New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-17
THE DELTGE.


sweden and Russia. \ sequel u with fir' ana
sword By Henrik S!cnbcwlcr Translated fn1m
the Polish by jeremiah Curtin. In Two Volumes
l:mo. PIP. 5-3G73. Boston: Little Brown 4 60
II wou,d be dnicui to name a nncr example Of the
historical novel than lcnryk >lcrkiew,cr's The Del
ugc II even SURPRISES in Interest ard plwer the
samc author, romance with fire and sword 10
which it Is sequel. il must Indeed be said that Tho
writer has chosen iol illr tmt!on period full Of the
most Wild and dramatic situations. ?nd oi events 80
,trunre that no ina snation could hope to equal them
The time 1864 IG3@. and perhaps IL would be- i'm
%, ,blc 10 hud In The history Of Europe four year' 30
full Oi supii,c. disasters aud chaotic turmoil For
wa, APPARENT, the death agony Of the Polish common
wealth which the world va, then called & witness.
Treason aud revolt IN her midst. her npb", decrtiue
her King her frontier, a,>acd ~ once 10y Russia.
sweden and the Pm sian Electorate. no stale wa ever
brought lower 10 actial dissolution. To fi
low the Of events Ia such crisis. u picture the
inlal collapse Of the defence against the swedish at
tack the taitorius submission Of Tie princes and mag
mates 10 whom the safety Of the frontier had been con
ndcG the rush 70 initiate This trcnson by unprIndpcd
self -cclcrs The gradual restoration Of nationa self
respect and spirit through the Stimulu- Of swedish cN
action and Oppre the sudden reaction nghn, the
Invader, and the almost spontaneous rising ~ the Poles
against them might tax the highest powers aud inspire
true genius. such task Is triumph Of the
first order. and such triumph has been achieved In
The Dclugc" By Sicnhcwicz.
The great house OF Iahi,n contributed largely TO
thr m.sortunes Of the commonwealth. IT, head. the
great Ictman Nanueh, desired to turn the revolt from
the king, Yam Kazimir % his own advantage. lie
wished 10 set of l.huania his appanage aud
10 he King II that province and lie thought that he
could carry with him all his military leutcnants and
their forces Tho event proved him mistaken and his
treason brought not only shame but utter ruin - him
but he did terrible mischief before the end Of his
came. lie TOO welcomed the Swcdes who quite
ready 10 avail themsclves Of his supposed great in
Gucncc but who when lhcy found that his followers
were deserving him. began To treat him with conicmp'
The scene opens with the surrender Of the frontier 10
The swedes. and the author has painted wonderfully
vivid picture of the Polish general militia. the petty
mobiles ignorant impuisvc, unprncpled without na
tional spirit who seduced from their allegiance by
the promise OF feast. and go shouting over TO their
enemies without q thought of honor country. The
Swedes advance being almost everywhere submitted
to- hui well established In the strong places
they throw of the mask Of friendship and begin 10
pundcr and outrage the Inhabitants. Van Kazimr has
been driven from his throne aud Kingdom by the
bned pressure OF internal rebellion and invasion from
without lie abldcs his time confidently believing
that his people will return 10 h,r allegiance and mean
while he has with him a little band OF trusty state
funciionaTics nnd military chiefs who will help "
establish him when the opportunity comes
OF historical novel may lie very true to
the general facts history very exact the repro
ductiOn OF archaic forms and manners aud customs.
aud yet dry aud llclc.s. II IL Tho personal Gle
ment IN NIL such works whic determines their success
or failure and here the wonderful powers OF the Polish
novelist are exhibited. In reviewing "With Fire and
sword The Tribune observed that The only celebrated
romance with which II could be compared WINS The
Three Mnsquctccrs' OF Dumas In The Deluge- this
comparison holds good also. We have here many "
the persons who figured In the former novel. aud they
are the gay, wild. brave. reckless. adventurous
or crafty Zagoba. the Ulysses OF the earlier
romance, has lost Of his cunning In these pages
Nolodyovsu, the renowned swordsmnn, Is her. too
| The two Sksietuskls, Jcndzan. and many more, re-
| appear unchanged Eat the hero OF the story IL
Kmita, man whose daring Is beyond conception who
on one occasion kldDaps aud carries OH Prince Radz
viii ut the hend Of army: who while defending
Chcsnohova against the swedes, ISSUES from the
fortress at night and blows up their heaviest siege
gun, who dcles and escapes death In n hundred forms
and who storms through the novel like some paadln
- old, but enducd with realism which lends cred
billty to his most amazing feats OF arms.
Kmita at the outset great risk OF being wrec ked
by his own wulncss. aided by the evil Influence Of
II band OF despcIadocs he las gathered about nlm
lie Is saved through his belrotIcd. noble GIRL whose
portrait Is drawn with snguiarly Arm and sympe
thctlc hand. In his impetuous mood he enters the
service or the traitor lietman ianush, but when he
rcnlzes the lietman's ambition he Is shocked and W
VOTED, ana knowing that his name Is now associated
win many acts OF bold treason, he changes IT, md
thenceiorh t-hts under cosnomen to which no