The record-union., 1896-05-03

riOn CrdWfOrdS novel, "A Roman Sing
err We are an admirer of Crawford.
We do not deem this his best work,
hut then it is a production that will live
in fiction literature. 1t is neither level
with Mr.. Isaacs'' nor the equal of 'Dr.
Claudius," but it is a profound novel.
Not by that do we mean that it is heavy.
On the contrary the dramatic quality
in it is very strong. What perfect char
acter is that of "Nino," and what n
dramatic one is that of the strange mu
sician who announced himself to Nino
as "Benoni,' the Jew. What splendid
satire is such a passage as this, cruel
as is the philosophy:
Money is the only thing in the world
worth having, since you can most bene
fit humanity by it and consequently be
the most sure of gong to heaven when
you die. Is that clear?"
Perfectly" said Nino, provided a
man is himself good"
1T is very reprehensible to be bad"
said Benoni with a smile.
What a ridiculous truism," said Nino
laughing outright.
Very likely" said the other "but 1
never heard any preacher, in any
country, tell his congregation anything
else, and people always listen with at
tention. In countries where rain is en-
tirely unknown it is not truism to say:
when it rains it is damp On the con-
trary, in such countries that statement
would be regarded as requiring demon
stration, and once demonstrated it
would be treasured and taught as an in
teresting scientific fact. Now it is pre-
cisely the same with congregations of
men. They were never bad and never
can be, in fact they doubt, in their dear,
innocent hearts, whether they know
what a real sin is. Consequently they
listen with interest to the statement that
sin is bad and promise themselves that
if ever that piece of information should
be unexpectedly needed by any of their
friends they will remember it,
The volume is one of Macmillans
Novelist Library series. being No. 1 of
volume 2.
"Harper's Magazine for May, which
is richly and profusely illustrated, has
these special features: Mark Twain
seven Illustrations, by Joseph Twichell 4,
Through Inland Waters, part first, a
journey by canal boat up the Hudson
to Lake Champlain, sixteen illustra-
tons, by Howard Pyle; England and
America in 1868, a chapter in the life
o. Cyrus w. Field; The Dashur Explo-
rations, ten illustrations, by Jacques dc
Morgan; The German Struggle for Lib :
erty, illustrated, by Poultney Blgelow;
At Home in Virginia, Washington as the
young head of household and man of
affairs, eleven illustrations, by Wood
row Wilson; The English Crisis, by an
Eastern diplomat; Little Fairy's Con-
stancy, by Julian Ralph, gives an in
sight into the courtship and marriage
customs of China. Other short stories
in the number are The Bringing of the
Rose, by Harriet Lewis Bradley, with
a page illustration by Albert E. Sterner,
| and Three Old Sisters and the Old Beau,
| by Mary E. wilkins Mr.. Blacks novel,
| "Briseis," is completed in the number,
and there are poems by Dora Reade
Goodale, z. d. Underhill, Louise Imogen
| Quincy, Mary Allen and Lulah Rags
dale. The Editors Study and Editors
Drawer contain a variety of timely
| comment by Charles Dudley Warner
and original humor by we'll known
| writer's.
The "Review of Reviews CNew York;
for May is an exceedingly well-planned
number, true from beginning to end to
the well-known methods and ideals of
this unique periodical. The depart
ment of leading articles of the month is
allowed in the May number to have it's
full space. In the compass of about
forty pages one finds remarkably thor
ough and varied digest of the most sig
nificant articles in the newest issues
of the principal American, English and
Continental periodicals. The most i'm
portant original feature in this num-
Der is entitled "The Great Occasions of
1896" In rapid narrative fashion
the reader is appriSed of all the great
gatherings and conventions of a polit-
cal, religious or educational character,
foreign expositions and noteworthy
events in general that the coming six
months will afford to American and
European travellers. w. 7. Stead fur
nishes a character sketch of that ever
Interesting personality, M. de Blowitz
of aris, the cosmopolitan journalist
who represents the London Times"
Charles d. Lanier writes with sympa-
thy and discernment concerning the
life and literary work of the late Judge
Thomas Hughes, author of that most
famous of all boys books, Tom Brown
at Rugby" Albert Shaw, editor of the
Review" gives an account of William
+. Georges interesting experiments
with a boys republic in the summer va
cation camp. 1.-THE Progress of the
World" covers, as usual, the field of
American and European politics and of
general social progress, while the de-
partment of Current History in Car
feature" with about thirty reproduc-
tiOnS from the work of American and
foreign cartoonists, throws many a keen
and pertinent sideiight upon the course
of events. This number of the RE
view" is entertaining from beginning to
end.
One of the first articles to attract at
tention in the May number of "The
Engineering Magazine" (New York; is
entitled THE Present Value and Pur-
chasing Power of Gold,' by DR.. H. M.
Chance, the eminent metallurgist and
mining engineer. This is not a political
contribution to the silver question but
a scientific inquiry into the conditions
governing the cost of producing gold,
as compared with the like cost of silver:
copper, tin, zinc, lead and iron. He
shows that gold mining now yields a
larger relative profit than any other
form of mineral industry, because of
the present worldwide demand for the
metal; and he predicts that we are now
entering upon period of unexampled
prosperity, which shall have as it's