The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-07-25


lucky OF our knowledge is not that OF Mr.
Watts. He deals with her first struggling
DAYS. his book opening In the dawn OF the
century. Livingstone county, which. no
truly says In his preface abounds in
romantic and adventurous history IL the
scene OF the incidents nafTated-truth
being woven into fiction In order that
the readers interest may be more secure
ly held A broad lesson or charity and
unselhsh devotion TO duty may be read
between the lines Real personages have
been dealt with. although for good and
pertinent reasons, there are introduced
under fictitious names. However while
the book has some claim upon interest,
n cannot be truly said that they come
through the authors power as a chron-
icler. He has not strength. nor any spe-
ciai literary graces. There Is historical
fact in his book. but it has gained no
magnetic quality in passing through the
medium OF his story. The object or the
chronicles is a good one. but 1t must be
confessed that the chronicles are
tamely told. their oroginal vigor and color
are not reproduced.
vi
LIFE OF ABBY HOPPER GIBBONS:
Told chiefly through her correspondence.
Edited by her daughter. Sarah Hopper
Gibbons. G.. L. Putnams Sons. New
York. London.
For Sale by George NJ. West.
These two volumes have no claim
whatever TO editorial mention or comment
except in the interests Of truth as 1t pre-
scented itself during the War between the
States. The South is accustomed to VIII
flcation from partisan historians and the
ignoble army OF the irresponsible who are
n a
But when any hand dares to invade the
hospitals OF our gallant wounded and
dying, and thrust upon the public as
truth the perversions Of which Mrs. Glib
bons' letters are full. then every paper
to which their calumny comes owes them
refutation on behalf Of as noble dead as
ever fell In the cause Of conscience
AS matter OF fact why Sarah Hopper
Gibbons published her mothers egotistic.
tiresome. and ungrammatScu illusions
on the public is not apparent 10 the naked
mental eye. A m.croscopical apparatus
would be necessary TO detect interest In
them, and we do not believe that the great
mass Of readers in her own section will
respect pen so ruthless that 1t can indite
the following apropos OF the scenes in the
hospitals: I'VE havo always observed
that the Rebs make more noise when
they are suffering than our men do"
From start to finish tho volumes abound
in statements of this character. suggest
ing that the compiler Of the letters count
ed upon the aggressive antagonism OF
the Southern press TO advertise them
OF such stun is SONS literary enterprise
made. But the Southern press reserves
its literary column for literature. We
may be obtuse. but that IS not where We
should class these books. Acute mania
was never moro clearly the matter. That
Mrs Gibbons should have been thus af-
filcted was sufficiently bad: that her
daughter should have published II 10 the
world is in the worst taste. not 10 so
farther, as we might safely do-and yet
not be liable to a charge Of exaggeration.
VII
CURRENT LITERATURE: July. 1897.
Current Literature Publishing Company.
50 Liberty street. New York, s. per an
mum.
For Sale by George NJ. West.
A more admirable summary OF current
literature as it is presented monthly in
this periodical we have never seen. II Is
up to the highest standard Of preceding
issues-a standard which has extended its
popularity with each succeeding month,
and gained It a place in the home as a
magazine fun Of good, pure and enter
tanning things.
This month the illustrations are parti-
cularly good-Henry Van Dyke. Richard
Watson Glider Robert Underwood John
son. Mrs. Annie Besant, Monsieur Hano-
taux, James Lane Allen, and many others
conspicuous in the world Of letters. poll
tics, art, or elsewhere, are all represented.
An abstract Of Mrs. Humphrey Wards
address on THE Value of Free Public
l rfa q fnh I41 ffa
occasion Of the cornerstone laying Of the
new Public Library at Edmonton. Eng
land adds interest to the number Selec-
tons from an address by Mr.. William
Winter on "The Degeneracy Of the Stage
make interesting reading. The Log OF
the Mayilower," which is a subject ~
present interest, receives full attention.
There are numerous other articles on
subjects calculated TO fix attention: is we'll
chosen and the poetry is well selected and
telling. Altogether tho July issue con
firms good opinion
VIII.
In the July number Of Scrlbnor's Maya
zine is a portrait of the late George du
Maurier, drawn from life by Mr.. Charles
Dana Gibson. 1t was made i'm du Maur-
ier's house in oxford Square. I'm June,
1886. In October Of the same year the
author OF "Trilby" died. This is, there
fore, in all probability, the last portrait
ever made OF one Of the most famous
artist-authors of his time. That it should
have been made by 50 distinguished a
draughtsman as Mr. Gibson makes II
dOubly valuable Du Maurier, as you viii
see, has been caught in the act Of talking.
lie is also regarding his interlocutor with
an expression of great interest, as IS
shown by the raised eyebrows and the
half-closed lids. In his hands are the
spectacles through which he looked when
he wrote "Triby" and THE Marian"
If we could see more OF them, we should
see that one Of the glasses is dark as
shown IN the tail-piece of "Triby."
Through the kind permission OF Mcssrs.
Scrbner, the drawing is reproduced in
the last issue of the Critic"
TX.
The only writer's says the Lounger,
writing in the Critic, whom English crit
les seem TO consider typcally American
are Mrs. Gertrude AthertOn and Mr.. Ste
phcn Crane. No American who has any
respect for his countrys literature can
read with patience the praise bestowed
by certain English papers-The Athenae-
UNI and The Academy among others
on Mr.. Cranes latest story "rhe Third
Violet" i think that the papers take de-
light In picking out our most common