The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-03

in Mr., $Duffy.s thought The minor
characters are well drawn. though there
is a tendency to exag operation in some or
them, especially among the New Y orkers,
while tho English people are rather. too
conventional. G NJ. BIS
LILY or FRANCE. By Caroline At
water Mason. The Griffith q Rowland
Press, Philadelphia. .ss. ~
Notwithstanding that the title Of "A
Lily of France suggests a story of the
country of the Gauls, the scene. in Mrs.
Masons romance is laid in Holland-the
Holland Of William the Silent. 1t is the
Princess Charlotte of Bourbon, Williams
third wife, who is the Lily Of France;
and well does she deserve the title. There
are some things to be said in inculpatio
Of the Abbess of .Jouarre. who forsook her
tits and became the wife of a prince. yet
there Is far more to be said in eXculpa-
ton, and all that can be thus said is we'll
expressed in Mrs. -Masen's story. The
author keeps closely to- the general line
of the history of the period of which she
writes, elaborating but never falsifying
il. This is a decided merit: but it is not
the only one in IN Lily of France" Mrs.
Mason has avoided one of the common
describe combats with the odds of one to
ten or thereab bouts, the victory always
remaining with the one; neither does she
write OF great battles and minimize them
by feminine inability to understand such
detail. She contents herself with the sto-s
~ of life and love; and while she occa-
sionally touches upon historical events in
the political sphere. she closely follows
the best authorities, taking but few lib
oft Wit arfS AS
she has given us pure fresh, sweet sto-
ry, not lacking force. yet not depending
upon melodramatic event and style for
interest.
Charlotte Of Bourbon is beautifully de-
scribed in Mrs Mason's book, and if
here also there is too great attention Civ
en- only to the nobler side of the charac-
ter described, we must remember that
not the greatest writer's have dared or
have been able, to show all the truth Of
those. for whom they desire our praise.
since we, being ourselves perfect can
never overlook or understand any incon--
slstency in others. The rest of the char
acters are. as rule, well drawn, and the
story, save that it sometimes lacks move
ment. is well and quietly told All low
crs Of true ana high romance would do
well to read "a Lily Of France"
3. T. P.
SYLVIA. By Evalyn Emerson. Small
Maynard & Company, Boston
Sylvia is the title of story by
Evaiyr Emerson We bt lieve that it is
the first book produced by the author,
and we should be glad if we could extend
II and her a welcoming hand and add Il
word OF commendation and encourage
ment. We are always glad when it is
tf1a yy-Nr l. 0P
thor; but this book gives no opportunity
10 indulge ourselves in this respect 1t
contains net one spark Of premise: it is
a level of dreary dullne3s from first to
last. 1t is 4 love story. but even its
iove IS SO dreary and wearyinS in tbs
reading that We cannot bring ourselves
to believe that such people as Miss Elmer
son has drawn could possibly create or
feel any true passion. che descriptions
are ufeless, the conversation mawkish
Wi1ere sltsis not simple tWaddle, and the
characters are, wooden to the last degree
Ihere is no story to speak of; there are
some complications, caused by one man
being engaged to a girl while he loves
another girl, Who marries another man;
but even these complications are devoid
OF any startling effect. until the last
chapter. Here the man who is married
to the heroine is conveniently killed iy
lightning; he has just been married to
her that day and has hardly realized his
happiness. That phrase should be ster-
otyped for the use Of such writers as Miss
Emerson. Sylvia, the heroine, is a
somewhat peculiar young lady. Among
other things, she forgets for a time-ac-
cordlng to her. own statement-that she
has been married that morning; and this
IS an instance of Observation-Disclosures
which it would be difficult to parallel.
8. X. s.
4 - q
PAPA sBoUCHARD. By Molly Elliot
seawell Charles scribner's Sons, New
York.
In Papa Bouchard' Molly Elliot Sea-
well has written a very sprightly little
book. It is a story, or rather. a series
Of comic sketches, of Partisan 1ife-or
some phases thereof. For life in Paris
is not all opera bouffe and cancan, though
there be those who believe such to be the
case. Papa Bouchard" is an account OF
the adventures which befall an old man
who has always led an eminently proper
life, but, suddenly blossoms out as a rake
Of the most approved description. AT
least, so he. thinks himself; but his rak-
ishness is, as a rule, very mild Howev-
er, at the conclusion OF the book Papa
Bouchard AYERS that he likes a gay. life
and that he intends ito lead a very gay
NE Enerealtef.-iessf cannot Ge} SalQ =tHal
such an ending as this is in the interest
of the highest morality; but the book is
not moral By no means do we wish to
imply that 1t is immoral; it'll Is simply
immoral. tits written to amuse. and it
will carry out it's intention with many
readers who are not especially critical
of the manner in which fun is served
up to- thenl We should not recommend
Papa Bouchard as a gift book for a
~ , 3
.The approprlata and artistic Ilustra-