The herald., 1893-12-10

Onarle6 ScrlDnor'6 Sons Chrlstma9 BOOK
Buyer, / find some interesting facts
concerning the books of this Christmas
season. This valuable magazine, whose
extensive research in the book world
places it In position to act as criterion
on book purchases, gives the following
information in it's Christmas edition.
It is characteristic of the miscellaneous
books Of the present season that an
unusually large proportion Of them are
OF permanent value as we'll as OF con-
temporaneous interest. Two or three
OF the more valuable novels are from
the pens of famous writer's; but in the
domain of biography, essay and pure
literature there are not few books that
will ultimately find their proper places
on the shelves of scholars and thinkers.
Such q book, for example, ia the
handsome two-volume American edi-
tion OF Maxine de Rocheterie's
Lie Of Marie Antoinette (Dodd, Mead Il
Co., publishers), translated by Cora
Hamilton Bell. The story OF the un.
happy and hapless queen Of the Frenc b
has been go often told that one might
suppose that 1t had lost it's charm, and
that nothing new could be added to it's
tragic pages. But recent discoveries of
valuable historical documents have in
creased the material available to the
biographer, and the fact that the pres
ent publica tion has grown out OF M. de
10 Rocheterie's examination and review
OF the newly found letters OF the Count
de Mercy, the Austrian ambassador, to
Maria theresa, is sufficient to pique and
gratify the curiosity Of the student OF
history, as we'll as attract the general
reader. This is vivid and picturesque
narrative, full of life and color, and
written with an obvious determination
to impartiality. The work, which ia
nicely illustrated, is a distinctly vslua-
BILE contribution to history, and it has
been crowned by the French academy.
Another chapter of life at the court Of
France during the earlier years of the
last century is lmbert de Saint Amand's
''The Court Of Louis XIV" Charles
Scribner's Sons, publishers), translated
by Elizabeth Gilbert Martin. This latest
addition to the admirable series, Women
Of Versailles, by M. de Saint.Amand,
will doubtless be read with the same
absorbing interest that has welcomed
each one OF it's predecessors in the same
field. The authors literary style is
altogether desirable to fastidious read
ers, and French spirit is conscientiously
preserved in the excellent translation.
A careful reading OF this less preten-
tious volume would be judicious prepa-
ration for the more weighty tomes of M.
de 10 Rocheterie's work. The seeds Of
the revolution of 1890 were sown during
the reign of LIE Grand Monarque.
Frederick Wedmore's Pastorals Of
France and Renunciations (Charles
-
one volume this year. The fret named
fiona have now passed into their second
stage of popularity. These are exquisite
pieces OF work and the beauty of their
typographical dress enhances the at
tractiveness in which they are presented
to American readers. Each etory is a
hawless gem. In her Sketches
OF the French Court Estes & Laur-
lat, publishers) Laura Richards ex-
hibits the same breadth of treatment
and raciness of style that 30 dis
tinguished her Captain January, tale
Thoroughly imbued with the French
spirit. Her subjects are not royalties,
but the men and women whose contact
with the court was more accidental.
Corneille, Jean Bart, Jean Baptiste
Lully. and Saint Simon (whose memoirs
are Literally drawn upon) are among
the famous people tnarshalled upou her
matte stage.
Another chapter Of historical adven-
ture will be found worthily enclosed in
the somewhat diffuBe narrative OF Fred
erick Ober's In the Wake of Colum-
bus %. Lathrop company, publishers),
In which the author, who was officially
detailed to look up the evidence ,vefyify-
ing places discovered by Columbus on
the shores of the new world, tells of his
adventures while therein engaged. The
story is readable, and it adds much
valuable information to what we al
ready know OF the wonderful voyage
across the Sea of Darkness.
Gentle in its humor and deeply philo-
sophical withal, is Robert Grants The
Opinions OF Philosopher (Charlee
scribner'B Sons, publishers), which NAV
be commended unressrvedly to him who
has studied the old, old and yet ever
new story of human life. Here we
have, with shrewd wisdom and delicate
wit, the oft-told tale of young love,
growing, manly ambition, domestic bliss
rarely clouded by feeting chickering's,
the coming Of dear children; their
growing suddenly, as it were, to man.
hood and womanhood; the fitting OF
the young birds from the parental nest.
and, finally, the falling Of the curtain
and the exeunt omnes Of the play. 1t is
good bit of philosophy that is unfolded
In these truthful pages, and Smedley
and heinhart, with facile pencils, have
fittingly illustrated the observations and
meditstions of this very human phil
osophizer. Mr.. Grant is somewhat
perhaps, but without the
D tterness that one sometimes tastes in
L iackeray'e fiction and eseay.
The autobiography of Tommaso Sal
VIM, which is a reprint of the papers
I rat have appeared in the Century, ia
rom the publishers of that magazine,
and 1t is pleasant book to behold as
well as to read. Salvini's artless self
are delightful reading,
and the generosity with which he tells
his own adventures is more than
matched by hie cordial admiration for
many OK his illustriou1 contemporaries
-Rosei, Rachel, Riston and others.
6alvlnrS career, picturesque as it has
been, could not be more picturesouely
told than here.
There is almost nothing in the seasons
that nearly approaches in interest and
value Robert Louis Stevenson's David
Balfour Charles Scribner's Sons. rub
libhers), which although SEQUEL land
! sequel 10 parlous thing, my mastersl.
|s nevertheless eminently worthy to
,ome after the masterpiece. Kidnapped.
II. u