The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-08-21
NEW BOOKS.

Mr. Hall Caine, in The Christian" 3D. Ap.
pleton & Coz, gives us a kaleidoscope exhi-
| bition of certain phases Of church and society
that strike US as deplorable, and for the cure
| of which the author only hints in general
| tiles.
| There is nothing new in tho social phenom-
| enon that insists that the woman alone shall
| suffer for one particular sin. As matter Of
fact, probably man really is made TO carry
| his share of the social burden more frequent
| ly than we choose 10 believe in putting this
| question. Neither is it unfamiliar that the
| church organization is sometimes "a whited
| sepuchre, that its various societies for relief
| are conspicuous for the appalling los of work
| they fail to do. that clergymen in high places
| are among the luxurious of this world.
Still, it does no harm TO call attention to
| these things. Indeed, persistent reiteration is
| the only course that promises hope OF any
reform. Probably, after all, our social GUS
| toms and our church customs show steady i'm
provement in the right direction, If slow.
"Tne Christian" is eminently n book for tho
| people, and that means that its lesson Will
| travel wide and go deep. II may occur TO the
| discriminating reader that John Storm and
| Glory Quayle are "A feverish pair, rather too
| full of hysterical contradictions to permit
| it must be admitted that ON the whole, in
| popular novel, it is probably better to he too
| feverish than not serious enough. John Storm
! is a young man whom, the author assures the
reader is capable of making the world better,
and apparently Mr.. CaiIe, ,doesn & abandon
| this estimate OF his hero. Bot the render who
follows his career is compelled to the relief
that John storm is a a good deal OF crank an
doesn't know his own mind more than five
minutes nj time. And as for Giory-well
Glory is a caricature of woman's proverbial
hcklencss of mentality.
The character of Drake, who finds himself
doing a tremendous lot OF damage while fool
ing himself with the idea that he is disin-
terestedly doing good in the world, is the
most human part in the book.
There are some amazingly readable chapters
IN 1.-THE Christian" and il is breezy and
pungent, with few let ups from first chapter
to last. IL Is n story TO command reading
| for the story's salte-which, OF course, IL the
main thing we presume with an author Of
fiction. How far il will be accepted as a pic.
ture of tho "types of mind and character, Of
creed and culture, Of social effort and religious
purpose in the life Of England and America
at the close Of the nineteenth century is n
question for the curious. Gregory. Price
| $780,
A delightful book in looks, contents, interest
| and usefulness is Mr.. +. Schuyler Mathews
Familiar Features of the Roadside" that
| tells us about the flowers, shrubs BIRDS aud
| insects. Mr. Matthew'S has written number
Of books Of similar import, but perhaps this
is Of a character 10 be mora widely popular
| than nny that have gone before.
What tEaFptliar ToaturCst toll op1 ,oo,b
about the things along the highway is told in
| n highly entertaining fashion and more than
| one hundred and sixty sketches ana hand :.
| some rough drawings add To the attractive
ness and informing quality Of this notable
work. ID Appleton & Co. For sale by
Gregory. Price SL15)
I'm that admirable series OF little books, the
Library of Useful Stories'' ID Appleton je
Coo the ncwcst issue - THE Story OF tho
Earth's Atmosphere" by Douglas Archi.
bald. NJ A., Of the ROYAL Meteorological So.
ciety. The hook IL lavishly and instructively
illustrated. The books of this series are writ.
ten i'm popular language, yet are cmiucntly
authoritative They sell for 10 cents n vol
un,c. Gregory
Mrs. Alexander has contrihutcd 30 Lippin
colts Lotus Library a readable ory under the
title - Mrs. Crichton's Creditor" 10 Is nn
old and not altogether satisfactory conbina.
ton Of the Old fashioned story Of bad mat
rimonial match and an up-to-date climax,
which does not make all the worthy characters
happy AM dispose Of all the roncgades.
Gregory. Price 75cD