New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-08
NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.
THE NEW BALZAC TRANSLATION.

hy Katharine Prescott Wolmelc,. 1@rno, PIP. 3o3.
Boston: Roberts Brothers.
POCAHONTAS. By John r. Musick Illustrated
Emo, PIP. $40. Funk and wognallS Co.
WHEN LIVED IN BOHEMIA. BY Fergus Hume
Illustrated BY c. W. HaIlward. 1Smo' pp' "1-'
TAFT Sons q Co. ~
= DID, ~ 3Sl Dodd, Mead & Co.
A MILLBRooK ROMANCE AND OTHER TALES
BY A., L. Donaldson. l2mo' PIP 100 i"o'""'
TRUTH IL FICTION. BY Paul Carus lemo, PIP
Ill Chicago: The open Court Publishing Co.
THE ADVENTURES OF JEAN PAS-IL oys ~ cDrye iI
Marquis OF Lorne. 1Gmo. PIP W. Lowell torSch
& CO.
AUNT LlErY by Annie Trumbull slosson Illus
trated by g. +. Randolph. lGmo, PIP 90 Ahsoh
D. F. Randolph Co.
"The Chonns' was Balzac's first successful novel
and It is curious to how Wild" Is the difference
heeen II and the ten romnnces with which he served
If, apprenticeship to letters. In these latter there
is hardly an Indication OF genius. Ihey are "hohy
cast on the old models, are filled with utterly uh
realistic sentiment and scnsqtionaUsm OF the Auhe
RedcllNe type and certainly fully deserved The neglect
and cont,m mn, they experienced. Bnt In "Ihe
Chouans- all this first bad manner was dropped ana
dronn,d 1rally and the characteristics which were
ia DISTINGUISH the great writer appeared IN iull us
ycolmcnt This his first real novel must always
10 hold on. Of his best. Its spiri, Is Thoroughly III
time with the stormy period Il treats or Inc au'uor
has caught tie historical color and all The bretoh
pccuariucs. and has made study which Is po"er'ui
md tlscina,lng " course. too, every reader must
,o-,.v, TIM, victor Hugo "ccnvcyrd7 many OF the
cn,sdos and ideas oi NINETY three from Iazncs book
and he did not better them In III" Appropriation bu'
zacs Couars" IN fact is cleverer work Than ueos
and even frucr 10 tho mi,icu.' II has been trans
lated several times. and last, II We mistake not by
George saln,slury: but Miss Wormeicys version need
l1,s nd so
the best extant This novel shows that Baln1c, haH
he Given BIS ulrd To- II. could have produced an
incompnrable series Of historical ronances, but MS
.auvas WAS to- large 10 lie bounded by ono faculty.
and he gave the world. In tie "Comcdle HUMANE
tho greatest si,i be could have bestowed upon II.
Mr. Musick IS carrying ont his plan Of series OF
columbian historical novels. and has reached the story
ID, Po,aAOntas which he treats In the conventional
manner The historical has. Of course scarcely
any relation 10 such a composition, and II l. some
what over bold employ II. An author who graveiy
make, an emperor OF the dirty savage PO"hntaii
and us solcmny maintains the pleasing but basee's
fiction concerning the Indian girl Pocahoutas and John
smith, lght to SAY ttle rs possible about history
rut forward a, pure fiction almost anything may be
y.uturcd but when the words Historical novel are
used the candid minded reader is apt to look for mt
least some prctonoc Of adherence TO realities John
smith himself Is scarcely less transmogrinei thnh
pocahon,as and Rolfe has suffered sea change
with these AMI other Innovations and Inventions
passaby interesting thing has been constructed, but
there IS REALLY good reason way such stun should
re pamed upon the rising generation to say the
least o., genuine history.
When Mr. Hume lived In bohemia for we are com
pccd I, regard these condolences largely auto
biogiapLicaI. be appears 10 have had very Unlucky
experience a.d the same might be said OF nearly all
the comrades ~ Bohemia whose stories he tells In
these pssc.. 81 coarse Mureers book furnished the
81 a.. ttlu H.
law;es.ne.s. however: Murger toned down 10 the re
qulrcmcuts OF the young person. save In one or TWO
Instances and 1t must bc said that IT /, not nearly
40 ,prlshty and entertaining as the Partisan model.
According u tho author all the young Bohcmans wlth
whom he forceathered in his salad days came 10
yrief or only rescued from slow starvation by
marriage The hero. after six years OF hamilton. Is
glad to return to his fathers home ana OF those
friend, who lad no fathers to retire upon some die OF
starvation and others simply disappear Despite the
Illustrations, which lively, the Impression produced
bv tie book f. the reverse OF clevaug, the more 50
lnasmlch as nobody ever will b. deferred
from exploiting Bohemia by recitae OF the tcrrors
concealed In It's Utmost rcccsses.
a Princess Of FIN" l. an account. apparently at
first hand Of he In the cannba island fifty
years ago. when cannlbalism really was maintained
very generally or there Is love affair, In
which the Princess Of FIJI figures and she Is repre-
sentcd in n comparatively realistic way though nee
cssarly idealzcd 10 some extent The authors
acquaintance with FIJI folklore and customs Is evil
IDENTIFY considerable and apart from th6ntercst OF the
story much Information on these subjects will be found
In the book.
The short stories OF Mr. Donaldson OF tyIN
which reminds MS OF the tales which used to appear
In the old ANIMALS. They seem born ont OF due time,
and 10 be plain. there IS no very apparent reason
why they should have been born at adj, for the IN
terest attached TO each and all Of them Is OF the
slightest
Paul Caus Is philosopher, yet he has written
&" twelve stories with Il moral whether he only allows
one moral TO the twelve Is however not quhc clear.
stories with morals are, 1t need hardly bc said. de-
testable both on genera! and on particular principles
Miss Marlinenu alone could make such stories PISS.
and she did 1t by inising into them the interest OF
ncton This Mr.. Carus clearly does not know how TO
do and the painful result Is that his twelve stories
are each II that be possible. clumsy, stupid ana
duh than the other. lie should stick 10 his last and
give the world as much of his philosophy IT feels
the need OF. Ills fiction it cannot very we'll bear.
The Marquis OF Lornc's story. "r The Adventures Of
John I7,s- Plus" Is not Of character to raise the
general estimate Of the noble literary requirements.
~ooth to say it il drcary. The young Canadian hero,
who being captured by the Indians is reared among
their children, aud becomes tribal cllcfaln, Is not
whstnnding curious adventures, distinctly not
interesting. one reason OF this Is that there is
nothing real about him. lie does not know how
To tell his story so rs 10 Tx The attention OF his
hearers lie IS long winded, prosy, aud sentimental
after an obsolete fashion.
The author Of tlshln' Jimmy" has written, In
Aunt Licfy," another short story which is a clever
character study though 1t violates all the probabilities
somewhat audacously In producing the chain OF cir
cumstances by which " Miss staples came TO be con
verted into Aunt Liefy." The story, however. Is
good enough be It's own Justification, and II cannot
but please the majority OF readers.
-
A RELIC OF TIE CRUISER ILiBiMA.'
From The Baltimore sun.
Arthur sinclair. who was lieutenant on the Con
ndncnle crIl.nr AlnlAmn. las pIeaenlrl al "Ihe