The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1897-07-25

Within two years Scottish literature has
had almost new birth because Barrie,
Maclaren and the rest have been writing
out of the heart of life.
We are apt to disparage what we think
Is not original but this is a mistake. All
education is but resta tement of the old
and what is well reproduced is often
better than the old. Our very science
comes through the middle men. We
know little Of the great thoughts of
Spencer and Darwin, but we are pos
sessed of their doctrines in general, and
have builded them into our learning. All
has come secondhand and very often
diluted, but it was not only the best but
the only way of administering their phil
osophy. John Fiske has stated Darwin
ism better than Darwin stated it, for he
interpreted and applied it. In great as
we'll as in small things let us not trouble
lest we fail to be original, for "a thought
is his who kindles new truth in it, or so
puts it as to make it more true" or, as
Lowell puts it in the couplet:
1--WE call thing his. in the long run,
Who utters it clearest and best"
lola is not a genius in invention, but
he is iHdSltI Ill anu IIdSSlil 5 )
and coloring; while as to details he is as
truthful as the average maker of the
historical novel. We may deplore the
flaws in his ethical standard, but with
this the fairminded critic should be con-
tent. In the present volume we have a
romance founded upon very striking and
recent French history. AS Vizetelly says
in his entertaining preface: ut is the
one existing French novel which gives
the reader a fair general idea of what
occurred in political spheres at any i'm
portant period of the empire. 1t is a
book for foreigners, especially English
men, to read with profit, for there are
yet many among them who cherish the
delusion that Napoleon III was not only
a good and true friend of England but
also wise and beneflcent ruler of
France" With all the fiction in the book
it is easy to see that there is vein of
very serious fact and philosophy run
ming all through 1t, and much of the
strictest realism and fidelity to truth.
Eugene Rougon is not mere caricature
of Eugene Rouher, but discreet dis
guise; while Count de Marsy Is the Duke
de Morny, "the greatest jobber in Eu-
rope" as some one called him. 1t will
be found a most captivating romance
and an enlivening helper in historical
Way. not, of course, for accuracy of
statement, but for its remarkable sur
yey Of a great political battlefield.
+ + =
English book collectors are very prone
to pay good prices for supposed unique
COPIES without making adequate investi-
cations A few years ago the British
Museum desired very much to possess
an original copy Of 1.-THE Power of
sympathy" believed to be the first
American novel, by Mrs. Perez Morton,
published in Boston in 1887 Owing to
domestic tragedy in the Morton family
which was revealed in the book, the
edition of about 800 copies was bought
I'D and effectually annihilated, it was
believed.
At any rate, it Is positively stated in
1.-THE History of Roxbury," published In
1874, that 80 thoroughly was the edition
recalled and destroyed that not single
copy is now known to be in existence"
whereas there are probably ten copies
In an excellent state of preservation, as
the agent of the British Museum found
to hie sorrow when he offered $500 for a
copy through the columns of the Bos-
for Euauiu1n Tra IN ocrint vaQr ffa-