The Portland daily press., 1890-08-22
CONCERNING BOOKS.
BY E. CAvAZZA.

Armorel of Lyonese. By Walter Besant
This time Mr.. Besant, leaving his East Lon
don and bis truly charitable work as an anne
liorator of frightful facts by means of de-
lightful fiction-takes his pleasure in the
isle OF Scilly, where the sun smites not, nor
is winter ever sharp of tooth, where soft
sea-mists and salt sea-savors temper the
weather. and Time himself fingers to epiov
the lovely Land Of Lyonese Here, among
many olden legends and memories, in the
sole household of the island, lives Armorel,
and finds (as Mr.. Besant declares all
maids musD man cast upon her shores
by some Sea-whether the actual Driny
element. or the Sea Of Society, Accident,
kavel or Adventure. Naturally, Ar
morel Is sort Of Princess Of Thule
Mr.. Blacks beautiful heroine remains
the type of the modern Miranda. But
Mr.. Besant has done what he could to diff
erentate his Arnorel. She is of the south
instead Of the north of the British isles, and
has moreover Spanish descent to deepen her
tints and fire her character. The young ar
tist. full of theories and love, is not lacking
ON the island; but the author manages to
twist him suddenly aside from too close
parallel with the lover of Sheila Mackenzie
An original type, than which there is moth
ing stronger in the book. is the ancient dame
Ursula Roserean, fallen into the drowsiness
of extreme weight of years, aroused only by
the tunes of Armorel's violin is recount
every evening the old story of wreck and
ill-gotten gains. This first part of the novel
is exceedingly picturesque, and one can
hardly complain If the succeeding chapters
in which Armorel appears in London society,
are less interesting Mr.. Besant has, also
certain mannerisms which-to speak frankly
ARE sometimes trifle tiresome. Again
and more often-one is content to let Mr..
Besant express his wit in. his own way.
Among the personages of the London cpl
s0de of the story, a clever figure is that Of
the all-accomplished Alec Fielding, editor,
poet, romancist, painter, dramatist-w
entire reputation is upheld by "a passive
caryatid row Of talented people who do his
work for him, uncredited and underpaid.
The dramatic effort Of Armorel to bring him
to shame, Its partial success and his subse-
quent rehabilitation by means of new and
more clever frauds. form an effective episode
of the story. Amorel's romance ends hap
PLY. to tune of the waves of her island amid
its purple seas New York: Harper g.
Brothers; Portland: Loring, Short & Har-
mon. Price $1.25
Brushes and Chisels By Teodoro Serrao
This romance is charming because of its init
mate local color of Roman artist society. 1t
is OF the group Of International fiction, but
without prejudice or bitterness. The tragic
story OF Angelica and Cormorto is brightly
relieved by the happier narrative of the
courtship Of the good Origlio and his piouant
little American love. Signor Serrao writes
in sympathetic and unaffected style. in
good English which has also the charm of
remaining Italian in its idioms and feeling
The publishers have had the graceful
thought to bind the daintily printed volume
in the Italian tri-color, the red, white and
green. Boston: Lee & Shepard; Portland:
Loring, Short & Harmon. Price $1,000
Miss Brooks. By Eliza 0rne White. Miss
Whites first venture in fiction was humor
GUS short story of the embarrassments Of
certain members of Browning Club,
which greatly pleased the readers OF the At
lantic Monthly. Her second and more ex-
tended work proves her aptitude and skill In
narration and construction Of stories. Her