The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-08
THB CRITICS COLUMN.
DEyOTED 70 C0MNBY1 UP01
CENT PUBLICATION.
Miss Hsprood's Rambles in the Uo0S~
ions Of tho Gar Literary
Notes.
RUSSIAN RAMBLES: BY Isabel F. l1sp
good. Houghton, Miffiin Il Co. bo1
ton. $50. For sale by all newsdeS'


Miss Hapgood Is so happily known "
the public through her admirable trans
iations. that original work OF hers Is IN
sured q cordial and interested reception
Into the present volume she has thrown
tho observation and experience made anu
won during an extended stay In Russia
with result that Is undoubtedly de-
lightfui; but her book will certainly DC
challenged for the reason that II presents
10 us a very widely different picture OF
the vast land of the Car. from the black
one to which we have grown accustomed.
and which has also been painted by those
who claimed TO record what they saw.
Especially will her genial description OK
her experience In connection with the
censorship excite general surprise. for II
Is decidedly not the experience present
cd 10 us hitherto. The censor. according
10 her account, is by no means the rigid
gentleman with the iron backbone whom
we know. and she distinctly states that
whatever may have been the power vest
ed I'm this individual, he was so extreme
ly lax in his performance OF his DUTY
that Nihllistc books passed through ms
hands unchecked-only with a knowledge
of the persons 10 whom they were ad-
dressed.
She holds the passport scare up TO our
ridicrle. and declares that her move
ments were never hampered In the miiu-
est degree by those Documents that the
only use she had for them was the
means OF identification they aHorded III
case of accident. She proceeds to SHOW us
| that hers was In no sense an eScepuonai
experience. by the recital or huthoer
OF Instances in which othrs met Win
the same lenient treatment. She says,
too, that che cannot claim 'innurnce
exercised in her behalf to have been the
explanation OF this IN her own case'
for that she used none.
Tho chapter on Count Tolstoi Is one
of the most interesting Of the enurs
book. and I'm Il that egousuc RUSSIAN
gives us his views regarding some Oh
our American and English authors mat
erratic, IL gifted "smpliier" consigns MI.
Rider Haggard 10 the loves; place In
literature. Miss Hapgood states that
Countess Tolstoi Is a wholesome ana
thorough contrast to her husband, whose
disciples, according 10 her, were all
small blond, slckly, and homely; as IKE
one TO another as a pair Of old boots.
Through her knowledge OF the Russian
language, she was able 10 come into
close touch with tho working people, ana
this gives her book an additional charm
as well as an additional value. .
She made no effort TO get behind the
scenes in politics. nor police affairs ex-
cept as they incidentally came to her
notice through experience.
AS a whole. the picture OF Russian
life which she presents TO us Is totally
unlike the one TO which we are accustom-
ed, and, az we have said. her book Will
be widely criticised However that may
be, her literary style IS natural and de-
nghtful and her book is one OF the clever
est books OF travel we have ever read.
| HARPER'S WEEKLY, August 18th.
HARPER'S BAZAAR, August 3lst.
HARPER'S ROUND TABLE, August
9th. For sale by West Johnston &
Co.
We have never seen moro attractive Is
sues of MessTs. Harpers always en-
joyable periodicals than these. Whole
some fiction, clever articles on general
subjects, useful hints 10 hcusekeepers
fashion notes, etc, make up tables OF
contents that have something to inter-
| est all. The publishers have through
| years Of success established an enviable
reputation, and their publications are
now TO be found In almost all homes
where healthy light reading is appreciat-
| ed. They invariably contain a delightful
| combination Of the pleasant and the use
| full. and this was never more true than
| Of these last issues.
Literary Notes.
Messrs. West, Johnston & co. VIII
| shortly bring out handsome edition or
the Poems Of James Barron Hope"
| selected and edited by his daughter
The mechanical work upon the book
| will be handsome; the contents need no
/ praise to a Richmond public.
Mrs. Janey Hope Mari has. with an
| inherited keen perception of the beauti-
! full. made her selection with admirable
taste, and the forthcoming volume Will
| contain the real flower OF Mr.. Hopes
work We await it with interest.
An interesting letter written by Charles
| Dickens, and relating 10 the publication
| OF "Pickwck Papers" and the death OF
!, Seymour, the artist. was sold at Hodg-
sons rooms In Chancory Lane. in Lon
| don, the other day. Dickens wrote. "Nr.
| Seymour shot himself before the second
| number of the 'Pickwick Papers mot
| the third as you would have ~ was pub
| lished. While he lay dead, II was neces-
| sary that search should be mate IN Eis
working room for the plates 10 tho sec
| ond number, the day for the punt cation
| OF which was drawing near. The plates
were found unfinished with Their faces
TUNED TO the wall" sc. The letter sold
for az los.
Says a writer In Jerome X. Jerome's
weekly paper;
=. K. Crockett, that genial. broad
shouldered Scot, ran up 70 town the other
day, and dropped in for chat. lie tells
me that his new story Will be called
The Smugglers OF the Clone and deals.
| with an exploit or one OF Sir Herbert
| Maxwelis ancestors. He is one OF the
! few men OF letters / know whose per-
sonality is redolent Of the woodlands
Most OF the others look as II they never
| left their studies at all, particularly J.
NJ. Barrie, although. as a matter OF fact
he takes an active interest in cricket. IL
would be interesting 10 have details o.
the outdoor pursuits OF my PRINCIPAL
| customers. Sir Walter Besant takes long
walks William Black yachts and fishes
! Andrew Lang COILS; Conan Doyle IS 4
good all-around sportsman. TO whom
/ nothing comes amiss I'm the shape OF OPEN
air exercise. and Anthony Hope delights
in football. Mr.. Blackmore Is an entnu-
siastic gardener. but / DO not know
whether he shoots or rides J. VI. Barrie.
by the way. has just finished his serial
! story for 'Scrbners.' IL was believe,