The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-02
A FEW NEW BOOKS.


has a very attractive look to lilterateu rs
and students OF the interesting episodes
OF the early history Of this country. and
it's looks ia no way belle IL. IL Is AN In
ter, sting book, AID IL is as valuable rs 1t
is interesting. 1t may be said that II
quantity were TO be solely considered
there are plenty OF lives OF the tough old
Texan without this Que. but IL Is now
very important that the errors and omis.
sions Of previous history berectihed. That
work Is going bravely on. Mr.. John
Fiske has done much TO dispsi illusions,
and this book of the Proyldspc, editor
win do much more. Aud Mr.. Williams
has made a book that Is richly worth
reading for several reasons. l. Is enter'
tanning. it is Instructive, aud, as has bee !
minated, it corrects errors. These
claims are certainly all th It any book
need To have to assure for IL large aud
appreeiative recognition. 1t is also very
hands omely male book, and IL fitted TO
fiji an honored place on the library
shelves of the most fasiidious OF biblio-
philes. Houghton, Miffiin 81 CO.. Bos-
ton, are the publishers. and ~ is for sale
Mt Preston g. Rounds aud Gc egory's,
The Famous Women a. the French
Court series, by Imbert de Saint Amand,
grows In interest as it rows In size.
There are now about score or the vol
umes and there Is no assurance that the end
is Within sight.= If the books were not so
clever and the interest so perfectly sus-
tanned, there would be ground to suggest
that tie subj ct was being too volumi-
nously treat, d to suit the palate OF the
Amer IN reading public, at least.
But it is apparent that no
SET Of women known TO history has had
such clever historlographer, and that the
volumes are their own complete and
sufficient excuse for being. NJ. de Saint
AmaDd has the most charming style OF
any OF the modern writer's in the liDe OF
historic biography. and one has not the
heart to apply TO his work the rule and
line Of the sticlxler for co nplete aud lu.
minous accuracy. Ii that were done l do
not know that the author would suffer,
though one is forced to contem-
plate the possibility that there
Is something that the reader
does not know in connection with the
lives of the women written about. There
is a glow about them that IL not alto
gether cons stent with what we know of
the civilization OF the times they live
and fourished in. But we readily for
give the enthusiasm when we consider,
as we must, that we would not have read
aud delighted in the books had IL not
b. EN- for 4sat same glow. This series is
published in America by Charles Scrib-
ners Sons. New York.
Mr.. e. A. Henty may be relied upon for
three new historical stories for boys each
year. This season he has 'St. Bartholo-
news Eve" Through the Sikh War"
and "A JAG ,bite In Exile" It is quite
superhuous to remark upon the excel
lencs OF these stories. They give an in
sight into episods Of history that ars Of
great interest aud value. aud the story
that makes them palatable is not only
well told but is wholesome in itself. For
boys who have begun the serious study
of European history these books may
easily be made to perform q coed service.
-Scribners.
"The Making Of Virginia and the
Middle Colonies" by Samuel Adams
Drake, Is one of the series of manuals OF
the beginnings Of our country that are
intended to make the leading facts Access
sble to cursory readers aud general
students without the expenditure Of
great amount of research and
reading. 1t is question that
has not yet been settled what the actual
value of such knowledge is. 1t would not
be very valuable il 1t was expected to
form part OF a thorough education. For
the acquisition of information 1t is very
useful, and it may be said that it il eu-
tertaining for the purposeless reader as
well. Scribner's.
"Masses and Classes," by Henry
Tuckley is, The author ann ounces. ~
study of industrial conditions In Eng
land. There have been many of these
studies Of English work-a-day life, ard
tie chance new one has Of interesting
people in this country seems not to
b. of the best. Americans are just now
very much interested in the industrial
classes in their own country, and may be
pardoned IL they do not expend their
sympathies OH those of country 5000
miles away.
''The Translation Of a Savage" by Gill
bert Parker, is a story OF the blooming
of n dau ughter of an Indian chief In all the
Rraces Of civilization. 1t il a good story,
though somewhat more idyllic than we
have come to believe possible of the Indian
race. An English speculator in Canada
who has been Tilted by his fiancee marries
the young squaw and sends her home to his
aristocratic parents in England. They
meet the situation with what grace they
can. and after years OF effort succeed in
making not only a presentable woman of
the poor aborigine but splendid and
levabe one as well. After awhile the
husband was ashamc Of his course and
went to England to do justice to the
poor creature he married. He had not
been informed of her development, nor OF
the birth OF his son. The translated
savage would have nothing to do with
the fellow, aud Of course he. having found
a beautiful aud cultivated woman, was
desperate TO win her again. He only
succeeded after q term Of probation aud
the serious illness of the boy. d. Apple
ton e. Co., New York.
"With Thackeray in America" by Eyre
Grove, Is n specimen of Boswellian liter