Evening star., 1909-05-22
BOOK EVIEWS.

- WV - = -
SET IN SILVER. Ry c. y. and A y.
Williamson. illustrated. New York:
Doubleday, Page & Co. Washington:
Woodward g. Lothrop.
~~o ~HEN a new Williamson book
is announced the reader who
NAx has acquired the pleasant
wv habit of following the works
of these gifted people is
n-,ne 70 ask. Through which country
now? II is always TO he assumed thd'
there is a girl. man and motor car.
Of course there may he other girls anu
other men and perhaps other motor cars
hut a true Williamson story is never COM
ple,e without the three elements. Ihe
chief differences between the stories lie
in the settings. There have oeeh taies 'i
Spain of Italy, of France, OF Holidha' VI
Monte Carlo of Dalmatia and OF Amer '.a'
and now this one is about EnSidhu' anu
il is fully UP to the Williamson stahodru
of interest and romantic charm JUST
why il is entitled Set In SILVER Is not
altogether plain, but the reader Is Tree
TO conclude that this phrase refers TO the
quality of the English scenery through
which Miss Audrey Brendon traVels IN the
motor of Sir Lionel Pendragon wnile she
is masauerading as his ward. HOW she
comes to take the place OF the reai Waru
is ingeniously explained. and her aane.i-
lures in her assumed role are set 1ortn
with an interest-compelling sequence OF
happenings which reach their climax AT
Sir Iioners ancestral home, Wnere Cuplu
triumphs Incidentally the story con-
veys a vivid impression of the Engilsn
scenery along the southern and western
coasts. together with sketchy impress
sion of the history associated with the
towns through which Sir Lionel auto
mobile travels. MIR. +. y. Lyendecker
contributes charming portrait In coiors
Of Audrey as a frontispiece, and there are
other illustrations, somewhat or eulae-
book character, to embellish the pages.
ONE IRISH SUMMER. BY william
Eleroy Curtis, author of the yam
KEGS of the East etc. illustrated.
New York: Duffield & Co.
Mr.. Curtis went to Ireland last sum-
mer. and described his travels in that
island in a series OF daily letters. which
were printed in The Star. They at
tracted probably the greatest attention
aroused by any of his series of writings
on foreign countries, for they appealed
directly TO every descendant or irlsh an
cestry and all lovers of the picturesque
and students of Irish history. The re-
production of these letters now In book
form presents them In convenient shape
for preservation and reference, and per-
mits their appropriate illustration, the
publishers having included in the volume
over sixty half tone reproductions OF
photographs of famous places and beau
tiful scenes. Mr.. Curtis did not conf1ne
himself to descriptive and historical
sketches, but discussed the political and
social questions which are now OF keen
interest to the Irish people. He described
the processes of Irish government, ana
tells some interesting stories OF the many
hnt n Ireland
course of successive generations or agi-
tators for a change of rule. The vol
ume as thus presented is an important
addition TO the literature of travel, and
will he without doubt highly appreciated
by those who were unable TO follow
the course of letters throughout as they
were printed in The Star.
THE MAN WITHOUT A SHADOW. BY
Oliver Cabot. Illustrated. New York:
d. Appleton & Co.
The 'long arm of coincidence" Is
stretched almost to the breaking p6int
in bringing about the situations in this
story of a mans effort to recover his
memory and establish his identity after
a sojourn In q private insane asylum.
Psychologists may question the POSSIBLE
ity of such a complete instantaneous
recovery of mental health without men,
ory as was effected in the case of the
man who bears many titles, but finally
establishes himself beyond question as
Christopher Morton. Mr.. Cabot handles
his theme capably, and IL one will ac-
cept the possibilities as probabilities, the
story will serve as diverting enter
tainment.
\ ROYAL WARD. BY Percy Bredner.
author of The Princess Maritza,
etc. Illustrated by Harry c. Ed
wards. Boston: Little, Brown & Co.
Mr. Bredner is an English author who
scored wide reputation with his "Prin-
cess Maritza.'' and is following up his
early success now with a dramatic story
of England during the regency at the
period of Napoleons downfall, when every
Frenchman who ventured into the Eng
lish territory was suspected as a spy
and there were plots and counter-piots
against the royal family. The story
grows somewhat complicated as one vii
lain schemes against another, but ulti-
mately the best ends Of justice are
served. and the notes of wedding bells
sound as finish.
THE LAW OF TRANSFORMATION IN
NATURE OF NATURAL BODIES.
BY Anthon c. Mortensen. Washing
ton: Brentano's.
DR.. Mortensen presents in this mono
graph a condensed study OF the law of
transformation based upon common sci
entific experiment. His chief purpose is
TO prepare the reader for more intimate
acquaintance with further work along
the same line. dealing with the trans
formation of universal matter into Its
different forms found in nature. He
holds that the misunderstanding of ma
ture comes from desire to explain every
scientific experimental fact by itself, with
out taking the broad view of comparing
those facts with the position in nature
of natural bodies.
FAME'S PATHWAY: a Romance of
Genius. BY Fl. c.. Chatfield-Taylor.
illustrations by JOB" New York:
Duffield d. Co.
Mr.. Chatfeld-Taylor, having already
written a formal biography of Moiere,
has prepared himself for this brilliant
vivid fiction tracing the career of the
great actor playwright as he followed the
woman who had won his heart when as
youth he saw her first on the boards of
rural theater. The story moves brisk
ly from the start and presents doubt
less faithful picture of France in the days
following the death of Richeleu How
Young Jean Baptiste Poquelin, a student
met his fate in the person of Madeleine
Bejart is told in the opening chapter so
realistically that the reader is compelled