The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-14
IN THE LITERARY WORLD.
WEEKLY CHAT REGARDING WRIT
ERs AND hooks.
ola Povers Picciola" - The Southern
Magazine" for January-Other Re-
cent Publications Of Merit.
pIccIoLA: THE PRISONER OF FEN

By j. +. Gueldry. ID. Appleton & Co..
New York. $50. For sale by West.
Johnston & Co.
The exquisite story of Charles Vera
mont, Count de Charney and OF his re-
storation to happiness and faith through
the fundamentally of tiny plant-"La
povela piccioia-' Is less familiar than
beautiful. 1t is. without loubt, one Of the
most subtle parallels ever written, as
teaching how the Divine mind sets its
profoundest lessons in simplicity. Moth
Ing but the most consummate genius could |
ever have taught so sublime a truth by |
so simple means and yet have impaired |
TO the story-whch is the story OF the |
life of the little plant In the prison court |
an absolutely absorbing interest.
The reader enters thoroughly into the |
prisoners eagerness for the delicate lit |
tie body 10 strengthen ana develop, and |
for the blossoms to come. When the |
granite pavement, through a cleft in |
which the plant has struggled. bids fair |
to lacerate and kill the tender growing |
thing, we feel almost as much solicitude
as we would for wounded human baby.
We feel throughout that the center OF the
story is the plant; that picciola mas an
individuality as pronounced as gentie'
that she Is one of the earths small Things
which are capable Of confounding the
great. ne biography OF the flower 10
the story of a blase, cold. yet sincere
mans conversion 10 belief in all that Is
hest: I'm Divine and human love- Our in
terest in the pure and beautiful romance
of the story is secondary TO our interest
I'm picciola we realize that without her
no romance would have existed.
The book loses none OF Its charm
through translation. and it is TO be de-
| plored that the talents of the writers OF
The present day is not OF kind which
recognizes how exquisitely beautifui
stories can be developed from pure, SIM
| pie and wholesome things.
| "Pfcciola" can never grow old. Ihe
| Door little thing has about IL the per
| ennial freshness of genius OF the nrst
order. of originality in thought and OF
truth in the lesson it seeks to teach
The illustrations. by GueIdry. are pro-
fuse and the style of binding exceedingly
| handsome.
| THE SOUTHERN MAGAZINE: January
1894 Fetter, Bush Publishing Company
Louisville, Ky. $3.50 a year. Single
copy. Is cents. For sale by west
Johnston q Co.
This issue Of the Southern Magazine"
contains a number of interG sting articles
upon subjects Of especial significance TO
scutherners: several fairly good stories;
and an exceptionally attractive table OF
contents under the head Books ana
Writer'S" In this department the jour
raj or Henri Frederick Amiel' and The
Master OF Ballantrae' By Harvey Ball,
are reviewed In a style at once entertain
irg and able.
MIR william Baird contributes an adj
mirably strong paper upon THE S@uth in
the intellectual development OF the
United States" and Mr.. J. Breckenridge
| Robertson. one upon Football In the
South" Illustrated with portraits and
instantaneous photographs Of players.
In its entirety the holiday number Of the
southern" is not merely attractive to
look at, but full of helpful and entertain
ing reading matter. A. LODGE.
CUSTOMS AND FASHIONS IN OLD
NEW ENGLAND. by Alice Morse
Earle. Charles Scribner's Sons. New
York. Sl.25.
Nowadays when there is an awakening
Of interest in everything connected with
colonial times that amounts to "fad,
this little book, in its demurely dainty
dress Of drab and white, will doubtless
find plenty OF readers. Beginning with a
chapter on child-life which tells us OF
some Of the ordeals which made bitter
the lives OF Puritan little folks. and
, makes US wonder how any OF them ever
lived 70 be the grand-fathers and grand
mothers to whom their descendants OF To-
day point with so great pride, 1t pro
ceeds to unrorl prim, and dreariy pic
l turesnue. panorama OF different phases
of life in early New England
Courtshlp and marriage customs, taoi'
! manners. interiors of homes, modes q
: travel. the monstrous fashions and de
I vices resortcd TO by women I'm the fon'
hope OF adding to their beauty, holiday
celebrations and amusements are al
wildly described. Now that the dangers o
: the game Of football are causing 81
N much discussion 1t is interesting TO not
that a law was passed In 1851, prohibit
) inc the game in any OF the streets
lanes or enclosures Of the town." unde
/ penaltv of twenty shiilings fine for eacl
Offense.
There Is n chapter on medical practice
followed most appropriately, by one OF
+ burial customs; for If the poor, deiude
e. natient actually swallowed the nauseou
e mixtures described. without the result q
e a speedy funeral, the Puritan fatner
4 must need have been more than mortai.
j The book will have permanent vaiue
D a means of preserving much folk-lor
S old manuscripts The contrast betwee
= the aspect Of society IN the early TINE
h and now. makes the volume as entertdl"
; inc as IL is pretty, especially to the pre-
ont day New Englander, but after reaniH
B.. II he Will doubtless be ready 10 say
hearty and emphatic "Amen." to the 10
Io,vine urayer OF Thanksgiving tespeclaii
the latter clause OF it, upon the ute pas'
c 81 et ms thank God for having gave
5 us such ancestors; and let each successis
generation thank him not less ierVeh'i'
{ for being one step further from theiil
e the march Of ages" NJ a. - -
= THE ROMANCE OF AN EMPIRES
CATHARINE ii, OF RUSSIA.
e \ Naliszewski. ID. Appleton & &c
=. uro. ror safe by west, Johnso
4 Co.
This work, on its publication In Frenc
l. go received by the London Times al
" other journals OF recognized authority
>, historical study Of fascinating interes
80 and one of exceptional value because
IN throws new light upon the supJeo, AZ
w., ,na times. NJ WalisZewskis DOCK - paS'
-, 20 men Unpublished documents III 'he s'a
~ o,cbives. and upon the memoirs "nu ~
a .. =, OF his subject There M
III .c9po ,,,,re extraordinary figure In hu
- -, history than this gifted. tempesi uou
, , dissolute empress, The seinir
e a''1 ~ ne North. Inc story Oh q
u. -. 49, intriyues the wars II
q ..,,,,,,,he the succession OF fayorites, al
a tho ,erre outbreaks with which her reh
~ r,,s 0lied. reads like the nSll-Nls t'''0
49, 'h~onIcle OF Il king OF Babylon or one
~ 49,. earlier Afouguls. II IS most eA.,o,'
~ -, romance which NJ. Waiisze"sh III