The record-union., 1891-05-14
new PUBLICATIONS.


The second volume of the memoirs of
the Prince de Talleyrand" is at hand.
George p. Putnam's Sons, New York,
81 50.) In our notice of the first volume
and in repeated editorials, we fully eX-
pressed our views concerning the value
of these memoirs. AS they appear 1t IS
difficult to understand why the Prince
should have put thirty years of restriction
upon them, and still stranger is it that
his literary executors should have added
twenty years more. For there is not that
political significance to them that rem
dered such Withholding essential. Prob
| ably Ialleyrand desired the softening in
fiuence of ample time to deal with his
memory. This, however, is not said in
any spirit of detraction from the pro-
found interest these volumes have to the
historical student, or the reader of the
politics of the Europe of the close of the
last and the beginning of this century.
The second volume opens with the mar
riage of the nephew of the Prince to the
Duchess of Courland, 1909, and closes with
the difficulty between the Gar Alexander
and Talleyrand QSl5). A large portion
of the volume is devoted to the Congress
of Vienna and includes copies of the cor
reSpondence between the Prince and King
Louis XVIII, the, prince at Vienna the
King at Paris. The opening sentences of
the sixth part, which is the first chapter
of the second volume, very clearly dis
closes the estimate of Napoleon by the
ried away by ambition and political
activity that he gave not a single thought
| to private life, and allowed no one within
his influence to grow fond of it. At that
time, of which Talleyrand wrote, 1SO9 he
declares that "home life, sweet and calm,
existed for but very few" in France be-
! cause Napoleon believed "that to serve
| npnnln ShOnl6 no
TaLleyrand's account Of the council in
| which Napoleon's choice of a second wife
was determined upon, dwclls with much
| enthusiastic pride upon the part he played
| in urging an Austrian alliance, as against
the advice of Cam baceres, who favored
Grand Duchess of Russia, and Lebrun,
who advised a union with daughter of
the Court of SaXony. The same vivacious
| spirit, elegance of dictiOn and vigor of eX-
preston that characterized the earlier
| chapters distinguish those Of the second
volume. One is not only surprised, but
his admiration is kindled to flame for
| the wonderful memory of the diplomat
and his marvellous skill in dealing with
details without wearying the reader. His
| text Is model of conciseneSs and de-
| llghtful example Of purity Of expression.
| There is nothing involved, foggy or con-
fusing IN 1t, in any instance.
| The Engineering Magazine" for Nav
is the second number of a new magazine
| published by the Engineering MAGAZINE
Company" World Building, New York.
1t is OF about l75 pages, model of typo
| graphic neatness, fully illustrated and
| more varied, vivaciOus and interesting to
| the general reader than we had supposed
1t likely such journal could be made.
1t is we'll edited and it takes up nearly all
| branches OF mechanic art and deals with
| current news Of discovery and science as
related to mechanics and engineering; it
addresses itself to wide and increasing
| cllentage. One OF the especially interest
! ing articles in the magazine for May, and
richly illustrated, is on 'Railway Build
ing in Hawaii" and another is on "An-
| cient and Modern Water wheels" with
very interesting illustrations.
| With the May number Romance"
begins its second volume. Already it has
won place for itself in the esteem of the
| story reading public. The sixty complete
| stories in the first volume of Romance"
| have all of them been interesting, some of
! them intensely exciting, and none of
them in any way offensive even by sug-
gestion. The New York Story Club, to
which credit is due, for these excellent
selections has done its work with pains
| taking thoroughneSs, and it has shown,
| too, a correct taste and keen apprecia-
ton of the needs Of the story reading
| world.
| darperS Weekly for May 9th has q
fine full-page portrait of Rev. Phillips
Brooks, ID. D., Bishop-elect of Massa-
chusetts. A supplement Of four pages,
| illustrated, is devoted to 1.-The Horse, from
Ranch to Market" There is full-page
view Of the Carnegie Music Hall, New
York, one OF the proposed agricultural
building for the Worlds Fair, another of
the Administration building, and another
of the Children's Public Play Ground,
| New York. There is much reading mat
ter of high character.
''FrankLeslie's Illustrated Newspaper,
for May 9th has fine portrait of Count
vonMoltke, views on the tour ofthe Presi-
dent, and scenes at the breaking of
ground for the Grant monument, New
York City. There are other attractive
pictures and much crisp and enjoyable
reading matter.
The Pacific Educational Journal for
May u. B. McChesney and A. L. Mann
editors, San Francisco is at hand. 1t is
up to the usual standard of excellence
and seems to be by no means affected by
the entry of novel into the field of
! specialism to which it is confined.
'The Home Maker New York. for
May is made by Jennie Jones charming
number. 1t is too varied in its contents
to justify catalogue of them here. The
| illustrations are many and handsome