Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-17
THE CRITICS REVIEW.
Modern Stories ofIllustrious Men and
Historical Books.
SOCIAL TOPICS TIMELY TREATED.
Dainty Bits in the Current Department of
Bellies Lettres.
THE NEW NOVELS OF TIE PAST WEEK

Welcome, all the biographical We can
not well have too many good mems lives. in
the books or out of them, and especially
when they are as well done as they are to-
day. The art OF biography was lost for a
good many centuries. Between the days OF
Plutarch and the Bible and our own for
tunate era, men forgot how to tell the story
of great mems lives so as to make the story
interesting. Nowadays. almost ali the
biographies are attractive, readable, and
profitable. Here is stack of them:
''The Footprints of Charles L amb, by
Benjamin Ellis Martin (Scribner's), bound
in velium, one OF the most beautiful books
o: the year; and delightful TO read. The
London dwellings of Lamb are sketched,
and his Ii e in them, and the friends who
shared il. are capitally described.
What would Lamb have said to Savouero-
la? Or Savonerola to Lamb! Either way the
companionship is a queer one 10 mediate
upon. Here is the Florentine prophet
next, however. "The Life of Savon-
erola, by William Clark "a. C. McClurg),
& Coz A brief biography, excellent for
Villari's classic biography; good for any,
body to read who is reading, 'Romola." !"
Put together the Savonerola OF PROF. Clark
| and OF George Eliot, and you get pretty
true idea. no doubt, of the Savonerola of
San Marco-"Four French Women" by
Austin Dobson (Dodd, Mead & Co. },
charmingly bound, and delightfully."- written.
Charlotte Corday, Madame Roland, the
| Princess de Lamballe and Madame de
Zenlis, are the four. The essays have ap-
peared before, and are now deservedly col
lected into this permanent shape.
We are glad to know more of the work
and character of Henrik lbsen. Here is a
''critical biography" of him by fellow
lated bv William Morton Payne. There is
picture of the dramatist for the frontis-
piece, looking like good-natured, strong
minded Jack-in-the- Box with spectacles.
| The principles ard motives of Ibsen's work
are her. studied. "a. c. McClurg. y
"Desiree, Queen of Sweden and Norway"
| (Dodd, Mead s. Co. is pleasant little
| sketch of an eventful life, most attractively
printed. The young queen was once be-
trothed to Napoleon Bonaparte. The story
of her life is told bv Baron Hochschild, who
was her chamberlain. - In the midst OF
! our present interest in Africa, comes the life
1
| Stanley, and from vastly better motive:
'Mackay of Uganda" "a. c. Armstrong &
| SOM. 1T is no sacrifice, as some think, 10
| come here as pioneers of Christianity and of
| civilization. 1 would not give nv position
| here ior all the world. a powerful race has
TO be won from darkness 10 light; super
stition and idolatry have to be overthrown;
men have to be taught to love God aud love
| their neighbor, which means the uprooting
of institutions which have lasted for CEN
turies; labor made noble, the slave set free;
knowledge impaired, and wisdom i'm
planted; and, above all, that true wisdom
taught which alone can elevate man from
brute to a son of God. Who would not
willingly engage in such noble work, and
consider it the highest honor on earth 10 be
called to do it?" Mackay wrote, that from
Uganda. Such a mans life is worth read
| ing.
Here are four hooks of the "Famous
French Women" series (Scribner's). "The
Wife of the First Consul" "Citizeness
Bonaparte, "Marie Louise, and the De-
cadence OF the Empire" and 1.-THE Court of
the Empress Josephine" These books deal
with French history at a time when every
| day is iull OF interest. Napoleon, whether
We admire him or not, wins the attention OF
| every student either of history or of human
nature. And the court" which he gath
cred about him was interesting in proper
ton. These capital and carefully written
! volumes are studies in the lives of notable
women of that court; above all, of jose
| phine, to whom three volumes are devoted.
Il have borne more than my share of the
WEAKNESS which is the common lot of man."
said that unhappy lady, the good and evil
fortunes of whose lite are here set down.
1mbert de Saint Armand is the writer of
niSto
! Perry is the translator.
! Civilization: an Historical Review of Its
| Elements" is the wide title of volume by
| Charles Morris Is. c. Griggs & Co.. to set
! forth the philosophy o. human progress and
| to trace the steps by which man has grown
out of sayagery into his present condition of
| partial enlightenment is the purpose of
these two volumes. The development of
the state, the growth of religion and its place
as political agency, the unfolding OF legal
| institutions, the advancement of industrial
conditions, the progress oil literature science
and education, are considered. The work is
fairly and justly written, without any preju-
dices OF theory, and the result is a valuable
outlook over the whole advance OF hu-
mauity.
1.-The Taking of LouIsburg in 1745," bv
| Samuel Adams Drake (Lee s. Shepard), is
brief study of an important episode. set
! forth by writer who knows what he desires
to say, and SAYS it with clearness which is
always pleasant and profitable.
"Anglo-Saxon Freedom" by James K.
Hosmer (Scribner'S), is constitutional his
tory o. the polity of the English-speakiny
race. 1t begins with the Teuton of the days
o! Caesar and comes down to the citizen of
the United States in the days of Harrison,
Government of the people, by the people.
and for the people'-how came anybody to
plan out such wide institution? What
has been the history of its progress? The
book answers these questions. A thought
jul, learned book. with a great deal of mat
ter in little space.
''The Life of an Artist" ID. Appleton &
Co. is written by the artist himself, Jules
Breton. He knows how to write as we'll as
to paint, and does both delightfully."-. His
painting, ''The First Communion" was sold
| in New York few years ago for nearly $780,
| 600. That is somewhat more than he will
earn with the pen. But his book will prob
ably give pleasure to a larger number of
people.