Evening star., 1916-10-01

to the Vaccinations of this unscrupu-
lous rival that the story owes its ro-
bust fiber of adventure. This it pos
sesses in good degree, adventure worked
out in scenes of rugged daring. in a
strenuous and determined fight against
the austere and hostile spirit of the
country itself.
THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. By
Casimir Stryienski Translated from
the French by H. N. Dickinson. New
York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.
This volume is the latest issue of
"The National History of France" edit
ed by FIR. Funck- -Brentano. The politi-
cal characteristic of eighteenth century
France is the disintegration of the old
monarchy, coupled with a correspond
ing rise of the forces that culminate in
the revolution Out of the multitudin-
Gus aspects of this upheaval of an
ancient kingship, slow and for the
most part an unperceived upheaval. NJ
Stryienski has drawn off into a single
volume the essential elements that con-
tributed to this movement, the Signifi-
cant events that carried it forward.
The study covers the three-quarters of
a century leading from the death of
Louis XIV in 1715. At this point it
moves directly into the regency set up
to cover the minority of Louis XIV.
Passing therefrom into the reign of
that monarch himself, it advances
through the suddenly snapt rule of
Louis XVI to the political and social
chaos facing upon the revolution. A
supplement to this political considera-
ton summarizes the artistic and liter
ary movement of the century. This is
a big subject to save, alive, in single
volume. And to meet his necessity, NJ.
Stryienski has not condensed the sub
ject by the common practice of merely
skimming off the top of events. Rather
has he vaporized away all the fluid
stuff, leaving the clear substance of
cause and effect in the political dis
organization of France in the eight
eenth century. He has. besides. by the
use of anecdote and direct quotation.
produced an effect of personal i'm
mediacy on the part of the significant
figures of the period, a dramatic near
ness of king and queen, of courtier and
councillor, of a rising people and a
recreant aristocracy. The whole is
triumph of vivid narrative over mere
historic outline.
THE ADVANCE OF THE ENGLISH
NOVEL. BY William Lyon Phelps,
author of Essays on Russian Now
elists." etc. New York: Dodd, Mead
& Co.
Setting out with the predominance of
the novel in cotemporaneous htera-
ture, William Lyon Phelps goes back
over the 200 years that cover the his
tory of the novel, pointing out the diff
ferent stages in the development of
this form of literature, marking the
relations existing between one stage
and another, gathering up the external
influences that shaped the course of
this advance and rounding the whole
into a compact historical sketch. IN
this consideration the emphasis grows
as the subject approaches the present
stage of the novel. the present aims
and achievements of the novelist. From
Defoe and Richardson to Henry James,
the study moves forward. in a most
readable line of criticism and appraisal
1t is an excellent book for one who
wants merely to get the bearings of
this procession. 1t Is an admirable one
for the reader who is looking for a
place to stand where he may look into
both the essentials and the non-essen-
tials of the novel, into the qualities
that give one SAVIOR and leave the other
fiat. Mr.. Lyon does not writ" Hke
critic. He writes like a writer, or,
better, like an easy talker. d l is
this. coupled with the good substance
of his literary opinions, that gives this
book wide value. One meets here any
number of men and books that he
wants to know more about-George
Moore, Samuel Butler Eden Phillpotts.
H. G. Wells and others, several OF them
American writer's.
"REMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME
STATESMAN AND DIPLOMAT,
lS3O-1015. BY Frederick w. Seward.
assistant secretary of state during
the administrations of Lincoln,
Johnson and Hayes. New York: G.
P. PutnamS Sons.
Before the War;" During the War"
and after the War" are the rough di-
visions under which these recollections