The sun., 1893-07-15
NEW BOOkR
nrief Reviews OF Inport.nt .na InterestinE
New Publications.

Rrfef Reyievn OF Hnnrortnnt and IntereNftnG
New Publications.
with consideration for the curious, and In
part doubtless because the work was a pleas
ure to him. Dr. deorg Ebers, the German
scholar and romancer. has writton an account
OF his childhood and early manhood. which Is
translated by Mary J. Stafford and published
undor the title OF Tho Story OF Ny life" ID.
Appleton h Co.. DR.. Ebers was born In Berlin
in 1897. He was a posthumous child. having
como into the world two weeks after tho death
OF his father. His mother. by her portrait and
by abundant testimony Included hore. was a
beautiful and lovely woman. She was known
in Berlin as the beautiful Holander." and ut
her marriage the burgomastor OF her native
city told the young Prussinn banker who
had won her that he gave into his keep
ing tho pearl OF Rotterdam. She moved
in DISTINGUISHED society In Berlin. How
often" exclaims the writer Of these rem
iuiscences. Baron Won Humboldt. Rauch.
or schleiermacher had escorted her to
dlnnerl Hegel had kept blackened
coin won from her ut whist. Whenever
he sat down to play cards with her he liked 10
draw II out. and. showing It to his partner, say.
My thaler. fair lady" She saw NAPOLEON and
Goethe and the Duke OF Wellington offered his
arm to the romancer's aunt. who was a beauty
at the ball In Brussels on the eve OF Waterloo.
DR.. Ebers has the warrant OF Goethe for
dwelling at generous length upon the Incl
dents OF his childhood. Some Of these recol-
lections may seem trivial. but certain charm
attaches to the earnest and sentimental treat
ment Of them after all. We like the narrative
OF the biographer's journey with his mother to
Holland to attend the golden wedding OF his
andparents. We like his thoughtful refiec-
tions upon the question whether children
may derive any educational benefit from
travel. and we sympathize with the alarm
Of Mrs Ebers upon Rhine steam
boat when. awakened from nap by
great splash in the water made BY an
insane Englishman who had escaped from his
keepers and sprung overheard. her mind re-
verted with poignant apprehension to the
child whom she had left fishing for salmon
with piece OF candy tied to u string. The
novelist when boy lived in the same house
with the brothers Grimm. and he saw from
their windows tho torchlight procession with
which the Berlin students honored the authors
of the dictionary and the Hausmarchen. He
was eleven years old at tho time OF the Berlin
revolution. He had been reared in a loyal
family. and ne relates the shocking impression
made upon him by tall radical with q big
blond beard. who seemed to be in good circum-
stances, inasmuch as he wore patent leather
boots and diamond ring. but who vehemently
insisted. nevertheless. upon the desirability OF
hanging the last KING with the entralis oil the
last priest. lie saw Specht' the upholsterer'
who had often put up curtains TOT his
mother run through the street with
huge axe. which ne orandished anu which
he declared was 10 pe employed IN splitting
the heads OF the soldiers oil the government
Inc hlng hau issuea Proclamation. ~hicn
was addressed TO my dear people OF Berlin.
On the evening OF the day OF the insurrection
young Eoers saw cannon oa'i haii en- oehded
IN the WOODWORK OF street iounta'h. 'haer-
neath was posted q COPY OF the hihg proela-
nation. and somebody mad written with
piece OF chaiK In hait circle ABOVE the cannon
Dali. 10 my dear people oi befiih' "hat
criticism Or. Eoers observes. and ne adds:
NOT until attaiheo years OF maturity aid
perceive that these conhiets. which long aiter.
l heard execrateu IN certain quarters as
blot upon RUSSIAN history. rather deserved
the warmest gratitude OF the nation. Dur
ing those beautilui spring days no matter
by what hands-amonR them were the hooIest
ana the purest-we1e so"h inc seeus OF the
dignity and freedom OF pubic lie which we
now enjoy Inc rem'niscences deal nt con-
siderable length win the heiihau lnstitute.
where young Eeers went to echooI. ana with
Cncie Froeoel the most distinGuished OF
It's founders. the same VINO evolved the Eih-
dergarten. DR.. Ebers enjoyed himself at tha
gymnasium In the fine old town OF Quedlin-
burg. where the Emperors resided once upon
atime. and whore the beautiful Aurora Won
h6nigsmarck as a lady abbess is supposed to
have made amends for certain irivolitles OF
her earlier years. Still more did he enjoy
himself at GOttingen. where he was member
OF the Saxon corps OF fighting students. and
where he tells US he led an idyllic ex-
istence drinking. singing. dining at the
Krone. flirting carving his adversaries
In duels. and listening to the celebrated
philosophy OF Prof. Lotze. In this pas
siona:eiy fond recollection OF the academic
delights OF Gottingen he Is like everybody who
has ever tasted OF them. with the possible ex-
ception OF Heine. who was before the era OF
Lotze, and who may also have failed to drink
deep enough. But the heaven OF Georgia Au-