The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-06-18
THE LITERARY WORLD.
WEEKLY CHAT REGARDING WRIT
ERs AND BOOKS.
tions-Words ofPraise for Talented
Lit-rnry New Conner.


A peculiar interest attaches to-day 10
everything Colonial or Revolutionary.
With curious eye we seek to peer into
those olden times, TO behold the dignihed
periwigged gentlemen. and the fair ladies
I'm their quaint but becoming brocades
and laces Everywhere ancient docu-
ments and records are searched ardenty
in the hope that they may reveal some
hitherto unknown genealogical or MS
torical fact This persistent curiosity does
not COnhne itself 20 the great events OF
the last century, but IL seeks 10 gam an
insight into the social and domestic lie
of Colonial DAYS. ITO read Of councils,
congresses and battles" IS not enOugh
men and women wish 10 know something
more intimate and personal OF the life
Of the past, Of how their ancestors lived
and loved as well Of how they wrought,
suffered and died With some thought
Of gratifying this desire the author OF
Through Colonial DOorways. sounding
the heavy brass knocker. invites the
reader 10 enter with her some old homes.
and there bee delighted by the stories
she has 10 tell. The historian of the
past has, as a rule. been pleased To treat
with dgnihed silence the lighter side Of
Colonial life allowing the procession Of
noble men and fair women TO sweep ON,
grand. stately, and imposing. but lacking
the softer touches that belong 10 social
and domestic life. 50 much has been
written and said of the stern virtues or
the fathers and mothers OF the Republic,
and Of their sacrifices, privauons ana
herolsm, that we of this generation would
be in danger OF regarding them as types
of excellence to be placed upon pedestaI3'
rather than as men and women 10 be
loved with human affection, we're II not
for some old letter or diary, or 8nec1ote
frat Goats down to us from the past
revealing the touch Of nature that makes
them our knsfolk by the bond of sym
pathy and interest, of taste and habit
as well as by that of blood
In this spirit our author proceeds 20
charm us with anecdotes iull 0I Wit ana
mirth-season here and there with
gentle, human pathos. he disnihed, un-
bending Washington becomes an ape
proa enable personality 20 MS. and the |
great John Adams, who with all his /
greatn,ss appears not 10 have been /
universal favorte. is depicted as the /
most submissive of domestic beings
The records, which our author is for /
tunate enough TO have collected, are after |
all only few out Of the great mass writ |
ten Others equally interesting. and |
equally value bile as character iuumina- |
tors, have fallen a prey TO mould or |
decay. or have been consigned % the |
flames, or have met a still more ignobie |
fate. having been torn mp for curl |
paper5.' I'm proof Of which we quote the !
following incident with It's timely words |
OF warning at the close. "A narrator of |
vsracity tells how o. bevy of gay young |
girls. gathered together I'm the roomy old |
H)pkiusOn house i'm Bordentown, appro- |
priated some letters found i'm the garnet |
% this purpose. and lighting on some iu- |
teresting passages. amused themselves by 1
reading them aloud a what Macaulay /
names the curling hour Reports Of !
those nocturnal revels being carried down I
stairs, a member OF the family interested |
herself in the preservation OF the letters,
which proved an historical treasure-trOve.
Such treasure-trOves will be less likely |
to be discovered as the years go on and
those who would find lOve-letters Ike
Esther Wynn's, under the cellar stairs.
had better set about looking for them
before mould and dampness have utterly
obllterated the characters traced I'm the
long ago" y. 70. W.
FROM OUT OF THE PAST.-The story
of "A meeting I'm Touraine. by Emily |
Rowland Hoppen. DOdd. Meade q Co,
New York. 81. For sale by West,
Johnston & Co.
A story Illustrating the enduring quality |
)f first love: that love which IS a COM
10site Of sentiment and virgin passion.
which has I'm all days furnlshefa theme
Tor the genius Of poets who have likened
t 10 all manner OF young, vital and |
noble things, none so lovely or so unique
IS itself Written boy a woman, IL is
gratifying TO note that there is a total
,bsence Of hyeterical moods and maudlin
The authors literary |
style is easy. graceful never ilippant and
lever strained, ~ never especially strong. |
Many Of the pen pictures OF scenery IN
and around TOuraine have the delicate
)eauty OF etchiugs. an of them are true
90 fact. as I have been told by friend !
Who has visited fair France and viewed /
Is natural beauties with eyes ~ true
lrtist The truth OF D0ane 90 the sweet
loart OF his teens that age of dreams
md ideals. and her reciprocal love and |
1y8lty. are not more exquisite than the
affection between the mother and daugh-
er. The scene of The lovers reunion is
fair Touraine." aud the concluding para
graph of the pleasing little novel sounds
he keynote Of the music whose climax
u harmony is reached IN that reunion.
Sing on. Sc happy birds. ring out clear
ellis, And you. tail poplars. stand silent
,uard" Surely through the length and
breadth Of pleasant France there WAS not
more blssful pair that day than the
strangers who sat In the nospitable shell
or of a homestead Of old Touriuo, as
hey clasped each others hands.
rHE MAKING OF A NEWSPAPER. /
Edited by Melville Phillips O.. =. Put
nams Sons. New York and London. For
sale by West, Johnston * Co.
ITO afford the public a close and COM
1rehensive view of various phases OF
newspaper life and work has been the
.ndcay0r of Mr.. Phillips I'M the cOmDila-
ion Of this little book. III consists In the
relation of men eminent in the news
respective departments. AMI when IL Is
stated that the list of writer's represented
include the names OF Melville Phillips. =.
*. Mcclure. Julius Chambers a. T. Wa
rous. Samuel Merrill. ~. D. G.. Mc.ghan, \
Moses r. Handy Max De Lippman. 1
George Alfred Townshend, j. j.. NcCor- /
mick, Murat Halstead. Mr. n. DE Cound. /
John A. Cockeru and John Russell I
Young the Inference VIII az once Doe that /
The book is both true and attractive. ana \
a perusal of SIS contents shows the ln-
ference Co have been correct one.
Il is a mosaic OF good things. ana
each OF the articles possess
fuil share OF those characteristics which
have made the reputation OF lbs author.
They an abound in accounts OF ludlcrous
Incidents. which will Doe particularly APP
preciated 10y professional newspaper men