The herald., 1894-12-17

kLRs FROM THE EGEAN, by DEMErRros
BIKBLAs A. q. Mcclurg Co. Chicago
Price 100. For sale by Etoll and Thaver.
The supposition that any thing good in
he way OF art could come from Greece,
the Greece Of today, has not been preva-
lent, and the fact that literary genius
exists in the end-of-the century
Athens ia as sensational in ito way as
the discovery some few years ago that
Russia had Tolstoi and Tourgenieff.
Mr.. Bikelae, in the volume alluded to.
has series OF contes that are truly re-
markable. They have been put into
English from q French translation of
the Greek, go it is supposable that in
the double translation they have lost
some OF the distinctiveness of the origi-
mails, but they are evidently fully par
meated with the spirit of modern Gre
clan life and are in their way as Hell
lenic as the ancient wit Of ArietophaneB
or the grander lines OF Kschylus.
The fact that Mr.. Bikelas, by long
residence in Paris. has mixed with his
Attic salt some Gallo peppery pungen-
cy is evident, and the result 10 q series
witty, forceful and unemasculatsd
tales.
The fret one. The Plain Sister, is a
simply exquisite bit Of dramatic charac.
ter portrayal. The Prof. Plateus, the
hero, is a bit reminiscent OF Daudets
charming Tartarin. The sketch glows
with the warm atmosphere, the impuls-
iveness OF Grecian characteristics, and
with the seven others that compose the
dainty volume, is rendered into excel
lent English.
Americans are not too we'll informed
Rs to the progress OF literature in Greece
in its rsnascent condition, and to many
it is news to learn that MIR. Bikelas has
introduced Shakes peare's dramas to the
Greek stage with great success. Romeo
and Juliet, Othsllo, King Lear, Hamlet.
Macbeth, and the Merchant of Venice
have all been translated by him and
produced with great success in Athens,
Constantinople, Smyrna and other ORR
entail cities.
Mr.. Bikelas made bold strike at
pedantry in these translations, for he
put them in colloquial modern Gresk.
The custom OF the Athenians of today is
to consider nothing as classic or worthy
OF serious attention in drama unless put
we're at first violently opposed on this
ground. but it took only few performs
ances to entirely win over the adverse
critics.
The present volume demands the at
tention of all who like to keep up to
date on literary affairs and will be
found fully as entertaining 81 it is novel.
@Nx
hv tha Verv q
REYNOLDS HOLE. dean Of Rochester. Nc
MILAN & Co., New YORK.
The dean came to this country some
few years ago to raise money for the
restoration OF his magnificent cathedral
at Rochester by means OF lectures on
England and the English. The present
volume contains series OF his talks, and
most entertaining they are. The rev.
srend author IL evidently theologian OF
j. III rank, but none the less il he were
{ be made editor of Punrh it is plain
auat he would soon make that grave
Journal thing of mirth and joy for
over. His papers fairly sparkle with wit
and kindly humor, though not to such
IN extent 40 to blind the reader to the
act that the author is a man of tine
highest scholarly attainmente and
Christian Of breadth and sincerity.
To an Anglophobist the book will be
of i'm mense benefit, for it will destroy
many popular delusions regarding un-
desirable traits ascribed sometimes to
our cousins over the pond, and is calcu-
lated to develop q spirit OF affectionate
regard that ohould prevail for our moth
or country and our kin still there.
x~Y
AMERICAS GODFATHER, OR THE FLOREN.
TINE GENTLEMAN. by VIRGINIA w. JOHN
kToN, author of the Lily of the Arno, etc.
Estes Lauriat, Boston.
This is the story OF Amerigo Vespucci.
lorenzo has been looked at from almost
SveIy point OF view, but the author OF
this volume who introduces us to this
"Fiorentine gentleman" tells US about
1t in an original fashion. 1t is only
fair, since 1872 and '93 have given us so
much OF Columbus, that '94 should
enlghten US further as to one who
has strong claim to be Americas god
father in very truth. Altogether this
is an entertaining and in all ways
valuable and attractive book. Like
Naples. noticed elsewhere in these
columns, it is product Of the highest
form Of the book making art, and new
evidence OF the taste and enterprise of
the publishers.
IN THE MIDST OF ALARMS, by ROBERT
BARR. Frederick A. Stokes Co., New York
For sale by sloll & Thayer.
Here is one OF the moat charming liz.
tie love stories o! the year. in which
there is.a minimum of nam by -pamby lam
and a maximum of virility, action, aud
real life. Mr.. Barr has ~ one of his
heroes, for there are two, delightfully."-
pictured newspaper reporter. who while
perhaps not q type of his class as it
really is, still ia well drawn, and in
many ways is what q reporter ought to
be. The old Fenian raid on Canada
forms the central incident OF the tale
and the descriptions are graphic and
natural. 1t is u story that cheers as
well as entertaine.
x@x
WOMAN IN EPIGRAM; compiled by G. w.
MORION. A. A. McClug & Co., Chicago.
price VI 90; for sale by Sto & Tnayer
This is collection OF witty remarks
about women, and like women, some
are good, others bad, and more indiffer-
ont. The compiler has ransacked liter
ature from its birth to the present de-
cadence aud has certainly made an in
terestlng little volume of his gleanings.
They vary from the masculine elevated
line OF Lowel's "Earth's nobleet thing,
. woman perfected" to the feminine
fiighty ding of Sopie Arnould, Women
give themselves to God, when the Devil
wanted nothing more to do with them.
%*x
~ n 10