New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08

TIT-TLEBAT TTTMOUSE. Abridged from DR.
Samuel Warren Famous Novel Ten Thousand
Many Curious and Diverting ILLUSTRATIONS by
VIII Crawford. LIMO, PIP. XIV, 46f L INK * NaS-
nails Company.
THE STORY OF KENNETH BY Bayard Taylor
lCedarcroft Edition) Illustrated. l2mo. PIP. y
469. G. p. Putnam's Sons
THE CARDINALS sNUFFBOX. BY Henry Har-
land, Illustrated by q. c. Wilmshurst 12mo
PIP. 264. John Lane.
MANY CARGOEs. BY W. w Jacobs. With Eight
VIII, rnSe e TTor anu hv = nv emb iSmo u
vi 2S5. Frederick A Stokes Company.
Mr.. Weyman has sometimes been sadded by
thOughtless critics with the sins Of other nov
elists. When he did so much some years ago to
revive the vogue of the cloak and sword ro-
nance. he raised up vast brood of imitators.
and in some quarters it seemed reasonable TO
characterize their mediocre productions as
''Weymanesque." AS matter of fact. he has
always been a conscientious writer, showing in
his works sincerity and power which ought
to have saved him from the that have
been, by inference. levelled at his work Never
has he more conclusvely demonstrated his
capacity to write good book than in THE Long
Night" a tale of Geneva in the days when the
Savoyards were striving by intrigue and force
to gain control of the pious little stronghold
His plot is altogether admirable. 1t duplicates
an obscure but thoroughly heroic heroine, living
with i'll and aged mother; one of the appar-
emily upright Syndics of the town, and a con-
summate scoundrel representing the Duke of
Savoy. When the hero makes the acquaintance
of these individuals he is completely at loss to
understand the situation in which they are in
volved. He loves Anne ROyaume the momen.
he sees her. but his love is sorely tried by the
mystery in which she is enveloped. and on which
she long refuses TO throw any light for his CON-
fort 1t is. indeed. only through trial and actual
bitter peril that he comes to realize just why
she is at the mercy Of Basterga, the villain
aforesaid. and how the latter is seeking to win
from the Syndic the betrayal Of his trust
Swords flash in this narrative, but there is not
too much noise or fury in it, On the contrary,
Mr. Weyman gains his effects through showing
with much insight into human nature, the in
terpiay of character well the development
of one dramatic expedient out of another. The
Long Night is remarkable less for its re-
straint than for its ingenuity. 1t is fascinat-
ing romance.
From Interrogation point on the title page
Of THE Literary Guillotine" it is plain that We
are invited to guess at the authorship of the
book We do not why any rational being
should take the trouble. The book belongs In
the dreary category of things meant to be
funny but not even mildly amusing. 1t is sup
posed to embody satres upon certain popular
authors who are represented being brought
up for trial in Literary Emergency Court"
presided by Mark Twain. oliver HEREFORD
Charles Battel LOOMS ahd Myself In one
chapter. wittily entitled The COrelli-ing of
Game" Mark Twain is represented as asking
Hall Game If he speaks Italian. The author con-
tinues thus:
I'm porco." replied the great man, graciously.
At this Mavis Clare burst into uproarious
laughter.
ne didn't ask you your Manner she cried
He asked you If you spoke Italianr'
1t is of this kind Of humor that THE Literary
Guotine" is composed-cheap, labored ard as
dull as ditchwater.
OF the books in a handful of reprints Of fic-
ton which have enumerated above Mr.
Brady's abridgement OF Ten Thousand a Year"
which he publishes under the happy title of
''Tittlebat TitmOuse," is especially welcome. We
we cannot feel that Warrens celebrated book
has suffered any harm from Mr.. Bradys editorial
ministrations. In its original form there is no
denying that it runs to an uncOnscOnable and
quite unnecessary length, and for the present
version nothing has been sacrificed which may
not well enough be spared. Mr.. Crawfords il
Illustrations, though unremaTkable have a fitting
Vivacity, and we do not doubt that this reprint
viii give the book a lease of life. We may
offer n greeting, also, to the new edition
Of The Story of Kenneth well printed. and
illustrated with excellent half tones from very