The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-31
NEW BOOKS.
Brief Reviews or I.pesta.t s.a Hnterestise
New Publications..

Brief Reviews or I.pest..t s.a r.tersstise
New Publications.
James Anthony Froude has written supple
mcptary volume to his History Of England"
II Is forty years since hs wrote the opening
chapters Of this history. which are concerned
with tho character OF Henry VIII. He con-
tended in these chapters that the eighth
Henry was very far from being as black as he
had been painted. He submitted that there
were pretty good reasons why he should have
nut away Catherine OF Aragon. and why
Fisher and More and Anne Boleyn and Norris
and tho rest should have Ind their heads cut
of. Ho tells us in tho Introduction to the new
volume that his authority for tho opening
chapters Of tho History Of England" was the
Statute Book. Tho preambles Of the Acts Of
Parliament represented. as he believed. the
sincere opinion about Henry OF tho educated
laymon OF England who had good opportuni-
ties Of knowing tho truth. Now Mr.. Froude puts
forward new volume concerning the charnc.
ter OF Horny. because in the years which have
elapsed since his history was begun large ad-
ditions have been made to the historical
material bearing upon the period under con-
sidcrution Manuscripts in the English Record
O!llce have since been made accessible. and
searches have been conducted among private
collections In great English houses md among
tho dispatches in continental archives. But
tho new material has not altered Mr.. Froude's
opinion regarding Henry. It Is illuminating
and interesting. and In his view corroboratory.
and he makes use Of It He withdraws moth
Ing He continues to believe that the liberal
movements originating In the time Of Henry
could not have originated under Prince who
was merely vicious and stupid. Ho cites
Maoaulay In support OF the view that It ia i'm
possible to separate the King from his Minis
ters-to condemn Henry and to spare Crnumer:
and he ironically observes that, granting
that Henry WILL was, as Dickens said Of
him. "a spot OF blood and grease" on
the page Of English history. the coptempo-
rary generation Of Englishmen must have been
1T subjects Of such sovereign. For every
country. says Carlyle. gets rs good Govern
mcnt as It deserves. and tho England Of the
Cromwells and tho Cranmers. the Towards and
tho Fitzwilinms. the Wednesdays and the
FACETS. seems to have been made OF baser
materials than any land Of which mankind has
preserved o record. And yet, Mr.. Froude adds.
the legislation Of Henry VIII. his Privy Coun-
Gil. ard his parlaments Is the Magma Charta
Of 1.-THE modern world. The new volume begins
with the separation OF tho King from Catherine.
and concludes shortly after his marriage with
Jane Seymour. Its title is "The Divorce Of
Catherine Of Aragon." and tho author calls 1t
doris resident at the Court Of Henry VIII"
Whether the orthodox historians will be won
over by 1.-THE original volume did not win
them over-or whether it will have the effect
merely to stir up the secular reviewers to re-
newed facetious comments upon the model
husband" time alone. Of course. can tell
Charles Scribner's Sons.)
The reader Of "A Frenchman in America"
by Max O'Rell tCassell Publishing Company
will conclude for one thing that the digestion
Of tho author is fairly good. He seems to have
got fun out Of the country. and although it may
be. Of course. that his good nature is merely
assumed. and that il he had no lecture tours
in prospect he would be as disagreeable as
Rudyard Kippling. the evidences dc not point
that way. Apparently the railroad conductors
were the only American phenomena that
aroused an ugly spirit in him. He calls one
conductor "A fat. sleek. chewing. surly frown-
ing. snarling cur" and was within IN ace OF
throwing another specimen out OF the car
window. He was delighted to be interviewed. |
and the tall lying that he encounted in his |
travels was very dear to his heart His humor |
busies itself now and then with stock subjects. |
such as Yankee Inconsistencies and the grippe. |
but 1t is not sverse to fresh suggestions. He |
puffs his friends boldly. records without en- |
barrsssment the many compliments that were |
paid to him. and shows his level head hy pok- |
ing fun at Talmage His book is brisk. witty. |
and readable. 1t contains o portrait OF the |
author. and Is very amusinGly illustrated with
upward Of $50 sketches by E ". Kemble.
To anybody who reads " Mile. Ike" there will
be little need to recommend another story by
the same author Cecilia de Noel" by Lance
Falconer macmillan 4 Col Is as fresh and in
Cenious. as skilful and as charming as that
earlier tale. and 1t is something more. This is
n In In, hooh hot f,,v,
and seriousness. The ghost is spirit gone |
astray. Mrs. Mallet. the cook. who saw It, re- |
ported that her face turned white. and when |
asked how she could see her own face. replied: |
Which looked down my nose. and it were |
like q corpse's" The Canon Vernade. q we'll !
satisfied man. sees 1t. and is moved to cry out:
What II 1t were all O delusion. and there be- |
no Father. no Saviour" It is exercised finally
By Mrs. Noel. and the manner Of its exorcism
10 passing strange. Pessimism and optimism.
materiallsm and faith are pictured and set
against each other In the story. The dialogue
isTery delicately turned and shaded. Let the
reader begin the tale. He will be sure to finish
II. and no will find On impression left upon his
mind.
"Huckleberrics" is the title Of new VOL
ume OF New England stories by Roso Terry
Cooke tHoughton. Mifiin 4 Co.. They arc mar
ratiVes OF simple happenings. naturally told
and charming to read.
Essays in literature and the stage. by Will
liam Davenport Adams. arc published by A. q
Armstrong h Co.. under the title. with Poet
and Player" They do not aim to DO cxhaus-
tiveor profound. They touch lightly OH Ia va
rety OF themes. They nro moderately instruc-
tive and suggestive. and make pleasant read
Ing.
In Tho Condition OF Labor: IN Open Letter
to Pope Leo XIII," Hovells). Mr. Henry George
urges upon the sovereign pontin considera-
ton Of the single tax theory Tho Pope's en-
cyelIcal is printed with tho letter. and Mr..
George solects and adapts passages from II,
and basos his observations upon thom. Wher-
ever tha pnna ananls nj 1,rixnta 1nronnrfx Mr. |