Evening star., 1938-07-31

general picture of the times. princi-
pally the bearing on the people then,
and. to an extent, now.
The book is mainly a species OF
indexed text book and is desirable
as such. Humor relief is furnished
by the 18th century contemporary
Hogarth, priceless engraver of Eng
lish people in mild caricature. J. S.
WOMAN ON HORSEBACK. BY Will
liam E. Barrett. New York: Fred
erick A. Stokes Co.
THIS excellent biography Of Elisa
Lynch Is the work of Washing
ton author. 1t has other claims, how
ever. to the attention of readers. 1t
tells as colorful and romantic a story
from life as the reviewer has found in
many novels. And. as it happens, it
has to do with persons and places
little known to the average reader.
To read it, therefore. will be for most
people to enter into a new chapter of
history and look on at tragic ro-
nance there.
Elisa Lynch-as how many Of us
know?-was the mistress of Francisco
Lopez, the famous dictator of Para
quay. whose regime was almost one
constant battle as he strove to hold
his power in the face of multitude
OF enemies. Elisa stayed with him
throughout his campaigns: she rode
form. and fought in many battles.
When he was finally overcome by the
combined armies of Brazil, Argentina
and Uruguay, she saw him murdered
together with her oldest son. and with
her own hands dug the graves and
made the burial.
Yet she was not a roughly bred
woman. She was an English girl of
excellent family. descended from the
vice admiral Of Lord Nelson's feet
and with two bishops among her for
bearers. She was well educated and
beautiful. Early in life she made an
unfortunate marriage with a French
army off1cer. 1t ended in divorce.
which was itself then a stigma. and
also, due to the pecularity Of the laws.
left her without nationality. She met
Lopez at the French court of Louis
Napoleon, and. in her desperate state,
turned to him as one who could take
her to new life and country.
The telling Of this tragic tale here
is immensely colorful. and carried out
Nit Nf tot k,o
testimony to great labor in research.
Mr.. Barrett indeed was 10 years as
sembling his materials. He has now
done a Job which, while meticulously
careful in its use of facts, has re-
suited in a glamorous and fascinating
story. The book has been on the best
seller lists for some weeks and de-
servedly. 1t we'll merits place among
the best popular biographies OF the
season.
SUBMARINE. THE AUTOBIOG-
RAPHY OF SIMON LAKE. AS told
to Herbert Corey. New York: D.
Appleton Century Co.
THIS is the life story of the man
whose inventions have largely made
the modern submarine what it is. ST.
mon Lake, we are told here, has more
than 100 patents on submarine de-
signs. He was the inventor of the peri
scope. the device for submerging on
an even keel and the steering gear. to
name few points. And, in addition
to having shaped the modern UNDER
sea craft, he has take out 1900 pat
ents for other inventions, has hunted
for sunken treasure and plans to per-
feet boat which will run on the
ocean floor and navigate safely under
the ice of the pole. Mr. Corey makes
. lively tale of it all, brisk, humorous
and readable.
Most interesting to the reader with
3 concern for mechanics will be, no
doubt, the included history Of the
submarine as weapon of warfare,
the parts which is played in the