New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-07
NEW BOOKS IN PARIS.
Three Historical StudieS-Cdreer Of
Nine. de Tencin.

Paris, January 20.
Three compact but lightly written books pop
uiarizing epochs OF French history for which
American students always evince great fondness
are brought out by the Librairte Louis Michaud.
and are compiled by Albert Savine. In Les
Jours de la Malmaison d'apres les Documents
t1Archives ct les Memories" NJ. Savine gives an
exceedingly picturesque description OF the daily
life at Ia Malmaison during the Empress Jo-
sephine's residence there. We find plquant cpl
sodes and anecdotes concerning Queen Hortense
Nine. Junot TaIleyrand, Cambasceres and the
Emperor Alexander, together with sprightly &C
counts of the doings and sayings Of Napoleon
In LA Vie a Ia Bastille" VI. Savine gives the
personal souvenirs of Constantine de Renneville
who from 1902 until 1713 imprisoned al
ternately in cells and relatively comfortable
rooms Of the famous fortress. In La Vraie Refine
Margot" NJ Savine draws brightly colored por-
trait of Queen Margot, who in spite Of all her
faults is on the whole a sympathetic character
It is surprising to find what remarkable influ-
ence Queen Nargot exercised upon all about her.
The book is as full of incident and intrigue as
novel and gives new and amusing notions Of the
court OF Henri Quatre,
Those interested in the early portion of the
eighteenth century also cannot fail to be pleased
with the appearance of Madame de Tencin,
issued by Hachette. The 'NIarquise" de Tencin
was the mother Of d'AIembert. But in truth she
was not rnarquise. and d'AIembert was merely
an incident. or more strictly, an accident in her
life She came to Paris from the country quite
an unknown girl and entered upon career Of
adventure. She was a friend Of Saint-Simon
and Of Diderot. She was in active correspond
ence with the Pope. She made her brother a
Cardinal and Cabinet minister, and it was large
iy through her influence that her friends became
members of the Academy. She was one Of the
social queens Of Paris. The intellectual move
rnent OF the first half Of the eighteenth century
is closely associated with her active and stirring
life No woman succeeded in vibrating on
so wide range the keyboard Of the passions
and ideas Of her time.
"AIarthe BaraQuin" novel by NJ. J. II. Rosny
published by the LibraIrie PIon. is boldly
ceived, clnematographio presentation Of the ex-
periences of an attractive young woman who
struggles to emerge from the seamy side of
Partisan Iise and she finally does so. The same
house brings out "Cruelle Tendresse," a novel
by NJ CASTOR Derys. in which jealousy, is an
alyzed and dealt with If It were terrible
disease The heroine, Berthe Thuron. kills her
husband because she loved him and because
she was jealous" and weds her husbands rive1
also because she loved him and because she
was jealous"
lie Fruit Defendu' is the somewhat rnisIead-
ing title OF a novel by NJ. Henri Vignemal
issued by the Librairie Calmann-Levy the &C
ton of which is laid IN Rome at the time Of the
death Of Leon XIII, and gives vivid pictures Of
the life Of Roman society and the bitter, relent-
less feuds between the Vatican Blacks" and the
Quirinal whites"
LIE Bresil au Xxx Steele" by NJ Pierre Denis.
published by the Librairie Armand Colin, is a
careful. thorough and well observed sketch Of
Brazil its people. its society. its political life
and its future. c. J. B.