New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-04

10 very hard to get interested In the tale. 1t
moves to be sure, but by fits and starts, ana not
nv the virtue Of such vital springs OF action as
lie at the roots Of true historical romance we
have taken up this reprint with the best VIII III
the world but we drop 1t with alacrity TOT the
thrilling pages of Dumas.
A year ago Messrs. Appleton & Co published
q translation Of THE Three Musketeers when
We greeted the more gladly as It came adorned
with irst-rate reproductions Of NJ. Leoirs per-
fect Illustrations But the edition had one draw
hack II was So deliberately made that only nm
tied number Of people could hope to own the two
Dig volumes. This year the same translation APP
nears with the same illustrations. but In Two
volumes much smaller than the others and much
cheaner So much the better for the publishers
and for the public We cannot have too many
editions of Dumas and this particular one or MS
romances Is so brilliant so interesting, so Iowa
BILE that In this new dress 1t takes at once a
more favored place than ever In the directions Oh
his followers II is impossible TO read dumas
without feeling affection for him. No tally Is
kept Of either virtues or faults as you read. lie
is unsurpassed ir fiction for just combination
Of life with drama; he proves that In the finest
sense the two are one.
same thing in his highly colored novels, and
he failed There is more drama than life. in the
artificial sense in THE Wandering Jew" But
II IS absorbing drama, immensely interesting
drama and II Is good to the story brought
ont once more in handsome two-volume form
by T. Y Crowell & Co. The books are well
printed and bound and are adorned with
number OF clever illustrations. They will serve
TO revive the vogue Of a work which, with all
its faults has always been a source Of enter
tainment to readers with taste for mystery
and adventure. Gaboriau IL said TO be the
favorite reading Of Prince Bismarck Sue lies
next door TO Gaboriau and. though we 90 not
know that he Is enjoyed by the German Chan-
cel.or. II is certain that he gives to the tired
brain Just the diversion and rest that the lat
ter seeks In the inventor Of French detective
stories. Sue had the art Of writing laby-
rinthine tale of beguiling the reader through
chapter after chapter of the most unexpected
crises He docs not go deep, but, like Gaborlau'
he amuses you and interests you without ceas-
ing
After the strenuous atmosphere Of THE Wan
dering Jew" NJ. Daudet seems more buoyant
than ever in the two delightful TRANSACTIONS from
him which are published by Messrs. Crowell
& Co. These TRANSACTIONS. "Tartarin Of Taras-
con- and la Belle Nivernaise and Other
Stories" appear in a daintily printed series
called The Faience Library" The series is well
named. for both books we have mentioned are
OF a light fabric gracefully and deity handled,
and third volume have received, "LAvril'
by Paul Marguerite is even more lyric and
fragile. These translatons are all agreeably
made and the carefully printed pages are bound
up between attractive ornamental covers The
form chosen is small but dignifed and the
series ought to be successful
There is something of contrast between the
vigorous incisive method of NJ. lola and the
delicate unobtrusive analysis of NJ. Marguerite;
but the more masculine novelist has, never
theless a poetic strain in "A Love Episode,
as the translator of tine Page dAmour calls
one of the famous realist's most pathetic works
In this NJ. lola proved. as he has now and
then proved in other places, his capacity Tor
more or less ideslistic writing. "A Love Epi-
sode" has much tenderness in 1t, much delicacy
of feeling ~ Vizetelys translation appears In
very attractive form.