The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-15
BOOKS AND THEIR MAKERS

ing note of:
Susanna Crum is a most estimabls
young woman, clean, respectful, willing
capable and methodical, but as q bureau
of information she is painfully inadequate
Barring this single limitation, she seems
to be treasure house of all good, prac.
teal qualities; and being thus clad anc
panoplied in virtue, why should she be SC
timid and self-distrustful?
"She wears an expression which car
means only one Of two things-either she
has heard of the national tomahawk and il
afraid of violence on our part, or else hel
mother was frightened before she was
born. This applies in general to her walk
and voice and manner, but is it fear that
prompts her eternal II couldna say" or is
1t perchance Scotch caution and prudence
Is she afraid of projecting her personality
too indecently far? Is 1t the influence OF
the 'catecheesm' on her early youth? Is
1t the indirect effect of heresy trials on her
imagination? Does she remember tho
thumbscrew of former generations? Al
all events, she will neither affirm nor deny
and am putting her to all sorts of tests
hoping to discover finally whether she is
an accident, an exaggeration, or a type"
Life in Edinburg Is set out in detail and
held up to view In every light. Edinburg
reposes grandly on tradition and history.
1t is city (which has done Its work, and
does not require to weave its own clothing,
to dig its own Goals or smelt its own iron"
This, about the names of the boarders is
very entertaining. I'm selecting our own
letters and parcels from the common stock
on the hall table, 1 perceive that most of
our fellow dodgers are hyphenated ladies.
whose visiting cards diffuse the intelli-
gence that in their single persons two an
cient families and fortunes are united. On
the ground floor are the Misses Hepburn
SCHEMES pronounced Hepburn-Sheens);
on the floor above us are Miss Colquhoun
{Cohoon and her cousin, Miss Cockburn-
Sinclair (Coburn-Sinkler). AS soon as the
Hebburn-Sheens depart, Mrs. MCollop
expects Mrs. Menzies Of Kilconquhar, of
whom We shall speak as Mrs. Mingess of
Kinyukkar. There is not a man in the
house; even the Boots is GIRL so that @
Breadalbane terrace is as truly q castra
puellarum as was ever the Castle Of Edin-
burg. with its maiden princesses in the
olden time"
Here is the general, off-hand direction as
to our trio of strangers desired to be sup
piled at table:
I'VE shall not be entertaining at present.
Miss Diggity," said, $50 you can give
us just the ordinary dishes-no doubt you
are accustomed to them; scenes, baps or
bannocks with marmalade, finnan-haddie
or kippered behring's, for breakfast-tea, of
course, 1--WE never touch coffee in the
morning), porridge. and we like them we'll
boiled, please" (Ihope she noted the plural
pronoun; Salemina did, and blanched with
envy; minced collops for luncheon, or a
nice little black-faced chop; Scotch broth,
peas brose or cockyleekie SOUP at dinner.
and haggis now and then, with cold shape
for desert. That is about the sort of thing
we are accustomed to-just plain Scotch
living
Altogether 'Penelope's Progress is one
of the most entertaining volumes of the
year, as all those who have dipped into it
during the course of publication in the Al
lantic can testify, and as everybody knew
beforehand it would be.
The cover Of the volume is palpable hit.
nothing less than charming Scotch plaid
especially ordered for the occasion.
NEW FORMS OF CHRISTIAN EDUCA.
TION. BY Mrs. Humphrey Ward, au-
thor of Robert Elsmere," 80 pp., 12mo,
cloth; So cents Il. Y. Crowell & Com
pany.
This Is the American edition of famous
paper among the people of England. The
brilliant author Of Robert Elsmere" be-
lieves that I'VE are on the eve of a new
Christianity" but she believes that "the
faith of nineteen centuries has been no
mere delusion," that 1.-THE history of these
centuries themselves, of the part played
therein and the transformations suffered
by that force which we call the life of
Christ will enter into the new symbolum
fidie whenever 1t appears" Love and faith
she considers as the very basis of all edu-
cation; "love to the most lovable thing that
history contains, which is the story and
character and preaching Of Jesus Christ;
and faith, that in SO making it lovable and
beautiful in our eyes. in lifting it to such a
place in human life, the divine mind has
given us one chief clue to its own nature
and purposes for man; and that in calling
us to the work of Christian reconstruction,
the power whose we are and whom we serve
is only bidding US turn another and fuller
page of His best and tenderest lesson to us. =
Messrs. Crowell & Co. are doing a great
educational work with their "What Is Worth
While" series, the volumes being inexpen-
sive and uncommonly attractive as to style
and matter.
THE DOWNFALL. BY Emil lola.
Translated by E. p. Robins. Price, s1.5O.
The Macmillan company.
1t is fine thing to have new and hand
some edition of this great novel. In the
minds Of many critics this is lola s greatest
work. Surely it Is the one that brought
him unquestioned fame long before the
"Trilogy," which has crowned his literary
work.
1t is the story OF the F'ranco-Prussian
war that crushed France and robbed her
of her fairest provinces. 1t Is the story
of the madness of Napoleon III. and of the
hollowness of the empire claim to per-
manent power and peace. 1t is more than
q romance. 1t is history, truthfully and
graphically set forth. We may and we do
deplore and deprecate the lapses lola has
been guilty of in his treatment of social
questions, but here he is on solid ground
and he keeps to substantial truth and
justice.
Listen to what I tell you, sir. If the
Prussians dare to show their faces here,
we will kick them home again. You hear
me? We will kick them from here to
Berlin!" And then che laughed the gay,
ringing laugh of the daredevil French SOL
der; he seemed to expand and dilate with
satisfaction. It was the old story; the