New-York tribune., 1891-08-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
AN ALLITERATrvE ATTACK ON RUSSIA

AN ON hUSC1h'
RUSSIAN TRAITS HyD TERRoRs. BY f. B. Lann.
PIP. 26S. Boston: Benjamin r. Tucker
This is one Of many books that show how the opinion
Of the European world is hardening into partisanshp
for and against Hussa 1t is the old story Of the utter
lmpossibilty Of harmony between Occidental and on
entail civilizations Tile Western accusations against
Russia, identical with those against all other Aslauc
nations, are those of gross. irrational lying, IN
credible fatalsm ineradcable dishonesty In trade
Infinite cruelty lawess Indulgence of the passions
and political and financial incapacty inc charges
are proved again, as they have poem ProNeu
before, but they are proven only TO the saus-
faction of the Western intellect The Asiatc has some
how I'm the lapse OF several illenniums. come 70 HOOK
or all these things in his own way. The haN Worus
against the st. Petersburg Government do not always
seem to be deserved. What could the rulers Oh a
Western Nation do In the presence OF the almost UNI
versaI apathy of millions and habits fixed ever since
history began Its coursel
The temper displayed in many pages OF TINS Dook Is
not such to help the solution OF inc prooein'
Russians are not only accused Of the vices when are
emphatcally their own, but they are also taken 70
account for some weaknesses which are common 10 al
human nature ain the height Of his noble enthusl-
asm like David CopperHed, when sorrow for MS oeao
mother most poignant, he the kussah) caeiuN
notes the most trivial incidents going on around hi'
and will treasure them mp in his memory for future
sarcasm against his present ideals" Undoubtedly ana
II Wtwin look into own hearts we Snail ma tia'
,re do exactly the same thing David Copperfeld Is
typical enough Of Englishmen to make the rerehce
IN him a suggestive one. As would be expected the
writers OF these essays do not the side OF modea
uon in statement There is hltor-miss vivaclty' an
eaaerncss TO drag In everything that will strengthen
the appeal to English prejudlces that is far from re-
assuring For example. it Is remarked: IN low
the ImpeHal receipts found TO be falling OH SO
rapdly that all duties were, with unprecedented suu
dennes increased from 20 TO 40 per cent and as ths
seeTs too little new tariff with still higher duties-a
sort of Russian Mckinley BILLS being drawn up
That Is TO say the American tariff was recently c'Seu
because the Federal Government needed Increased Ve
nue This passage, like many Others that could Do
cited tend by their lack OF truthfulness TO reject
doubt upon other matters where the authors preend
10 speak with the of experience AS stated
on the title page, E. B. Lanin" is the COLLECTIVE sig
nature of several writer's in The Fornghty Review
AN INSIGNIFICANT WOMAN. Translated from tne
German of W. Hemburg by Mary Stuart smith,
12mo, PIP. $50. Robert Bonners sons.
An insignificant Woman" is one OF the sllllest OF
the many silly novels with which group OF German
old maids have dosed the world withal. IT Is the
favorte device of these ladies to put an unspeakaby
vulpar and illbred cad on q pedestal whence ne
delivers kicks and bad language through threequhrters
of n volume at beautiful noble and unselfsh wife.
In the last quarter the wife's sefsacrhcing sweet
ness conouers her lord he experiences change OF
heart and condescends to smile on her PEI
formances The hero of An lnsignhcant woman
xo far outdoes in caddshness all the otner cads hat
fLn story of his exploits becomes unenduraDe before
this last quarter is reached.