Kansas City daily journal., 1896-02-03
ON OUR BOOK TABLE.
WHAT Is PRESENTED nv 1HE PUB-
LISTERS rms WEEK.
The Resuit OF Literary Work as shown
by the New Books That Are on
the pubiishcrs' shelves
Literary Notes.

From some facts already made known
about Mrs Burnctrs forthcoming novel
It is evident that the author has carried
out her idea expressed some time acn.
OF writing something entirely unlike any
other book or story that she has ever
produced This new novel by Mrs.
Burnett deals with the time of Queen
Anne. rejecting that period without re
serve. and pieturing characters and
scenes that readers of history VIII at
once recognize as tellngly true ana real
iStic, and readers cf Henry Esmond'
VIII especially appreciate. The full title
runs a Lady of quality being the
narrative OF certain strange occurrences
recently come 10 knowledge. related by
Isaac Bickerstau Esl.. but not published
by him iu the 'Tatlcr' ana now TOR the
irst time written down by Mrs. Frances
Hodgson Burnett"
II is the story OF a girl. whose mother
dies at her birth, ana VINO is brought up
by q roisterirg father the typical noisy
hunting squire Ot the time ot Queen
Anne. With only the rough companions
ship 20 this father and his reckless, dis
solutc. daredevil friends the girl grows
up With no fcm.uiuitN. her own true ua-
ture altered, g"nuirg tumboy-in short
the natural product ot just such assoc
citations. owing 10 her magnificent beau
ty ana imTcrious nature she IS able TO
take a commanding place ana carry on
boldly the sort Cf career she had begun
in these surroundings. The changes
wrought I'm her by her own strong char
acter, when her better nature becomes
once aroused by the various dramatic
experiences Of her lie are what Mrs.
Burnett has made 10 the object u the
novel tp tell-aud which she has done
I'm "a style absolutely new % her readers.
This part of the history uf the Lady
OF quality" includes scenes Of eXtraor-
dinarE dramatic power. and one great
crisis which may be said 10 be the turn
ing point in the womau's career. With
out detailing the plot, which is fun OF
incident 1t may be said that the end Of
the life Of the Lady of quality" Is very
different from the beginning and Ii Is
this great change In her disposition and
career that makes the story Her atone
ment FOR the imuctious. reckless wicked
ness of her early years and tho crime
81 which it eliminates gives Mrs. Bur-
nett opportunities ~ which she
ayails herself ir a mastery manner.
The book will unpuestionahly bc In
every respect a surprise t. All Of Mrs.
Burnctts readers. and whatever its do
gree Of achievement. or whatever tho
opinions Of ~. certainly no one will bc
able to accuse the book of being in any
way a repetition of the authors former
works.
"a History OF Money and Prices"
Perhaps the most prctcntious volume
that has been brought out by the pres
eut agitation ~ the currency question Is
that by ]. Sehoeuhof, under the above
title We DO not mean that 1t Is pre-
tcntious IN an offensive sense. II IL q
book on which much thought has been
bestowed. and II Is plainly the work Of
one who has ability FOR the task UNDER
taken. ana he has used ~ to the very
best possible purpose. The book is far
different from The mass ~ hastily COM
piled literature on the same subject that
has appeared In the past year. and far
moro worthy m" attention of those
whose views ara az yarIuncc with those
Cf tho author We would not undertake
81 discuss the merits 81 his reasoning
here. Iu fact. % is not within tho
urpvinC" ~ this department to do so.
Tho author plainly shows th2t he has
gone further in his study ~ tho causes
90 present conditions, ana Of the ques-
tl1u Of uossihle relief and how II should
ho attained. than the many others who
htvr discussed the problem from his
standpoint ana whose arguments We
have read The book IS bound i'm boards
f1r preservation. u distinction from tho
plTcr-rUy flood which is both mark
cd and Cpmmynilble. lt rs wcil worthy
~ seryation hy anybody who desires
10 study he subject eNhaustivey,
"Charlcs XU. and The collapse ~ the
Swedish Erurr' AIR. r. N'.bHt Balm. in
history nom lt.- % lr.4 has made up ~
fort to produce am exhaustive biography
~ th- ruagIal actor of the tua The
~ now limits ot ID single volume. H. ras
of the heroic moraI DTS career 4H tl" llsnt
81 f.r lff,s' .uEc-t.aatu-r. auI hH Dn-
tar- concern .r-- ."Tha Zion ~ tHs North."
e, E. "a. aam.E.H5IE known 70 ~ Pgarl.
lhr Work is .+H'rthls +.'lei Tor 'Hg
I'IIa ana Mrl I. .-H.i lo sprg.4