Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-02

note in late fiction that continues to rever-
berate. 1t rings true. He is developing
with his successive books, broadening and
getting more artistic, while he remains the
realist. He works with an easier force
fulness, and in his tale Of THE Wicked
Celestine," in this volume, he displays
dramatic qualities Of a high order. Many
miliars. They have been mentioned more
or less conspicuously In his former stories.
and it Is with eagerness that the reader
who knows his Connolly comes across one
of the well-known names. There Is Tom
O'Donnell In his shaky old Colleen Bawn,
tied together by iron bands about her hull,
bands that persisted occasionally In work
ing loose and impeding his course or even
dropping off altogether. There is Wesley
Marrs of the Lucy Foster, quick-witted and
daring and resourceful, and there also Is
Harry Glover of the Calumet, crafty and up
to tricks. Men and vessels go together
and grow to resemble each other. And
the reader of these tales comes to know
the eccentricities of both and to- love them.
THE JOURNAL OF LATROBE; Being the
Notes and Sketches of an Architect,
Naturalist and Traveller in the U. 5.
from 1906 to 1920 By Benjamin
Henry Latrobe architect of the Capt.
toll at Washington. With an introduce
ton by J. II. B. Latrobe. illustrated.
New York: D. Appleton & Co.
After the lapse of more than three-quar-
tiers of century it is a question whether
the rather desultory thoughts even of
man of some distinction In his time can be
of much interest. There seems to be no
doubt, however, about not only the value
but of the Importance of the journal of B.
H Latrobe, which has come from the press
in a dress that appeals to the eye and graf
ifies the taste of booklover
Mr. Latrobe was an architect and an art
list and so his observations of men and
toll, IL 3
eighteenth century in this country, possess
genuine value as a contribution to the his
tory of those times. When he came from
England, where he had beeen educated, Mr..
Latrobe was engaged as an engineer in
canal scheme, and in this capacity travelled
through the region OF Virginia which is
watered by the Appomattox, and his ac-
counts of the country and of the people give
quite graphic picture of the times.
He also visited President Washington at
Mount Vernon, and his description fur
nishes a charming view of the simple yet
dignifed life when the first President was
in the retirement of his home. A reproduce
ton OF LatrobeS drawing Of the house at
Mount Vernon as 1t appeared In 1895 gives
an early view of that interesting building
and there are also reproductions Of pen and
ink sketches Of Gen. Washington and of
Mrs Washington, Eleanor Gusts and of
young Lafayette. A chapter is devoted to
Mr.. Latrobe's life In this city, where he
came in the year 1903 and entered upon his
work as architect of the Capitol building,
which continued. with one break, for about
ten years.
A good deal of space is taken up with La
trobe's letters explaining points in the con-
troversy which ran on for some years, ow-
Ing to his persistence in trying to alter
the plans OF the building which had been
made by DR.. William Thornton and ap-
proved by Gen. Washington. Neither Mr.
Jefferson nor his successor would consent to
any radical change. a main reason, accord
ing to Latrobe, being their unwillingness to
deviate from the plan approved by the first
President
Several of Latrobe's drawings of the Capt.
toll building at various stages are given.
and altogether the chapter on Washington,
not only for what is said of the building
but OF the people and of the conditions
here, will be read with interest by all those
who are at all familiar with that period In
the development of this city. The remainder
Of the Journal is given up to an account
of New Orleans, where Mr.. LAtrobe went
upon the termination of his connection with
the public works in this city which was
about the year 1917.
THE FLORENCE OF LANDOR. BY Lillian
Whiting. author of "a Study Of Eliza
beth Barrett Browning" &c Illus
trated. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Miss Whiting is evidently keen admirer
OF Walter Savage Lander, the man and the
poet She Is possessor of an exceptionally
fine oil portrait of him. by Coleman and
she has made study of his life In its
Italian phase TO the end that she now pre-
sens an attractive volume dealing with. the
Florence of Landor's day. and the Lam
dor of the Florentine experience. This Is
a departure from her usual line of writing.
but 1t Is In the vein of her personal APP
precautions and loses none OF her Individual
touch In the rendering She tells the high-
| " entertaining story OF LAndor's asDocia-