Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-23

PORTRAITS OF THE sIxT1Es. BY Justin Nc;
&C. Illustrated. New York. Harper Broth
The usual course in book making is for
the Illustrator to follow in the footsteps of
the writer, furnishing with his pencil.
brush or camera the appropriate pictures
| to illumine or embellish the text. In this
instance, however, the process has been
reversed. with good reason and to good
effect. 1t so CHANGED that there was in the
possession of Mr.. Fisher Irwin, the pub
Usher in London, collection of rare
photographs of men and women who were
conspicuous before the public in England
during the sixties of the past century.
Whose inspiration it was to utilize these
interesting portraits for the creation of
book of accompanying word pictures Is not
stated in Mr.. McCarthy's PREDATORY re-
marks. The fact remains that he has set
these pictures up before him at his writing
desk and has revived his personal recollec-
lions of the personageS, passing them In
| intimate review as though he were turning
the pages of an album and chatting of the
personal characteristics of the subjects.
Many of the people whose portraits are
given his close friends, such as John
Bright Others We're never within his ken
save as their works brought them there,
such Ruskin. But with the journalists
keen eye for copy and the parliamentarians
expanding trait of gaining acquaintance he
acquired facts concerning them all, some
at first hand, others at second hand. He
frankly states his limitations in each case,
as in the case, just cited, of Ruskin, with
whom he at no time came into personal
contact. The nearest approach to that
elusive molder of public sentiment queS-
tons of art was on an occasion when Rus
kin was billed to address public meeting
and Mccarthy Mastered to attend only to
be disappointed by the failure of the star
| parsonage to appear save by the proxy of
manuscript.
Much of the biographical and critical
| matter which comprises the book is already
| more or less familiar, but the author with
the fluent ease of an accomplished writer,
has woven his threads into a web of init
mate personal interest, and many of his
observations throw new light on the char
| acters of the subjects. These are not all
| English people, as across the panoramic
] portrait screen pass Dom Pedro and the
| Empress of Brazil, Garibaldi Mazzini Patti
| and Nilsson and other foreigners. The
portraits are often exceptionally interest
| ing by reason of the old style of the dress
| and in many cases the manner of wearing
| the beard. They are all contemporary to
| the period depicted and refreshingly pre-
sent the well-known people in the atmos-
| phere of their own times. The book, thus
prepared. is an unusually valuable COM
posite human document. T.
MY FRIEND PROSPERo: a, Novel By Henry
Harland. author of THE Cardinals snur Box.
Mc raonflspleee BY Louis Loeb New York:
Mr.. Itarland has reached that desirable
| stage in an authors career at which the ad-
| vent of his newest book is eagerly antici-
| pated by large circle Of readers. The
Cardinals Snuff Boy and 1.-THE Lady
Paramount were rundeniably successes.
| They offered a fresh element in fiction pre-
sented a new texture. ~ 1t was light Cos
| samer-like and altogether different from the
| stH-woven stuffs of the historical novels
Which mad Jnst then lseeps scoring at the
| top of the lists. The admirers of these
| stories were hard put to define their charm.
| They spoke of "style," and Fascination
and 'subtlety.' but none of these terms
seemed to explain the peculiar manner in
| Which they commanded the sympathy of a
| large circle. Perhaps it was the art with
| which they conveyed the impression that
| Mr.. Harland had inhaled deeply the
| mantle Italian airs. So closely identified
| with that atmosphere were both of the
stories that 1t was regarded quite mat
| ter of course that the third one should
| be similarly set. My Friend Prospero"
| is placed In Lombardy, within a scene
| of rare beauty. 1t is peopled by only
| handful Of characteristics author seldom
| overcrowds his stage-and all of them are
interesting. John Blanchemain is rather
! efervescent, very talkative, and a some-
what obvious young man, decidedly blond
| heir to duchy with only a trife of six
| hundred pounds year as Income, and
| therefore quite unable to consider matri-
| mony. Suddenly descends upon him Lady
| Bianchemain of the other and nome atho-
| lie branch of the house. WHO with the as.
| sistance of little AnnunZiata the niece of
| the priest with whom John lives ZEN pen
! sion, plays Lady Bountiful and Fairy God
mother. 1t is AnnunZata who bestoWs on
| John the name of Prospero and it is really
| Annunziata who holds the keenest focus OF
| the sympathetic attention. despite the evil
| dent charms of the lady in the case. Per-
| hapS this is because the illustrator furnish
ed only one picture, and that portrait of
| Johns lady-love, and did not prejudice the
reader against the little Italian girl. This
! portrait of Maria Dolores represents her
with a decided Chinese cast of eyes. But
this fact does not detract from the charm
| of the story, which is enthusiastically
Harlandesque.
OUR LADY'S INN; Novel By J. Storer Coui-
ston, author Of The Adventures of Al. D'Hari-
cot New York: Harper and Brothers.
! Tucked away in corner of the heart of
London stands Our Lady's Inn, great re-
minder of the old days of chambers such
as are beloved by the readers of Dickens.
Into this place of mingled bachelor habita-
ton and active business comes Barbara
| Cheyne, seeking shelter. She is clothed in
| the garb of a man, in which she has fed
her distant up-country home to escape the at
tentions of middle-aged wooer. whose suit
| is fostered by her aunt. The circumstances
| have been deftly woven about Miss Cheyne
by the skilled hand of the author until it
| really seems as though she must flee. Then
the circumstances entangle her worse than
| ever, and through the loss of her baggage
| and her own natural clothing she finds her
self in London in multi Truly. de-
plorable plight! For her friends, with whom
she was TO have found shelter, are on the
| continent. Hence Our Ladys Inn by a
| chance.
And in Our Lady's Inn is an attractive
| young man. writer who forms friend
| ly attachment to young Philip Brown.
which name Barbara gives to carry off
her masculine appearance In real life
he might have suspected, but in a story it
will never do to allow such suspicious to
arise. Otherwise, no story. Mr. Coulston
has handled this rather difficult theme adj
| mirably and created situation which de-
| mands continuous attention until the salts
factory conclusion. Sir Andrew Dunsappie
| is delightful creation, tipping Scotch
baronet proverbially out at elbows and good
natured Countered against him in comedy
| interest is Mr. Thomas Clestran. the DIS
comfited sutton, a man who conducts his
life on system. There, is a delightful even
| ings reading in this story which at no time
draws severely on the .credulity.
| ,,.,,