The Washington herald., 1913-03-30

not permanent advances in American
politics.
FRANCISCO rETRARCH AND THE REVOLT
TION OF COLA DI RENO: Rv Fr,,. Mario
Emilio Co-euEa Chicago-The University Of Chi
caSo Press Price. S.S
In these RACES the author draws
picture Of Petrsrch as a statesman, be-
lieving that even II Petrarch had never
written a sonnet in praise Of Laura he
would still BE- dear to many generations
Of italians for having been their first
real Italian patricia man who was not
bounded by narrow partisanship. but one
who through long and active life
was wholly devoted to the cause of a
unified Italy.
DR.. Cosenza has chosen for special
treatment Petrarch's relations with Cola
di Rienzo, because the latter and his
successful revolution were more nearly
connected with Rome than were the
Popes or the Emperor Charles ". and
because Petrarch's personal relations
with Cola constitute A story that is
virtually a chapter in the history OF
Rome during tho Middle Ages.
The material OF the present volume Is
drawn chiefly from Petrarch's letters.
from the important correspondence of
Cola di Rienzo. and from the very i'm
portant archives OF the Roman Church
Nearly all this material is new to Eng
lish readers. The notes have been made
detailed enough TO make clear Petrarch $
many allusiors. The book is written
with the charm of vital scholarship
and with intimate feeling for its sub
jects. The incidents connected with the
lives of the two great Italians who lived
centuries in advance OF this times have
remarkable variety and interest.
THE PARASITE: Ry Helen Reimensnrdrr Martin.
Philadelphia-The J. p. Lirpincott Cumpsny
There could be scarcely a greater dif-
ference between two books than the
first book 'Tillie.' by which the public
knew Helen Reimensnyde Martin, and
her latest volume. Quaintness and un-
usualness are absent in The Parasite"
Those were the elements which made the
first story possess a distinctive charm:
still her last work has a certain at
traction Of its own.
To begin with. II takes up entirely new
ideals. The scene is laid in Maryland:
but the hero, though his manners are
Southern. is an advanced socialist. with
no sympathy for the distinctions of
Southern society. The heroine, who for
years was the victim of an ambitious
mother and her social aims. also is rath-
er a free thinker. and 1t is those same
ideals which finally make Judge Randall
see that he ''builded more wisely than
he knew when he married Joan.
The central figure Of the story is the
child called Bappis. a baby pronunci-
alton Of Annapolis, but he is scarcely
more than deus-ex-machina in the
story. which revolves around him. The
author has made the child very real.
Though the story is not the equal of
Tillie. the action is swift and the hero
and heroine are sufficient to hold the
readers attention for a few hours.
THE DRAGOMAN: Ry George X. Stiles. New
York-Harper & Brothers.
The early chapters of this story read
much like a notice of the meeting of
the Mystic Shrine. but when the reader
learns what II Is all about. it adopts
the shape of continuous narrative.
There is abundant action after the com
pIication Of characters Is cleared. and
when the slowly developing romance ap-
pears real interest Is aroused. Mr. Stiles
shows an extensive knowledge of all
things Egyptian. and discovers some new
adventures for his enterprising English
hero and the fascinating American girl
during their journey up the Nile. He
does not write Of the Egypt usually seen
by the tourist or described by writing
glrhe trotters. but Of the interior. where