The herald., 1893-05-28
Icy L. BEHYMER.l

CharleB Scrlbner6 Sons nave COM
menced the publication of new series,
entitled Stories from Scribner. In
this series of little books, issued under
the above general title, the purpose has
been to gather together some of the best
and most interesting short stories writ
ten forScribner's Magazine during the
past few years, and to preserve them in
dainty volumes grouped under attractive
subjects and decorated with illustratlons
to brighten the pages. The set as ar
raigned consists of six volumes, the first
two are already issued and the other four
atintervals of about month will follow.
Stories of New York, Stories OF the
Railway, Stories of the Sea, Stories OF
the South, Stories of Italy, Stories Of
the Army, complete the set. The books
are furnished in three bindings, the
paper being the same in all. Each
edition is prepared with great care, and
it seems as if every effort had been
made to secure an example of book
making as dainty and perfect as pos
sible.
Stories of New York include From
Four to Six, very clever comedietta,
sible Story, by Bliss Perry, The End OF
A Puritan Ingenue, by John s. Wood,
and Mrs. Manstey's Views, by Edith
Wharton.
In this little volume we find some
very clever character sketches, well
written, full of wit and humor, Just
typical of the characters and places they
represent and describe, an interesting
tidbit for short railway journey or an
hours outing in the country or at the
seashore. t,t1a
".
In Stories of the Railway are included,
AS the Sparks Fly Upward, by George
A Hibbrrd; How / Sent My Aunt to
Baltimore, by @. S. Davidson; Run to
Seed, by Thomas Nelson Page; Flan-
droe's Mogul, by A. q. Gordon. This is
another refreshing little volume,' con-
tanning an interesting little love story, O
ghost story and couple of pen pictures
typical OF the railroad and its scenes that
will reach the readers heart and awaken
their sympathies for class OF men who
labor constantly in dangerous positions.
These stories give an insight into many
little obscure places that only the hab-
liant within the proximity of the round
house and machine shops know much
about, places it were we'll to know, and
which information might make many
people happier and more contented, by
drawing nearer together the well-mean-
ing public and the large-hearted railroad
fraternity. 1t is book you will enjoy
reading and will recommend to your
friends.
Mr.. J. N. Dent, the London publisher,
has iust issrea g two-yolune edition OF
Miss Burney's Evelina, or the History
OF Young Lady's Entrance Into the
World, uniform in style, with his ex-
quisite edition of Jane Austen. Evelina
is novel of manners. The iudicious,
kindly Mrs. Mirvan, the gentle unso-
phisticated Evelina, the paragon of gem
tility, Lord Orville, the specifically ele-
CANT Sir Clement Willoughby, the fop.
pish, snobbish Lovel, the boisterous
Captain Mirvan, the irascible Nine.
Duval, the common, pretentious Mr..
Smith, the rampantly rude Braughtons-
all these reveal their individuality and
character by their behavior at such So
cial events as parties, balls
and entertainments. This meth
cd of characterization is carried
out with no more seriousness and
profundity than we ought reasonably to
expect from o very bright but rather
inexperienced young woman scarce out
OF her teens, as was Mics Bur.
ney when this novel was written
Evelina is truly feminine in touch, and
sometimes weakly go in an inclination
toward crude sentimentalis1n and to-
ward overdrawing characters and over
doing situations. The McOartnep epi-
Hodes, for instance, show the eunrestrained
romanticism of a Quixotic young lady's
fancy. In Evelina we find neither the
penetrative wit nor the consummate art
Df Mansfield Park, but we are attracted
by the peculiar ingenuousness. delicscy
and grace OF the style. The chief excel
lences are freshness, vivacity, bumor and
wholesome realism. Miss Burney well
understands how to bring together the
most incongruous people in the most
diverting situations, and as humorous
medley Of high and low life, Evelina is
quite unsurpassed. Nowhere is the
bourgeoise spirit and manner shown in
more amusing light, and in delinest-
lrg vulgarity Fanny Burney excels
Ehackeray, and that without his cyni-
cism. The Broughtons will always re-
main as perfect types OF ridiculous and
sublime efirontery. While Evelina is
not one of the very greatest novels, and,
indeed, is hardly novel at all in the ac-
cepted aense of the term today, yet as q
very clever story of adventures among
the beaux and bellies of the greater and
lesser London a century ago, it will still
please the reader who loves the uncon-
scious humor of situation and character
get forth with gusto, though with per-
feet delicacy and taste.
#~#
Robert Bonner's Sons of New York
have new American novel, entitled,
Transgressing the Law, by Captain
Frederick Whitaker, author of The
Great Kenton Feud. This novel has q
strong and interesting plot. 1t turns
upon the false imprisonment OF an artist
who has eloped with the daughter of a
millionaire, and it's interest is artfully
heightened and varied by the discovery
of an ancient treasure in Peru. The
story is told in a lively and engaging
style, which catches hold of the read
er's attention and sustains the interest.
The story is admirably adopted to be-
guile the tedium of railway Journey,
as it is full of realistic incidents, and
there is something interesting going on
I in it all the time. Captain Whitaker
belongs to the same school of noveliste
as Sir Walter Scott. The illustrations
are exceptionally good and are by the
artist Warren B. Davis. x
x*x tr