The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-31
THE CRITICS COLUMN
Devoted to Comment Upon Recent Pub.
lications.

Devoted to Comment Upon Recent Pub.
lications.
wild BEASTS" A Study OF the Char.
actertics and Habits OF tho Elephant,
Lion, Leopard, Panther Jaquar, Tiger.
Puma, Wolf and Grizzly Bear. by J.
scrib RST's Sons se' New cSS'' York. S. For
sale by West, Johnston & Co.
| It is from the hunters even more than
| the naturalist's standpoint that our Wild
enemies are here passed I'M review. In
| fact. the experiences OF all Nimrods who
| have bagged big game and written OF II
| Is extensively quoted with the [ ue sports
mems zest and detail. Apart from the
| mere instincts of slaughter 10 those who
| have studied animal life there Is as much
| variety, interest and excitement among
| the fields as I'm the haunts Of men,. The
| shepherd who scans the faces OF his
| flock day by day finds as much difference
| of expression there as among an equal
| number Of conventional men and women.
| MIR. Porter recognizes and pleads for this
| individualizing. He has found wild ami
| mails OF all dispositions, tempers and
| habits; the nearer the inspection the moro
| difficult TO generalize IA In man, mem
| bers Of the same species are even modihed
by climate and the general surroundings;
| He thinks, however, that the general
| character of MY lord. the elephant" as
he is called IN india. for sagacity ana
| intelligence has been overrated. with
unequal capacity. as whole, they only
| obey tho orders or training given by at
| tendants, and are chiefly distinguished by
an excellent memory, lively recolleeuoa
! Of past offences. and a pleasant habit OF
| aYenging injuries at unexpected mo-
| ments. 80.
The lion. in spite OF traducers, he still
| finds 1.-THE king OF beasts" royalty brave,
intelligent, indolent and rapaelous
lions memory is good. and he can DO
and aTS9Sfhe he seldom attempts what he a IN,
able TO carry out. In ceid 6l65o. y %ss&ts
Is one OF his distinguishing character
istics; he is also very suspicious. ana or
| the lookout for destructive devices.
| There are certainly occasions when lions
meet inevitable death In very dlgnihed
manner"
classes together Us OF one species, not
withstanding the different markings or
their respective coats, and ne gives
most interesting and subtle study on an
other Felidoe, a puma Tor South Ameri-
can "llonD, which he reared from n
fancy. This instructive captive pohde.eu'
reasoned from evidence, compared notes,
made at different times, and reachsd
conclusions which proved It's mental pro-
cesses lie accepted but one guardian;
whether from love or selhshness, ana
showed toward him passionate jealousy,
| even of inanmate objects, SUCH as DOCKS.
English he positively declined to learn,
and would obey no ceii ,.Iaars,ooa them
Books amazed Cato. Scentless, UNBEATABLE,
ne was never weary trying 70 Iliia y III
why they were so closely watchea' mS
PAGES for rest and meditation, cafeiuiiy
put away whatever he wanted, couia
| learn quickly when he pleased, was VAIN
and fond OF applause d a. ere and 10 eat
from a fork, and TO watch noatihS
wreaths of cigar smoke ana 20 p,n,b s
over picturesi but, withaI' SLOW" w las,
and was essentially "a panther NJ wv
| hour of his death, as II ne hal neorv
son man. With consclousness nsn,Sty
, | and a strong senss OF personal ldehtiy,
| dttcd into innate tendencies, through VI,
MEDIUM OF whic' 1e interpreted oxtethai
| Inn ression5; prone 10 contemplation tns s,
asted wsre not vague apa.hetic dreams,
mo man can know that he did not Levye
| mental states Storm anf dsrsheso
wrought upon MN a. ,hsy "visibIe and
| audible there was something Wnlch Caho
! from himself, engrossed anu VI 40
| formed him, pointing snsrsd no
P%Trbse chapter on tigers brings In pic.
tn. esque detail the crouchins h,a nh zero
OF India-audacious, cunning anu ,asso,
| cious The tragedy OF the tropical toress
| rises before US. its dim rscesses haT Thsra
only by the slayer ana the slasld, I'd nv
ia the narrow Jungle path, trayeissn W
| The unwary peasant: the stripped as
sassln" lettering near, stealthily orlns.,ns
| tbat fate which destiny has prepatTd Ioi
| ,nan md beast-the cayalcadeS OF ven
niai. ,gbicb break the seething solltldes-
zane a %tiI flashing stoIidly through brake
| and wood. swarmlng D.a.lJiS, st,s,c,io,
| rifles mans noisy mechaIlcal uest , 49,,
| Invading the still domain OF nature eiien'
While a specialist would ind this study
os"9iato" worth all the rest OF INC DOOM
the hunting adventures, I9T ,nr ana
reader. are numerous ana yariJu' ,,,,,s'
80 ,be least attrative are admiraple inus-
,rat,ons from photographs OF an ne ann am
| NAL types treated. - "
Tu1 SOUTHERN MACHINE. Ma a.,s,s
southern Masazine Press. hp pu Nns,'
| Ky. NO per ahh''i"' ~
| Johnston a 90.
W. sho,,ld be glad II perusal OF thus
49, ,es,,e OF the Southern revealed
as high a standard in ~ c2ntsn.S ~ ~, M
the preceding number. but tnat ~ nos ,rv
SHse Ifs fiction is polntless ana us poetty
80 whsteyer OF interest u possesres
| ccnterIne in tho articles upon gensIu
subjects. Historic and PICTURESQUE ny ~
nd .5robacco," by Mr.. John Carrinston,
are by FAR the leading articles, ana oosl
arc excellent. they are pro.ussy a..
well illustrated. the hdellty ., I"o hnr.
"a no reason Why this distinctly southefn
morthly cannot be brought up 20 s'sn IN,
ard OF strength and Interest wh ion VII ~,
make A. "A Just exponent or sou ne. !.
talent and thought. but as IL now stanus
II h. Far from being that. and contr.oI-
tons creep into It's pages whose wess.
4 Is 80 GiAflnks Ia tttoN
| narmisslble, that we are unabie 10 uu-
derstanl how Ii escapes the editor'ai wv
A recent issue OF Harper's Weekly c2h,
tains a racy and clever sketeh ent'tieu
fuckers Tom" contributed 20 ns IN,
variahlv interesting pages by young ana
talented Richmond woman, Miss Annie
stager Winston. The scene Of the story
is aid in the vicinity OF kiehmond, 80
mat N will possess a double interest
snr ptchmonders aside from us intrinsic
merit me Miss Winston t. 2 daughter OF
Professor Wiaston. OF Richmond College.
and comes iegitimately ny her eAv rsp-
Weekly. iappincott's. scribners and the
Critic, and her work Is always most ems
| tavabie' We wish that space would allow
ne fo give fuller and most merited praise
m Truckers Tom" We have ample teo>
| sou Tor pride In Its writer. AMI wish -