Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-07-02
BOOKS AND AUTHORS.

W
by George Ebers; translated from the
German nv Clara Bell, in two volumes.
W. $. Gottsbcrgcr & Co., publishers, II
Murray street, New York. Coming down
from Egypt and very ancient days, Ebcrs
has already won much renown by ro-
mances founded on interesting periods Of
German history. In Margcry he gives us
u strong picture OF life IN Nuremberg in
the first half of the fifteentb century.
Margcry tells the tale in her own words.
In what IL supposed to be the language
used al that time. How, left at an early
age an orphan, she and her two brothers
are taken care of by a cousin. OF Kuny, the
youngest, we hear but little, while the
sad story of Margery's love is only am un-
dercurrent through the book. II is with
Herdegen, the head of the famous house Of
Schopper, and Ann, poor scrivener's
daughter who has been Margcry's friend
from childhood, that we are chiefly
interested. one ofthe strongest points of
the book is Margery's devotion to Ann,
from the time she gave her sweet tmcats at
school all through her many trials until
she becomes her brothers wife. Tho char
acters of Ann and Ursula are admirably
contrasted. Ann, who bears with patience
finds that Hcrdcgen does not return her
love, tries every means In her power TO
harm him. Hcrdcrgen has a bold and fiery
temperament and thew eakness and strength
of his character are well brought ont. In
the second volume IN an account Of the visit
of the Emperor Sigismund's and the En-
press Barbara's to Nuremberg, then
at the height of its glory as n centre of art
4. AZ
nics, duels, adventures with the gypsies
and highway robbers are told In Ebers'
vivid and interesting way. The author has
achieved remarkable success in depicting
the quaint and picturesque manners and
people ofthe days of which he writes. Mar
gerry IL not as powerful nor is 1t as full of
dramatic effects as some of his former
novels.
A correspondent of the Boston UcrdH
thus describes Ebers nj work: The sickness
and suffering which for years have chained
him 10 the couch have never been allowed
to como between him and his untiring pen
aud while by an almost superhuman effort
of will he banishcs physical pain, his mind
creates the most varied, sweet and mirabile
dictu even humorous images, which are
welcomed In German lands as they deserve.
Having spent a great part of his liio in
Egypt, his fancy naturally reverted To that
sunny land while he WIS a prisoner to the
inclenent winter mt Leipzig. II was there
he wrote his novels with the scene OF action
In the land of the Pharoahs, but since he
has given up Leipzig and spends his
winters in the sunny south of Switzerland
aud Germany, his mind has found resting
place AT home.
Hero il vivid passage from Margery"
descriptive of n mediaeval homo.
The walls of this fine chamber were hung
with Flanders tapestry, and | can to this
day sec the pictures which were 10 skill
fully woven into it. That | loved best.
from the time when | was but a small
thing, was the birth of the Saviour, wherein
might he seen the mother and child, oxen
and asses, the three holy kings from the
East--ihe goodliost of them all blacka-
moor with great yellow beard flowing
down over his robes ON the other hang
ings tournament might be seen; and
mind me, to this day how that, when
was u young cliild, would gaze MP nj the
herald who was blowing tho trumpet in
fear lest his checks should burst, inasmuch
as they We're 80 greatly pulled out and he
never ceased blowing SO hard. Between
| the top of these hangngs and the ceiling
WAS n light wood cornicc of oak timber, on
which my father, God rest him, had caused
| various posics To be carved of his own de-
| Nising. Nay, and il it
| had all been far less costly and good To look
at there was, as IL were, a breath of home
which must have gladdoned any mans
heart inasInuch as all these goodly things
| were not of yesterday nor of to-day, but
had long been u joy to many an one dear to
| us; ST. that our welfare in that dwelling was
but the continuing OF the good living which
| our parents and grandparents had known
| before us.
| FAR AWAY ANp Lose AGO, 10y Mrs +.
| A kcmbic, author of Records of IA Girl
| hood" Records of Later Life" Henry
| Holt n Co, publishers, New York.
| We cannot say we tind "Far Away and
Long Ago" by Frances A. kcmblc, n
! pleasant book in fact II IL an unpleasant
one. We think we are reading simply a
| good description OF lite in the early days OF
| Massachusetts, when the people were
hedgcd in by scctarianism and supersti-
ton; when suddenly we are confronted hy
! n tragedy. Tho story is full of incOnsis
tcnces. But each character ~ admirably
drawn and some of the descriptions very
vivid, That of the approach of II thunder
storm and of n storm Just as intense tha
RACES ut the same time in the heart of Mary
the heroine, who is very susceptible /,
electrical forces, il very fine. Although
we found the story unpleasant we lay
down the book cnvious of the genius of tn,
| pen " hiCh could write IL and the "Recordl
OF a Later Life" and that exquisite poem
"Ahscnce."
Mrs. kemhlo has been purely unSeihsl
woman, In her varied experiences sh,
has always risen above self and with hel
| pen allowed the world to enjoy her genius
| Here Is portrait of Lady Jano Grey
| from letter preserved in the archives o
Genoa. 1t Is published in the Art JOHIHui
"Donna jana Groi" was short and thin
hut prettily shaped and graceful, witt
small features, straight nose and red lips
her hair being auburn and her eyebrow
dark, while her eyes were light hazel. Tn,
| writer of the letter states that Jan,
walked under IA canopy and her husband
GNilio. walked by her, dressed all in whit,
and gold, a very tall, strong boy, who paiC
| her much attention" She was dressed il
! green velvet, stamped with gold.
go
ANToINErTE; OR, THE MARL PIT Mys
| Terry. From the French of Georges Ohnct
J. Il, Lippincott Co. This is very wei
written tale and far more healthy readi n,
than much fiction OF the day that il
"Fronchy" without being French. Car