The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-07

- 9S W.
rives Its special merit from the fact
that Its author has always and under
all circumstances been an observer and
a thinker, student OF men, manners
and governments His ability to fnfuse
into the story Of his experiences the
dash and color OF his personality scpa-
rates 1t from tho prosaic and the CON-
nonplace and endows 1t with vitality
that Is in1pcrishable.
THE EAST DUCHESS DE BELGAKDt;.
By Molly Elliot seawell D. APP,
plcton e CO., OF New York, pub
fishers.
An exquisite idyl, begun in the days
OF King Louis and Queen Marie An
toinette OF France. and ending on the
guillotine during the mad orgy oc the
Revolution
romance in which each character is
as clearly cut as a cameo, and in which
one woman stands out quite flaw
lessly amid the gay and racketing
throng around her. A romance that
ended, In 80 far as the world saw. in
prison and death, but which for THE
last Duchess u l,elgardo' was only
going with her lover and husband,
whom she had won to be her lover
from the garden OF all Delight into
the lie of Perfect Love-"
The little book is Just what 1t Is
because it tells the story OF a sweet,
simple life that, in It's devotion to
purity, consistency and loving unself-
ishness. up]ifted and ennobled every
thing with which it came in. contact.
TIE NUN. BY Rene Bazin. Charles
Scribner's Sons, of New York.
through the Bell Book and Station
cry Company. s1.5O
A story which reverts in It's telling
| to the recent closing OF many OF tho
Catholic schools In France and tho
thrusting out into the world of fve
nuns, one OF whom is a beautiful young
woman, the daughter OF a wealthy lace
maker
The trials and snfsnrlngs at the Ituns,
suddenly compelled to earn their living
in world OF which they know moth
| ing, and the Ill treatment and death
| OF the most beautiful OF their number
Ego into thu composition If II vniy
pitiful and tragic story told by mas
terhand in the French school of fiction.
THE AyENGER BY Il. Phillips OPP
penheim. Little, Brown & Com
pany. OF Boston. $1.50.
| For tile lovers OF the sensational and
the mysterious, The Ayenser" will
| possess much interest.
| 1t opens with murder under par
4 foul tx 1,a n cir "a N ~ n
ends with another. which is openly
avowed when the necessity OF conceal
| lnent is considered at an end.
| There is an element Of politics In
| the story, and double-threaded love
| affair is supposed to give II zest. Ger
\ tainly the tangle of its mystery Is
| Intricate enough % require the power
/ of most ingenious Imagination to as
!! sist in its unraveling.
THE DUCHESS OF DREAMS. BY
Edith Macvane. j. B. Lippincott
! e COMPANY. of philadelphia, pub
fishers. s150.
I A perfectly fresh and sparkling
novel with the scene laid at Newport,
and most interesting description Of
social life there given from the stand
point OF intimate realism.
I The central figure. and one depicted
with great charm and vivacity, Is the
supposed Grand Duchess Narvara. Of
Russia, who enlists the sympathies and
the admiration OF the reader from first
| to last.
Tho book is crisp. clever and alto
gether out OF the common run. 1t Is
most entertaining and altogether pure
and wholesome.
Prince Troubetzkoy's Doo,S.
l Prince GFrr0Nhef ~ x IN. aha.J Bt,nnd
which he has written under tho title
| OF The Passer BY" accepted by an
English publisher.
It is to be brought out next Sep
airy sensations Of the autumn. as it
4 is not often the case that a Russian
/ prince is the author of an English
novel.
prince and his gifted wife. who IS a
a member OF a distinguished Virginia
family. will be specially Interested in
the appearance OF the book:
What DR.. Fleming Thinks.
Dr.. Thomas Nelson Page, In his in
imitable way. in his address on COM
mencement day, at Randolph Macon
,Moman's College. Lynchburrg. Va, said:
while they (other sections OF our
country preserved their history with
pride. we took pride In not preserving
ours
ii one OF tne notaplo DOCKS, from
literary point Of view. of the present
I time, is 1.-THE American Revolutions,
by Sir George Otto Trevelyan. It was
matter OF congratulation when the
first volume came from the press tina;
here was an Englishman, man OF
letters. Of honored name. who was
ready to do justice to the motives and
deeds of the men Of '76
Volume Hills scarcely dry from the
press when ". D. Howells, we'll and
lfavorably known as a writer Of, flc.
ton and also OF essays of fine lit.
erary quality, writes (see2 tho June
number Of the North American Re.
view of The Justice Of I. ltrien,l.'
Master Of the pen, he can scarcely fine
words in which to express his high
depreciation Of Trevelyan's work. He
says: 81 think the reader. let hir
have read never SO widely. will fine
them (passages which relate to oul
ofticers) of fresh and very enlighten.
ing charm. The word poorly indicates
their full effect, but it has been tempt.
ling me from the beginning by its