The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-31
..The collccted Mork. nf .n,hrn.e

.The Collected Work.. OF Ambrose
Bicrcc.D
In ten octave volumes. Tho Noaie
Publishing Company, of New York
and Washington. seq the set net
1t IS said OF Ambrose Bierce that
mo other living author has been SO
much discussed, His name is not
household word among the readers
OF the SIX best sellers. nor is Ambrose
,Bierce studied in literary societies by
Young ladies. But the man does not
dive, from the humblest to the most
exalted rank, from the most iIlltcrate
20 the most orudite. that would not
road time and again every line tant
Ambrose Biercc has written. For
Z Bierce's appeal to men is greater and
moro nearly universal than that of
any other writer OF literature"
While there may be quality in
Mr. Bicrcc's writing which gives a
certain rcasonablcncss to this criti-
scism, IT would seem that Il iuster thing
TO say is that the humanity OF AMBROSE
I Bierce and the understanding attitude
towards life which he assumes in his
authorship gives his message to tho
world through il n certain weight
with both men and women those that
a gree with him and those who do not
Greatness in literature must be
measured by what IL gives, and gives
Tho whole, and not to a part
y PerCival Pollard, the brilliant writer
of Their Day in Court comments on
Bierce by saying: The greatest satirist
since Swift. or Pope or Byron, he has
flashed in prose Md verse. always the
sinners rather than the sin I began
my review OF him with mention of his
concern for our language, can close
IT by reiterat ting that no man in our
tnr
) Ambrose Bicrce." Then again joe!
Chandler Harris opincs III l were
SANTA Claus I'd put into the hands
OF every intelligent man or women
an the United States an edition dc
luxe of Ambrose Blerce's remarkable
stories of soldiers and civilians. This
would be in the nature of an cduca-
lion 10 many who know only the cur
rent stuff that passes for literature"
The Collected Works of Ambrose
B!erce'' cover a wide field, invading
2 rs they do the realms OF romance
satire, poetry, fable, essay, criticism
Scpigram. Wherever in these rculms
quick observation and assimilation
have seized upon material It has beer
transmitted through picturesque pro.
cases of thought into words for the
pages grave and gay that 20 into the
sInake-up OF ten volumes.
selves created literature have ;diudged
Ambrose Bicrcc's place among Ameri-
can writer's. His readers will pass
judgment according to their ability
in Interpretation and according TO
what he has TO say TO each one Some
will praise and some will blame, but
probably none will put down his books
without having gained something that
Will stand them in good stead for the
~ IN VI No
hound in gray and gold, with about
100000 words to the volume and In
beauty and dura hiIity Is a tribute to
the author, whose life work it pre-
sents
- Fnstcn Bracelet
By David Potter. J. B. Lippincott, of
tIhiladelphia Frontispiecc by Martin
.fustis. Sl.25 net.
novel of high-sradc American life
ut Rcd Cedars, the Sutphen country
home amid rho rolling Berkshire Mills,
serving as n background for the un-
travelling OF II four years mystery,
and an adjustment OF relations be-
tween quartet of swccthcarts to
render 1t breozily entertaining
The hero of tho book. Craig Schuyler,
is represented in the opening of the
story as just returned from an OK
plorlng tour OF four years duration,
spent mainly in the East Indies and
the Island of Sumatra. His misundnr-
stood Kindness to young girl left
destitute by the villain OF the story,
Carlos Beauchamp. had caused n rup-
turc between Schuyler and Nell SUIT
phen. his fancce. and influenced Schuy-
ier's subsequent determination to
leave America. When he returns he
."onsiders himself master OF tho sit
uation, his bankers having put into
his hands tiurjpE his. stay in Paris n
forged check- for -sas,OOo. signed and
Endorsed by Mrs Sutphcn. Armed with
This check Schuyler comes immediately
10 Rcd Ccdars after landing in New
York from Europe. quite determined
10 enjoy his revenge against the SUIT
phcns, mother aud daughter.
He has With him, as his chauffeur.
u frenchman, man Of rank. lIonrl dc
Trouville, cadet of {; noble house.
who inasquerades under the name of
Dn Bots De Trouvile is all the more
resolved TO conceal his Identity be.
cause he believes all American girls
are given 10 angling for rich hus-
hands and he prefers 10 be loved dis
, intcrcstedly.
SO much Tor situation only guessed
at IN The beginning and explaining
itself little by little as the story de-
Telops. Al the last vision is cleared