The Portland daily press., 1891-12-19
CONCERNING BOOKS.
BY E. cAvAzzA.

"auSiou' Dy tNo Ducn0SS6 u6 DQrdS. ne
Noailles Translated by Mrs. M. Carev
A strange discord among the harmonies O
the Christmas time appears this record O
The terrible days of 1913, Madame de Du
ras, writing for her own family ant
friends, had no desire for effect be
yond that, indispensable, of tn,
simple facts. without phrases or de
nunclatlons. On August %, 1893, she
with her parents, was arrested al
their chateau of Mouchy le-Chatel, in the
Department of the Disc. Early in October
IT the same year she was taken to the pris.
On of Beauvais. OF the sleepless first night
here, she tOuchingly wrote, "Idid moi
nave the grief of awakening, so terrible to
the unhappy" A fortnight later she was
removed to the prison at Chantilly, OF
which the commissioner was certain Citi-
I'm Perdrix. grotesque figure and gro.
esquely attired, whose former profession
had been to paint the dogs of the Prince de
Condo. She was liberated in October,
1884 The distresses and tragedies of the
French Revolution are too we'll known to
require recital here; 1t is enough to note
the beautiful aud sincere narrative of Mad
anne de Duras. Certain observations Of
the psychology of prison life are impress
slve. Il cannot explain" she writes, ''the
barbarous curiosity which melted us to go
to the windows to see these itinerant
hearses come and go. remarked one day
to some OF my companions that under the
old regime we should have gone long
way to avoid meeting criminal who was
going to be hanged, and now we gazed
upon every innocent victim. l think we
grew somewhat hardened from constant
contact with those who were So"
Touching humility of the poor soul that
mistook for callousness the intimate SYM
pathy made up of pity, of the numbness of
extreme suffering, and of the presentiment.
even conviction. of similar fate! She
understands herself better when she writes
that the kindnesses which the prisoners
were called upon to exercise toward each
other comforted not less the giver. dis
tracing the mind from its own grief. In
such words as these, the apparent disso-
nance, Earring against the Christmas chimes
Is resolved into perfect chord. For amid
the Reign of Terror, remained charity.
resignation and faith; no holiday virtues
lightly exercised-but the Christian spirit
That remembered the lesson of Calvary.
New York: Dodd, Mead & Co.; Portland:
Loring. Short & Harmon. Price $125)
From the Easy Chair. By George Will
liam Curtis. This tasteful little volume.
convenient ito hold in one hand and read
py the flre." contains twenty-seven brief
essays In Mr.. Cnrtis's genial and graceful
manner. They represent variety of SUBJ
lects-pieces of able reporting of the per.
sonalities and impressions of an occasion.
are the papers upon Edward Everett In 1862.
Emerson. Thalberg and Other Pianists-in
which Mr.. Curtis writes in serious and |
iirect vein. Especially charming are his |
ememofances OF the poet Browning in
florence. The sarcasm is light of hand
no very apt which he applies to the occu.
ants. more talkative than appreciative.
1 certain costly s'uLmusical boxes" at the
pera. AS an example of the sweet semi
yric prose, falling in linked drops like
loney, may be cited the beautiful tribute
a modern Cecilia Playing. (New York:
harper q Brothers; Portland: Loring.
hort & Harmony
House and Hearth. By Harriet Prescott
pofford. Mrs. p,fford, in these femi.
Inc and thoughtful essays, says many
niDgs which may be read with advantage
y mouse mothers. Hers is the agreeable
'isdom, not sophisticated or especially
1btle.of refined and bright gentIewoman
New England. She thinks individually.
ut never audaciously; and her conclusions
70 generally Of that kindly and optimistic
'rt which are rightly popular with the
aders OF feminine and home periodi-
lis. Again her convictions are genuinely
,werful. as in her well synthesizsd view
the evolution of monogamtc marriage
ID In the impassioned goud sense of her
Inclusion: that 1t is ''the only shield be-
Veen women and horror of great dark
'ss." Excellent In courage and practical
dgment is her theory of heredity, which.
It denying the frightful mortmain (as she .
lis III of the fathers, urges that I'VE all
we an ally in our own identity. which :
I'll used Is able to conquer the ancestry
at cared nothing for us" She makes some
ntie suggestions to the American mother
nose horror OF arranging marriages for 7
cir daughters leads them to a super
tlous reverence for the childish choice
lde by propinquity, pique, caprice, as an
acle of very love. Mrs Spofford's die
J, as usual is often brilliant and ornate
well as always refined. (New York:
id Mead & Co.; Portland; Loring.
ort &Harmon. Price 5000 G,
q Biscayne Bay. By Caroline Wash A
% lockwood. illustrated with Photo
phic Sketches by Thomas A. Hine. :
Is attractive and richly decorated vol
for the holidays will es secially COM
I'd itself as souvenir for those who
Q had the fortune to visit the coral
st OF South Florida. Mrs. lockwood
followed the pleasant example of Mr.. m
liam Black, in developing an itinerary =
novel, and Illuminating with ro-
nee the places actually seen In journeys.
resemblance by the way, goes farther =.
the main design; "Queenie" as the "
INT young matron of the party is named
erhaps open to criticism as an imitator
DR.. Blacks Queen Titania-while on
other side, it snail be gratefully az.