The New York Herald Newspaper, March 17, 1879, Page 8

8 LITERATURE. A Group of Books on the Drama and Society in France = VAN LAUN’S “MOLIERE.” Interesting Recollections of a Re- markable French Woman. ‘THE ENGLISH REFORMATION Early English Literature— Roman History. YAN LAUN'S TRANSLATION OF MOLIERE. It is a sign of the growing taste of the American public for the higher forms of dramatic art that R. ‘Worthington & Co., of New York, have found statis- tics on their side in encouraging them to issue in handsome form at a low price Henri Van Laun’s translation of the dramatic -works of Moliére. ‘It is said,” the publishers remark, “that 500 copies of Molitre’s‘works have been sold in this country at $45 Per copy during the past two years.” On'this they base the reasonable belief that the public desires Moliére at a moderate price. Of course those who ‘want to taste the richness of Moliére must drink him in the original French, His exquisite verse is the despair of translation. His types of humanity are, however, indestructible; and although his epigrams, his salied speech, must suffer in the transfer to another language, it would be difficult, short of absolute crass ignorance or sebf-suflicient “improving” impudence in the translator, 4o make him unrecognizable. Heaven knows that the English dramatists of the eighteenth century, ‘who were as prone to “adapting” or stealing from the Frénch as their successors are to-day, tried often enough to-disguise his immortal comedies so that no one should suspect their paternity, But, sithough their bungling powers were tremendous in their way, tho secret was never kept. Moliére’s works were first translated into English in 1714, forty-one years after his death. A second, but in- complete, translation appeared in 1732. ‘The third translation was issued in 1739, Many subsequent translations-of single comedies or groups have been made, so that Mr. Van Laun was not without ample light to guide him as to the English, while the French commertaries upon the original text are a library in themselves. ‘fhe experiments,” says Mr. Van Laun, “which heve been made to represent some of these in metre have not greatly charmed me, * * * and I have come to the conclusion thatan imitation of Moliére’s style in any metre is next to an impossibility, but that @ faithful and literal-translation in prose, even if if cannot preserve the fire of the original, may still render the ideas and represent to-the English reader as clear a perception-of Molicre’s characters as can be obtained in a foreign tongue. I have, however, endeavored not to be satisfied with a mere verbal version, but to preserve and convey the genuine spirit.” This is a very fair,business-like programme, and if Mr. Van Laun had shown the capacity to follow it out we should feel under much greater-obligations to him than we can confess to after looking through his book. In the first place, it is more his misfor tune than his fault-that he was not born to the Eng- lish language, and that consequently his English, despite some thirty years of practice and study, shows that overcanscientious wordiness when he sits down to write- which marks off the foreigner from the native. When he desires to convey his author's meaning he adds words and wordsuntil he is sure that he bas filled out every fraction of ‘the sense, not having sufficient conthlence in his knowhedye of the language to be certain that the meaning could be con- meyed as fully with half the words. It leads to a labored redzindancy. In translating a Pphilo- #ophical treatise this would not be so scrious a de- feat, but itis a terrible way to trest Moliére. Mr. ‘Van Laun remarias how admirably Moliére suits the Phrase to the person, his translator, saving occa- sional three-cornered attempts at inritating vulgar turns of speech for clowns and domestics, gives the same languageto all. So much fog his literalness, His freedom is even more dangerous. Where he translates one. idiom ge proverb by another he is ‘very Uncertain. We contess that we have not read his work through, but going over one comedy and glancing throuyh the rest satieficd us that our im- Pressions from the first page or two were not unjust. The title of the first comedy, *L’Etourdi; ou les Contretemps” he not so badly but yet not literally translates ae-““Ihe:Blunderer; or the Counterplots.” the mattebratn, is a blunderer, and his ill tu interferaaces are. generally counterplots, but Gourd: does not mean blunderer, nor contretemps counterpiots. Of his redundant literatness let us give 4 sample that will indicate what wo mean. ‘When Mascarai le blames Lelio for picking up Ansel- Mo's purse, Mi oli¢re puts it thu: al, bourreau, e'étoit pour Iaeaptive Qaosattray ols Vargent dont votre soin hous prive, It is thus given by Van Laun:—"¥es, ninny, it was to release the captive that I was getting the money, whereof your officiousness fook care to de- prive us.” ‘To render bourreau by “ninny” is ab- #urdly incorsect; the remainder is tiresomeness itself. In another place the epithet bourreau is rendered “barbarian.” In his bold attempts to render ono proverb by“another he is on dangerous ground. ‘To translate ‘We sais ou git le lizvre* by “I love to strike while the iron is hot” is not to understand the Phrase at all, which means, “I am asharp fellow, ‘who knows-things that aro a mystery to others,” as Mr. Van Laun would be likely to have. puty, but which @ Mascarailie of the present day would dispose of by sayiuy, “Iam up to trap.” We cannot sce to ‘what purpose Mr. Van Laun quotes the opinions of divers commentators on the phrase, “Yous allons oir beau jeu si la corde ne rompt,” ag to whothor that which is figuratively supposed to be snapped is arope dancer's rope or the string of a bow, when his translation gives no hint of either, Ply:—*We shall seé some fine fun if they do not give way.” ‘To trauslate it literally, “if the rope does not break” would convey a meaning under Moliére’s figure without further help, or if ho ‘wanted an English idiom he might have said “if the scheme holds good.” Again, we find the lines of Trufaldin which remind one pleasurably of Hamlet's rebuke to the courtiers ;— Et vous, lous feltes, ou Jo me trompe fort, Mottes, pour me jouer, vos flutes utoux d'vecord. —rendered us to the last line, “If yon wish to do- ceive me again, let your stéries bea Little more in harmony,” when the sense and the point could bo fo much bettor expressed by simply translating literally, “If you wish to play upon me, keep your flutes in better tune.” We-have no patience to purene these errors and Pr Lixities, but we can promise a fine field for people of leisure and of an inquiring turn of mind. It is painful to eperk of a great work of this nature 60 severely, but if Mr, Van Laun, with his industry for collecting critical commenfarios, had allowed a man to whom the tonguo was not foreign to do the trans- It rons sim- Qation while he did the comment, we might have had &n odition that would be of the highest importance. Astt is, Moliére can bo appreciated through Mr. Van Laun’s pages, but they will servo their beat purpose 4n stimulating those who read them to acquire the Banguage from which they have been ¢o painfully drawn. There is one part of the work which woean heartily appland-—namely, tho intelligent labor bestowed on the biographical sketch of Moliix, the English bibli- oyraphy of the poet and the well digested critical ine troductions to each of his plays. The work is in three handsome volumes, on good paper, and the Steel plato illustrations admirable, particularly the ‘bay crowned portrait bf the great Jean Baptiste Po- quelin dit Moliére. THE THEATRE WRANCAIS, “Tho Théatro Frangais in the Reign of Louis XV.” , Giurst & Biackott) is the title of # very interesting NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MARCH 17, volume by Alexander Baillie Cochrane, M. P. The donation of a cheek tor the relief of the sufferers by the Princess Alice disaster from the members of the Théitre Frangais and the approaching visit of that company to London have induced Mr. Cochrane to Publish this book. The history of the Théitre is strung together on a narrative embracing the career of Sophie Guérin, “the flower girl of the Tuileries,” who rose from that humble position to be a leading actress of the Comédie Frangaise. Her story is certainly a romantic one, Kaocked down in the street by the horses of the state carriage of the Mar- quis de Villemars, assisted by the dashing and good young noble, the Count d’Andore, educated for the stage by Mlle. -Clairon, her first appearance made before the King, her second meeting with @’Andore, her hopeless love and sad death are like a page of fiction. Whatever of history Mr. Cochrane has written he has woven so deftly with this story that it has seemed like part and parcel of the plot, One gets # very exalted idea of the Théatre Frangais from this book. ‘The writer gives an account of the persecutions of actors and the horror with which they were looked upon by the Church, and tells of one liberal minded curé with a spiritsnch as presides over “The Little Church Around the Corner” who gave an actor de- cent burial at the risk of excommunication. Yet for all they were treated so badly we find that they were a hard working, God fearing people, who believed in religion and bitterly lamented the fate which was so eruel to them, ‘When highly gifted Christian men,” says the author, “who by the grandeur of their thoughts and the majesty of their expression elevated the mind above the commonplace details of life; who could raise the soul by conscious strokes of art: who were the masters of all passion and their own—when such were denied the right of Christian burial and the Church fulminated its edicts against the stage, while it failed to denounce the excesses of the Regency or the extravagances of the Court of Louis XV., the Church of France lost its spirit of Catholicity.” The state of affairs in France at this time was peculiar. Altheugh Louis XIV. had given the drama his personal encouragement by marrying the widow of a farce writer, actors were not allowed to cross a certain line either in his reign or that of Louis XV. They were petted and féted andeven served by the royal hands, but they were not considered fit to marry with nobility nor to receive the countenance of the Church. Still the drama flourished under Louis XV. In opposition to the Church the theatre in France was supported by all that was eminent or illustrious in the country, and to its influence was greatly owing the position which Paris had so long taken as the centre of refinement and taste. When Louis XIV. sub- sidized the Thédtre Frangais its success was assured. The members of the Comédie Frangaise during the reign of Louis XV. were remarkable, not only for their histrionic talent, but for their religion and charity. To be admitted to this body was from the first considered a great distinction; it could only be by the almost unanimous approval of the whole company that any actor or actress might enter asa pensionnaire, They had to remain in this grade a year before becoming eligible to join the company as sociétaires, and every sociétaire was compelled to be reelected at the expiration of ten years. It required no less than twenty years’ ser- vice to obtain a pension of four thousand francs, but these pensions were guaranteed by the State, the charge being divided equally between the government and the sociéiaire who succeeded to the place of the retiring member, so that every actor or actress of ability and of good conduct was secured from future want. Also, on the death of any member the whole company subscribed to give a small dona tion to the next of kin, In reviewing the history of tho Théitro Frangais at this date Mr. Cochrane very truly says it is not only the State support and tho infinence of the Crown that have to be considered. No amount of subsidy or courtly patronage could have sustained such a company unless by its own merit it had won the public approval. The incom- parable dramatic literature of the seventeenth cen- tury is aclear indication that the general public sp- preciated the conceptions of the great dramatists. Corneille, Rasine, Molidre, were the creation of the spirit of the axe, the former representing its chival- rous sentiment, the latter holding up to ridicule the provalent follies,of the time. If Mr. Cochrane's object was to benefit the present company of the ‘fhéatre Frangais he-could not have accomplished that end more gracefully or more cer- tainly than he has done by this history of thefr past, SOUVENIRS OF MME. VIGEE LE BRUN. Messrs, Richard Bentley & Son have done the non- French reading public an immeasurable favor in publishing an English edition of the letters of Mme. Vigée Le Brun. Two more fascinating volumes it would be hard to imagine. Mme. Le Bran gives her “Souvenirs” in the form of letters to the Princess Kourakin, which gives them less formal character than the ordinary form of autobiography. Her liter- ary style is good, and she displays that keenness of observation and piquancy of expression for which clever Frenchwomen are conspicuous’ above the clever yomen of any other nation, Mme. Vigée La Brun was born in Paris in 1755,and died in that city on the 29th of May, 1442, She was the most popular portrait painter of her day, and her popu- larity was not only a thing of fashion, but her work was sufliciently meritorious to deserve all her fame. Although her husband was « spendthrift and she ‘was @woman who regarded money as a thing of little importance, she accumulated a comfortable for- tune tor her old age, and after residing in a number of the capitals of Kurope she passed the last days of her eventful life between her winter house at Paris and her summer house at Louveciennes. Mme, Le Brun painted a total of 660 portraits, fifteen pic- tures and nearly two hundred landscapes in Switzer- land and England. No public establiéhment in France possessed any of her works until after hor death, when her niece, Mme. Tripier le Franc pre- sented the Louvre Museum two of the pictures she inherited from heraunt, These two area portrait ot Mme. Le Brun, with her daughter in her arms, which had become widely known through engrav- ings and heliotypes, and a portriit of a young girl with amuil, Bosides being an artist of rare talents, Mme. Le Brun was a singularly beautifal and charm. ing woman, and her friends were among tho moat distinguished men and women of her time in France, Italy, Germany, Russia and England. She scems to have becn thoroughly aware of her beauty and attrac- tions, and frequently alludes to them, not as though she thought much about such things, only there they were, and she knew it as well as the rest of the world, Her father, who was an artist of some dis tinction, died when she was quite @ child, and her mother, who was left penniless, married a rich but miserly jeweller a8 a means of support. The daugh- ter married at twenty. Mme. Le Brun painted a number of pictures of the royal family. Louis XVI. was then King, and Marie Antoinette was among the most frequent sitters, While painting the Queen one day sho implored her not to wear powder on her hair and to part it in the middic, ‘T shall be the last to follow that fashion,” said sho, laughing, “I do not wish it to be said that I invented it in order to hide my high forchead.” Mme. Lo Brun went to Versailles in 1779 to paint the Queen's likeness for tho first time. She describes hor as being “tall, admirably proportioned, plump,” with smail and perfectly shaped hands and “charming little feet.” She held her head very high and “walked better than any woman in France.” Her features were “not at all regular; she inherited the long narrow oval pecular to the Austrian nation, Her eyes were not large, and were almost blue in color; her expression was clear and very soft,” her nose was “thin and pretty,’ and her “mouth was not large, although her lips were rather thick.” The most romarkable thing about her faco was the briliiancy of her complexion. Mme, Le Broo says:—“Her skin was so transparent that it allowed of no shadow. I never could obtain the effect I wished; paints failed to depict the fresh- ness, the delicate tints, of that charming face, which I never beheld in any other woman.’’ The Queen was very gracious to her, and when she found out that Mme. Le Brun had a voice she rarely gave her « sitting without meking her sing Grétry'’s ducts with her. She was very fond of music, although “her voice was not always in tune.” Nothing could be more interesting than the account of the innor life of the royal family. Mme. Lo Bran lived in a cosey apartment in the Rue de Cléry. Her rooms were small, but great ladios, ‘noblemen, and mon Of mark in lotiers aud art all came there, aud, as chairs were scarce, often mar- shals of France had to sit on the floor. ‘The Marshal de Noailles, who was very large and very old, had one night the greatest of dificulty in getting up again. Jealous people set stories afloat to the discredit of Mme. Lo Brun. One was that she was too intimzte with M. de Culonne, the ReceiverGeneral. This story she shows the absurdity of by saying, with a great deal of naiveté:—M, de Calonne had no attractions for me, for he wore a lawyer's wig. * * * I once refused a rich marriage because the gentleman wore one, and I had a great dislike to paint men who wore She waa very fond of the theatre and was a good amateur actress herself, She saw all the distin- guished actors of that golden period and knew many ot them personally, She says cf Dumesnil that her talent was uncertain, that at times in a picce she produced no eftect on her audience, and then in the same picce would bring the entire house to its fest with excitement, Before she came on the stage Mune. Le Brun is told that she “always drank a bot- tle of wine and had one in reserve behind the scenes,” Mile, Rancourt was @ great favorite with the ladies of Paris, who loaded her with jewelry, costumes and money. She was considered a model of virtue, but fell before the fascinations of the Marquis de Biévre. Mme. Le Brun met the famous Mile. Clairon at the house of Larive. She is de- seribed as being “short and thin.” Sho re- tained her txagic tones off the stago and had “the airs of a princess,” and was “clever and well informed.” Talma she says was ‘an excel- lent man and one of the casiest to get on with that could possibly be met.” Mlle. Mars was the planet just beginning to shine in tho theatrical firmament Mme. Le Brun predicts great triumphs for her. Mme. Dugazon was, she says, the “most perfect actress ever possessed by the Opéra Comique.” The last play produced at the Comte de Vandreail’s theatre by the actors of the Comédie Frangais was Boaumarchais’ “Marriage of Figaro.” Beaumarchais was “wild with delight,’ and he ‘rushed about like a madman, and on some one complaining of the htat he did not give time for the windows to be opened, but broke all the panes with his cane, which annoyed every ono still more,” Mme. Le Brun was very anxious to see Mme, du Barri, who was living in retirement at Louveciennes, and visited her there for the purpose of painting her portrait, Mme. du Barri was then forty-five years of age, “with a full but beautiful figure.” Her mind seemed to be more natural than her manners, for “her glances were those of a coquette, her long eyes were never opened wide, and her prontnciation was childish and did not agree with herage,” Jp summer and winter she~ only wore white muslin or percale dressing gowns and every day, no matter what the weather, ste walked in hef park. She did not niingle with the world, but spent her time in retirement and in doing benevolent deeds. She often talked to Mme. Le Brun about Louis XV. and his court “always with the greatest respect for the one and yery cautiously about the other. The Duc de Bris8ac was then living with her and their attachment cost him his head. In Rome Mme. Le Brun met Angelica Kauffmann, then a woman of fifty. While in Italy Mme. Le Brun painted the portrait of the beautiful Comtesse Po- tocki, who came to her studio with her husband, and when hé left she coolly observed, “It is my third husband, but I think I shall take zp the first again, who suited me better, although he is a regular scamp.” Mme. Le Brun was invited to Russia to paint the portrait of Catharine II. She became warm friends with this famous Empress and admired her simplicity of character exceedingly. Before she could sit for the portrait she was seized with the apoplectic attack that ended her days. When Mine. Le Brun returned to Paris Napoleon L was ruler. She was too stanch a royalist to enjoy the now régime, although Napoloon was personally kind to her. To efface unpleasant momories she visited Eng. land, where she was received with great cordiality. She returned to Paris with Louis XVIIL., delighted to seoareal king once more, But her happiness was short lived. erhe remainder of her days were passed in her own gountry. Nothing short ofa perusal of every page of these two volumes will give an idea ef their absorbing interest. GEIKE’S “ENGLISH REFORMATION.” The Rev. Cunningham Geike, D. D., author of “The Lifo and Words of Christ,” has, in his now volume, “The English Beformation” (D. Appleton & Co.), adopted an unnecessarily cumbersome means of put- ting forward his antagonism to ritualism and Ro- maniem in the writing of @ 500-page octavo, princi- pally devoted to ® partisan narration of tne history of the Reformation in England. Dr, Geike has un- questionably made an exhaustive study of his sub- ject, and his citation of authorities is such as to show that he has left no stone unturned to rein- force ‘his conclusions by the testimony of every available writer, however obscure, whose views were in harmony with his own, In his opening chapter, which fs devoted to a glance at the eleven centuries preceding the reign of Henry VUL., he takes issue against the charge that the Reformation was brought about simply by the vio- lence and passions of the tyrannical Tudor, claiming that such a thing ignores the fundamental character- istics of all such revolutions. No great change in religion or politics, he maintains, can be the creation of any one man. Such leaders as Cwsar, Luther, Henry VII. and Wesley were, according to Dr, Geike, but the agents to bring to a crisis long ripen- ing preparations, and who only took the tide of popu- lar feeling at the flood, borne along to the sqrults they sttained by the spirit of the age. “To the writings of Wycliffe aud Erasmus and to the introduction of printing into England, more than to the Tudor’s deflance of Rome, the first results of the Reformation are due,” says Dr. Geike. In his plea for the upholding of the doctrines of the Eeforma- tion he contends that the original reformers were prevented from realizing their convictions as to forms of service by the iron will of Queen Elizabeth, who, in ordering the adoption of the prayer book selected, hoped to attract both the Romanist by se- curing recognition of his doctrines in the standards of the Church and the Protestant a9 well by the em- bodiment of tho reforms upon which he insisted. “To the Quoen, and not to her own authorities, then,” Dr. Geike says, “the Reformed Church owes it that a law was imposed upon it (the ruld rolating to vestments aud ornaments) which well nigh rent it in jeces at tho beginning, which divided the nation pares dissent and conformity, which in the days of the Stuarts brought the Church to ruin, and which in our own day, as in that of Laud, has beon to justify the Romanizing of our communion. It isa fitting commentary on the blind tyranny of such a proceeding that these hated vestments and core- monies, to enforce which thousands of the best of the clorgy were driven out of the Church, were never generally woru; thatfor generations since Be unknown to English congregations, and that Alle ly the highest court ot are now pronounced the realm.” In his closing period, to which the writer fails to add the word Finw, as if his work was but inter- rupted in his course, not-carried to its conclusion, which may be yet to come, he says:— I have no fear that our country will ever part with such a heritage. To no land is freedom dearer. Britain knows how her fathers went to the stake to drive out the priest from her borders, and they will not let him reonter them to rule, Like all other citizens he may enjoy his religion and A publicly reach it, but let him beware of doin As to “conspirators,” England loathes t oa, and wilt not reat until lage 4 are ejected from a chureh whose wages they take while they betray hor faith, If Dr. Geike’s purpose was to direct general atten- tion toward his partisan views by linking them to a narration of historical facts of much wider interest than his theological opinions he has undoubtedly succeeded; but that he has met with equal success in showing tho immediate connection of these views with the historical side of his subject is not by any means as clear, A LIBERAL PURITAN. “Tho Hero Puritan,” by James §. Pike, the pub- lishers being Harper & Brothers, is a sketch of the life of @ mau whose character most men consider in- consistent with New England Puritanism in the seventecth century, but which is of the kind that crops forth in many an unexpected theological field and improves the quality of the harvest which stu- pider mon haye’prepared for. Robert Pike bad the rare faculty, akin to inspiration, of comprehending that the mission of religious liberty did not end when ho and his associates gained the privilege to believe as they pleased. He fought, singlo handed, the whole Massachusetts colony in its inconsistent per- secution of the Quakers; he opposed, with the result that he was excommunicated, the dogma of the su- premacy of the clergy in all matters of religious opinion, and he hoisted with theixy own petard she 1879, ~TRIPLE Persecutors of the so-called witches at Salem and elsewhere; yet, all the while, he remained a good and loyal citizen and an earnest Christian. The book is not written in the best taste, but, as a contribution to the most important chapters of the history of American character, it is invaluable. “CHAMBERS' ENGLISH LITERATURE.” Volume 11 of the Aeme edition of Chambers’ Cy- clopedia of English Literature (American Book Ex- change), contains 408 pages of closely printed literary matter, including many extracts from the works of authors from the time of Richard Hooker (1563) to Archbishop Tillotson (1694), This edition possesses tho advantages of being convenient and portable in form, and moderate in price. Typographically it is not altogether perfect, and the paper upon which it is pmnted is exasperatingly poor. Good paper is so very cheap now that when it is considered how con- siderably the use of tinted calendered paper would add to the value of such a work, designed, as it is, for permaneat preservation, it seems singular that | cheap, unfinished stock should havo been used for such a series of books. “THE AGE OF THE ANTONINES.” In their “Epochs of Aucient Mistory”’ Messrs. Charles Scribner's Sons have just published the history of the Roman Empire of the second century, written by W. W. Capes, M.A. In the treatment of its prolifie and interosting theme, and in its general plan, especially the form of introduction of marginal notes, the book is a model of works of its class. The writer’s diction is clear and elegant and his nar- ration is free from any touch of pedantry. ‘that his reading has been as wide as his condensation from his authorities is excellent is shown by his citation of these originals, which include Pliny, Fronto, Plu- tarch, Lucian, Eusebius, Epictetus, Dion Cassius and Marcus Antoninus, Thocolored maps, accompanying the letter press, illustrate the Dacian and the Parthian ware, , AN OLD FARM MADE NEW. Mr. Loring, the Boston publisher, has just issued alittle book which merits the attention of farmers who are working harder and harder every year and getting less and less for their pains. The American farmer is a man who generally puts his whole farm into a single crop, which some accident of weather or market may ronder unprofitable, and then his only consolation is to how] dismally about the dog's life of the farmer. The people about whose cx- perieuces “How We Saved the Old Farm” is written had sense enough to work for the supplying of de- mands made upon home markets, consequently they planted small fruits and an orchard, raised poultry and pigs, made butter and sold milk, and actually made money. Such farming requires intelligence, it is true, but so does every other business, from railway management to rag picking, if it is to suc- ceed. The hints conveyed by the book are not use- ful to farmers ,slone. It is an enraging fact that many rural products are more costly in country villages than in the cities, and merely because none of the farmers in the vicinity of small towns imagine how great are the requiroments of their local markets, THE CUBRENCY FROM A SOUTHERN POINT OF VIEW, The attitude of the South toward our nationgl finances has not been all that sound sense would urge; it is therefore gratifying to find that one of the strongest published arguments on the currency question comes from the pen of a well known Southerner—Judge R. W. Hughes, of Virginia. Ex- copt that it is marred by implications, incomprehen- sible in business circles, that large business centres control the movements of currency to their own ad- vantage and to the detriment of the agricultural dis- triets, this “Popular Treatise on the Curreney Ques- tion” is strong and in keeping with the views of in- telligent financial writers everywhere, A “peculiar feature of the work is a preface in which the publish- ers, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, dissent from the author's approval of a bimetallic standard of coinage. The South cannot read this book too industriously, for financial error is more dangerous to property than an invading army can be. LITERARY CHIT-CHAT, Mr. T.H. 8. Escott is preparing a work in two volumes on Hi ic as People, Polity and Pur- puits.”” A “Guide for Russians in Central Asia” has been published at St. Petersburg, containing grammars and vocabularies of the Turkish, Kirghiz, Tartar, Sarata and Tajik languages, and of their more im- portant dialects, Mr, John Morley has written an articlo‘on the Zula war for the April number of the Fortnightly Review, Sampson Low & Vo. have published in London 9 volume of ‘Reminiscences of the War in New Zea- land,” by Thomas W. Gudgoon, licutenant and quar termaster of the colonial forces. It 1s s valuable contribution to the romantic~history of Maori struggle in the “Britain of the South Seas.” Mr. Alexander Strahan, the London publisher, is about to undertako a pocket encyclopwdia, Messrs. Macmillan & Co., of London and New York, are credited by ihe Atkencum with the inten- tion of publishing a gigantic dictionary-encyclopadia, which is intended to supersede all works of the kind in any language, at loast so far as fulness of detail is concerned, “Flitters, Tatter®and the Counsellor” is the quecg title of aclever little story of strect lifein Dublin, by the author of “Hogan, M.P.,” of which Simp- kin, Marshall & Co., Loridon are the publishers. “It combines,” says the Atienaum, “koen observation, descriptive power and a marvellous command of the Dublin brogue.” ‘There is a moan sent up by the London reviewers for good religious poetry. Mr, J. Payne Collier will not admit that the late Mr. RB. Simpson was beforehand with him in at- tributing, a few years back, tho old English play, “A Warning to Fair Women,” in part at least to Shake- speare, since Mr. Collier published that opinion forty-ight yoars ago, This vetaran philologist, biographer and commentator is in his ninety-first year, 60 mere boys of sixty must have a care with him. : ‘The question whether Shakespeare made a vilo pun in the lines from Hamlet— Conld you on thia fair mountatn leave to feed And batten on this Moort— is agitating English scholars profoundly. Some say he meanta blackamoor as well as a Agurative fon. King Claudius asa gentleman of color would be a novelty. An accident on the ice to Professor Monior Williams has rendered his right hand useless for the present, obliging him to suspend his articles for the Contemporary Review, This is an argument in favor of ambidextarity. The collection of manuscripts of John Wilkes, which, a8 we recently announced, has been added to the Manuscript Department of tho British Muscum, contains the correspondence between Wilkes and Junius, This has been printed in several editions of Junius’ works, with the exception of the following short and curious note, which is undated aud un- signed, and is indorsed by Wilkes, “Received Thurs- ve ‘th November, 1771" :— ince my nate of this thorning I know for certain that the Dake of Qumberland is married to Luttrel's sister. The Princess Dowager and the Duke of Gloucester cannot live, and odious hypocrite is in » Now is your time to torment him with some demonstration from the city, Sw ee an ade dress trom some proper number of Liverymen to the Lord or for & Common Hall, to consider of en addre; congratalation. Then have it dobated in Common Council. You see you need not appear yourself. Another batch of biographies, “Classical and Eng- lish Writers,” is promised soon, this tine from the press of Macmillan, “Copyright, National and International, from the Point ot View of an [English] Publisher,” is the title of a work on @ live topic, to be issued in London by Sainpeon Low, Marsten & Co, Dr. Smiles, who has had a sharp attack of illness, but is now convalesceut, has gone to Italy, ander medical advice, in the hope that he may entirely recover his health there, Mr. Herbert, of Grafton street, Dublin, hopes abortly to publish some ‘Memorials of the Lite of Dr. John Gregg, late Bishop of Cork,” by his son, Dr. R, 8. Gregg, the prosent Bishop. ‘Tho excavations at the supposed sito of the hang- ing gardens of Babylon are said to have terminated. They have yielded many tablets from tho timo of Nabonidus to the Parthian era, A deputation, headed by Professor Blackic, will shortly wait upon the Bnglish Chancellor of the SHEET. Exchequer and ank for e grant of Gaba ina the support of a Gaelic professorship at Edinburgh. ‘The tund which the professor has been instramental ia raising is now equal to an endowment of about £300 per annum ‘Whe digging up of old second rate English poets proceeds with great activity. The latest is George Daniel, Esq., of Beswick, Yorkshire (1616-1657,) The pooms are taken from the original MsS in the British Museum, hitherto unprinted, and make four volumes. George is not to be confounded with Samuel Daniel, who lived in Shakespeare's time. “La Pitié Supréme,” the@latest poom of Victor Hugo, treats of the wretchedness rather than the crime of tyrants and kings in general, who are thus fit objects of the Supreme pity. The poom is full of majesty and beauty. Wilkie Collins’ latest noveletie, ‘fhe Mystery of Marmaduke,” has been translated into Russian. NEW BOOKS RECEIVED, pare Halo's New Cook Book. Rovixod ‘edition. 7. B. & Brothbrs, publishors, Philadelphia, Our itich gh Dentiny or, Love Roseued. Boston, 1878, Bismarek Gorman War, 1870-71. Author- faed translation from the Gorman of Dr, Morita Buses Tn two volumes. Charles Seribuer's Sons, publishers, Now orl Stories from Horodotns and tho Soventh, Book of the History. With English notes by Rovort F, Keep, Ph. D. por & Brothers, publishers. earners Halt Itou Se lations; by Thomas W. Knox. vate Stoops to Conquer, and the Good Natured Man; + by Oliver Gold: sivith. English Literature Primora, Modern Period; by Eugone Lawrence. Madera France; by George We Towle, the Reign of the Staies, | History, religion, maxhns of gelfcontrol, te. By Fredorle May *olland.” Charles P. pul ishor, Now York, "aids to Family Government yr, From the Cradle to the School, according to Frosbel. iy Bortha Moyor. AM. Le Holbrook & Co,, ublishors, Now York. States of the Ghristion Lite und Vocation, according to the Doctors gud luglans of the Chureh. By Rov. J. bear iano P. Okshow > publisher, New York. nnual Roport of the Operations of the United beg rites Saving Service for the Fiseal Year Ending June rom she Government Printing Often, Washinton? Tho Muse ax EMave Found Her, Including, sundry oc- titled “The Rebel.” By 3 n square, New York, Thirty-reventh Annual Report of the Board of Edueation of tho City and County of New York for the Official Year Ending December 31, Atlantic Coast Pilot: Boston Bay to/New York, From ©. P. Patterson, Suporintendent United States Coast and Goodotic Survoy, Washingto iter the German of Castlo Hohenwald, A Adolph, Strockiuss. Dy Mrs. 4. AL Winsor J.B. Lippin- cote & Co. publlahers. Pailadelphta. Boune-Mario, A. tale of Henry Groville. Translated by B. Peterson & Brothers, publishors, hiludel iphia, * BOSTON BOOKS. LIVE OF BUTLER—SUMMER NOVELS AND PROM- ISED PUBLICATIONS, Bostox, March 13, 1879. “He has the brain of a Franklin, the firmness of Jackson, the intellectual force of a Bacon, the integ- rity of an Aristides and the ripe scholarship of a Cushing.” With these modest words of commenda- tion closes the first chapter of the “Life of Benjamin F, Butler,” by T. A. Bland, M. D., a volume to be published in a few weoks by Lee & Shepard, and probably destined to croute no littie discussion in Massachusetts and to be the cause of much wrathful letter writing by generals of the army, politicians and citizens of Baltimore and New Orleans. It seoms fair to suppose that the book is intended as an auxiliary of General Butler in the mext gubernatorial canvass, and possibly in the Presidential canvass of 1890, and a few points from it may be interesting. His occupation of Balti- more, it seems, won him a profusion of high com- pliments and grateful thanks-from Secretary Came- ron, notwithstanding the violent reproof which the “three hundred pound thunderer,”’ General Scott, gave him for it. His defeat at Great Bethel was caused by blunders of which ‘it were needless to ro- peat the history,” “and many blunders of greater magnitude have been made since, but this was the first, and it attracted universal attention.” More- over, the failure to win the battle was not really Genoral Butler's, but General Pierce's, to whom he gave the command because he was formorly his senior officer in the Massachusetts militia, The author thinks ‘that the greatest misfortune to the country resulting from this affair was through the exaggerations and misrepresentations of tho pul er gee pn time when public attention was cen- pitnost eocluaively. got him, it served to caste Leica upon restest sorgrtm yan merits,” After Great Bethel General Butler, being relieved, “without being assigned to duty anywhere else,” or even instructed to report at Washington, first cap- tured Fort Hatteras and then went home to recruit soldiers. Here he found that ho had been “cheok- mated by the wily old sachem, Tecumseh,” and that the Massachusetts regiments were promised to Gen- eral Sherman. His obtaining a recruiting commis sion covering all New England led to qiiarrols bo- tween him and Governor Andrew, in consequence of which General Dix carried out General Butler's plans for clearing the rebels from the peninsula, and got the glory which should rightfully rest upon tho head of General Butler. The story of New Orleans is told at great length, and in the same spiritas that evinced by Mr. Parton, and tho oft ro- peated accusations that General Butler made any Profit out of his oooupation of the Crescent City are repelled, together with the tale of the silver spoons, and tho general orders aro defended in terms that make it reasonably evident that General Butler doca not mean to win Southern favor by making any apologies, The failure of the Dutch Gap Canal pro- ject is thus explained :— But thirty fect remained to be cut to reach twenty- five fect of water and enable our navy to sail within four miles of Richmond, and over this thirty feet be tween two and throo fect of water was running. At this point the officer in charge of the work was in- formed that tho naval commander did not consider Riek force strong enough to hold the river rey the \. a ane while Bevan Butler was shemiorase of this opening him. General Butler says, “I was Cauniog sae to let the get at the wolf, but was ordered to keop it shut fest tho wolf should get at the dog.” ‘Lhe blame of tho Yort Fisher blunder is laid upon Admiral Porter, by whose order a fire was simply kindled on tho forccastie of the powder vesscl, which, when it burned down to the bowder, exploded a small portion of it, and blew the rest into the sea, where, of course, it never burned, The chapter on General Butler as g Anancial reformer says that he is a statesman after the typo of Cuvier, Freuklin and Jefferson, and quotes his arguments at length, and that whieh troats of him “as friend of the work- ing classes’ is principally made up of extracts, In the last chapters the assertion that Massachusetts voters were com! to yoto for Goyernor Talbot is repeated, and it is stated that Senator Thurman has somo sworn testimony to that effect. In closing the author says: “His fame is world wido, His words and his ac- etvilized country on the tions are discussed in bit Bad globe. a is feared and hated among the aristoc- Great britain, of the Continent and of epee am or revered jovi classes throughout thd word nS, BPS ANNOUNCEMENTS, ‘The first eaoenenent of summer novels com from D. Lothrop & Co, who will begin the “idle Mour Serics” with “Poor Papa,” a story of the he tions undergone by a oe artist in journey- rough Kurope with, his motherless childron. me author is Mary K. Porter, of New Orleans, who is better known as a writer of plays than of fiction. ae weries ia to have @ unique cover, pongo iu oolors and representing the shore of a a, above which bends a blue sky, and from which grow reeds and cattails. Lizcio W. Champney, the wife of “Champ,” the artist, has in press a sk for Sunde; school concerts and other entertainments, in whied sho has included, not only a of ey own, but also readings; @ sketch ‘8 boy aan the dramatized version ot Pha Progress,’’ which George Macdonald made for t! formance of his wite und children. Miss Yonge's “History oe England” has i published by ‘Lothrop 10. from orig! nl that of “tome” will be ready in about o iow weeks will issuo “Six Little Rebel: Tannatt Woods, the oditor of “Ehrie! Magazine.” ‘his is the story of six Southern oliil- dren of different faimilics who apent the time of the war in Northern cities and in Washington aera doctor who was tho guardian of five of them, the fathor of the other, Tho st of their chitdiny adventures is made fairly tater ing and the fun is simple aud not forced, The next number of Wide Awake, the mauazine eEY by this firm, will be ae on a ea veral of which one hew crayon process, Houghton, . Will issue Mrs. Clare ‘kine Vlements’ “Artiste of the Ninetoenth Con- tury” next week, in two octavo volumes, It wil contain biographical sketches of over two 8 thousai artists, ‘The “Southern States,” in tacos,” will appear at about the same time, and & ‘Shetle Inter wall so coms reprint of John C. Hamilton's “Histor; in the works Acsntont Hamilton and his contomporerics, oe work ovcupic's seven octavo volumes. FINE ARTS. EXHIBIVION OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN ARTISTS—SECOND NOOR, One of the noblest works in the second exhibition of the Society of American Artists, now open at the Kurtz Gallery, and a perfect poem of autocal color, is Homer Martin’s “Morning on Lake Champlain." To our mind this artist is often erratic in color, as ; webave many times said, but this masterly work compels an admiration which we have scidom been willing to accord. his productions. Byen im this paintivg fault may be found with the foreground; bug the lake, and the gorgeous tecorative sky which is reflected into it, are capable of imparting & tecling of tender and exquisite pieasure to the artisti- cally educated spectator, William I, Low’s “Cloudy Weather—The Selue at Jumidges,” is bright, clever and true; aud J. Alden Weir's “Interior of a Carpou- ter’s Shop,” which hangs near it, is fine in its gray- ish tones, simple in treatment and thoroughly satia factory as astudy, Harvey Young's “On tho Banke of the Loing—Franco,” is real, tioroughly well drawn*and massed, and has an excellent effect of Nght and shade. The “Landscapo,” which repre- sents John,B. Johnson, deserves great praise for atmosphere, distance and a sky which is fine in color and in cloud relation, The effect may be slightly foreed in A, H. Thayer's cattle in 2 landscape, “Cloudy Afternoon on the Mosel,” but the work is an excellent one, The cattle are good and the atmosphere is real. D. W. Tryon, in his “Meadows at Anvers—Twilight,” ig not as successful as he was in bis contribution of last year, tliough his effort is in a good direction. The haze hanging over the landscape is well sug- gested, and the sky lacks but little of being a suc cess. A strong, quict landscape, admirable in senti ment, will bo found in John I. Enncking’s “‘Noveny bor Sunset.” It is noticeably good in its brown and gray tints of autumn foliage, sky and river banks, A good little landscape—cleverly drawn and real in effect—by J. W. Twachtman, is heng rather high. Dewey Bafes’ picture hardly calls for ‘Kesignation” on our part, when we have seen so much better work from his brush, An excellent idea, carefully painted and fairly suo cessful, by 8. Burnap, is called “Bisogua un Model, Signor?” The head is a strong one and the form is well modellod on Henry Mosler’s life-size figure «The Quadroon Girl.” Note the admirable rendor- ing of the handsome right arm. Dannett’s “‘Torea- dor” is a good type. Frank Currier’s ‘Portrait’ (49) is a clever work, though little to our taste.’ We have given our opinion of George Hoessclin’s “A Plemish Beauty of the Seventeenth Century,” but we now enter a protest, in the name of the round, rosy, tair darhes of Flanders, inst the title of this work, Te roprosanta a very -favyored woman, A fresh, truthtul “Study of 8 Pond Lily,” is by Douglas Volk. “A Study from Life’ is the title of a half length of woman, by George Fullor. ‘Though it is a strong, life-like portrait, eminently suggestive, yet vague in outline, we his masterly little portrait of his son, which hangs almost opposite. An effective, simple study Khang: ray “Twilight” is hy A. H. Wyant. Near by is a3 Church’s clever, effective sketch, «The Path to the Sea.” An excellent, fresh “Venetian Sketch,” vi a in color and effect, is by J. W. Twachtman. The best jure we have ,Seen for a long while is oe ayy red ‘Out"—a young setter lying |, half asleop, with the bal 73 twine. which has exhausted his ene! ies, by him. Fe “Study on Raquette Lake,” by Homer is excellent and very true in its cool, tresh grays. Julius Scheldorn, who was so well represented yy his little drawings at the Water Color Society, shows that he has excel- lent stuff in him for a higher class of work—not because one is in water colors and the other in oil— by is strong and nervously painted Head” of @ young woman. Helena de Kay's ‘Por- trait Head,” though well intentioned, is un- sutisfactory.. This not the case with eae hen yo ‘optima witeet are excellent in color. n'a i yur poseloss and rg gort of Moke Wi William on Saale "8 “Nubian Sheik” isthe better of his heads, is a lifelike bape hd ofa pariah which is stsisanne in character. The flesh is painted with much skill. Of his two other contributions tho ‘Tombs of Saiuta at Bonzarcah, Algiors,” is by far the better work. Itis — fine in quality of color, in atmosphere, and thoroughly harmonious, Josephine Kibbe's “Tom’ aera a oY at portrait, and has a strong feeling of life, should such a vague, un- satisfactory mane am of treatment bo scopes? ‘Wyatt Eaton, in striving for an im ly artistic something, f01 in 2 “Slee| Fawn” that there are such , modelling or light, eR is refreshing to turn to Lot Tiffany’s bright ‘Street in Roccabrunna,’ sterling little painting, pure and rich in color, and sunlit. A sirange, eccentric little picture is Albert P. Ryder'’s “The Chase,” « char: , decorative bit of color, “Sylvia” is a clever li Peet by Frank Fowler. “A Wet Day,” by W. 8. Macy, is a thoroughly coi and admirable Jandscape. A tery pl Meutely treated und little head of a young Bavi lady, in Middle Age cose tume, is by ¥, Dielman. We note, however, the size of the ry jug William = Hunt's portruitof himself, if truo in flesh tints, is a = porn renntig thn of work, Some of John Lafarge's delt- beautiful in color, are seen in No, 116, enue be Vlg Came at Griz” is a fresh little at bores spe yee Jx.’8, gt ep a sich, poetic Tite picture of aleep and their g' dian, unset. In the cattle in hi larger ‘works, ae tho Pasture,” bis ‘ante carcleas drawing is noted, We must again quarrel with Mr. Martin about color, in his Eve on the Thames.” A ‘clever work by Frank Fowler is called “You: chus.” apy we do not care for Will H. “Souvenir of Nantucket,” thero is a great acal that is good in his ‘Time en Harvest.” Se ve ecb and tho sky is adruirably an excellent motive, rather well carried out, ime “The Flower.” The hands seem of uncqual size. ‘The following pictures are already sold:—John 8, Sargent’s “A Capniote,” $400, to I. T. Williams; William H. Low's ‘Wloudy Weather—Tho Seine at Jumidgos,” to the same yentleman; J. W. Twacht- man’s “Venetian Sketch,” to ¥ r Harper; F. 8. Chureh’s "ath to the Sea,” aud Walter Shix- law’s head, No. 86. ‘Che atteudance so far has been large and much better than last year PICTURES FOR THE ACADEMY, Saturday was the last day for receiving the pain® ings contributed to the exhibition of the National Academy, which opens on the Ist prox. ‘To-day the Hanging Cominittee—Moesars. J. G. Brown, Maurice F. H. Do Haas and L. G. Scllstadt—will com- mence their ardnous and unthankful task. ‘Tho ap- proaching exhibition promises to bea very important ons, and wo hope this committwe will not incur the odium which has been the tate of many of its narrow minded predecessors, Gentlemen, be honest and liberal, and in your duties of acceptaace and hanging look at the work and not at the man, as many of your class are too apt todo, Give us @ well selected col lection of 500 paintings instead of one similar to that extraordinary mixture of good, bad and schoolboy and schoolgirl work, which reached 747 numbers in lgst year’s catalogue. Among the paintings and sculptures which will be secn on the academy walls are M. F. H. De Hess’ “After the Collision’ and other marines; Ed. Moran’s ‘Returning Home;”* A. C. Howland’s jountry Gossips;” Frauk Waller's “The Ruins of Komombos at Sunset’ and “On the Lagoon, Venice; M. J, Burn's “Hallo-v-0!” J.C, Beck with’s two lite size portraits; J. @. Brown's “\ German Band” and “A Merry Bird with a Sad Heart;" J. B. Bristol's “A View in the Suny Pepcn en re py 7 lr ir."a, * Nohan _ #1 ht Jendy*Cre Cresk £ nls re rani bart and a small oquee. “Cattle in £, bigr portrait; E. L. ‘he Passion ed J. A. Hartley's “The Haat William =. O'Don- bust of R. Swain Gifford; Arthur wots of Lowell Island—Heavy Sea's,” Norfolk, Vs and “Afternoon on Communipaw Pinta;”” James D, Lako;" A. b. Banner's “On the Riva Sehiaroni’’ Kr “Tho Fisherman's Cot ” Samuel Colman’s pce eg at Tlemeen;” George Inness’ “The oid ma? Ground, North Conway ;” Walter Satter- e First Portrait’ ont Aequitiads* De aoe ” idundown and “ta be scrain in Sat “salter'’s Beach, Muas.," A at Nonquitt" and The Stolen Nests "a Tr Dricher’ 4 “Beneath White Head, Portland Harbor;" A. Il, ty at (J ez & across ee Champlain, looking fro: low it und a smaller Mountain Stream beets Sent “Tho Depart : <b wa rn lon Manor, uae in Kevyolutio: ‘By vOut in the Pyatry Dielinat's MA. Nowes Walter Paris’ a view on San Francisco Bay and by; Greene, Hy soraluaty: i das ‘cunocuaes oy Ongood fon the Delaware, Boat a wird Pay’ 3. & ooo, poy » have nearly iy “ld ¥ LT ee cattle in a z jteolla’ tharla; bgving guile encagh tae te suamer tee calla | mene cn ear ora Ae Q Mee on are for Mz, Howell's “Lady of the asoostook,” Maids,” ° DE Oe! Willlads M. Qlaos.