The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-22
NEW BOOKS
Brief Reviews OF Importast and Interestinr
New Publications.

Brief Reviews OF Important and Interesttng
New Publications.
Mr.. Conan Doyle Ia all wrong. as we UNDER
stand II. from the point OF view OF the moro
earnest reallsts; he is not fixing the minute
and sometimes rather unexciting features and
incidents OF the life about him for the benefit
OF the very inquisitive OF future generations;
but he Is all right in the estimation OF that nu-
merous body OF story readers who like NOV
ing tale. He is all right good deal In the FASH
ion OF Sir Water Scott. and that fact alone. we
suppose would DO sufficient to account for his
popularity. His latest story. Tho Refugees"
Harper Il Brothersl. Is pretty certain to be
widely read. 1t Is doubtful II Prof. II. II.
Boyesen can head 1t or even with his best
efforts. but though we may grieve that 1t is
not such novel rs the Professor himself would
have written. and though It is certainly open to
reprobation from that circumstance. 1t really
seems TO be story with some co IN pensations.
1t treats us to q splendid array OF Incl
dents In France and on this continent
In the time OF Louis XIV. A man
from America demonstrates In Paris
and among the Kings soldiers and courtiers
the peculiar abilities which he acquired in the
Western wilderness. He exercises his wit aud
his muscles in behalf Of beauty and OF friend
ship and OF justice. There is a picture here OF
the French court We behold the King rising;
are mado acquainted with his joys and sor-
rows in statecraft and in love: are witnesses
to the decline OF Montespan and tho ascend
ancy OF Maintonon. The social and political
romance Of the time is depicted for us. We
see the Huguenots driven forth. We follow u
pair Of HuEuenot lovers across the sea. and
accompany them In their adventurous wan
behring's among tho Jesults and the Indians. 1t
is all brilliantly told. The Incidents are woven
into q web from which the interest Of the
roader may not escape. The story must be
finished. once It 10 begun: and We warn Prot.
Boyesen against dipping into the first chapter.
Mr.. Brander Matthews's little comedy, The
Decision Of the Court" Harper Il Brothers.,
records for us n conversation between an
American vito and her British husband. who
have quarreed. and who here engage in the
always interesting business OF making up.
The Briton is dull. His conversational capacity.
as here illustrated Is ample warrant for tho
measures taken BY his wife to obtain a divorce
from him. Any court would grant u decree OF
separation on hearing what he had TO say. His
talk. almost entirely monosyahic would do
for the text OF n Londonese primer, and We
recommend 1t to any book manufacturer who
may be thinking that existing educational lit
erature would be benefited and beautiiied BY
manual OF the sort The single facetious flight
that we can recall from his utterarces is where.
in reply to his wife. who has been specifying a
number OF delusions. and who concludes
with the observation that she herself is de-
fusion. he remarks. I'D like to hug that de-
fusion" forthwith putting his arm around her.
OF course anybody deserves to DO bastinadoed
who would trot out this aged witticism from
its long -undsturbed retirement and mako it
do service again. II Mr.. Matthews has meant
through this character to slur the British 80
ciety intellect, we feel ourselves bound to say
that his satire Is almost brutal 1t Is surpris-
ing enough that the clever wife should make
up with her Briton after listening to his part
OF the dialogue. We suspect that she esteems
him rs target. He has been telling her how
much his governor" and his mater" who
are lord and a lady. think Of her. "Thoy
we're as nice as they knew how" she replies.
But OH how hard it was to be In the same
house with such simple folks Pm compli-
Gated. am. and intricate: I'm modern and
nineteenth century. And your father and
mother are simple beyond belief, simple with
n prehistoric simplcity-so simple that whom
saw them go out for walk together was
always expecting that the robins would como
and cover them up with leaves" There 10
Some advantage. OF course. in having hus-
band who can be stuck full of pins IN this
way. and who doesn't mind it at all.
Considerable intensity has entered into
e Some Little OF the Angel Left" novel by
Mrs. John NJ. Clay Robert Clarke & Co.. Gin
cinnati,. A single remark Of Capt. Neville to
Nine. la Marquise. whom he madly loves, and
who Is always printed in italics for some rea-
son. will indicate as much as this. 1t occurs on
page 1S5. Heavily" observes Mrs. Clay. Ibis
desperate hand fell and clutched the white
shoulder. and slowly from between his closed
teeth he Kissed. I swear before high heaven do
not know whether l most love or hate you:
whether I would rather kiss you or strike
you dead" Love was the predominant
feeling. in point OF fact. and the Cap
tain marries Nine. Ia Marquise after
plenty of exciting experiences in Paris and
In the Crimean war. 1t is a question Just |
how vivid romance should be. Some readers
will stand more vvdness thnn others. and this |
Is especially suited to these who are |
willing to put up with a great deal. Person
ally We cannot help liking it. and we have fol-
lowed the affair OF tho Colonel and the Mar
quise with a sense OF rsfreshment and exhila-
ration. We do not know why the MarquIse is
always italicized or why all the French people |
In the story are treated In the same fashion. |
There can be no great objection to the circum- |
stance. we think. Very likely 1t Is matter OF |
no particular importance. ono way or the |
other
Debit and Credit" translation by L. C. C. |
OF Gustav FreytaG's novel. Soil und Haben."
is published in paper covers by the Harpers.
and DR.. Bunsen's critical review. written |
years ago. goes with it. A passage
in DR.. Bunsen's criticism will perhaps attract
the curious attention OF the reader. Having
referred to Sir Walter Scotts novels. Still
more the work Of genius however" the Doc
tor goes on to remark. and Of deeper worth.
Hopes Anastasius' must be admitted to be-
that marvellous picture OF lifei in the Levant and
In the whole Turkish empire as far as Arabia.
as 1t was about tho end OF the last and the
beginning OF the present century. In this
work truth and fiction are most happily
blended: tho episodes. especially that OF Eu-
phrosyne. may be placed, without disparaRs-
ment. beside the novels Of Cervantes. and
strike far deeper chords In the human heart
than the creations OF Walter Scott Kingsley's
Hypatia.' alone OF modern works. Is worthy
TO be named along with It." What will the
Won oar arafion of raadera and NJ cvitjna |