New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A CHARMING BOOK.

Anna Bowman Dodd rlustrted by C.. 5. Rem.
hart and others. 12mo, PIP. 394. Lowell, Cory ell
The rosder who laws down this book without wish
ing there Of 1t is to be piled The hardened
reviewer his part devoutly offers thanks ioT
such o volume. and brcathcs hop TINT their tribe
may Increase. For 1t Is rarely that 80 Thoroughly
delightful a bit Of travel and study is clcouJerol
These sketches of Normandy coast scenes, people
and inns are really quite ideally good. The author
las done good work before. but nothing so good as
this. We would not for moment hispA'"se
Cathedral Days" but she has attained here 20
greater variety OF impressions and q inner ihs'si''
Her canvases are not broad, but every vaIue -
counted every tJne tells Never has the coach OF NUT
mandy been better described, with more pehouauon'
graphic touch. aooper l.en"s W.
Nature, shrewder appreciation Z" Man VIC
are taken hold OF at o'cc os ,
genial warmth Of the work we Ic1An"o 49,
there Is nothing perfunctOry In It, the author 10 IA
full harmony and accord with her subject lio no
scrptioa OF the quaint old towns. the stui'S -o'.
people, the scenery. the MANNERS ana cu9''n's' ,1'
obovs ALL of the three inns she has elected ior ceo
bration is indeed so fully and feengly Representa-.
tive that the reader whose imagination Is Ut an
sensitive feels that there Is but Que thing ~ 40 '
summer aud that Is to take the carries s'e'er "'O
make for Normandy straightway.
The inns so capitay treated are at ViiierVlIe'
xvmch of them is the most fascinating one OF inc
e,oments of the authors great success undouo'e'y
consists in her hearty and wholesome appreciation "a
good eating and drinking. Nobedy-mah OF "o"''H
could have written this book who, IN aooiu"n ~
literary talent OF mean order. did not P'sse"
something of that gastronomic knowledge anu e"'"''
s,asm which lend so strong charm and interest 10
many of Thackeray's fugitive papers. All his uo'
o,ess must recall q description Of certain HUE oih-
nor az a Paris restaurant which is 20 cunnihgy anu
oraftily contrivcd that 1t positively MAKES inc r'uo
hungry. Thackcray fond OF good diihers anu
he wrote about them tendcrly. respectfully al" WIN
n cenaln zest which could not but communicate IL
self. ,.,
Now 1t must be conceded that few women ei'her
understand or care about things gastronomic and II Is
therefore the more remarkable when one comes upon
an exception to the rule. Tharkerny went 100 ID" Il"
holding that cuisine is-as regarus us meher
rnyiterIe-a sealed book TO the softer sex. Blu IL Is
true TINT advances have been made since MS "hc'
To-day women even teach cooking ana 'cach !" wen,
too and with the diffusion OF this particularly usel"i
kind Of knowledge the appreciation OF God ealing hus
necessarily extended. Yet to give such deSrp"ohs
az the owner Of Fonth Abbey wrote OF the great
kitchen In the monastery at Vallombrosa or as brua'
Savarln gemmed his famous book ~ithai aehspon
much more than tenacious memory and hhacA VI
,.nb,c n,rtroture The present author has the true
Gift She knows Just what TO enlarge upon ana ~hat
TO leave 10 the imagination There Is IN her nie'noN
let us say, when recounting the mensec dl 1'0
famous "Grlllaume -le Conquerant" Inn, at DiVes-a
fine delcacy OF distinction. What the merits OF NJ
psups cuisine are we without being Obliged 10
wade through INV recaptulation Of sordld details
We are indeed permitted TO the kitchen Tor
moment but only because 1t Is really picturesque
But no preparatory operations exposed nor are we
attended by the coarse expedient OF introducing pecnc
menus. This Is almost n touch OF genius.
The Dives landlord and his Inn arr, mdeeu' OF
dxtin
NJ historical monument, III which the visits Of great
people are kept In memory BY realistic rsprosucu'ns
of their periods In furniture, bf1c-aorac ana secrai
ARRANGEMENTS, decidedly rise above the best OF inns
into which only the gastronomic appeal enters III
this old inn at Dives Madame de Sevigne had lodged
uron an occasion, and an apartment, faithfully pre-
scrvinn the "entouracer Of her century, bears her
name. The account Of the GuiIaune-ie Cohquei'ih'
IS throughout delightful, and written Win no less
skill and nexbity Than sympathy with both the past
and present The picture Of the landlords mother ana
her government OF her little kingdom is an admirable
t,dv and the book Is full Of such incisive, humorous
are not seldom pathetic scenes OF such Is inc picture Vi
tho trial In the Court House at Constance Of the Fete
Dieu of the couple who live BY letting thir via az
vi,lervle: OF the Norman Cure Of the Pagan cobber
and Of life Mont St. Michel
The Poulard nm at the latter place. IL famous for
the beauty Of rs landsdy and the snpeTeXceence OF
her omelcttes. But the author after deep study OF
the difficult question, reaches the conclusion that
GOOD though the cmecttes undoubtedly are, it Is IN,
landlady herself constitutes the chief attraction
of the inn. II the portrait Of Madame Poulard Is not
Hattered this judgment may very we'll be correct
But did the beauty really ever make an omeette
with seventy dozen Of eggs! One omelette. nina
you! And with her fair hands! For twice n
day Madame Poularl GOES through this hind OF sacr
fetal rite in presence of the publlc-tlat Is OF
all the guests In her house who choose to amuse
themselves by looking Apparently they all choose
10 look on and therein manifest their Judgment, for
the making Of the Omelette counts. spectacularN as
close second the pleasure Of eating II after Is
made. The inn Of "L'IncOmpaiable Ia FameuSe ONE
letten Is loadst1ne which draws people from the
most distant parts OF tho Garth The pilgrims come
from darkest Africa and the sunit Yosemite but
they remain pray at the Inn OF the Omelettc' The
whole account of Mont ST. Michel IS charming and
the reader only regrets that this Is the end Of the
book The author has a very good style Indeed. II
Is graceful, flexible, sslve, delicate, and often
brilliant. A gentle and refined huInor pervades II
and il Is warmed by a cnholicity OF human sympathy
which leaves a very pleasant impression. Her book
Is In fine one of those which can, nay, which should
10 read again and again. nor will 1t pail upon the
reader.