The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-08
TIE SEMEN ACES OF WASHINGTON.
BY owen Wister. The Macmillan
ComppnV of New York, publishers;

z H.. Z u 4 = Il
Mr. owen Wisters new book. The
Sven Ages or Washington" is IN It's
own way quito as remarkable rs any
thing lie has ever done. 4Nlthcrgl, he
jill al his work II has always been
iloasiiile to sec the student end the
Historian. The Nirginian, for instance,
capital story that II was, had the fur
1ht'r merit of beirE the most authentic
account we have Of the far Wet TWEEN
~ yeurs ago. ard no less an authority
1iian Mr. James Ford Rhodes has borne
rhplic testimony 10 the vaiue OF Lady
baltimore" as n representation OF con-
ditions In the South stree the war.
On the otiier hard, II may bc said that
iiis latest boot, - all the better bio
Eeapliy for being rs II 50 evidently is.
iSjcal ANALYSIS nn5l the depletion Of
character Mr. Wister's theme l $ wash
i,sntcn tho man rather than he sol
siiei. or atatesfnau. 70 many Alneri-
cans orr first President ~ little better
than an abstraction and lie probably
:ei,nearS To = .l-icriiN OF people u be-
ia, of rather cold aud ipaccess ible vtr-
3Ilie iastead of = man full OF ltuman I'M
psrtGctions rs Wei rs human ,npsbil-
ities. Mr.. Wlster does rot bclfove IN
placing his hero on q pedestal go high
that h. Is ~ lorEer in touch with
opnlrnon m1rtals From Wash'' gton's
oysn writings from Anecdotes and con-
feIlroo-nsv rerH"fis 10 har cars tr-i.is'a,'
q picture If Tic nan as he was in his
,.ycrsday HE, and hrs 81 own now his
achievements : ere The natural result
1ians not too mech 10 So tlics
lid FIRST bi grapi,er to make Washing
Ton 4 wholly human figure and his
portrait is 50 convincing that one is
tempted to call it final
The idea or ,tividirg his work into
seven periods was hapny one. partir-
ularlE as tine frs period deals with
tic ancestry of Washington. and the
SuGt nna tyith his fYnnsHrf ltsyl =
tween these como the chapters devoted
Respectively 70 childhood. frontier life.
Mount Vernon tGe Revolution. snd the
presidency. eaSll with It's appropriate
:tnd representative Illustration In pho-
one one. : but lis value IS in in
verse proportion 10 It's bulk
which wtil give the reader & bette,
conception OF wash'ugtoa's life and
character thar any otter single work
IN existence The publishers lissNe done
fhst- Asi1S hr producing gn exceptions
ully attractive ard weI-bcund volume.
THE LITTLE CITY or HOPE. BY
Marion Crawford. The. Macmillan
Co. of New Work.. publishers. Sl.aa
rims was whcr ii was the pleasant
custom Of paVelfsts whom ali the
world lovti--.slich rieR as Dickens or
III nc kerar--t1 sls-A5gat their public with
a gar little Christmas story. Every
c..ed over il. 4 seemed q friendly
sort NJ return for the admiration given
- these great men and often IL proved
o mastsrpioce OF the writer's art
Precisely such an affectforata well
rome awaits Nj. Marion Crawford's re-
viNaI Of this Joyous custom in the
Christmas story. Tine Little City of
~ ope.t WITCH he offers rs this year
with the comi'ig of the Ynletide feast,
In the good old fashion ii 's q story
of here and NOW. ard it's tlreme is |
one familiar to our people-a struggle
against misfortune aud obstacles to-
perfect great mechanical idea. whose
success will bereht the world. Every
American Is thrilled by such a picture.
.E.Very man of MS can sympatl'ze with
the inventors enthusiasm. can under.
stand his .lenacity. our hearts swell
nj the noble courage Of the lad who
so p1thetically t>ies to help in the
darkest hour; and we glory in the
Yankee wit and decisive action of the
wife who. at the last Gard the rightlI
moment saves the day. For the great
idea works and everybody is reunited
prosperous and iiappy on Christmas
morning,