The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-07
NEW BOOKS RECEIVED.
SKETCHES FROM OLD YIRGINIA, BY
A. q. BRADLEY.
Jane Austen--A Visit to Her Old Home.
"Lillie Journeys" series--MagaS
zines of the Month.

"LiIlie Journeys" series--Maga-
zines of the Month.
SKETCHES FROM OLD VIRGINIA
BY A. G.. Bradley. Macmillan Il Com
pany. New York. London.
For sale by George NJ. West.
All of the sketches published in this
volume originally appeared in the leading
periodicals, so that they do not come
before the public now with the interest
Of entire freshness. We do not question
the sincerity OF Mr. Bradleys intention
to paint his pictures truly, but conceding
that fact we must also say that we do not
think that his efforts have been crowned
with success. Putting aside this question,
we thing it Will be generally admitted
that the stories have little literary value.
In the introduction TO the sketches Mr..
Bradley makes number of statements
which may easily be controvertsd by
marshalling the records OF our Historical
Society, as, for instance. the following:
"A legend exists among the n ore unin-
formed circles of modern VlrAlnia that
quite a considerable portion Of the pop
ulation are. in some mysterious fashion,
sprung from the loins of the British no
bility." l only mention this as a curious
and ineradcable superstition that the
stranger would be quite sure TO encounter
frequently during a sojourn in the coun-
try The literary columns Of the Times
have not space 10 devote 10 an enumera-
ton of those facts to which. in common
with the general public. Mr.. Bradley
has access In the shape OF perfectly au-
thenticated record, but merely TO say
that IL seems singular that Mr.. Bradley
should have ventured the words legend"
and superstition" in this connection
without more diligent use OF his opportu-
mites.
LITTLE JOURNEYS TO THE HOMES
OF FAMOUS WOMEN. BY Ebert Hub
bard Dane AustinD October. 1897.
G. T. Putnam's Sons, New York, Lon
don. 10 cents.
1t is now just one hundred years since
Jane Austins first novel was finished
and vainly offered to a publisher The
anniversary is To be made the occasion
for a new complete edition OF her works
TO be published I'm England. She was
twenty-one years old and called the
book First ImpressiOns-a little later
changed to the immortal Pride and Pref
udice. On its completion according TO
Mr.. Oscar Fay Adams Life Of Jant Aus
ten dee and Shepard. Boston, her father
was desirious OF having it published i'm
mediately and wrote TO a leading London
publisher as follows:
'Sir,-I have in my possession a man
uscript novel, comprising vols. about
the length OF Miss Burneys Evelina. As
| am well aware OF what consequence It
Is that a work Of this sort should make
its first appearance under a respectable
M II Vrls to I l4aH H. ffgh
obliged. therefore. IL you will inform me
whether you choose TO be concerned in
It, what will be the expense Of publishing
ii at the authors risk. and what you will
venture TO advance for the property OF
IT, If on perusal 1t is approved Of. Should
you give any encouragement. / will send
you the work.
IL am, sir, your humble servant
GEORGE AUSTEN.
"Steventon, near Overton, Hants, Nov !,
1881"
But the publisher declined even to read
the manuscript with a view TO publishing
it even at the authors expense, and the
book remained i'm limbo for sixteen years.
Sense and Sensibilty was finished year
after Pride and Prejudice. but was the
first Of her books TO be published after
it had remained four years in the authors
possession.
The October number OF the pleasant
Little Journeys makes its appearance OPP
pOrtunely, and Is, I'm our opinion, the most
interesting of all the series thus far. Miss
Austen herself is largely responsible for
this fact; her wholesome and essential
womanliness so at variance with the cur
rent ideas OF the blue stockings" colors
every page brightly. Mr.. Hubbard touches
lightly but sufficiently upon the sunny
home life OF the Austens; the full SYM
pathy between parents and children; the
healthy atmosphere Of that English rec
tory. Contrasting the genius of Charlotte
BrOnte and Jane Austen. he has this 10
say Of their contrasting home life: THE
Reverend Patrick Bronte disciplined his
children. George Austen loved his.
The oppOsites of things are alike. and
that is why the world ties Jane Eyre and
Jane Austen i'm one bundle Their meth
DDS Of work were totally different; their
effects gotten in different ways. Char
lotte BTonte fascinates by startling stua-
ions and highly colored lights that dance
and glow. leading you on I'm a mad chase.
There's pain. unrest. tragedy in the air.
The pulse always is rapid and the tenn
perature high.
II is not so with Jane Austen. She Is
an artist in her gentleness, and the world
II tO-udN fetOSHLluE luiS IupFe ana more.
The stage now works its spells by her
methods-without rant. cant. or fustian
and as the years go by this must be so
more and more. for manlSinds face is
turned toward truth.
Jane Austen was a commonplace per-
son. She swept, sewed, worked. and did
the duty that lay nearest her. She wrote
because she liked TO. and because IL
gave pleasure TO others. She wrote as
we'll as she could. She had no thought
Of immortality, or that she was writing
for the ages-no more than Shakespeare
had. She never anticipated that Southey.
Coloridge. Lamb. Guzot. and Macaulay
would hail her as a marvel of insight.
nor did she suspect that a woman as
great as George Eliot would declare her
work fiawless.
THE BOOKMAN: A Literary Journal.
published monthly by Dodd, Mead &
Company. New York 500 per annum.
20 cents single copy November, 1897.
We have learned TO expect entertain
ment and news from the Bookman and It
has never yet disappointed us. This
November number is no exception to the
nection, and news. miscellany and Illus
trations are even I'm advance OF the high
average. Editorially il has something TO
say regarding Miss Molly Eliot Seawelis
--sgrha Hicforx ~ tho LADY RpttV