-strained.
"1he Prelate" is, for q first book. an unusually
successful one. Most Of Its characters are natural
and weldeiined to q degree unexpected at the
hands of young author They are allowed to ex-
plain themselves in the development OF the story
and in the current of the dialogue; they
are not introduced and explicated by pages OF
a.,i "a talk in a human