Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-16

Corsican. that this novel by Mr.. Nc
Aulay Is virtually a treading upon virgin
ground. 1t discloses the future emperor
Of the French, first as young boy on
the eve of his departure for France as
a cadet in the government military
school. known then by the uncouth name
of Nabulione. The story centers In chief
around the young mountaineer of Cor
sica. who fell first under the spell Of the
plausible Charles Bonaparte, Napoleon S
father. and later under that Of Napoleon
himself upon his return to the lsland
after graduation and growth to manhood.
Mr.. McAulay seeks to set forth the re-
markable quality Of Bonaparte In com
polling the admiration and enlisting the
fidelity OF others. He shows him as an
egoist. vain. slovenly: selfish, ins con.
to become the historian of Corsica. and
later to conquer in other fields: The
picture is painted of him at the be-
trothal fete of Dome. his friend, reading
pedantic Dialogue on Love-" One sees
him again standing by the side of the
venerable Paoli. just returned to Corsica
by the favor of France as its governor.
and calmly criticizing the old soldier
disposition of troops at the battle of
Pontenuovo. One sees him firmly draw
ing his faithful admirer from the noun
tains where he lay hidden. an outlaw,
to serve him in aiding the escape of the
Bonaparte family from Corsica when
the fury OF Paoli was finally vented
against it. In Dome the reader can take
but little Interest," vacillating, weak
youth. strong only in his anection for the
shabby little French Corsican soldier:
glimpse is given Of the peculiar char
acter of the Corsicans, and there are
passages which dwell upon that national
institution, the vendetta. Altogether Mr..
McAulay has produced novel which
account of the biographical interest, but
in consequence of it's effective, consistent
style Of narration and its vividness of
description
CHRISTMAS IN ART; The Nativity as
Depicted by Artists of the Fifteenth
and Sixteenth Centuries BY Fred
erick Keppel. With numerous illus
trations, chiefly reproductions of rare
prints in. the British Museum and the
Bibliotheque Rationale. New York:
Dufield & Co.
One of the earliest Christmas books.
this volume is designed to give COM
parative view of the most famous paint
ings devoted to the subject Of the Nativ-
ity. The work was originally in the form
of short article in the Outlook, from
which source 1t has been expanded ma
terially. It consists Of a descriptive es-
say upon the treatment Of the subject OF
Christ's birth and the painters Of the
Dutch, Florent!ne. French. Flemish,
Paduan. German, Venetian. Lombard and
Spanish schools. The reproductions of
the most notable canvases are especially
artistic, consisting of thirty-two full-page
plates, arranged chronologically, each ac-
companied by brief note of comment
and explanation.
THE ANIMALS IN THE ARK; From
the French of P. Guizou. by Edgar
Mills. Pictures by A. Vimar. New
York: Duffield & Co.
A little girl to whom the story OF the
ark was being told suddenly asked what
the beasts did during the forty days,
whether they lust sat- or played games
as children do on wet days. The result
of this inquiry was the story that Is told
in this attractive book. If 1T does not
answer the questions which are feit, II
not fully expressed, by juvenile students
of the Scriptures, 1t is because the child
has no sense of humor. or course the
animals did not all behave in perfect dis
cipline There were troubles on board
and there were pastimes, and Monsieur
Guizou has told about them quantity. The
illustrator has entered into the spirit Of
the work so cleverly that his outline and
color pictures are in themselves source
Of enjoyment.
THE CIRCUS AND ALL ABOUT 1T.
BY E. Boyd Smith. author and illus
traitor of THE Story of Noahs Ark"
etc. With sixteen full-page illustra-
tions in colors and twenty mine in
black and white by the author New
York: Frederick A. Stokes Company.
Every child who has ever been to the
circus-and is there one who has mott
will want one Of these books. There are
chapters on the coming of the circus and
the street parade. on the menagerie. the
ring the jugglers the donkey races. the
tumblers. the boxing bears. the bare
back riders, the tanners of wild beasts.
the trapeze performers, the trick animals.
the wild west show, the clowns and the
chariot races, each with it's full page IL
Illustrations In colors. and with numerous
smaller pictures cleverly expressing the
spirit of that great American institution
the show under canvas