New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-31
FRAU BUCHHOLZS LETTERS.
A CEIERRATED BOOK.


THE RrcUUOtZ FAMILY. Sketches Of Berlin Lilo.
nv LINUS srISDE Translated from thr rorty m,n."
ed ton OF the German original, by h. DORA oO""'"
12m, PIP 282. Cnare, Sorbnrrs SOILS .
When this book appeared, two years ago ~ ~
once delighted the German reading public, ana 10
or,at has been its popularity that dfty editiohs
have already been published 1t Is pecni'ar u,
form. It is not a novel. nor is 1t coiect'oh "i
detached sketches. though each sketch may Do TO
carried as separate study. certain FRAU o"o"
holz is supposed to write letters TO ne"sp"po''
giving accounts of what happens IN her own ial,''y
and amonq her friends and acquaiutances ino'
the same characters igurs oil tbrough tno "o"n'
but there is nothing like plot 10 is a thoroughly
artistic essay at the portrsiture OF everyday LILO
in the great German middle-class and its remark
able success with its own pnbc proves the latin
funess Of the author to nature Equally rem"Voo
in tone from fppancy and ddactIcism' tne
sketches are Mt firm and light-handed' anu
every stroke tells. Frau Buchhoz Is OF c"ui''
a type but more clearly iudivduslzeh charscIe'
will not be found in fiction. She is not bv any
means q lovabe person. being fnssy match.
maker and meddler, much givcn to speak evil OF
her neighbors. and like all her class furiousy
indignant VIXEN any pays her back in her own
o,n Perhaps the clevere.t work of DIR. Stlnde Is
tina humorous effect produced by this woman's
naive narrative of her own numerous Delinquent
cies a. contracted with her tot al Inability 10 see
that she ever does anything TO be ashamed OF.
Such q character is so easv to carcature that
much art is required to avoid exaggeratioh III 'no
drawing of it. DR.. Stinde has this art, however
and he does not make tho mistake Of representing
his Bnchholz "a without redeeming traits. She 10
opinionatsd. arrogant narrow, stubborn. selnsn
and vulgar: she torments her husband and
children quarrels with and insults her trlenus'
Intermediates where she has no business. ana oiteu
makes herself realfully disagreeable but she
really loves her family. and half her bunders ana
meannes.es are the result of her desperate efforts
to get ahead" socially ana to lind suitable nus
bands for her girls BETH and Emmi. The
traditional mother-in-law is drawn to the life Id
her. She gins to PLAY the dragon long before her
daughrer Emmi is married TO DR.. Wrenzchen, and
in her motherly eagorness secure her darllngs
happiness she nearly frightens the sutton away
The prime excellence of the book. however Is the
skill with which tho cass-feelng, tone and plane
of intelligence are adhered TO-
The idea OF woman describing life In letters is
familiar 10 fiction. Three celebrated applications
OF it will occur to every one. namely. u" Humphrey
Clinker" the Ramsbotham Letters and Hoods
aUp the Rhine" In all of these there is strong
element of burlesque ana while the two former are
almost as coarse as witty, Hoods performance,
though certainly never wanting in delicacy. IS
characterized by a roIlickiug drOery which pre-
vents 1t from being regarded study OF real life
Dr. Stinde has almost for the first time, succeeded
in producing n series of pictures of mddle-ciass
life ~ seen from the middle-cass point of view;
and the high merit Of his work is shown especially
in the absence OF exaggeratiOn, of butOonery and
of any tendency to over-cOOring. Nothing could
be more simple and qulet than the development OF
Fran BnchhoIzs character. She pours out her
thoughts with the glibness and comp acency OF ner
class She exhibits her prejudices. her super
sitions. her malice, envy hatred and uncharltaoe-
ness with the most complete unconsclousnesS Inc
exhibition ia never assisted by the author. lt Is
natural and life-like a. personal experience could
make it, In fact DR.. Stlnde has probably created
here one of those strong Characters when,
recognized by the public as typical anu real az once
take their places in permanent literature and ABIDE
there Indefinitely. What Frau Bnchhoz Is we
Isarn from her own lips and the art with which
she Il made to sit for herportrait without suspect
inc il is admirable But if the lady lets US into
many of her own secrets it mist be said that she
oman. the doors of her neighbours houses, and even
tbose of their sk ele on closets, with master-key
Her transformations of others are not less clear
and striking than those she gives OF aerseif FROM
the spoiled child Eduard Krause to the Doctor who
has a trick Of saying whenever any one Is aiing
that the complaint IS only external" she paints
all her people with delft and revealing touches. so
that we come to know them through and through
Though the BuchhOlz is gwen TO lll-natureu
remarks and eccentric actions, she mas oack-
,,roupd of kndnes, and good motherly feeling
and this is pretily brought out in the sketches OF
AnOusta WeigeIt and her young husband. She
married n very poor lai and she did not .oye him
Of tbe time having been egged on by her mother,
and ,istakjnQ friendliness for the deeper passion
1hsv bave TO live in a small fat with very meagre
heonoings. and as Augusta seemed before marriage
of somewhat uncertain temper, Frau Buchh0z
expects on going to soc the young coupe. 10 hnd
evidences of domestic trouble. She mas plenty Oh
proof of poverty but to her great surprise Augusta
has Undergone a remarkable change. All her
tanner has vanished She has made her bare little
apartment bright and pleasant with cleanliness
and good taste IN arrangement. The secret IS that
she has learned to love her husband. Another
pretty sketch is that of the first baby in this little
household. and here Dr. Stinde has somehow
contrived 40 to identify himself with his matronly
historian as to put in her mouth number OF those
fragrant and tender little feminine sentiments
bicb one is ant to think incapable of coinage save
in q roman,s heart and brain. Before the spectacle
ot tbe Young mother rapt IN ecstasy over her new
horn babe all the acidity of the elderly hdasfraa
disappears and she takes charge OF everything and
,vervbody and manages q really perplexing
situation to tho end with impetturbable good
temper and sweetness OF behavior.
The rivalries and quarrels between Frau Buch-
bolz and Frau BurQfeldt extremely amusing.
They exhibit tie incurable Pnlstnism of the class
very clearly and they are natural to marvel
DIR. Stinde has strnck the exact medium between
tho lower class. which quarrels noislly and brutaly,
and the upper class which conducts its hostilties
in a decorous If none the less malignant way.
These are the people who are capable of saying
very rude things to one another but who call snch
exchanges atelling the truth" and suffer no SELL
reproach therenpon.
The exnerieuces of the Buchholz Family will GER