Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-23
GOSSIP FROM BOOKLAND.

class of romanticists, as when he gave us "Saracinesca," Sant' Ilario' and their sequel, Don Orsino," books in which the author tells stories in a perfect way, powferfully and beautifully giving a graphic and distinct picture of Roman society, which has proven a happy reve- lation to many of hIs friends; or when he wrote "Dr. Claudius," a brilliant little romance, pure and simple, and that he should then have faced about and with a pen equally true and swift in it's strokes have proven to the world his in nate genius and versatility, breadth of perception and perfect apprehension of human nature, and carved for himself a parallel fame among the realists? This he accomplished when he gave to the public those novels of New York life, Katharine Lauderdale" and '"rhe Ral- stons." stories vivid and natural in their portrayal, though sometimes little bit tedious in their realistic detail.
 However, after this heroic and emil nently successful venture, and just as the critics had agreed to place the pro life young author among the ranks or the realsts, he completes his twenty fifth novel, and in Casa Braccio" unites these two schools and gives us romance of the poetic, gorgeous Italian setting, for he has the life, the beauty, the heart and the soul of Italy at the tips Of ms fingers, while in the delneations we find
  and sweep of the realist.
 Mir Crawford has the rare and some what unique attainment of being able to leave his characters in an uncertain or vague situation, which leaves him at nb- erty to pursue the threads of their des- tiny at will. All those who were fasci- mated by the immutable and incompre- hensible Paul Griggs" will be glad to learn that in Casa Bra ccio' we learn of his youth and of the breadth and depth of the passion of his young heart and his overwhelming sorrow, which gives one an insight into his character as we find him in "The Ralstons." Casa Braccio" is rich in all the qualities that go to make up a good story. The plot is unusual and interesting, displaying high dramatic energy, and in its unfoldment the author evinces the rare gift of being able to sur prise his readers. Those who read one or two of Crawford's stories will not fail to extend their acquaintance with him, and are soon charmed by his versatility and power. It is noticeable in all of MT. Crawford's works that he has the rare literary ability and insight that makes the very most of his material, his plot, his characters and their individual idio- syncracies, and brings to his work wonderfully true knowledge of life and accurate analysis of chara cter and mo- tive.
 Strange to say, there are three hero- ines in Casa Braccio'-frst, the Car meite nun, Maria Addolarata, who yields to her mighty passion as if swept by great storm; Gloria vacillating and un- steady, yielding to each passing emotion, thrilled and happy in the novel expe- rience; Donna Francesca Campodonico the firm. true, steady, trusting friend. She never told her love-
 But let concealment, ike a worm in the
 bud,
 Feed on her damask cheek; she pin'd in
 thought
 And, with ig green and yellow melancholy, She sat like patience on a monument
 Smiling at grief Was not this love, in We men may say more, swear more; but,
 indeed.
 Our shows more than will, for still we
 prove
 Much in our vows, but little in our love.
 And then the three types of men-Dal- rymple, the Scotchman, whose very soul was on fire with the energy and fierceness of his passion; Angelo Reanda, the Ital- ian, impetuous. yet spiritual, and. being an artist, too highly strung and idealistic in the fiber of his being to submit to the vexations and whims of petulant child wife; then Paul Griggs, an American, with big, strong, generous heart an American's honor for woman in general, and the entire adoration of his noble heart for the one woman of his love, man of deep feelings, slow to awaken, but very powerful when awakened, and he gave to Gloria the truest and best of his nature-a little miniature world. Nothing but the pen of consecrated, earn est genius could wield such varying des- tines along separate and individual paths, while examining and critically analysing the motives and actions of each one.
 Robert Buchanan has done some fairly nr1- init ic cd Eunling" ais not to be classed among them In fact, how 1t is that we find it in the list of Stokes little series where we see some very charming, Well-toli tales by Robert Barr, John Mackie, F. Frankfort Moore and others, is quite a mystery, for "Dianas Hunting is palpa- bly, thin and lacking even the proper amount of plot and verse to make 1t ac- ceptable to that class of readers who merely desire entertainment and amuse- ment.
 From the amount of esoteric literature that is published these days that keeps the reviewers busy denouncinS, 1t does not appear to be a difficult matter to evolve from ones inner consciousness a very wicked and reckless heroine, from the "woman who did" to the woman who did not" and yet MT. Buchanan | struggles through quite lengthy little | tale, trying to make us believe Diana to | be a very wicked and captivating woman; | and even the most casual or leduefS iS | forced to admit that she was neither the | one nor the other but in reality ordinary, | foolish and extremely silly.
 | Speas-ing of Bret Harte, it is said that | he has just finished a novel which is to | be called Two Americans Although | MT. Harte has resided for so long time in London. he yet draws his inspiration | from the far west and a recent reviewer wonders what would happen if Bret | Harte were to come to America, ride in a Pullman sleeper and revisit the scenes | of the Rocky mountains, which he con | tinues to describe and facetiously adds: | 'They send race horses back to Ken lucky when they begin to 'go off their | feed in order to brea the the air, drink | the limestone water and eat the blue | grass Bret Harte and Rudyard Kip | ling need to go back to California and h. | dia and get fresh start There is all | ways the danger, however. that they | may be like MT. Haggard's 'She'-un- able to stand the second bath of fire "The Life of Cardinal Manning. Arch | bishop of Westminster has just been | published. and is an authorized work
 by Edmund Sheridan Purcell. and 1t is