The herald., 1893-07-09

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novel by Miss Sarah Barnwell Elliott is
9 genuine surprise. John Paget will
probably excite quite as much interest
as did her Jerry, though presenting an
altogether different phase OF thought.
1t is not principally-as in the case of
Jerry-a ''novel of incident, but rather
study of modern conditions, social, in
tellectual and religious, set forth by
means OF the persons involved; and
although some Of the scenes ere laid in
the west and the south, the characters
really present the mental and social at
mosphere of New York and Newport,
which places are largely involved in the
narrative. The serious note struck in
John Paget is to be found in the telling
contrast between the beauty of a
true Christian devotion and the
lowness of the standard set by the
''smrrt" social set. The love story of
the book is really tragic, in spite of the
fact that Miss Elliott employs mo
tive" as old as literature itself. 1t is a
study of many localities of the present
time, and would fit the surroundings
and sentiment Of many OF the readers,
who will see in it a similarity to their
own lives.
In response to many inquiries received
from various sources regarding q new
work by the author of Ben Hur, we
take pleasure in giving the following
facts concerning the book, which have
been just received from the publishers,
Harper q Brothers; like General Wal
lace's preceding works, The Prince of
India; or, Why Constsntinople Fell, is
an historical romance. The story be-
gins in 1895; its continuous movement,
however, is in a period from 1445 to
1863, the date of the conquest OF the old
Byzantine capital by Mahommed II.
Tne assault and sack OF the city and
Mahommed's entry into Sancta Sophia
the final degradation of Christianity in
the east, forms the catastrophe of
the book. The Prince OF India is, in
fact the Wandering Jew in an entirely
original cast, the philosophy of the
character being that constant dealing
with men through centuries of life
necessarily strengthens the mind with
without changing the morals OF the
man. So we have him here an adept in
human nature. and preferably q manip-
ulator of kings and rulers. Dis
gusted with religious contentious,
he goes to Cipsngo, and at the end
of so years returns, having conceived
the idea of effecting universal brother
hood, with God as the basic principle OF
union. He makes the pilgrimage to
Mecca first; becoming satisfied that
Islam is too firmly bound to Mahommed,
he next tries the loyalty OF Christians to
Christ, betaking himself to Constantino-
Pile. There he adopts child, the daugh-
ter of q Jewish merchant, and educates
her; but one day, while heis preaching
his scheme to Constantine, the emperor,
Greek abduCts the Young woman
whereupon, in an abandonment OF
rage, the prince flies to Mahommed,
and, az a messenger of the stars, in
cites the ambitious Turk to undertake
the conquest Of Constantinople. OF the
actors in the drama, Mahommed, Con-
stantine and the heroine, Irene, are
drawn from history; while Mira, the
emir Sergius, the monk and Lael, the
adopted daughter of the prince of India,
are inventions. Speaking generally, the
book is tale OF love, war and religion.
The un;ties are faithfully observed, and
the incidents natural rapid in occur
renee, astonishingly varied, and from
fret to last subservient to the cataatro-
phe. There is not an anschronism
in it, and so true are the scenes
to the period that they read as if left to
US by living actor in them. This ex-
actneas of atyle and description is easily
explained. While minister to Turkey,
General Wallace was afforded excep-
tional opportunities for the collection of
those materials which he has woven into
romance, and in The Prince of India the
resulG appears in all the realism of a
style which gave to Ben Hur o popu-
larity that indicates for the new book
On immediate and large demand. The
book is now in press and will be issued
early in the GUNNER. 1t will be pub
Hehed in two volumes, uniform in style
with Ben Hur in one volume, and the
cloth edition will sell for So. 80 per set.
#@#
When Appleton & Co. presented the
public with A Social Departure and An
American Girl in London, by Sara Jean
cite Duncan, they were such successful
novels chat the new volume by this
writer cannot but excite considerable
interest. 1t is entitled The Simple Ad-
ventures OF g Memsahib )" and, as may
be surmiued by the title, deals with the
various aspects of life in an English set
tlement in India. Helen Frances
Browne, formerly Miss Peachy,
became. in the course of time, &
memsahib Of Lower Bengal. Aa the
author says, Zone ia not born o mem
sahib''; the dignity is arrived at later,
through circumstances, processes, and
sometimes through foresight on the part
OF ones mamma. 1t is not SO easy to
obtain ga it used to be-" The adven-
lures Of Miss Peacby, subsequently,
sahib, are recorded from the time that
abe set sail from England on a steamer,
the deck Of which ''was full of irresolute
people like herself, who sat about on the
damp benches or walked up and down
under the awning, still with the look of
being fresh from town, still in gloves
and stiff hats, and land-faring gar
mente." The story records the expert
ences OF Mrs. Helen Frances Brown dur
ing her residence in Calcutta; the
poinS OF view being thaS OF one
who is always anxious (over-anxious
one ia inclined tc think at
times) TO geo things on the humorous
side. The book, while entertaining.
gives one an excellent idea of the life of
e foreign resident in Calcutta. and con-
tains number of illuetratioDs by F. II.
Townsend, similar in their general. char
acter to those in the authors previous
volumes.
NJ