The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-07
THE CRITICS COLUMN.
DEVOTED TO COMMENT UPON re
CENT PUBLICATIONS.
s.psrty Politics'--"sesndinsvI Liters-
ture" - "rhs People of tho
United states
~sHoRT STORIES IN PARTY POLL


Scribner's Sens, New York. SIS. For
sale by West, JOIN ston & Co.
While here and there throughout his
excellent book, which. from mechanic
cal standpoint IL admirable. as ~ inra-
riably true OF publicaticns nom Messrs.
Scribner. Mr. Brooks has perhaps ~
voluntarily, allowed his personal opsn-
ions TO interfere with absolute fairness
He is, in the main. commercially impair
tiai. He Is ths possessor OF trenchant
and clear-cut literary style, and his work
has at once the merits OF thOroughncSs
and condensation. IL Is direct presen-
tation 70 his readers OF the how and
whether OF party politics, from the time
that the United States became nation
down 10 June 1892. and contains many
happy and interesting con ments en- pas-
SAINT upon the great men who have made
It's history. Washington, Adams. Burr,
Hamilton, jefferson. Jay. Madison, Cln-
ton. Monroe, Calhoun, Clay, Randolph,
John Quincy Adams. Hale, Van buren,
TAYLOR Jackson. Webster. Seward. Har-
rison. Fillmore. Tyler Pierce, PoiN.
Weed. and Lincoln are each represented
by an excellent portrait
The contents OF the book arr DIVIDED
into four chapters, entitled, respectively,
Some First Things IN American POLL
ties THE Passing Of the wings
"When Slavery Went out Of Politics.
and THE Party Platforms OF sixty
Years"
ESSAYS ON SCANDINAvIAN LITER
AZURE" BY Hjahner Hjorth Boye-
sen. Charles Scribner's Sons, New
York $3.50 For sale by West, john
ston & Co.
The critical essays Of Mr. Boyesen are
receiving from the reviewers all over ths
country enthusiastic praise, and In our
judgment desrve the best that can he
said of them. They are not able only
they are delightful. for their writer has
brought the full charm of his distinctive
literary style 10 bear in presenting 10
us the interesting personality OF eacn
author whose work he reviews.
In nothing Is he more admirable than
In his wholesome breadth Of view, the
quality of a generous and gentle as Wen
as of a keenly perceptive mind Even III
his criticism Of George Brandes he rs never
harsh. and his regret that justice de-
mands unpleasant truths In this connec-
ton is evident throughout the essay
Btornsterne BIornson. Henrik lbsen.
Alexander Kielland, Jonas Lie, Hans
Christian Andersen. George Brandes, and
Esaias Tegner are each, with their lltera-
r. work, the subject OF an essay, the
whole being about as delightfully."- OF the
"Multum i'm parva' variety Of book as
we have ever seen.
Regarding the book, Boyesen. in brief
preface, has the following TO say
Some twenty years ag) the ambition
seized me TO write u History or Scandi-
ravian Literature. l scarcely realized
then, what an enormous amount of read
ing would be required TO equip me for
this task. My studies naturally led me
much beyond the scope OF my original
intention There was fascination In the
work which lured me perpetually on,
and made me explore, with a constantly
Increasing zest the great literary per-
sonaities Of Norway, Sweden and Den
mark. Thus my chapter on Henrik Ibsen
grew into a book OF three hundred and
seventeen pages, which was published a
year ago. and must be regarded as sup
Elementary 10 the present volume. The
chapter on Bjornsterne Bjornson was IN
danger Of expaI ding TO similar proper
lions, and only the most heroic condensa-
ton saved Il from challenging criticism
as an independent work.
As regards Norway and Denmark. l
have endeavored TO select all the weight
lest and most representative names The
Swedish authors, Johan Ludwig Rune
berg. Mrs. Edsreu. and August Strind-
berg. and the Dane Oehlenschlager. ne
cessity has compelled me 20 reserve for
volume"
Boyesen's crystalline clearness OF style
has about it the purity OF Norwegian air.
and this volume Of essays needs nothing
to make 1t a triumph OF strength and
charm.
"a HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF
THE UNITED STATES" From the
Revolution TO the civil War. BY Joha
Bach McMaster University Of Penn
sylvania). In six volumes. d. Appleton
& CO.. New York. For sale by West,
Johnston x co.
We are unwilling 10 undertake 10 ex-
press an opinion on the merits or dr.
merits Of Mr.. AicMaster's history"
with only one volume OF the series upon
which 10 base IL. and that the fourth.
as IL would certainly be impossible 10
form one Of any intelligence To attempt
that would be much like taking a coat
and breeches on credit, because the vest
was all that IL should be- However. We
will say that this fourth volume shows
an excellent and most attractive style.
and an attention TO detail, which ought
10 make IL valuable 10 The student 10
displays. too. an admirable IA 'rness. and
a logical and thorough comprehension or
causes ard effects. In his de-
sire 10 be ELECTRICALLY brilliant, IS he
assuredly Is, he sacrifices nothing OF
fidelity 10 fact. The maps and index.
which we presume are 10 be found in
each Of the other five volumes as In this.
are most helpful. The mechanical make
up OF the book is excellent. the print
arge and clear. the binding neat. strong
and sensible
THE MERMAID" "KITTy's I'm
GAGEAiENT." Applctons Town and
Country Series. ID. Appleton Co,
New York. 50 cents each. For sale by
VISIT Johnston q co.
These two novels have no qualities 10
them from the mass OF
'ourtn-rate literature flooding tho market.
They are OF that class OF bOOks-weak.
pointless--which yet and
Of readers among those 10
whom q strong, virile novel means brain
ag The lachrymose heroine OF "Kitty's
sobs or such slight occa-
sion that IL is barely possible that an
everyday lover would find the sweetheart
If wiping away her tears a somewhat
,loyi sweetheart. and, I'm short, In
'veryday life her charms Ike those Of
Zen Bolts Alice. might prove just trifle
caring. And yet IL is astonishing how
many people swallow this sort OF thing
md really seem 20 Ike 70.
LITERARY MOTIFS.
John Maxwell. the London publisher.
ird tho husband Of the popular au.hor-
IS. Miss Braddon. died on March 81.
There are ten newspaper editors IN the
Horse Of Col. mons
BY the death OF Ar. p y. Smollett, the
.sird OF Bonhili, Dumbartonshire. the
ace OF Tobias SmOletl the novelist, be-
ONES extinct The Smolletts have been
ssociated with Dumbartonshire for
t.Ia.a vi. I44N co. L.