Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-07
GOSSIP FROM BOOKLAND.

Menie Muriel Dowie will be remem bered as the young lady who donued male attire and travelled extensively, tramping on foot, and then wrote the very delightful work, IA Girl in the Karpathians. Miss Dowie has now published a more preten- tious work, called "Gallia,'' which is proving itself a successful novel. It is strong work, something after the order of IA Superdous Woman" !"
 The scenes of "Gallia' are laid in Eng land, with few sketches of Paris life that are told, characteristic and eminently true. We are first introduced 10 Mark Gurdon, strong, sturdy Epgl1shman, who calculates with a nicety of judgment what will further his material advance ment. Robbie is equally interesting as a specimen of the Bohemian of the "Latln Quarter, in Paris, whose artistic qualih- cations and wbims causes his very correct grandmother no little bit of anxiety. Dark Essex is about tue strangeet char acter in the lot. If 1t Is English you know to have one's feelings and sem timent under such stern control it's won- der if there are any love matches. No one who makes hislacquaiutance can doubt that he loved Gallia, and loved her very dearly; he was also cold, calculating and most un- fortunate. Of all intensely cynical, he was man ofthe least possible emotional experi- ence, se that nothing could be more ex- pressive' of him than the following sentence, when he had actually risen to the height >of passionate feeling and been the participant in so emotional scene as love making: sThat he should have acted as he had done surprised Essex, but itsdid not disconcert him; no, not though It seemed so unusual and astonishing, ne re- mained fully satisfied with himsslf. He knew Gallia had understood him-he was sure, and be was quite right in being sure that he had left her sense of satisfaction, of f,,IG hn way, he on his, and they would walk to their separate uestinations.'
 The book is a strong, realistic novel. The characters are each individual and dis tinctly portrayed. The authoress evinces unusual capacity for the analysis of human feelings and emotions, always appreciated when not tediousy expressed. There is, too, fire and earnestness in ter love scenes. That is especially brilliant when depicting passionate emotions. And what can be said of "Gallia, ' the most eccentric of all? Possibly no term would describe her so accurately as the quite hackneyed one, 'the new woman.' There is great deal in the character of Gallia that suggests the type of woman attempted by Sarah Grand and others. Gallia has rich, pas sionate, untrained nature. It is generally found that this species of woman has been allowed the entire freedom Of her own imaginative will, and her consequent indl- vidual and pronounced actions take the
 
 In Gailia's case her actions are dramatic in force, swift and tnmultuous.
 She says:
 "sIt's usually youthful disease, all the same, have been so long growing up, you known when you are grown up be- cause you accept things. l scarcely can yet, wantdt everything and have every thing new and made new again.
 She says again:
 "'I am as happy as any one when 1 see lon nr duu a shooting, will often-in fact, will always make me happy; that's because Pm young and strong and my blood moves. l do not comprehend the emotional kind of happi- ness to be got out of some mans admira- tion for me-or whatever it Is that gives 1t to women.
 Love did not seem to me happy thing. It attacked my pride, my independence, the whole fabric of my character; 1t low cred my crest-I think you might have still think that you loved me?'' Essex asked, almost naturally-but the interest ing phase of the thew woman,' as ex- plotted in the modern works of fiction, is that she discusses and in fact indulges her whims and vagaries, which she vainly dig nifies by the name of s'ideals,'' and then, fortunately perhaps, just as contentedly marries and succumbs to a plain, ordinary sphere in life, and thus endeth the story.
 Now "The Devils Playground, all though it has very suggestive and naughty title, is one of the most exem- plary of books. The author, MT. John Mackie, has given us story of tbe wild northwest, just a stirring little unassum- ing tale, plainly and smoothly written, fairly good story, but does not lift its own merit above the dozens of just such works of fiction.
 ''Tenting On the Plains' will be well comed bY the readers to whom "Boots and Saddles' and "Following the Guidon,' by Mrs. B. B. Custer, are already famil- jar. "The Judgment Books,o novelette, by B. F: Benson, is soon to appear.
 "With the Procession,o a novel by H. B. Fuller. and 'fDiplcmatic Disenchant- ment'' by Edith Bigelow are also noted among new books.
 Laurence Hutton has written an especially worthy book, "Literary Landmarks of Jerusalem,' ,'' the illustrations for which were taken from original drawings made by F. V. DuMond, who went to Jerusalem at the request of the publishers.
 MT. Hutton,s work is aspendid guide to travellers, but is also of great Information and delight to those who do not travel.
 PAUL PRY.
 Order your Easter Hats at The Model.