New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-25
NEW BOOKS AND NEW EDITIONS.

Mr. Thomas E Watson has essayed to tell THE
Story OF France from the Earliest Times TO the
Consulate Of Napoleon ROnaparte' Macmillan
Company in two volumes. The first Of these.
stout octave of seven hundred pages. has just ap-
peared. carrying the narrative down TO the end Of
the reign Of Louis XIV The author observes in
his preface all his statements are supported by au
thor;ty HIS book is rot burdened. however. with
footnotes or any Of the other machinery Of the his
torian II Mr.. Watson has scholarship. he dis
dams to faunt r. He marches merrily on. telling
plain. unvarnshed tale Here is one charac-
teristic fragment from the opening chapter These
Gaus not mere savaees. as Roman historians
have pretended. Even at that early day 900
r CO when the Romans themselves were going
about with nothing their legs but hide and hair,
the Gaus wearing breeches. As starting
point for comparisons. This undisputed fact gives
us encoura cement and strength" We must con-
TESS that Mr. Watson. starting off in this jaunty
way. neither fortifes nor encourages the reader.
II Is not that resent sartoral basis Of COM
parison considered strictly as such. but that with
out having an exaggerated conception Of the dig
nifty Of history. We nevertheless. question the ed
visibility Of writing IL In Mr. Watson's manner.
Carlyle could afford TO be colloquial declamatory.
fulminant: he a Of genius Mr.. Watson
has a style Of which the buntness and viva city
might casually he taken for original merits. But
It is Impossible follow long its ierky movement
without perceiving that the author only bringing
an epcsl theme down to the level OF humdyum
narrative a certain moral fervor. indicating sin
cere reprobation % INSCRIPTIONS strength and
warm sympathy for pitifu weakness, sometimes
slightly elevates this prose. The pages Joan Of
Arc offer IN point. But the simplicity of
great author IS one thing the simplicity Of
binary writer seeking bring historic events with
in the comprehension Of the most ordinary minds
IS another. All that can make ont Of Mr. Wat
sons Story Of France is that IL is effort 10
be excessively straightforward and terse In his
EFFORT he has only succeeded in being common
place and crude. adding nothing 10 knowledge
OF history his narrative might have served as
popular serial in one Of the ephemeral magazines
II hardly deserved 10 he put between permanent
Mr. IL D. Trail that Among My
Books Gongmans Green & Coz contains food"
for the most diverse tastes He further describes
81 both palatable and nutritious" This
20 us a rather infelcitous form Of recommendation
The papers IN this volume. originally printed in
Literature" were composed. imagine. 10
nourish. but TO entertain Having served their pur
pose n IL plain why they should have been
reprinted Mr.. Augustine Brrell discoursing on
criticism. is suggestive and much may be said
for Mr.. Lang. Mr. Crosse. Professor Mahaffy. Mr.
Stephen and Mr.. Fitzgerald. treating themes grave
and gay: but these fugitive scraps II ever CON
tributions 10 periodical literature deserved the
phrase. Mr Trail talks OF food" but he gives
crumbs.
r. II. Russell sends Us Anthony Hopes pleasant
comedy The Adventure Of the Lady Ursula d"
printed artsticay. with quaint head and tail
pieces and embellshed with full-pagc portraits Of
the characters presented the American stage
The Ambassador" by John Oliver Hobbies. has
been printed in book form by the Frederick A.
Stokes Company II is a readable play all through.
There is also clever preface from which
make the following extract.
ma or ma bay IL
ties. but II must be emotional II rests primarily
on feeling. Wit, philosophy. moral truths poetic
iansuage-all these count as nothing unless there
~ feeling OF an obvious. ordinary kind Great pas
sions and the enormous" are. on the other hand
spectacular representation. Love IL probably the
sole great passion which audience of average
men and women can endure for more than one
oct and TO tragic issue Large exhibitions OF am
bition, Jealousy. svarice revenge. pride fear and
the Ike please but few minds
This, we must acknowledge. is a little amazing
~ u quite true that. Mrs. Craige says the the
efrs 10 place Of relaxation but the "eyhibitions-
which she tacitly excludes from the stage COM
or,ss some Of the finest In Shakespeare. and these