The New York Herald Newspaper, April 6, 1875, Page 4

Me LITERATURE. What is Doing in France and England. SESESEAES THE OPENING OF THE SPRING TRADE. Van Ranke’s ‘England in the Seventeenth Century. THE LIFE OF CASAUBON. A New Edition of the Works of Sainte Beuve. ENGLAND, Lonpon, March 25, 1875, HISTORY. Among the biggest of the big books of the day ta the fine transiation of Leopold Von Ranke's ‘His- tory of England, Principaliy io the Seventeenin Century,” recently issued by ihe Clarendon press, To the general reader the vencrable German his- torian 1s chiefly Known as the author of that hi tory of the Popes which furnisned Lord Macaulay with the material whereou to Broder o.e of bis | most brilliant and memoravie essays—oue from | which writers and speakers olten quote passages or dicla unconsciously, and to whte: the students of the present generation owe the ciearing up of ‘he generaitiies o! the prejudice whica obscured | the judgiment of their predecessors much more absolutely than they are aware of This vook, Which ts in six volumes, will probably find no interpreter, a3 Was the iast aud the best of the great whig writers, woo possessed at once real and | active priucipies, vital political beliem, elegant | scholarship ad a style, Supposing it to be ac- tis too cynical to doubt che existence | Jes and che creed in these latter days, it must de admitted that there ta a crying want of styie. Whosball popularize Ranke on William of Orange and the hydra-ieaded probiem of European Ppolit.cs during the might aud the decadence of the Grand Mooarque? Th's voluminous Work 1s Ol very great interest, though the translator has adhered rather 100 Closely to the text of the original in the deseriptioas of places and persons in Engiand; the joreign phraseology renders them diMcu.t of recognition. ‘Ibis is, however, but a slight defect, and the novel point of view from which the reader of Ranke’s History ts called upon to regard tae in- vasion of England by Wiitam of Orange, who is represented uot as @ solitary aaven- turer righteously avalilag himself of a} period of wational danger and disquiet, | Dat as tne trusted delegate of a European | combination against Fr & Most hovorable tool, in iaet, but stil! a tool has ail the interest of Doveity. We are too liltle accustomed to survey our own bistory ‘rom the European standpoinr, ‘This book ts a step in a desirable direction, thongh it may hurt our pride a little to discover that our yolution is held to have been eflectea eruian combinations, ciciated by German , and in the leading and specitic interests o: Germany. VEL. Books of travel very abundant just now, | We hud suct a plethors of them at tne beginning of ine winter that wecanno! complain of having } to frive matgre now for a while, espectaily as we | have the prospect of a forthcoming werk on Ashantee from Mejor Butler's eminenrly pic- turesqne pen, and of the records of the Cameron expedition fo the Lualaba, and alse of the reprint of the deeply interesiing series 0! papers now | betng | ublshed piecemeal tn Blackwood's Maga- aine under the title of “fhe Abode of Snow.” Mr. Gasketl's “Algeria as It Is," is one of the Most recent books of travel, and though it 1s not remarkabvie for literary graces, it is a very ample and painsieking descrip- tion of the Arao province which ifs French conquerors seem to mismanage somebow, equally hope.essly under cach successive régime. Mr. Gaskell is provabiy Dot aware, or be would bave made a telling point of it im his book, that an English company has Just secured @ concession for the making of 4 railroad in tne Province o- Oran, with a view to the encouragement of emi- gration, The strange leck of enterprise among the French tm matters of this kind—a project of the sort would find neither origin nor support ta Paris—couais for much in tueir failure as colo- pists. Mr. Gaskell draws liberally on preceding writers In vis de-criptions of the natives of Alge- ria, their manners and customs, but be at least puts the gist of thelr books into bisown, It is Femarkabie, however, that he seems to have no knowledge of the two best books which have ever peen written on their respective sudjects— Savel and “Le Sahara,” by Fromentin. if we may leave aking by the card sor a whue and stray into the regions of contemporary Frebeh literature, we sbouid like to direct attention toa work by M. Henry Havard, on “Les Vilies Mortes du Zu'der-zée.” This book has ynst been published In Paris, by Pion, and, in addition to its intrinsic interest as @ picturesque deseription of those wonderful old Dutch tow.s Whose existence seems ty be as much severed trom that oi the outiying world as the life of the lacustrine per‘ou itself, it has the extrinsic importance, Which ts beginning to attach itself to Hollend, ater toe years of peaceful ob- seurity which that rtcn and happy ttle councry has enjoyed in consequence of the menaced coup of Germany, The book is very pleasant reading, full of the frankness and sans géne with which Frenchmen recount ther travelling experiences, and it presents an extraordimary picture oi tue unchanged mediavaism of the curious towas which stad the shores of the dangerous Zuyder- zee, Whose circummarigation offers potnis of re- markabie philosophical and ethnograpaical tnter- est. Probabiy not a dozen Dutchmen have ever made this voyage, and we do not recall any record of ite baving m made oy Evglish art- ists or tourists; thongh it offers to the one class the attractioa of extraordinary picturesqnueness, | and to the other those usuatiy irresistible of | trouble and diMeulty. M. Havard accounts for the Patch indsiference to their living antiquines by their excessive excluvieme de clocher, or, a8 we | shall call it, the “parochial” spirit which limita | each man to his own actual mm lieu, and for the rarity of vielt® tothese curtons cities by foreigners by the little that is known about them, and the | absence of any organized “service” oy which they an be reuched. He is justly enthusiastic about | tue pleasure to be Cerived from “sailing upon sea of comparatively new formation, which has existed for a few centuries only, but on whose shores cities Of unrivalied power and weaita once Houriehed; to bebold these cities in their servile decrepitade; to visit Mecemulik and Sta- yorem before the grass has nidden their wails away forever and their names are struck out from the map of the Low | Countries;" in giowiug and persuasive terme. | Study of the Mind and Art of Shakespeare,” by No book since Captain Hutchinson's “Try Lap- Jana” has given os glimpses of such primitive | ife Weolation without savagery. teen years ago. Lord Soutiesk made an expediti as Lord Milton did, avout the same time, or a little to the Saskatchewan. He has thought this distance of time, a hand. somely illustrated work, descriptive of his trave.s im the Hudson Bay Territory. There ts notwing new, except that which is merely ; ersonal in the volume, and there is quite too much bumaio shoovne for the public appetite, much jaded jm ach vements of the sort where it has bad a surieit in fifteen years, The buffeto runs cugas to be intervicted like the Now Zealander, the “bitter end,” and the “gem ot purest ray serene”’—tne fatter, by the bye, has rested some time ta the “dork unfathesed cay » of man,” BICGaarny. the ‘ivane Oasauly fa biography, .’ by Me, NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1875.--QUADRUPLE SHEET. fi the reotor of Lincoln College, ts the | mostremarkable book of the season, Tho quidnuncs © will have it that George Eliot intended ber Mr. _ Casaubon, who married the charming Dorothea, | the heroine of “Middiemarch,”’ a an actual por- | trait, transferred to modern tmes, of the great | scholar, the solitary bookworm of the Reiorma- | tion period, who was bored to death by the mill- | tary and political affairs of his sovereign master Heart Quatre, and who, aiter sixteen consecutive | hours?’ study, recorded the fact in his journal | thus:—Hodie virt; and who regarded us fmeias | as direct nuisances, amici studiorum meorum fnimici, This may or may not be. It appears — that the original Casaubon found two wives, for — ‘ail bis Stucious Ways and dislike of human society, | aud bad considerable trouble with a large and sickly amiiy, and, no doubt, he was as disagrec- able, and unlucky an intividual as Dorothea’s Casaubon, especially as he neglected his true vecation, the highest order of criticism— | in its infancy in bis tume—‘o pluage, with all the ardor of a sixteenth century Dr. Kenealy, into the study 01 theology, whiga was getting mixed to his time. Mr. Patrison, who tsa first rate scholar and critic himself, has done his subject ample justice and produced & highly valuaole and inter- esting book; but tae picture of the student is, after all, a Sad one, for ho was & melanchory per- son, perpetually haunted by a regretiul sense of the shortness of human life, of the tnadequacy of ita opportunities to its desires, The best known | of his achievements is his “Athen@us,” a work immensely prized by scholars. Mr. Pattison tells us that while Casaubon wrote Latin and Greek with equal faciitty and habitually thought in etther one or the otler, he spoke his native language (Frene.) like a peasant. SHAKESPEARE, The latest addition to our Suakespearian litera- ture—a literature waich has become so ponderous @nd pewildering that one sometimes feels the wish to sweep it away vodily and forget it, returoing to the pure and simple enjoyment of the mind of he master, uhobscured ana unencambered by the interposition of other mnds and the aubiletics Of our inverpretation—is “A Critical Hdaward Dowdes, who is Proiessor of Engtish Literature in the University of Dubim, and Vice | Prosiaeus of the New Shakespeare Society. The | book ts 4 reproduction and rearrangement of the Proiessor’s essays and lectures on the same sub- ject, whieh caised him long since to the foremost rank among the Siuakespearian critics, and seems to us to be a résumé of ail that one needs to Know, outside his text, about Shakespeare, Professor Dowden deduces Shakespeare from the Elizabethan age, showing the points of contrast and of difference, and traces Mis life and bis mental and sviritual development through the amazing succession of his works, (rom the Siurm und Drang period (ag Goevbe says of himself) o¢ Romeo and Hamlet, to tae contemplative peace and retirement of the ‘Winter's Tale,” ending with a quatut, persuasive conceit, in which he shows how, in the ‘“Jempest,” Prospero, the magician, having reared and brought his art (Miranda) to full stature and periection, hands her over to the fostering care of Fietcher (Ferdl- nand) for all tue future. Mr. Dowden’s style is exceedingly lucid and graceful, and the book is delightful reading a8 a scholarly appreciation. ANECDOTES, Mr. Baring-Gould has recently given us one of | those remarkable recucil3 which he produces with facility and frequency worthy of Mr. Timos and | Mr. Thornbury. This time he goes afield no turther than Yorkshire, aud a jertile fl-ld in incidents, odaities and strange events he findsit, Itappears (bat Yorkshire is especially produciive of eccen- Wic ciengymen, and we rather wonder, when he | was like the witches, “avout it,” that he did nov find materials in tue curious life of the Rev. Pat. rick Pronty, other vise Bronté, the father of “vur- rer Beli”? The home liie of the author ot “Jane | Eyre’ would supply many aconcribution to the history of the oddities of Yorkshire, The fascina- tion of books of anecdote is aiMcuit to account for. One generally takes them up with a conten- tious sease of antagoatsm, but one ends by read- ing them right through, FICTION. Mr. Wilkie Collins’ new novel, “The Law and | the Lady,” 48 reprinted from the Graphic, in three yolame ‘orm, by Messrs. Chatto & Windus, who are issuing several editions of Mr. Collins’ novels, It is @ clever piece of construction, but a9 a story hopelessly unnatural, while the chief personage introduced, & man without legs, is a repulsive monster, from the contemplation of whose moral nature the reader turns Y with disgust and | abborrence. One Is ataloss to understand the | motive which induces Mr. Wilkie Collins thas to eXaggerate and dive into the wildes: paradox the ingenious conceptions which, more rationally treated, might attract as well as astonieh, Victor Hugo knew better, when he gave us “Hans d'isiande,” than to make the monster at | monstrous, and the other persons of the! story all vulgar eccentrics, Tne uzual | absurdities of journals, written up to the jast moment of tremendous crisis, and elaborately setting down the incidents of every. day lle like a proces verbal are not spared tn this work, and the Lerolne is more decidedly unpleas- ing than even the gifted and charming impostor, who, under the title of “Tue New Magdalen” slius- trated the whoic duty of society in general and clergymen in particaiar. Apropos of Mr. Wilxte Coilina, it may be mentioned that “Armadale” is about to be dramatized and played at one of tne leading theatres Quring the present season, Mr. Hardy is writing a novel for the Cornhill Magazine, and Mrs. Fawcett, the wife of the biind Professor and member of Parliament for Hackney, has one im the press, of whtcn rumor speaks bighly. Miss Thackeray's new serial in tye Cornhill Magazine, “Miss Angel,’ founded on the life of Angelica | Kaufmann, in & very poor and equally pretentious | production. By dint of word-painting this | authoress has lost ali the form and | substance her style ever possessed, In| the first number there was a chapter about Venice which was @ mere caricature of | Ruskin, and in tne second there is a chapter about fine society and Sir Joshua (‘hen Mr.) Reynolds which fs @ tore caricature of some of her father’s | social sketches in the “Virginians,” Mrs, On. | phant’s very latest novel “Valentine and His brotuer” is an improvement upon “Otay” and “In- nocent.” the two inanities which she bas recently | perpetrated. Mrs. Olipnant used to beaciever | novelist, she has become a mere manuiacturer of | fiction of late, and the kindest critic cannot pre- ten to find any remains of the former charm in } | her hasty, tll-considered and disoruerly compost. | ton. Mr. William Black has received very gracious Botice from the Queen, wh. admires his ‘Princess of Thule’ so mach that ane has requested Lady Abercromby to paint for her @ pictare represent- Ing Shevia, the neroime of the story, The p has just doen completed and sent to | FRANCE. que Panis, Maret Les F Lesprs. By M, Sainte-Beuve, | A bow edition has appeared of the late M. Beuve's “Lundis’—Monday critical essays origt- | nally contribated to the Globe, Sainte-Beuve was not a critic who (nought himself quite toward a | book when he had analyzed its contents aud | emitied an opinion on their style and scope. He | was 4 dissector, who probed deep into the under- | iying spirits of great literary worke, and who, the better to do tuis, pried inqaisitively into the | lives and characters of the aatnors, His es are short biographies, or pen aud ink sketch offen ainusingly vivid. No wan ever fully came | up to the bhign standard of excellence which Sainte-Beuve proposed to mankind botu in litera- ture ani polttics, and it follows that even those with Whom he was disposed to deal tenderly aro made by him to appear several cunits less tati | than thelr frienis fancied them tobe. But indul- gence was not Sainte-Beave's falling, it would bediMicait to name a Vrenshman of eminence wno had 80 many acquaintances and #o lew friends. The central figure in a little coverie of Witty atheists who calivenced Parisian society from 1830 to 1870, he judged ali writers by fixea canons, whereof the first condemned tervent Christians. Like Voltaire he was kind to the mao who looked ashamed of his faith, busy | had no pity for one who expressed his betel openly. Ohristians frequently retaliated on Sainte-Beuve, and he never forgave them, lor he added to the merit ol being @ vigorous polemist that of being & first class hi It 1s gooa to see how, in his essay on Balzac, he repays @ grudge woich the great novelist had contracted by ridiculing him as @-pedant in“Un Prince de la Boneme.” Bal- zac bad poked fun at the critic's style, Says Sainte- Beuve, alluding tu Baizac’s own style, “It is dry and slipshod; but let us beware of dwelling on it lest we should lapse into imitation,” For thoee » who can read between the lines the essays abound with little shaits of this sort, levelled in reprisal Jor the stabs of wounded novelists and poets, and one ts compellea to laugh, even though many of the strictures are unjust, In the present two volumes, which contain only tne essays published from 1824 to 1839 (they were contained in the Constitutlonnel Moniteur ‘and Temps ull the date of Sainte-Beuve’s death, 18€9) more than forty French ana foreign guthors are reviewed, and there 18 not one of the essays but can iurnish valuable hints in composition to young authors, Sainte-Beuve was a savant, His erudition was both varied and deep, his taste faultless, bis shrewdness for detecting the strong and weak points ofa writer singularly keen, Nor can it be contended that he was in general otner- wise than a lair critic. Good hater as he might be personal animosity never blinded him to the merits of an adversary, and he would often begin an essay with a leeling eulogy of a man he dis- liked, thereby giving greater taitness to the dash ol verjuice be would throw inat theend, It is impossible not to enjoy these e#says, they are so forcible and malicious, so scholarly and chatty, ‘They also abound with anecdotes which give them the Interest of a book of momoirs—racy memoirs too, L'ANNEE Po1irigus. Par André Daniel. Parts: Charpentier et Cle. 1575, ‘This work 18 @ new essay in French periodical literature, being the first publication of a proposed annual register of political events throughout the world, It contains the history of the year 1874, with a copious introduction, detailing the causes which led to the overthrow of Thiers in May, 1873, and the collapse of the schemes for & monarchist restoration in the following November, M, Damel is accurate and painstaking, and possesses that clearness in narrative which is such aa admirable characteristic of his countrymen, Of course he Would have been more than @ mortal frenchman had he contrived to speak of English affairs with- out introducing “le Wiggisme”’ into the situation; bat his accounts of the transfer of power which last year witnessed both in the United States and Great Britain are eminently satisfactory aud con- cise, Lucidity and brevity: those are the quall- ties which constitute history, HISTOIRE DE LA TRANSMISSION DU PouvoIR Imps RIAL A Rome BY A “CONSTANTINOPLE. Par Al- phonse Pailard, Ancien Préiet, Paris: E, Plon et Cie. 1875, e ‘This is a curious and learned work, written by a former Prefect of tue Second Empire. Ita design is to show the stability of Roman tmperial institu- tions, both im the capital of the West and in later ages at Constantinopic. From the tyranny of 4 Caligula or a Domitian M, Paillard appears to draw the inference that the Empire must bave poaseased an inherent excellence to survive it, But it is not necessary to accept the political con- clusions of the autbor to appreciate the worth of his labors, In the compass of 500 pages he sum- marizes with carefal accuracy the bistory o/ 1,600 years, Onc remark of bis deserves to be quoted, if only as showimg that new remeaies for the political maladies of France are never likely to fail in number or variety, M. Paillard’s ides ts, that atter the plébfscite of May, 1870, the sou of Napoleon HL, should have been associated wity bis jather in the imperial authority, Hence (he probably imagines) the course of government would have continued unbroken after Sedan and the captivity of the elder monurch, Du ReoiMe prs [RAVAUX PUBLIO3 EN ANGLE Terre. Par Co. De Franquevilie, Paris: Hacsette et Uie. 1875, M. de Franqueville is a distinguished oMcial in tue French Department of Public Works. He his travelled in England, he has seen Parliamentary Commitices at work, he has spoken to generai managers of railways and carefully studied Eng- lish legisiation on the suvject. He has, in short, spared co pains to make bis work complete and exhaustive. It consists of four thick sized voium which tn sptie of the dryness of the theme, have already reached a second edition, M, de Franqueviile arrives at the conciusion that he could not recommend the French to adopt the English system, or rather, no-system of public works, though be Is convinced that it is suited to | the temper of the Englisn people and to the greater Wealth of their country, PRINCIPES DE ScieNck Ansotce, Par M. James Thomsen. Paris: othschiid, 1) M, Tnomson’s very learned work bears a sec- ond or expianatory citle—viz., “Questions of Ab- solute Science, or Scieace based Upon a Natural, Integral, Analogical Reduction of the Unity of the Absolate Pact,” This sentence alone requires careful digestion, and the remainder of the book 18 filled with equally weighty matter, But it mast not be fancied that the book is tedious; on the contrary, it is just such @ one as Charles Lamb would have loved to saunter througn, passing from grave '0 gay, trom lively to severe, from tory tu philosophy, (rom theology to poiitics, sure, Wherever h> paused, to be arrested by some wild flower of thonght, for Mr. Thomson ts tettered vy the trammels of no conventional school. It should be added that, notwithstanding th» purity of nis French, the author's knowledge of biblical lore betrays his Anglo-Saxon pationailty. CaMiLLE DesMouines, &c. Par Jules C’aretie. Paris: E. ¥.on et 187 M. Claretie always writes agreeably, and ne has made the history of the French Revolution his special stady. Heisat bome, not only in the Na- tional Convention, but in the drawing rooms as well os the garrets, Of 1759-05. The interest of the present work coutres in the beaut.ful and accom. plished Lucitie Desmoulins, for Camille himself Was of @ Wasp'sh and unamiable alsposition and has been somewhat unjustly idealized by pos- verity. Among the bitherto unpublished documents consulted by M,. Claretie are the “Notes” taken py Topino-Lebrun, a juror of the Revolutionary Tri- bun tne trial of Danton, Camille, Fabre a’g- lantine and thelr iriends—materiais which would confer the highest value on a less entertaining book than that of M. Claretie. Pomme BY Parsent, By “Memor.” ae. Under the pseudonym of “Memor” ao distin- guished French diplomatis: bas published @ short and lively book treating of Yhe policy pursued by Prussia toward France within the last ten years. Frenco minds are ua'uraily still sore at the events Paris: Plon et | of 1870-1, and one must not expect a Frenchman to be very dispassionate in reviewing events which have brought his country to ruin. theless nothing 1s advanced in the present book but t the anthor bas authority tor, Official documents are quoted, and several anecdotes of | royal and Biemarckian sayings are given, such a8 could only be within the cognizance of a man having held bigh position. Tbe conciusion sub- Tottted to us is that Herr von Bismarck inveigied the French ialo a trap, and we readily accept it; #0 probably does Prince wistaarck, That great statesman doubtiess looks upon it title to glory that he Julled the French Emperor into a jancied security, and led him on by adroit play to seem the aggressor in a war of which lhe was to be the victim. But this is the onject of diplomacy, aud if to lowly minds it be areary, even revolting to read o: the chicaheries of state, crart, one can only reca.i Palmerston’s placid reply toa French Ambassador who compiained of Waving been overreached by him, that His Lord- ship had never counted politics among the moral sciences. We would call the reater’s attention to the passages in this book, which prove beyond question that the Germans connived at tre gom- mune and assisted the insurgents to prolong their resis:cnce, and also to “Memor's"” remarks on the attitude of England during the Franco. Germay War. Memor reveals that Mr. Was @ kev sympatiizer with Germany, and that | Lord Granville Waa too much of a courtier to valk the Queen, who, from first to last, strenuonsiy Opposed F~v interference on behali of France. “It Was Unior.unate,”’ adde Memor, “that Lord Clare endon should have diea vefore tha war. for he at least was a true friend of France and a disciple of Palmerston in ail that concerned the maintenance of the balance of power in Europe.” It would have been more correct to state that Lord Olaren+ don was a Bovapartist, and, bad lived, we fancy his tofluence would have been useful rather in dtssuading the Emperor from undertaking the war than in saving France afterward from ite terrible consequences, “L4 FILLE DE LA COMEDIENNE” AND “L’TERITAGE piArravur.”” By Hector Malot, Paris; Mich Levy Brothers, These two novels form one and are devoted to | the relation of how a kind-hearted but weak- headed noblemen was harrassed on account of his large fortune, Arthur, Marquis de Rudemont, was the son of a grand seigneur, who, on dylug, prayed him to seek out two distant relatives to whom a debt of gratitude was owing, and to befriend them, These relatives were one Fabu ae Caque- but and bis sister Sophie, Tneir father it was who had laid tne old Marquis under an obligation to him; vut they themselves were a worthiess pair, and whea Arthur, plously obeymg his father’s dying wish, takes them to his chateau and bids them consider it as their home, they interpret this invitation to the letter, Soon a plan is formed between them for inducing Arthur to make a will in their favor, Fabu being covetous for nis own sake, Sophie for that of her son, Unfortunately before their scheme has ripened, the Marquis re- celves a letter from Emma Lajolais, a Parisian ac- tress, formerly bis mistress, who, writing from her death bed, declares. that she has had a child by bim, and bequeaths him the charge of bringing up this litle waif, who has now grown up to be a pretty girl of fourteen. There ts nothing to prove that Denise Lajolais is in reality the Marquis’ child, tor the actress was not renowned for the constaucy of her affections, Nevertheless, the Marquis rakes her to his estate and engages a gov- erness for her, Here the plot for Arthur’s mil- lions begins to thicken, Clémence Beaujonnier, the governess, is the wife of a dissolute cavalry oficer, and a very pretty, designing woman. She loses no time in setting her cap at the Marquis, mikes him fall into her toils, and then sets herself to outwit for her private advan- tage the machinations of the Fabus Caquebuts, They, onthetr side, do their best to weaken her iefuence with the Marquis, but are not successful, Several years are spent in these struggles of Toguery; but, meanwhile, an attachment nas sprung up between Louis Caquebut, the son of Sophie, who 18 an honest young barrister, and Denise Lajolais. Mme. Beawonnler fearing that these young people may succeed in becoming the Marquis’ heirs (though they are making no efforts to this end) causes Denise to be placed in @convent, and then proceeds to encourage the Marquis {0 a course of intemperance and uissipa- tion, which rapidly hurries him to bis grave, Arthur ig not to be prevailed upon, however, to make a@ wiil in Clémence’s favor, and, accordingly, the latter seeks the alliance of a priest, and tuey two between them bring the now half insane nobleman to bequeath all his property to @ monasticivstitution. The secret understanaing being that this institution shall pay clémence 400,000 francs of the legacy. But tais move does not lead to the results wich the wily governess expected, for when tne Marquis is dead, the monastic establishment decimnes paying her a sou. We are promised a sequel to this narrative, but the two books before us terminate with the discomfirure of Clémence Beaujcnaier, while Louis and Denise, the goody-goody characters of the tale, are warried, aid, though poor, seem to be happy. ‘Vhe story 13 an interesting one, the serious strata- gems to which cupidity pushes people are amu- singly told, and the dialogue is as French and vivacious as you please. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT, Gautier’s “Winter in Russia’ was such a success that Holt & Co, are going to puvlisn his “Constan- tunople”’ before long. They will scon issue Taine’s “Notes on Paris,” beivng the life and opinions of Mr, Thomas Graindoge, dealer in oll and salt pork at Clocianati. Marion Harland is preparing another book of receipts, which she hopes will be as successful as her “Common Sense in Her Housenoid.” Mrs. E. Lyno Linton, author of “Patrica Kem- ball,” 19 writing & new novel, to be calied “Ine Atonement o/ Leam Dundas.” Miss Emily Paithiull is givinga series of readings Never- | Gladstone | from the poets, at ber house im Norfolk square, London. The Portfolio, tor April, is unusually rich in pic- tures and letter press, Rovert Clarke & Co., of Cincinnati, have printed & “Bibliotheca Americana,” being an extensive catalogue of American books for gale by tnem, There bas been a remarkable fertility of late in the proauction of new books on architecture and the fine arts, Mrs. Macquold has written a pleasant tour “Through Normandy,” which A. D. F. Randolph will reprint. Macmillan & Co. will publish a work under the title of “Tne Unseen Universe; or, Physical Speculations on Immortality.” It 18 said to be the joint work of two well known physicists, ‘The grangors are going to start a new magazine m their interest, to be pubiished by Joha P’. Jewett, who brought out ‘Uncle Tom's Cabla” twenty-fve years ago. The humorous poems and parodies of the late Mr. Shirley Brooks, editor of Punch, are to be cok lected aud pubditsbed, The French war of 1870 is to be again written up by the Grand Duke of Mecaleaverg-Schwerin, wao bore a part therein. “The Roman Catholic Directory tor 1875" shows u teady growth of tbat saith in England. The Romish clergy bave increased during t from 1,662 to 1,728; and they have churches, being an increase of 16. Mr. Froude has been lecturing the English colo- nists or Natal in South Africa on their want of in- dustry, Living im ® rich agricultural district, whien Would maintain 60,000,000 of souls, they live on Amorican pork and Limerick potatoe: More writings of the late Sir Henry Holiand have been gathered, under the title of “Fragmentary Papers on Science.’’ Mr. Alvan 8 Southworth’s “Four Thousand Miles of African Travel,” being @ personal record Of his journey up the Nile and to tne borders of Central Africa, wlil shortly appear from the press of Baker, Pratt & Co., Now York. We are to have anew “Lite and Works” of the great artist, Titian, from the competent nands ot Messrs. Crowe and Cavalcaselie, whose “History of italian Painting” Is the most modern work in Engiisa on that subject. M. A. Chatiamel has put forth a beaatituily tlus- trated book on the totlet, entisied “Histoire de la Mode en France." Anotuer of OctaveWeutliet’s brilliant novels, entitied “Un Mariage A la Mode,’ will be pub- Lisneo aga seral tn the Révue des Deux Mondes, Tne Saturdag Revvew flods Mr. Nordnof’s ac- countof the Sandwich Isiands and the Pacific Coast lively and readabie. Sheldon & Oo, are avout to publish a new volume of sermons by Spargeon, called “Iypes and Em- blems."” The first volume of @ now translation of the | Testament, by Mr. John Brown MoViellan, is pub- lished by Macmiutian & Co, ’ In his Work on “Christ and Uther Masters” the Venerable Archdeacon Hardwick has made a care- ful examination of the religions of Egypt, Medo- | Persta, India and Cotna, and even America and | Uceanica, A valuacle and interesting work, entitled “Monumental Christianity; or, Tae Art and Sym- bolism of the Primitive Courch as Witnesses and Teachers of the one Catholic Faith and Practice,” by Joun P. Landy, Presbycer, will be pubiisned belore long by J. W. Bouton, The book will be profusely illustrated with designs coliected irom ali paris of the worid, ‘The famous French art critic, René Ménard, is Writing @ series of papers on “French Artists of the Present Pay" {pr the Portfolio, the periodical ejited by Puiilp Gilbert Mamerton. The series Was begen in the January namber with Jules | Brecon, Bach article iv tilustrated with a inc. simile eugraving ‘rom the most celebrated picture | of the artist, A young iady living in Newark owns tne first pair of shoes Syer worn by Lord Byron, They were given to the lady’s father by a danghter of Byron's nurse, who lived in Elizabeth, N, J., some forty years ago, Messrs, G, P, Putnam’s Sons will publish imme- diately a volume selected from the correspond. ence of the late Mrs, Henry M. Field, to be entl- tled ‘Home Sketches tn France.” Mrs. Fi-ld’s powers of observation and vivacity of expression will make this volume attractive to the general public, a8 well as toa large circle of personal friends, A gentleman from the western part of this State, bougnt a Bible of a Broadway importer a few days ago, for which he paid $10,000, The work was a library in itself, An American edition of White-Melville’s “Kater- feito” has been issued by Porter & Coates. The poem, “The Follower,” written by R, H. Stoddard tor the April Harper, is founded on fact, Tenoyson's “Idylis of the King” have just been translated into Swedisn, The Wordsworth family {8 to be paid a copy- right of 600 guineas for the forthcoming edition of the late poet's prose works, “The Norseman’s Pligrimage,’ by H. H. Boye- sen, 18 soon to be publisned by Sheldon & Go. Mr. Boyesen, who is one of the most promising young authors of America, is now a professor at Cornell. He writes constantiy for the’ North American Re- view, Scribner's, whe Atlantic and Galaxy. His Gunnar’ was @ success. He is professor, Critic, story writer, novelist and poet, with high aims, enthusiasm and constantly improving art. Harper & Brothers will soon pubitsh “Safely Married,” a new novel, by the autnor of “Caste,” and “Our Detachment,” by Katoeline King. Myers’ “Remains of Lost Empires” is running through a second edition. Tlarper & Brothers will publish in April King- lake's “Invasion of the Crimea” and R. Bosworth Smith's “Monammed and Mohammedanism.” In May they will publish Bishop Haven’s Mexico, J. B. Lippincott & Vo, have tn press the “Life of Edwin Forrest,’ by Rey, William R, Alger, illus- trated with numerous steel plate portraits, This firm also announces “Signa,” a new story, by “Ouida,” and “A Nameless History,” trom the German of &, Marlitt, by Mrs, A. L. Wister, SHIP BUILDING. THE INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK AND VICINITY WHAT IT WAS A FEW YEARS SINCE AND IS NOW—THH OUTLOOK NOT VERY ENCOURAGING, It seems somewhat peculiar to speak of the ship- building interests of New York and vicinity, Where once ascore of yards lined the Hast River and gave employment to thousands of skilled ar- tisans, but few now remato, and these find only partial work, Years ago, when there was @ gen- eral movement in the ship building districts of tbe country to secure if possible some relief (rom un- frienaly legislation, there were hupes of a change, The imability to obtain the relief sought ior was fatal to success, The capital that had waited in vain to pursue the old track of industry at the shipyards was diverted to other channels and became less and less poweriui uatil tt is now of but little moment, ‘There was a time when every American felt a just pride in those wonderful models of naval arcnitecture which gave our builders such a pro-emineuce in the eyes of ali nations and enabied the Stars and Stripes to lead the van of commerce around the world. But that day is gone, and there seems to be a settied con- viction in the minds of many that the supremacy of the seas, Dow 10st to us, will be difficulr to re- gain. Inthe years preceding (he War two-thirds or three-iourths of the traffic of the port of New York came under the native bunting, but sioce then it has steadily decrea-ed, until now the rel- ative position is exactly reversed, more than two- thirds of the tonnage arriving and departing Irom our barbor at this time being under foreign colors, As a nation tuis pumiliation is deeply felt. It needs no comment to impress these truths upon every one whohas at heart the true interests of his couptry. A pitiful policy of legislation kas lea to this . THE WORK IN HAND. No better evide.ce is necessary to note the apathy in ship buliding than to make a tour of ob- servation along the East River, in Greenpoint, Hunter's Point and then around Corlear’s Hook, on the city side, where vast bulls, full of harmony and proportion, flowing ies and periect sym- metry, could once be counted by the dozen, there is not now—with but @ single exception—a vessel on tae stocks; avd this is not the worstofit, Tue outiook is drear and dispiriting. What little is being done in this industry may be briefly sum- marized as iollows:— Mr. James B. Van Deusen, foot of North Seventh street, Williamsburg, has well advanced the large solooner gacut Fiying Uloud fur Vice Commodore Garner, New York Yacht Clab, Her dimensions are 139 feet 6 inches Over all, 121 leet on ths water Ine, 40 feet 4 incaes beam aud 9 feet 4 inches hold. Timver 1s being got ready to buila a North River barge of about 400 tons, to be 150 ieet long, 30 1cet wide and 9 jeet deep. In counection witn the Delamater Iron Works, ur, Van Deusen 18 building a composite steamer forthe Onited States Coast Survey. She ia 130 seet in length, 23 feet beam, 7 feet deep end .25 tous burden. A smali steam yacht will also be commenced in @ lew days Waica is expected to be very iast. . Van Deusen in avout tweive montis has launched tne New Bediord propeiiers City uf Fiteuburg and Urty of New Bedtora—stancn, tast @ud Serviceab.¢ Sound passenger cr. team: boas, 175 1eet tong. 25 1eet Dea and 9 teet 6 incoes noid, tur parties in Kio Janeiru; aiso the tagvout 8. J. Weed, of 136 tons, for service im tne barbor, At the yard of Messra. Jonn Enagiis & Son, Greenpoint, Work has ceased entirety, They have mM ifame & steamer orderea by the Chariestun Steamsnip Company, 240 ieet long, 83 leet wide and 21 leet deep, but for some unexplained rea- Sun the hands were laid Of two imoains ago, and bave not resumen Work, aitnough it is said they wil again proceed sume time tals monsu. Lawrence & Foulkes are not duing anything. Recent they lauachea » sidewheel buat for the Pruviuence Steamovat Company, to take the place Oi the River Belie, burned last year tu the barbo-, watle on the lige hence tu sandy Hook, Sue is about 200 feet iong. This done, tne yard was ciosed until another job 1s secured. At the vontinental Iron Works, Greenpoint, they are preparing Co ship in sections to San Fran- Cisco the doupie turretied monitor Monadnock, Sue is 250 ieet between perpenutcuiars, 65 ieet wide at lower edge uf a mor sheil, 60 feet 4) inches wide abreast the armor, 65 Jeet 10 inches extreme widtn over armor and 14 ieet # incoes deep irom bottom 01 Keels on plate to top 01 main aeck beams. 1015 is a doupie skin Saip, aud 13 fitted wiih @ raw. Her armor is weil provectea, @ud the plating Of that thickness and quality ro Tesist toe Most destructive moderu projectiles, ‘The Monadnock Will be put together in San Fran. cisco and stationed there !or bafbor defence. ais completes tae work of the Continental men ia tae ship building live, jessrs, U. & K. Poillon, foot of Bridge street, Brookiyn, have 20 Rew work im hand. Messrs. Boggs & Burd, Greenp int, are taking to jleces @ light drat steamooat preparatory to ship — tin sectivus to Vemerara. Mr. Heury Steers is not doing anything, Dut hopes soon to ve busy on a large job. Mr. Leanox, in South Brookiyh, 18 Dullaing the bull Of a steam yacht ior Mr, Jacoo Loriliard, Amis preseuts in & nutshell the whole of the ‘Work now io progress about New York. The Weous, Westervelts, Coliyers, Joyees, Rooseveits, Tuckersy Stucks, Wolslocks and o:ner familar names im ti Suip-builaing trade have passed away, and a only remetbered when reiereace is made to th period which placed the country the largest ship- owner in tue World, Toen we were growing ata rate that made it certain the supremacy and tho aveptre of the seas would soon aevolve apon Uncle he dark cioud of war arrested the rapid progress being made and darkened the san- guine eXvectations indulged in, and unwise legis- Jation completed toe story, until now tne blincest pean economist must hove something starting o tne exnidit. TRE OUTLOOK. All the builders agree tuat there 1s but little, if any, inquiry in relat vessels. Uoast- Wise trade is almost etagnant, but ittie deing done with Charieston, Savannah or New vrieaus, ‘The condiiion of (he business witn the latter port 1s flat inceed. Mme: ©, H. Matiory & Go. recentiy witharew their s ers from th tbem up in Williams ou; Mw er aiso dis- continued the running of teal vo that port, leaving the old Cromwell line master of tho Situation, bu: the week lollowing the witndra of all opposition vessels their ir Saturday steamer leit port with but half @ cargo. This de- Cline Is due to reasons sufficiently vpvious to all ¢ condition of business IN PROSPRROUS TIMES. Contrast the miserabie exhibit given above with the flourishing coadition of tne indusiry just pre- ceding and Juriog the first year or so Of tue War, and it will be seen how ruthlesely the inter. est has heen crusned. Vessels ior every section of the gone were being construcied, those butid- ing ror the trade in China being spect: promt. route and jaid B neni. A few leaves from the Dv0K8 of tao Board of Underwriters will fuily prove 8 assertion, In and avout New York atone th were built, iaunohed and equipped in the rears 1861-2-3-4 the ol following steamers over 1,000 tons burden, &he number below that figure being equally groat:— Builder, Jacob Weservelt. -Lawrence & Foulkes. (3 ‘oulkes. . Potion, wevelt Joyce & Co ry Sieers ‘Tob-Kie George Cromwell: Morning Stas Evening ntar. Nepiune New Englan City of Norwich: Ku-Keang. Commodore. Wostern Met Vlymouth Suevo-Na Fire Ques Herman lectri Livingston. Qceaaus. Montere; Mariposi Guiding Star... Koosevelt, Joyce & Co. Morro Castle J. A, Wostervelt & Som, Yosso. « Simonson, & «, voilion. illiam tH. Webb, iiliam H. Webb, Deusen Bros, Lawrence & Foull wawrence & Foulk ae 5 ‘eee . enry Sicers, John Englis & Fon, Roosevelt, Joyce & Co, Foulkes, - Lawrence & Foulkes, ‘Lawrence & soulkes, jawrencors Foulkes, This exhibit needs no comment. Every one ot the above large steamers Was construcied for @ legitimate trade, and iu @ majority ol tnstanco: engaged therein, Beside the steame:a at that reign bullaiug in New York, the firms of Messrs, . H, Mallory & Co,, George Greeman & Uo,, Max- son, Fish & Uo, 5. H. Pouk and other smipbulaing concerns In Connecticut were overran with wrk and at @ los to complete tieir vessels in contract time. Now what is the case? We have no snip- yards Of note, and we are even losing our national Marine. Indeed, our supremacy on the sea is nok oniy @ (hing of the past, but i we keep oa tn the sauic channel we have been going nd sev. eral years past, the very history Of it wi oon have no living’ illustrations. Novhing tn this country can turive as it did if this interest Is to be neglected. Tne suoject is bot sectional, but na- tional, and partisan politics should not so absurd tional ie that (rut s of this character will pot reach it. American sips shoula not be driven froni the seas, Where they he'd thetr own tn tae days 0: our fathers, and Unis age thus confess its degeneracy in compa.ison with the good old stock. THE COMING CENSUS, The new census will begin onJune 1, Itts the State census distinguishable from the United States censas, which takes place every decade, while the New York State census comes five yoara after. Thus the generai census took place tn 1870, and another will take piace in 1889, This being tho appointed year, then, preparations are already going on in the Department of State at Albany to insure a correct accounting of the inhabitants, Many reforms have been suggested to the Secretary of State in the manner in which he should order the enumeration to take place, as 1 nas been proven by experience that the mode formerly 1u vogue are very detective and tnoor- rect. It willbe remembered thatthe complaints were such about the United States census of 1870 that a new one wes ordered, and succeeded in discovering aa error uf 16,000 in the population o: New York. This was put down at the time to the fact that the varlauce botween summer and winter habitation 18 very great, but the excuse at the time was not taken as satisfactory. It is aimed In the coming census to make the enumera- tion reliable and periect in every mauver, 60 thas not the suadow O: & Suspiclun may rest pon the proper administration 0, the act, Many pretended to believe thas, a8 Coe Censas Ot 1870 Was taken DF @ republican goverument the number of in- habitants was purposely wade smaijer than 16 really Was, sO as to deprive a democratic stituency of their PROPER REPRESENTATION im Congress. On tue other hand it has been alreavy lutimated that, as we have @ democratic Secretary of State, 1 wilt be suugnt to give New York cliy @ larger representanion in ‘State Senate and Assemuly than she 19 entitied to, so as to override toe repuolican vote of the country districts, These insinuations and potitical bickerings give the coming census an importance It would not Otherwise porsess; for the question of the increase Of population, so far as the city 18 concerned, 18 4 Minor matter, as the records of tae Board of Heaich as to oirths and deaths, and of ‘he Com: sioners of Emigration concerning foreign arrivais, Would give a pussil more cori cuss Lao Bhy Other means, Al the last suvw.ug tac Population Of the city was, ie the aggregate, about 960,000, and since then an lucrease vi two per cout per Year has tiken piace, Which brings (he present populauion of Manhattan Isiund to Sometuing over 1,000,000 inhabitants, making, With the auuexed disirict, Lo oon in the aggregate numbering about 1, 160,000 souls. The coming Census will ve taken by 120 sworn Marshals, appoited by the Secretary of State. It is estimal that taese will complete the census Of the city In abvat THERE MONTHS, The manner of .ewaruing these will be the same that has been employed heretofore—that is to say, each one will receive two cents per name. Agood worker in a populous district cau Obsain 1,000 names per day, which would give @ datly earoing Of $20 to each mao, No sich sum can be made day alter day, however, aud as the work must be cone by reiaule persons, tae remunera- tion Is Not excessive, paruculariy When it 1s Con- red that the Work of tiese will be much more ‘ying and arduous tuan any of the kind whteh has peen doue previously. iis believed by men who have mde census taking a stady—and among teem is Dr. Elisha Harris, of tae Board of Healto— thas bituerto tae Dlanks Watch have been fillea in by the marshals have been very inzomplete and Many Vital questious Gave been omitted, nd trouble fave been spent in asking nd frivolous ques*lons Which were Of nO Practical good. It is pro; toto the questions of oceupa:ions muca more thoroughly than has heretolore been done. Manuiactures and agriculcurai statistics and even STATISTICS OF DISEASE will de gone ito, #o that not an iota of intellt- gence Woich may 0e serviceaole hereaiter will be iit untouched, fhese matrers indeed will occupy More time aud atteauon On the part ot the ques tiouers than the mere matter of numeration of inhabitants. it is proposed w know where every pound of raw material Manafactured ta tals State comes irom and where it goes Ww, and how n each individgal im the cummunoity accually pro- auces, But More than this Is proposed to be learned. Hitherto tt nay been consivered suillctent w oD- tain the nationality of each inhabitant, citizen or hot. In the coming census the questions of the naiionality ol the ratner and grandiatner of each Iphavirant will be ascertaiued, and by this means we shail learn precisely how mucn foreign impor- tation uas affected our population and to wnat extent tue American element purely exists a us, It wili also give the key to the extent to woich eaci foreign country contributes to our commercial Weilure. ‘Jhese are macters whien have never betore been gone iuto, and it will have @ 1emarkably goou effect upon tne United Staves census oO! 1850, for I! successinl ip one Stave THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT the ar Auosher Doveity wuich Will be introduced siso in the coming census is wortay of commendation, 4c We recoiiect the insccurity and doa Won ex- isted im the census of x70, Then the general cen- bus 6 OF mursual of the districs was aioue em- over the returns of the various 13, Bhd NO attenipt Was made to Aud out whet or no these returns were correct. It was, indeed, suspected 4 several of tue mar- shals had taken their rotutms home, aad manu. factured naines, ages and occupations by the thousand. There certainly was no impediment to such a cuurse being aduptod, and it needed only to go over tne “Pirectory” w do the work, This year itis El om to Institute a corps of ver Whose duty it will be to go over the groun ersed by (he marshals and correct any errors that may have been made by them, and after t errors are corrected @ Corps of searchers will over ail THE RETURNS OF BOTH PARTIRG and make the whole fauitiess, Thus we may hope , at length, have the ott; and State ne in 1870 to Mako ase vy! Will, 1 18 hoped, obviate any possibility of error. Baca marshal Wili be assigned a district out of which ne Wili Dot be avle to go, and possibly the same men wiil be employed to very ovner’s district, & reward being given for th corery Of any error in another LY district. Tots will, of course, central bureau of the consus will be im the, Department of State at Aloany,