The
moral evils were incalculably great.
moral evils were incalculably great.
Warner - World's Best Literature - v30 - Guide to Systematic Readings
antique and curious, rather than upon
The scene is laid in an English villa; any original merit in respect either of
and the chapters are made up of con- poetry or of picture. The engravings,
versations between the guests, who are however, were by Marshall.
spending a quiet Sunday with their
host, Mr. Laurence.
While arranging Hyperion, by, H. -W. Longfellow, 1839,
the menu cards, it occurs to him to lay
The
out a series of topics to be discussed -- is a fitting title for this, the most
at his table; for, said he, It seems
romantic of Longfellow's works. It
absurd to me to be so careful about frankly declares itself (A Romance,' on
what we put into our mouths, and to
the title-page.
leave to chance to arrange what comes
It is the tale of
a young man in
out of them. ” More things in heaven deepest sorrow, wandering from land to
and earth than are usually discussed at land in search of occupation for his
such times are thus brought forward by mind, and forgetfulness of grief. This
the author, whose skill in parody is motive forms the thread of story which
manifest. It was
an open secret connects a series of philosophical dis-
that « Luke"
Matthew
Arnold;
courses, and romantic legends and poems.
«Rose,) Walter Pater; “Lord Allen, Many of these last are Longfellow's
Lord Rosebery;
«Herbert, Ruskin;
translations of German poems; and they
«Storks,) Huxley; «Stockton, Tyndall; have found a place in his collected
« Jenkinson, Professor Jowett; «Saun- poems. The adventures and wanderings
ders,” Professor Clifford; Mrs. Sin- of the hero portray the experiences and
clair,” Mrs. Singleton (« Violet Fane,) to travels of the author on his second trip
whom the book is inscribed); «Lady through Germany and Switzerland after
Grace,” Mrs. Mark Pattison; and “Miss the death of his wife. Immediately after
Merton, Miss Froude. The personal its publication, Hyperion) had a wide
flavor of Mr. Mallock's satire caused the circulation.
book to leap into instant popularity.
This book
than
any
other
The foibles and hobbies of his models brought on Longfellow the reproach of
were cleverly set off; and though the being more foreign than American in
fun was sometimes bitter, it was rarely his sympathies. Yet it had great value
ill-natured. The central figure of the in creating in this country a more ex-
group was Mr. Herbert, in whose poeti- tensive acquaintance with the German
cal imagery the great word-painter was romantic poets, especially Heine and
not unfairly represented. Matthew Ar- Uhland.
nold ridiculed unsparingly. One ‘Hyperion) also has historic interest
sentence, descriptive of Laurence, has in marking the transition in Longfellow's
been widely quoted: “He was in many
work. It stands between bis translations
ways a remarkable man, but unhappily
and sketches of historical persons and
one of those who are remarkable be- places, and his original poems.
cause they do not become famous— not
because they do. "
Bitter-Sweet, by J. G. Holland, is a
narrative didactic poem, of about
three thousand five hundred lines, which
mblems, by Francis Quarles, 1635.
appeared in 1858. Israel, a good old
borrowed from Hermann Hugo's Pia
Puritan farmer, dwells in his ancestral
Desideria,' and fitted with crudely fan-
New England home.
ciful, studiously quaint, and sometimes " His daughter Ruth orders the ancient house,
happily dramatic, religious poems, such
And fills her mother's place beside the board. ”
as Quarles had earlier published as "Di- On Thanksgiving eve the patriarch's child-
vine Poems) (a collected volume, 1630, ren, with their families, gather for the
representing ten years), and Divine festival. Round the hearth God's justice
Fancies) (1632). They mingle something and providence and the mystery of evil
more
was
XXX-16
## p. 242 (#278) ############################################
242
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
are discussed. Israel stands for faith. future generations. Lien Chi Altangi
Ruth expresses her doubts, having looked became real, and lives. He detects and
in vain for justice in the world. David, exposes not merely the follies and foi.
a poet, husband to Ruth's sister Grace, bles lying on the surface, but the greater
undertakes to teach Ruth that there is evils rankling at the heart, of English
no incongruity in the existence of evil society. He warns England of her in-
in a world created by beneficent design. secure tenure of the American colonies,
His first illustration is drawn from na- her exaggerated social pretenses, and the
ture, as David and Ruth seek the cellar evil system of the magistracy. He ridi-
to bring cider and apples for the com- cules English thought and the fashions
pany, and is epitomized in the couplet:- which make beauty hideous, and avows
« Hearts, like apples, are hard and sour,
his contempt for the cant of professed
Till crushed by Pain's resistless power. ”
connoisseurs. The abuses of church pat-
Grace, and Mary, a foster-daughter of
ronage did not escape him; and he com-
the house, exchange the stories of their
ments on the incidents of the day. As we
read these (Chinese Letters) all London
domestic sorrows, while each finds in the
other consolation and sympathy. Grace
of the eighteenth century rises before us.
tells of her husband's apparent interest
Beau Tibbs, and the Man in Black »
in some unknown woman; but admits
who accompanies the philosopher to the
her griefs to be trivial beside those of
theatre, are immortal; and (The White
Mouse and Prince Bonbennin' is founded
Mary, whose dissolute husband has de-
serted her and their child. The question
on an actual experience of Goldsmith.
is next illustrated by story. Joseph, one
of Israel's sons, tells to the children the Aino Folk:Tales, by Basil H. Chamber-
Twelve hundred years ago a
old story of Bluebeard. The older folk
find in it serious lessons in line with the
Chinese historian wrote that on the east-
main theme of the poem. Finally there
ern frontier of Japan there exists a barrier
is heard the cry of a man perishing in
of great mountains, beyond which is the
the storm which rages without. Brought land of the Hairy Men. ” These were
to the fireside and revived, he proves to
the Aino, so called from the word in
be the weak but now repentant Edward,
their language signifying “man. ) Like
husband to Mary. The injured wife for their language, their folk-lore was largely
gives all, and discloses that the friend adopted from the Japanese. In the dawn
who has been comforting her is the poet of history they appear living far to the
David. The revelation shows Grace that
south and west of their present haunts,
her jealousies have been groundless. Ed-century by century retreating eastward
ward dies peacefully, and all see more
and northward, as steadily as the Ameri-
clearly that God has not forgotten the
can Indian has retreated westward. In
world, and that there is
this collection of stories Professor Cham-
berlain has sought to preserve those
" In every evil a kind instrument
strange folk-tales which were told in the
To chasten, elevate, correct, subdue. ”
huts of this untutored people ages ago,
Thousands of copies of (Bitter-Sweet
and retold to each succeeding generation.
have been sold, and both critical and un-
The interest in these stories consists in
critical readers praise it as revealing the their pictures of Aino ideas, morals, and
very heart of Old New England.
customs. The stories of (The Salmon-
King,) (The Island of Women,' and others,
Ching
hinese Letters, by Oliver Goldsmith. are based on episodes of Japanese tales,
Published under this title in the
sometimes belonging to world-wide cycles
Public Ledger, a weekly journal of of myth, as in the theme of the mortal
London, they ran through the year 1760, who eats the deadly food of the under-
and were published in book form in 1762 world. On the other hand there is much
as “The Citizen of the World; or, Letters genuine Aino matter in the collection.
from Chinese Philosopher Residing
in London to his Friends in the East. )
Ronins, The, by Tamenaga
Their charm lies in their delicate satire Shunsui. This historical tale, trans-
rather than in any foreign air which lated from the Japanese by Edward
the author may have tried to lend them. Greey and Shinichiro Saito, was pub-
They amused the town, they still divert
in English in 1880. It relates to
and instruct us, and they will delight affairs that occurred in 1698. The book
a
Loyal
## p. 243 (#279) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF VOTED BOOKS
243
an
be pun-
profusely illustrated with characteris- So great was its fame, that the author to
tie Japanese pictures by Kei-Sai Yei- the day of his death was called “Monk »
Sen of Yedo or Tokio. The graceful po- Lewis. The hero, Ambrosio, is the abbot
etic style gives great charm to this naive of the Capuchins at Madrid, surnamed
romance, the names of the characters << The Man of Holiness. His pride of
are quaint even in translation, and the
righteousness opens him at length to spir-
pictures of feudal Japan are vivid and itual disaster. An infernal spirit assum-
fascinating. The Japanese atmosphere ing the shape of a woman tempts him, and
pervades the entire book. The main he falls. One sin succeeds another until
story is very simple, though there are he is utterly ruined. Upon the fabric of
numerous episodes touching or humorous. the monk's progression in evil the author
Lord Morningfield, Daimio of Ako, is builds wild incidents of every degree of
condemned to commit hara-kiri (through horror.
the treachery and deceit of Sir Kira,
master of ceremonies to the Shogun). Amelia, by Henry Fielding, was pub-
lished in 1751, and was the last of
and his property is confiscated. His
widow, Lady Fair-Face, assumes the
that novelist's works of fiction, as well as
one of the most famous novels of the
religious name of Pure-Gem and lives
in retirement. Forty-seven of his re-
eighteenth century. He was forty-four
tainers — now Ronins, or outlaws of the
when it appeared, and in impaired health.
Samurai class ---sign with their blood
It has, perhaps for this reason, less of
agreement to avenge his death.
the exuberant vitality which characterized
(Tom Jones,' a novel preceding it by two
Under the leadership of Sir Big-Rock,
who divorces his wife and disowns his
years. The plot is more serious; but in
children, that they may not
a rich, quiet fund of humor it is not far
ished for his deeds, the Ronins slay
behind that masterpiece. In Amelia,
Sir Kira in his own house. After im-
Fielding drew the portrait of a virtuous
posing ceremonies of respect at the
and lovely wife; his own, it is believed,
tomb of their illustrious chief, the Ro-
furnishing the model. It is a story of
nins surrender themselves to the Council
married life. Mr. Booth, the husband of
the heroine, an impoverished gentleman,
at Yedo. They are condemned to death
and sentenced to commit hara-kiri.
is introduced to the reader in prison,
Forty-six forms clothed in pure white,
where he has been taken for participa-
headed by Sir Big-Rock, mount the hill
tion in a street quarrel. His companion
of death, plunge into the dark river,
there, Miss Matthews, is a handsome
and pass over to Paradise, where they
young woman of easy virtue, who has
are welcomed by the spirit of their
murdered her betrayer. The relations of
beloved chief.
Booth and this woman are improper; but
the husband is saved from this, as from
other faults of conduct, by the purity,
A"
mbrosio; or The Monk, by Matthew
Gregory Lewis, was published in
goodness, and devotion of Amelia, whom
1795, when the author was twenty years
he devotedly loves. Eventually she brings
him a fortune, he is released from prison,
old. The book is one of the dime novels »
and happiness reigns. In contrasting
of English literature; a fantastic medley
of ghosts, gore, villains, cheap mysteries,
Booth's poorer nature with the noble
character of his wife, Fielding is sup-
and all the stage machinery of flagrant
melodrama. Like Mrs. Radcliffe's novels,
posed to have had himself in mind. It
it belongs to the class of the pseudo-
is noteworthy that the novelist, in depict-
terrific. At the time of its publication,
ing her, emphasized her beauty of mind
and heart by stating that her bodily
however, its exaggerations were not so
apparent. Horace Walpole's Castle of
beauty was marred through the disfigure-
Otranto) and Mrs. Radcliffe's Mysteries
ment of her nose in a carriage accident.
of Udolpho had popularized the mock-
The story is strong in portraiture of char-
heroic. The air was
full of horrors.
acter, in sincerity, in analysis of motive,
(The Monk' seemed to contemporary
and in wit; but modern good taste objects
readers one of the great books of the
to its freedom of speech and indiscrimi-
day. That it was not without merit
nating use of incident.
was proved by the verdict of no less an
Epistolæ Obscurorum Virorum (Let-
than Sir Walter Scott, who ters of Obscure Men), 1516-17. A
styled it “no ordinary exertion of genius. ” | satirical production which had a great
## p. 244 (#280) ############################################
244
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
influence in aid of the Reformation. A friend of Erasmus, afterward introduces
first part appeared in 1516, at Hagenau the reader to his life at court, and the
(but professedly at Venice), and a second prosperous days when he stood first in
in 1517. One Crotus Rubianus suggested bluff King Hal's favor, and pathetically
the scheme, and probably executed the describes his downfall and tragic death.
first part. The second part was from the The record of the high-minded and cul-
pen of the humanist and poet Ulrich von tivated Margaret presents a delightful
Hutten, the same year in which the Em- picture of a lovely home life, and of the
peror Maximilian made him poet-laureate noble and accomplished gentleman who
of Germany. The plan of the letters was its head and its inspiration. Her
was that of representing certain German devotion to her father never wanes, even
ecclesiastics and professors as writing in the terrible hour when, after his exe-
merciless denunciations of the morals, cution, she clasped in her last trance
manners, writings, teachings, and way of her murdered father's head. ” The sim-
life generally, of the scholastics and plicity and sincerity of the author's treat-
monks. One of these had attacked the ment give the book an air of reality,
great Hebrew scholar Reuchlin for his while its faithfulness to the tone of the
leaning to the Reformation; and these period makes it more historical than his-
(Epistolæ) were the reply. Their circula- tory.
tion and influence were immense.
Essays and Reviews is a collection of Remarkable Providences, by Increase
Mather. In 1681, when the agitation
seven scholarly papers upon differ-
in the Massachusetts Bay Colony over
ent aspects of theological thought, writ-
ten by as many well-known English di-
the questions respecting the imperiled
vines and Biblical students. It appeared
colonial charter was rapidly approaching
in England in 1860, and made a sensa-
a climax, and the public mind was al-
tion because its writers expressed views
ready feverishly excited, the ministers
which were then deemed radical and dan-
sent out a paper of proposals for collect-
This
gerous. Inasmuch as the writers were in
ing facts concerning witchcraft.
several instances associated with Oxford
resulted three years later (1684) in the
University, the book became known as
production of a work by President In-
the Oxford Essays and Reviews. So
crease Mather of Harvard College, which
was originally entitled (An Essay for
great was the opposition it aroused that
three of the contributors were tried and
the Recording of Illustrious Providences. )
Into this book President Mather had
condemned by an ecclesiastical court; the
known
gathered up all that was
decision being afterwards reversed. The
influence of the volume was fruitful in
could be collected concerning the per-
drawing attention to a broader interpre- leagued with the Devil.
formances of persons supposed to be
It is rather re-
tation of religious truth and the methods
markable to learn from this work that
of modern scholarship. The papers and
modern spiritualistic performances — rap-
their authors were: (The Education of
the World,' by Dr. Frederick Temple;
pings, tippings, trances, second sight,
and the like — were well known to the
Bunsen's Biblical Researches,' by Pro-
fessor Rowland Williams; (On the Study
grave fathers of New England, although
of the Evidences of Christianity,' by Pro-
they unfortunately looked upon them as
far more serious matters than do their
fessor Baden Powell; (Séances Historiques
descendants to-day. The book also con-
de Genève,' (The National Church,' by
tains a remarkable collection of wonder-
the Rev. Henry B. Wilson; On the
ful sea-deliverances, accidents, appari-
Mosaic Cosmogony,' by C. W. Goodwin;
(Tendencies of Religious Thought in Eng-
tions, and unaccountable phenomena in
land, 1688–1750,' by the Rev. Mark Pat-
general; in addition to the things more
tison; and (On the Interpretation of
strictly pertaining to witchcraft. Palfrey
the historian believes that this book had
Scripture,' by Professor Benjamin Jowett.
an unfortunate effect upon the mind and
House
[ousehold of Sir Thomas More, imagination of President Mather's son,
The, by Anne Manning, (1869,) is the Reverend Cotton Mather; and that
written in the form of the diary of the it led him into investigations and publi-
Chancellor's daughter, Margaret. The cations supposed to have had an im-
story, beginning when More is merely a portant effect in producing the disas-
private gentleman, a great lawyer, and trous delusion which followed three years
or
## p. 245 (#281) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
245
so
later, in which Cotton Mather was voyage, to explore the hypothetical Ant-
lamentably conspicuous.
arctic continent. He investigated the speci-
fied latitudes, and sailed farther south
A"
Ibert Nyanza, The: Tue GREAT BASIN than any previous navigator. Having
OF THE NILE AND EXPLORATIONS OF
satisfied himself that no such continent
THE Nile Sources, by Samuel White existed, he turned eastward and discov-
Baker, 1866. The record of over four years'
ered New Caledonia, Georgia, and other
explorations in Africa, from March 1861 to islands. On his return he received many
August 1865, by which the geographical honors, and was elected to the Royal
knowledge of the sources of the Nile was Society. His third voyage was in search
completed. Bruce, ninety years before, had
of the Northwest Passage. Sailing about
found the source of the Blue Nile, and Speke
in the Pacific, he discovered the Sand-
and Grant were about to report finding in
wich or Hawaiian Islands; and then, hav-
the Victoria Nyanza the remotest eastern ing explored the unknown coast of North
source of the White Nile. Baker's explor-
America, he passed through Bering's
ations made known the immense lake, Strait, and surveyed the coast on both
named by him Albert Nyanza, into the
sides. Baffled in his attempt to reach the
northeast corner of which the outlet Atlantic, he returned to winter near
stream from the Victoria empties, and out
Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands, where
from the northern point of which the
he was treacherously murdered by the
White Nile issues to flow through thirty
natives in 1779.
degrees of latitude to the Mediterranean.
The narrative is especially important
The equatorial lake system, by which the
because Cook was animated by the scien-
Nile is fed for ten months in the year,
tific spirit, and made valuable observa-
became fully known when Baker had sup- tions in many departments of science.
plemented the discoveries of Speke and Throughout the book appear the resources
Grant. In a second work of great inter- and courage of the man, and his humane
est, «The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia,' discretion in dealing both with his sail-
Baker completed the true story of the
ors and with the savages; while its publi-
Nile, showing that the annual food by cation gave a new impetus to discovery
which the special agriculture of the Nile
and exploration.
valley is created, would not take place at
all but for the Blue Nile and other Abys- Cotton Kingdom, The, by Frederick
Baker
Law
spent twelve months in exploring all the
of a traveler's observations on cotton
Abyssinian tributaries of the Nile; and and slavery” were published in 1861, be-
he was thus able to give an accurate ac-
ing compiled from three previous works
count of all the sources through which on the same subject, which had originally
nature gives to Egypt, not only a great
appeared as letters to the New York
river all the year round, but an immense Times, between 1856 and 1860. The book,
fertilizing midsummer flood.
written with especial reference to English
readers, was dedicated to John Stuart
Cook's Voyages. The accounts of Cap- Mill. It is intended for the class of per-
tain Cook's three voyages were writ- sons that would consider (Uncle Tom's
ten by as many hands: the first by Dr. Cabin) overdrawn and hysterical, and
Hawkesworth; the second by Cook him- deals exclusively with facts. Authorities
self; while Lieutenant King prepared the are cited, government reports quoted,
third from Cook's notes, and completed names and places specified: everything is
the narrative.
done to make the work convincing.
The first voyage was undertaken in 1768, Though the author began his observa-
to observe the transit of Venus. Having tions in a fair and judicial spirit, he was
made successful observations at Otaheite everywhere impressed with the disadvan-
in the Society Islands, Cook explored the tages of slavery. Even in States like Vir-
South Seas, and determined the insularity ginia, where slaves were generally well
of New Zealand, which had been consid- treated, the economic evils were great,
ered part of a great Antarctic continent. while farther south things were much
He discovered the straits named after
The slaveholding proprietors ex-
him, and amid great dangers explored perienced so much difficulty in managing
the eastern coast of Australia, hitherto their estates that they had no energy for
unknown. In 1772 he started on a second public affairs. There were no good roads,
worse.
## p. 246 (#282) ############################################
246
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
an
un-
and no community life existed. Though honest growler » found much to criti-
the railroad and steamboat had been in- cize. He detested slavery as
troduced, they were operated in a primi- mixed evil, and made it largely respon-
tive and desultory fashion, mails were sible for the prevailing ills. Everywhere
irregular, and intercommunication was he finds plenty of servants and no serv-
uncertain and precarious. Slave labor, of ice. He is astonished at the familiar
course, made free labor unremunerative intercourse between blacks and whites,
and despised, and the poor white lived which however appears to be only toler-
from hand to mouth on the brink of pau- able to the latter as long as their mas-
perism.
In the cotton States the large tership is recognized. He finds that the
plantations were worked with profit, but South has advanced far less in civiliza-
the small ones frequently failed to pay tion than the North since the Revolu-
expenses. In every instance the cost of tion. Shiftlessness prevails everywhere.
maintaining and managing the negroes The slave system seems to enervate the
was so great, and their labor so forced whites, while rendering the blacks child-
and reluctant, that much better results ish and irresponsible. It takes more of
could have been obtained from free labor. the latter than of Northern workmen to
In fact, had there been no other ques- do a given piece of work. In spite of
tion involved, its monstrous wastefulness the abundance of labor, buildings remain
would have condemned slavery. But the out of repair, estates are neglected.
The
moral evils were incalculably great. The farming is unintelligent. There is a
slave was reduced, virtually, to the level surprising quantity of uncultivated land,
of the brute, and all efforts to raise him and of land needlessly impoverished by
morally and intellectually were regarded repeated plantings of the same crop.
as unsafe and revolutionary. He lost the The Southern economic conditions need
good qualities of barbarism, and gained revolutinizing; and already Mr. Olmsted
the vices of civilization, and was deliber- notes their instability, and anticipates the
ately made as helpless as possible. The storm of civil war soon to break.
degradation of the master was even more
deplorable
. His sensibilities were blunted | John Bull and His Island was trans-
by the daily spectacle of brutality, his
from the French of "Max
moral fibre was loosened, and there was O'Rell» (Paul Blouet) in 1884. It is a
no incentive to self-control, since he was humorous exposition of his view of Eng-
subject to no law save his own capricious lish life and character, which by its para-
will.
doxes attracted much attention when
Not only was this book of value at the it appeared. The keen-visioned author
time of its publication, but it is useful at was too fond of exercising his wit to
the present day. It explains how the be impartial. Some of his conclusions,
curse of slavery retarded the industrial drawn from sensational articles in the
development of the South; and by show- daily newspapers, are based upon insuf-
ing the condition of master and negro ficient premises. He presents a carica-
before the emancipation, it affords a bet- ture rather than a portrait, but draws it
ter comprehension of the grave problems so cleverly that even its subject is forced
that confront America to-day.
to recognize his own faults and foibles.
His mockery of the conceited, domineer-
Seaboard Slave ing type of Englishman, always sure that
States, A, by Frederick Law Olm- he is right and others wrong, quibbling
sted, 1856, first appeared as a series of to preserve the letter of truth while
sketches in the New York Times. It is disregarding its spirit, and referring all
the record of a trip made by Mr. Olm- values to a money standard, is sharp
sted at that period, through Virginia, but without bitterness. He hits off the
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, national character in startling paradox;
Alabama, and Louisiana, for the pur- for example, he says that every year
pose of noting the general aspects of «a sum of money is spent in Bibles
those States; and particularly of study- and alcoholic liquors alone, sufficient to
ing the labor and agricultural conditions abolish pauperism and allow every free-
in comparison with those of the North. born Briton to live like a gentleman. ”
His
personal observations, enlivened But he recognizes fairly, too, the physical,
with humorous and anecdotal touches, mental, and moral qualities which make
are supplemented with statistics. This the English strong; and he finds much
Journey in the
## p. 247 (#283) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
247
to admire in their home life and social His general ideas of science led him to
institutions.
supplement his History) with a second
work on "The Philosophy of the Induct-
Conflict of Ages, The; or, The Great
ive Sciences, Founded upon their His-
Debate on the Moral Relations of
tory) (1840. ) This second volume Dr.
God and Man. By Rev. Edward Beecher,
Whewell described as an application of
D. D. (1853. ) A work of departure from
the plan of Bacon's Novum Organum)
strict Calvinistic orthodoxy, in which the
to the present condition of physical sci-
idea was presented of a series of ages,
ence, and as an attempt «to extract
previous to that of the present life, and
from the actual past progress of science
coming after it, the previous one having
the elements of a more effectual and
affected our birth here, and the one yet
substantial method of discovery” than
to come being an opportunity still open
Bacon's.
to us for overcoming evil in our natures
by union with divine good. In the Con- Chemistry, The New, by Professor
cord of Ages,' (1860,) and in his (History
J. P.
Cooke. (Revised Edition,
of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of 1884. ) A book of very exceptional value
Future Retribution, (1878,) Dr. Beecher
as a most interesting literary treatment
further pursued the argument on behalf
of the chief principles of chemistry. It
of Final Restoration.
originated in a popular Lowell Institute
course of lectures delivered in Boston
Conflict between Religion and Sci. in 1872, and published as a book in 1873,
ence, History of the. By Dr. J. the design of which was to develop
W. Draper. (1874. ) One of the earliest the general principles of chemistry in a
attempts by a competent scholar to tell
systematic order, with no more descrip-
the story of science in its slow and diffi- tion of substances and processes than
cult development in ages dominated by the illustration of principles called for.
ecclesiastical authority. The first vent- For this presentation to popular hearers,
ures in research aiming to penetrate the and to readers, Professor Cooke's qual-
secrets of nature encountered the same ifications were higher than those of any
opposition as magic and quack medicine; other modern teacher of chemistry except
and only after long struggle against the Faraday; and his chapters, or lectures,
spirit, of repression, and of persecution form a book as readable as it is in-
even, were the great steps initiating our structive. Ten years after its first issue,
modern science successfully taken. Dr. Professor Cooke not only rewrote many
Draper's ardor as an advocate is on the parts to make a popular exposition of
side of science, and he presses the indict- the actual state of the science, but he
ment against church antagonism to free added much new material, and left a
research with great vigor and wide learn- volume of which it is not too much to
ing. His book is a popular one, very say that it stands before all others as a
readable, and very instructive, with due work opening the gates of science to the
allowance for the possibility that the final general reader, and giving the story of
verdict may be somewhat more lenient chemistry a place in literature. For the
than his towards the church.
studious inquirer it is to be placed by
the side of Faraday's Experimental Re-
Inductive Sciences, History of the, by searches in Electricity. "
William Whewell. (1837. Final edi-
tion, 1857). The story of the progress of Israel, History of, by Ernest Renan.
the physical sciences, from the earliest
Vie de '
Greek beginnings, and from the groping of Jesus, of the most accomplished of
physical science of the Middle Ages, recent authors, the charm of which has
down to a time now sixty years since. carried its sale in France alone to over
Although the book is relatively out of 300,000 copies, came out in 1863; and
date, through the immense progress which was the first of a series of seven vol-
science has made since 1837, and the umes devoted to a review of the origins
greater accuracy and thoroughness with and early development of Christianity,
which parts of the history are known, down to the date in Roman history
yet the ample learning and great ability marked by the death of the Emperor
of Whewell, and the conception which he Marcus Aurelius. Upon the completion
had of the progress of science, gives his of this work M. Renan set himself the
work a permanent interest and value. task of adding, by way of introduction to
## p. 248 (#284) ############################################
248
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
his history of Christian origins, a history The book is powerful, but possesses iittle
of the Jews; and on October 24th, 1891, interest for those readers who do not
he was able to write, at the close of a care for the ethical and ethnical ques-
fifth volume, that the task was finished. tions it discusses.
There are two books ) in each of his
five volumes, and the successive stages
Majesty, by Louis Marie Anne Cou-
perus. This is one of the great
of the history are these: (1) the Israel-
works of modern Dutch fiction, said to
ites in their nomad state, until their
be based on the life of the present Tsar
establishment in the land of Canaan;
of Russia, Nicholas II. Othomar, Crown
(2) the Israelites as settled tribes, until
prince of Liparia, is the son of the
the establishment of the Kingdom of
Emperor Oscar and his wife Elizabeth.
David; (3) the Single Kingdom; (4) the
He is a delicate, nervous, morbid, over-
two kingdoms; (5) the Kingdom of
conscientious boy, who loves his people,
Judah alone; (6) the Captivity in Baby-
but dreads the responsibility one day to
lon; (7) Judæa under Persian Domina-
be his. Oscar, on the contrary, is con-
tion; (8) the Jews under Greek Domina-
tion; (9) Jewish Autonomy; (10) the
fident that majesty is infallible; while
Elizabeth lives in constant terror of an
Jewish People under Greek Domination.
As a philologist of distinction, an ex-
anarchist's bomb, not for herself, but for
her husband and children. Othomar is
pert in the whole field of Semitic stud-
led into a love affair by the Duchess of
ies, a traveler and archæologist familiar
with the scenes and the surviving monu-
Yemena, a beautiful coquette, much older
than himself. He falls ill, is sent away
ments of Palestine, Renan brought ex-
with his cousin Hermann, visits his
ceptional knowledge to the work of
restoring the past of the Israelite race.
grandfather (King of Denmark) Sieg-
fried of Gothland, and is betrothed for
The freedom of his opinions led him
state reasons to the Archduchess Valérie.
away from traditional paths; while the
He wishes to abdicate in favor of his
warmth of his sentiment, often ardently
Jewish, and the richness of his imagina-
younger brother, who however dies, and
tion, gave to the more significant pages
he is forced to take up his burden. Soon
of Hebrew story an illumination rarely
after his marriage, his father is assassi-
nated and he is crowned. The story of
found in sober history.
his noble deeds (a romantic forecast) as
Emperor is told in a second volume,
Jew, The, by Joseph Ignatius Kraszew-
called "The Peace of the World. ) Cou-
ski, is a story of the soil, simply
perus is the leader of the Dutch «sens-
told by one of Poland's best-known writ-
itivists) who within the last fifteen or
When Jean Huba, a Polish exile,
twenty years have revolutionized Dutch
enters a tavern and swoons at the feet
taste. He is still a young man, having
of the guests, Signor Firpo the landlord
been born in 1863. Majesty) was pub-
wishes to send him elsewhere to die;
lished in 1894, and may be regarded
but the stranger regains consciousness,
and finds himself surrounded by a motley
rather as a prose poem than as a novel.
society of Russians, Italians, Poles, Jews, aptain's Daughter, The, by Alexan-
, ,
Danes, and Tsigane (Gipsies), gathered der Pushkin. This story, published
at little tables enjoying themselves. A in 1832, narrates the adventures of a
strange friendship is set on foot be- young officer and his sweetheart, during
tween Jacob Harmon, an educated Jew, Pugachéf's rebellion, in the reign of
and the exile Jean Huba, familiarly Catherine II. Piotr Andreyevich Grinef,
known as Ivas. Their conversation serves son of a wealthy Russian noble, joins the
to put the reader in possession of many army, and is sent to the small fortress of
facts in Jewish history. Jacob under- Byělogorsk. Savelich, an old family serv-
takes to convert Ivas to Judaism; and ant, accompanies him thither, and with
argues well, using politics and philoso- wonderful love and devotion acts the
phy as well as religion for illustrations. part of guardian angel. Captain Mironof,
They agree to return to Poland to im- the commandant, a kindly old soldier,
prove the intellectual condition of the receives him with much affection and
Jews, become involved in political in- offers him the hospitality of his house;
trigues there, and are forced to quit the where Vasilisa his wife, good-hearted but
country. One or two love affairs give inquisitive, oversees the affairs of the
a slight tinge of romance to the story. whole fortress. Piotr and the sweet-faced
ers.
## p. 249 (#285) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
249
one.
daughter Maria soon fall in love; but the strength and beauty of her spiritual
Schvabrin, the girl's rejected lover, causes She loves him, but feels that her
the devoted pair to undergo many trials. duty lies with her aged grandparents;
In time, Emilian Pugachéf, a Cossack, and despite his violent love-making, re-
assuming the title Peter III. , arrives at mains firm in refusing him. At the risk
the fortress with a band of insurgents, of his life, Bruno saves his mother by
among them the traitor Schvabrin; and stopping her runaway horses, and a rec-
overpowering the garrison, captures the onciliation is brought about at last. Bruno
town. Captain Mironof and his wife are next saves Serena's life, and they become
murdered, and Schvabrin, the traitor and engaged. Hagar, a Hebrew woman, who
deserter, is left in charge. Pugachef, loves Bruno and has followed him to
with unexpected gratitude, remember- Ramm, is jealous of Serena and attempts
ing a former kindness of Piotr, pardons to kill her. Failing in this she tries to
him and permits him to leave the town, take her own life, and dies confessing
although Piotr will not swear allegiance. her sin and clearing Bruno's character.
He goes to Orenburg with his servant; Serena and Bruno marry, and the letters
and while there receives a letter from again continue in a pleasant domestic
Maria, who prays for help from Schva- vein. There are many interesting situa-
brin's persecutions. Piotr rescues her, tions in the book, much poetry of thought
and she goes to his parents, who gladly and feeling, besides an atmosphere of
welcome her, while Piotr joins a detach- country life that is most refreshing.
ment of the army under Jurin. Here Miss Bremer has been called the Jane
Schvabrin gives information that leads Austen of Sweden.
to his arrest as a spy and his sentence
as an exile to Siberia. From this fate
Ar
round the World in Eighty Days,
he is saved by Maria, who obtains his by Jules Verne.
Phileas Fogg, a
pardon from the Empress, and he is re- respectable English gentleman of phleg-
leased in time to see Pugachéf hanged matic temperament and methodical hab-
as a traitor. The author, who also wrote its, maintains, during a discussion at his
a serious history of the Pugachéf rebel- club in London, that a man can travel
lion, gives in this delightful romance a around the world in eighty days; and to
very true account of that remarkable up- prove it, he makes a wager of half his
rising.
fortune that he can do it himself in that
time. The bet is accepted, and he starts
Neighbors, The, by Frederika Bremer. the same night, taking his French serv-
The scene of this every-day romance ant Passepartout with him. He wins his
is laid in Sweden, and the descriptions wager, after a series of adventures in
give a delightful glimpse into the domes- which nature, man, accident, and the
tic life of that country.
Franziska Wer- novelist combine to defeat him, but are
ner tells the story by a series of letters all baffled by his unfailing resource, iron
to a distant friend. She has lately mar- will, invincible coolness, and Napoleonic
ried Bear,” a country doctor; and the readiness to sacrifice everything else to
first letters describe her impressions of the one essential point; - everything ex-
her new home, her neighbors, and her cept humanity, in whose behalf he twice
stepmother-in-law. Ma chère mère, as risks defeat, first to save from suttee the
she is called, is an eccentric woman pos- beautiful young Hindoo widow Aouda,
sessed of great ability and an iron will. and second to save Passepartout from
Years before she and her own son Bruno murder by a Chinese mob. His virtue
had quarreled, his fiery temper had is rewarded by success and Aouda.
clashed with hers, and he ran from
home with his mother's curse ringing in Kate Beaumont, by W. De Forest;
his After fifteen years of dissipa- is society in South
tion, he returns under an assumed name Carolina, in the prosperous, chivalrous,
and settles at Ramm, as a new neigh- slaveholding, hard-drinking, quick-shoot-
bor, hoping to win his mother's forgive- ing days before the war. The Beaumonts
ness. He is discovered by Franziska and and McAllisters, each a powerful family,
her husband; and at their house he re- with many ramifications, have been at
news his love for Serena, his childhood's feud with each other for years, till at
friend. She is pure and good, and his last young Frank McAllister comes back
passionate, stormy nature is quieted by from Europe to fall in love with Kate
## p. 250 (#286) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
sence.
was
250
Beaumont. From this point the compli-
But a handsome knight, disguised
cations and perversities of the story begin. as a beggar-woman, manages to gain an
There is much incident, all throwing entrance, and pays court in succes-
light on character, and helping in its sion to Nonchalante and Babillarde, who
evolution, and the book is extremely en- allow themselves to be deceived by his
tertaining: while as a vivid picture of a flattering tongue. Then he attempts to
fading civilization a society in modern woo Finette; but she is not a bird to
America as purely feudal as that of the be caught with such chaff, and she finds
Middle Ages — it is unsurpassed.
an opportunity of dropping him into a
trench, and so gets rid of him. In this
April Hopes, a novel of two young
graceful story, the author endeavors to
people, by W. D. Howells,
prove that distrust is the mother of
published in 1887. In the heroine, Alice
safety, just as idleness is the mother of
Pasmer, he has portrayed the high-bred
all the vices.
New England girl with the Puritan con-
science. The hero, Dan Mavering, a
Harvard graduate of good family, has
Adolphe, a romance by Benjamin Con-
stant. The story has very little
this conscience to contend with in his
incident or action. The whole plot may
wooing of Alice and during his engage-
be summed up in a few words: Adolphe
ment with her. Their most serious mis-
loves Eléonore, and can be happy neither
understandings arise from the girl's iron-
with her nor without her. The beauty
clad code, which makes no allowance
of the author's style and the keenness
for human nature. ” The book is well
and delicacy with which he analyzes cer-
written, exhibiting the author's character-
tain morbid moods of the soul, have
istic realism of style and treatment.
placed this work among the masterpieces
of French literature. The romance is
Dame Care (Frau Sorge), a novel by
Hermann Sudermann, was issued
almost universally believed to be an au-
in 1888. The story follows the life of tobiography, in which Constant narrates
Paul Meyerhofer, a boy at whose cradle
a portion of the adventures of his own
Care seemed to preside. He was born
youth.
on the day his father's estate was sold at
auction. His childhood was spent in pov- Aro a Spring (Autour d'une
erty, his boyhood and youth in hard work.
Source'), by Gustave Droz, is a
He had always before him the spectacle
French idyl of country life in this cen-
of a cowed, suffering mother; of an over-
tury, charming in its truthful presenta-
bearing, shiftless father, whose schemes
tion of a village community. It was
for making money only plunged his family
published in 1869. The hero is the Abbé
in deeper misfortune. His younger sis-
Roche, a middle-aged priest in a mount-
ters, when they grow up, bring disgrace
ain town. He is a man of noble, vigor-
upon him. To save their honor he makes ous nature, and fine presence, with no
enormous sacrifices; in short, his whole
experience of the outside world. To the
career is one of misfortune.
The one
long-untenanted château of Manteigney
brightness of his life is his love for Elsbeth
comes its count, with his pretty young
Douglas, the daughter of his godmother.
wife, a rather light fashionable Parisian,
At the close of the novel it is intimated
whose money has enabled her husband to
that he will marry her, and that «Dame
rehabilitate his ancestral possessions. She
Care," his foster-mother, will not trouble
is a strange, alluring apparition to the
him again. The story, written with
priest, and he loves her, to his sorrow.
much pathos and beauty, is a peculiar
She is a somewhat cynical study
blending of realism and romanticism.
social butterfly. The attraction of the
tale lies in the romantic nobility of
Adven
dventures of Finette, The ("L'A- the Abbé, the poetry with which the coun-
droite Princesse; ou, Les Aventures try scenes are depicted,- the fact that
de Finette'), a novel, by Perrault. This Droz was originally a painter comes out
is the story of the three daughters of a in his picturesque descriptions, and the
European king, who are surnamed, on light touch with which the frivolous folk
account of their characters, Babillarde, of the château are portrayed. The title
Nonchalante, and Finette. The king of the story refers to a medicinal spring
travels to a distant country, and all three that is discovered on the Manteigney es-
are shut up in a tower during his ab- tate.
round
a
## p. 251 (#287) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
251
Crime of the
Boulevard, The, a novel,
by Jules Claretie, is the history of
a crime which occurred in Paris, on the
Boulevard de Clichy, in 1896. Pierre de
Rovère is found murdered in his apart-
ment. Bernadet, the police agent, who
has a passion for photography, takes a
picture of the retina of the dead man's
eyes, and finds the image of a man whom
he recognizes at the funeral. He arrests
this person, who proves to be Rovère's
dearest friend, Jacques Dantin. He is,
however, not the real murderer. The
mixture of pseudo-science and sensational
detail in this novel is thoroughly French.
Captain Fracasse, by Théophile Gau-
The scene is laid in France
during the reign of Louis XIII. ; the man-
ners, morals, and language of that age
being carefully depicted. The Château
de la Misère, situated in Gascony, is the
home of the young Baron de Sicognac,
where he lives alone in poverty, with
his faithful Pierre, and his four-footed
friends Bayard, Miraut, and Beëlzebub.
To a troop of strolling players he offers
shelter, they in turn sharing with him
their supper. Falling under the charms
of Isabella, the pretty ingénue of the
troop, he accepts their kindly offer to
continue with them to Paris, where good
fortune may await him. Martamoro, one
of the actors, perishes in the snow; and
Sicognac, ashamed of being a burden to
his companions, takes his place, assuming
the name of Captain Fracasse, and pass-
ing through many adventures on the road.
Isabella returns the love of Captain Fra-
casse, but will not allow him to commit
a mésalliance by making her his wife.
(Captain Fracasse,' although announced
in 1840, was not published until 1863,
when it met with most brilliant success.
Much of the story is borrowed from the
(Roman Comique) of Scarron.
Disciple, The (ʻle Disciple”), by Paul
Bourget, in its eloquent preface,
which is the best part of the book, calls
upon the young men of the present to
shake off the apathy that overcame the
author's own generation after the dis-
heartening siege of 1870. Without this
preface, the reader would be likely to
set the book down as unwholesome, and
not grasp the idea that the character of
the disciple is intended as warning
against the habit of analyzing and ex-
perimenting with the emotions.
The
boy's imagination, drawn out by the
brilliant but often enervating literature
that comes in the way of all university
students, is further stimulated by the
works of an agnostic philosopher, who
treats exhaustively of the passions. The
young man becomes his devoted follower,
and makes a practical application of his
teachings. In a family where he be-
comes a tutor he experiments with the
affection he inspires in a young girl, and
is the direct cause of her death. The
philosopher, recognizing the logical out-
come of his theory that the scientific
spirit demands impartial investigation,
even in the things of the mind and
heart, feels no small remorse. His dis-
ciple escapes the vengeance of the law,
only to fall in a duel with the dead girl's
brother. The recluse, who according to
the journals was the original of the char-
acter of the philosopher, died in Paris in
1896. Unlike the philosopher, he was a
lifelong botanist, devoting all his ener-
gies to that science, so that the points
of resemblance between the real and the
fictitious professor are mostly external.
Both lived near the Jardin des Plantes,
their sole recreation consisting in looking
at the animals. Both held aloof from so-
ciety, never marrying, and practicing the
severest economy.
When an officer of
the Legion of Honor sought the botanist
to confer the red ribbon upon him, he
found that member of the Institute on
the point of cooking his dinner, and un-
willing to admit him to his garret. In
the story, the mice that overrun the gar-
ret, the caprices of Ferdinand, and a pet
rooster kept by the concierge, are the
only enlivening elements. But the holes
and corners in the region of the Jardin
des Plantes, and the exquisite vistas of
the Observatory and Luxembourg Gar-
den, have never been better described.
House of Penarvan, The, by Jules
Sandeau.
The scene is laid in an English villa; any original merit in respect either of
and the chapters are made up of con- poetry or of picture. The engravings,
versations between the guests, who are however, were by Marshall.
spending a quiet Sunday with their
host, Mr. Laurence.
While arranging Hyperion, by, H. -W. Longfellow, 1839,
the menu cards, it occurs to him to lay
The
out a series of topics to be discussed -- is a fitting title for this, the most
at his table; for, said he, It seems
romantic of Longfellow's works. It
absurd to me to be so careful about frankly declares itself (A Romance,' on
what we put into our mouths, and to
the title-page.
leave to chance to arrange what comes
It is the tale of
a young man in
out of them. ” More things in heaven deepest sorrow, wandering from land to
and earth than are usually discussed at land in search of occupation for his
such times are thus brought forward by mind, and forgetfulness of grief. This
the author, whose skill in parody is motive forms the thread of story which
manifest. It was
an open secret connects a series of philosophical dis-
that « Luke"
Matthew
Arnold;
courses, and romantic legends and poems.
«Rose,) Walter Pater; “Lord Allen, Many of these last are Longfellow's
Lord Rosebery;
«Herbert, Ruskin;
translations of German poems; and they
«Storks,) Huxley; «Stockton, Tyndall; have found a place in his collected
« Jenkinson, Professor Jowett; «Saun- poems. The adventures and wanderings
ders,” Professor Clifford; Mrs. Sin- of the hero portray the experiences and
clair,” Mrs. Singleton (« Violet Fane,) to travels of the author on his second trip
whom the book is inscribed); «Lady through Germany and Switzerland after
Grace,” Mrs. Mark Pattison; and “Miss the death of his wife. Immediately after
Merton, Miss Froude. The personal its publication, Hyperion) had a wide
flavor of Mr. Mallock's satire caused the circulation.
book to leap into instant popularity.
This book
than
any
other
The foibles and hobbies of his models brought on Longfellow the reproach of
were cleverly set off; and though the being more foreign than American in
fun was sometimes bitter, it was rarely his sympathies. Yet it had great value
ill-natured. The central figure of the in creating in this country a more ex-
group was Mr. Herbert, in whose poeti- tensive acquaintance with the German
cal imagery the great word-painter was romantic poets, especially Heine and
not unfairly represented. Matthew Ar- Uhland.
nold ridiculed unsparingly. One ‘Hyperion) also has historic interest
sentence, descriptive of Laurence, has in marking the transition in Longfellow's
been widely quoted: “He was in many
work. It stands between bis translations
ways a remarkable man, but unhappily
and sketches of historical persons and
one of those who are remarkable be- places, and his original poems.
cause they do not become famous— not
because they do. "
Bitter-Sweet, by J. G. Holland, is a
narrative didactic poem, of about
three thousand five hundred lines, which
mblems, by Francis Quarles, 1635.
appeared in 1858. Israel, a good old
borrowed from Hermann Hugo's Pia
Puritan farmer, dwells in his ancestral
Desideria,' and fitted with crudely fan-
New England home.
ciful, studiously quaint, and sometimes " His daughter Ruth orders the ancient house,
happily dramatic, religious poems, such
And fills her mother's place beside the board. ”
as Quarles had earlier published as "Di- On Thanksgiving eve the patriarch's child-
vine Poems) (a collected volume, 1630, ren, with their families, gather for the
representing ten years), and Divine festival. Round the hearth God's justice
Fancies) (1632). They mingle something and providence and the mystery of evil
more
was
XXX-16
## p. 242 (#278) ############################################
242
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
are discussed. Israel stands for faith. future generations. Lien Chi Altangi
Ruth expresses her doubts, having looked became real, and lives. He detects and
in vain for justice in the world. David, exposes not merely the follies and foi.
a poet, husband to Ruth's sister Grace, bles lying on the surface, but the greater
undertakes to teach Ruth that there is evils rankling at the heart, of English
no incongruity in the existence of evil society. He warns England of her in-
in a world created by beneficent design. secure tenure of the American colonies,
His first illustration is drawn from na- her exaggerated social pretenses, and the
ture, as David and Ruth seek the cellar evil system of the magistracy. He ridi-
to bring cider and apples for the com- cules English thought and the fashions
pany, and is epitomized in the couplet:- which make beauty hideous, and avows
« Hearts, like apples, are hard and sour,
his contempt for the cant of professed
Till crushed by Pain's resistless power. ”
connoisseurs. The abuses of church pat-
Grace, and Mary, a foster-daughter of
ronage did not escape him; and he com-
the house, exchange the stories of their
ments on the incidents of the day. As we
read these (Chinese Letters) all London
domestic sorrows, while each finds in the
other consolation and sympathy. Grace
of the eighteenth century rises before us.
tells of her husband's apparent interest
Beau Tibbs, and the Man in Black »
in some unknown woman; but admits
who accompanies the philosopher to the
her griefs to be trivial beside those of
theatre, are immortal; and (The White
Mouse and Prince Bonbennin' is founded
Mary, whose dissolute husband has de-
serted her and their child. The question
on an actual experience of Goldsmith.
is next illustrated by story. Joseph, one
of Israel's sons, tells to the children the Aino Folk:Tales, by Basil H. Chamber-
Twelve hundred years ago a
old story of Bluebeard. The older folk
find in it serious lessons in line with the
Chinese historian wrote that on the east-
main theme of the poem. Finally there
ern frontier of Japan there exists a barrier
is heard the cry of a man perishing in
of great mountains, beyond which is the
the storm which rages without. Brought land of the Hairy Men. ” These were
to the fireside and revived, he proves to
the Aino, so called from the word in
be the weak but now repentant Edward,
their language signifying “man. ) Like
husband to Mary. The injured wife for their language, their folk-lore was largely
gives all, and discloses that the friend adopted from the Japanese. In the dawn
who has been comforting her is the poet of history they appear living far to the
David. The revelation shows Grace that
south and west of their present haunts,
her jealousies have been groundless. Ed-century by century retreating eastward
ward dies peacefully, and all see more
and northward, as steadily as the Ameri-
clearly that God has not forgotten the
can Indian has retreated westward. In
world, and that there is
this collection of stories Professor Cham-
berlain has sought to preserve those
" In every evil a kind instrument
strange folk-tales which were told in the
To chasten, elevate, correct, subdue. ”
huts of this untutored people ages ago,
Thousands of copies of (Bitter-Sweet
and retold to each succeeding generation.
have been sold, and both critical and un-
The interest in these stories consists in
critical readers praise it as revealing the their pictures of Aino ideas, morals, and
very heart of Old New England.
customs. The stories of (The Salmon-
King,) (The Island of Women,' and others,
Ching
hinese Letters, by Oliver Goldsmith. are based on episodes of Japanese tales,
Published under this title in the
sometimes belonging to world-wide cycles
Public Ledger, a weekly journal of of myth, as in the theme of the mortal
London, they ran through the year 1760, who eats the deadly food of the under-
and were published in book form in 1762 world. On the other hand there is much
as “The Citizen of the World; or, Letters genuine Aino matter in the collection.
from Chinese Philosopher Residing
in London to his Friends in the East. )
Ronins, The, by Tamenaga
Their charm lies in their delicate satire Shunsui. This historical tale, trans-
rather than in any foreign air which lated from the Japanese by Edward
the author may have tried to lend them. Greey and Shinichiro Saito, was pub-
They amused the town, they still divert
in English in 1880. It relates to
and instruct us, and they will delight affairs that occurred in 1698. The book
a
Loyal
## p. 243 (#279) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF VOTED BOOKS
243
an
be pun-
profusely illustrated with characteris- So great was its fame, that the author to
tie Japanese pictures by Kei-Sai Yei- the day of his death was called “Monk »
Sen of Yedo or Tokio. The graceful po- Lewis. The hero, Ambrosio, is the abbot
etic style gives great charm to this naive of the Capuchins at Madrid, surnamed
romance, the names of the characters << The Man of Holiness. His pride of
are quaint even in translation, and the
righteousness opens him at length to spir-
pictures of feudal Japan are vivid and itual disaster. An infernal spirit assum-
fascinating. The Japanese atmosphere ing the shape of a woman tempts him, and
pervades the entire book. The main he falls. One sin succeeds another until
story is very simple, though there are he is utterly ruined. Upon the fabric of
numerous episodes touching or humorous. the monk's progression in evil the author
Lord Morningfield, Daimio of Ako, is builds wild incidents of every degree of
condemned to commit hara-kiri (through horror.
the treachery and deceit of Sir Kira,
master of ceremonies to the Shogun). Amelia, by Henry Fielding, was pub-
lished in 1751, and was the last of
and his property is confiscated. His
widow, Lady Fair-Face, assumes the
that novelist's works of fiction, as well as
one of the most famous novels of the
religious name of Pure-Gem and lives
in retirement. Forty-seven of his re-
eighteenth century. He was forty-four
tainers — now Ronins, or outlaws of the
when it appeared, and in impaired health.
Samurai class ---sign with their blood
It has, perhaps for this reason, less of
agreement to avenge his death.
the exuberant vitality which characterized
(Tom Jones,' a novel preceding it by two
Under the leadership of Sir Big-Rock,
who divorces his wife and disowns his
years. The plot is more serious; but in
children, that they may not
a rich, quiet fund of humor it is not far
ished for his deeds, the Ronins slay
behind that masterpiece. In Amelia,
Sir Kira in his own house. After im-
Fielding drew the portrait of a virtuous
posing ceremonies of respect at the
and lovely wife; his own, it is believed,
tomb of their illustrious chief, the Ro-
furnishing the model. It is a story of
nins surrender themselves to the Council
married life. Mr. Booth, the husband of
the heroine, an impoverished gentleman,
at Yedo. They are condemned to death
and sentenced to commit hara-kiri.
is introduced to the reader in prison,
Forty-six forms clothed in pure white,
where he has been taken for participa-
headed by Sir Big-Rock, mount the hill
tion in a street quarrel. His companion
of death, plunge into the dark river,
there, Miss Matthews, is a handsome
and pass over to Paradise, where they
young woman of easy virtue, who has
are welcomed by the spirit of their
murdered her betrayer. The relations of
beloved chief.
Booth and this woman are improper; but
the husband is saved from this, as from
other faults of conduct, by the purity,
A"
mbrosio; or The Monk, by Matthew
Gregory Lewis, was published in
goodness, and devotion of Amelia, whom
1795, when the author was twenty years
he devotedly loves. Eventually she brings
him a fortune, he is released from prison,
old. The book is one of the dime novels »
and happiness reigns. In contrasting
of English literature; a fantastic medley
of ghosts, gore, villains, cheap mysteries,
Booth's poorer nature with the noble
character of his wife, Fielding is sup-
and all the stage machinery of flagrant
melodrama. Like Mrs. Radcliffe's novels,
posed to have had himself in mind. It
it belongs to the class of the pseudo-
is noteworthy that the novelist, in depict-
terrific. At the time of its publication,
ing her, emphasized her beauty of mind
and heart by stating that her bodily
however, its exaggerations were not so
apparent. Horace Walpole's Castle of
beauty was marred through the disfigure-
Otranto) and Mrs. Radcliffe's Mysteries
ment of her nose in a carriage accident.
of Udolpho had popularized the mock-
The story is strong in portraiture of char-
heroic. The air was
full of horrors.
acter, in sincerity, in analysis of motive,
(The Monk' seemed to contemporary
and in wit; but modern good taste objects
readers one of the great books of the
to its freedom of speech and indiscrimi-
day. That it was not without merit
nating use of incident.
was proved by the verdict of no less an
Epistolæ Obscurorum Virorum (Let-
than Sir Walter Scott, who ters of Obscure Men), 1516-17. A
styled it “no ordinary exertion of genius. ” | satirical production which had a great
## p. 244 (#280) ############################################
244
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
influence in aid of the Reformation. A friend of Erasmus, afterward introduces
first part appeared in 1516, at Hagenau the reader to his life at court, and the
(but professedly at Venice), and a second prosperous days when he stood first in
in 1517. One Crotus Rubianus suggested bluff King Hal's favor, and pathetically
the scheme, and probably executed the describes his downfall and tragic death.
first part. The second part was from the The record of the high-minded and cul-
pen of the humanist and poet Ulrich von tivated Margaret presents a delightful
Hutten, the same year in which the Em- picture of a lovely home life, and of the
peror Maximilian made him poet-laureate noble and accomplished gentleman who
of Germany. The plan of the letters was its head and its inspiration. Her
was that of representing certain German devotion to her father never wanes, even
ecclesiastics and professors as writing in the terrible hour when, after his exe-
merciless denunciations of the morals, cution, she clasped in her last trance
manners, writings, teachings, and way of her murdered father's head. ” The sim-
life generally, of the scholastics and plicity and sincerity of the author's treat-
monks. One of these had attacked the ment give the book an air of reality,
great Hebrew scholar Reuchlin for his while its faithfulness to the tone of the
leaning to the Reformation; and these period makes it more historical than his-
(Epistolæ) were the reply. Their circula- tory.
tion and influence were immense.
Essays and Reviews is a collection of Remarkable Providences, by Increase
Mather. In 1681, when the agitation
seven scholarly papers upon differ-
in the Massachusetts Bay Colony over
ent aspects of theological thought, writ-
ten by as many well-known English di-
the questions respecting the imperiled
vines and Biblical students. It appeared
colonial charter was rapidly approaching
in England in 1860, and made a sensa-
a climax, and the public mind was al-
tion because its writers expressed views
ready feverishly excited, the ministers
which were then deemed radical and dan-
sent out a paper of proposals for collect-
This
gerous. Inasmuch as the writers were in
ing facts concerning witchcraft.
several instances associated with Oxford
resulted three years later (1684) in the
University, the book became known as
production of a work by President In-
the Oxford Essays and Reviews. So
crease Mather of Harvard College, which
was originally entitled (An Essay for
great was the opposition it aroused that
three of the contributors were tried and
the Recording of Illustrious Providences. )
Into this book President Mather had
condemned by an ecclesiastical court; the
known
gathered up all that was
decision being afterwards reversed. The
influence of the volume was fruitful in
could be collected concerning the per-
drawing attention to a broader interpre- leagued with the Devil.
formances of persons supposed to be
It is rather re-
tation of religious truth and the methods
markable to learn from this work that
of modern scholarship. The papers and
modern spiritualistic performances — rap-
their authors were: (The Education of
the World,' by Dr. Frederick Temple;
pings, tippings, trances, second sight,
and the like — were well known to the
Bunsen's Biblical Researches,' by Pro-
fessor Rowland Williams; (On the Study
grave fathers of New England, although
of the Evidences of Christianity,' by Pro-
they unfortunately looked upon them as
far more serious matters than do their
fessor Baden Powell; (Séances Historiques
descendants to-day. The book also con-
de Genève,' (The National Church,' by
tains a remarkable collection of wonder-
the Rev. Henry B. Wilson; On the
ful sea-deliverances, accidents, appari-
Mosaic Cosmogony,' by C. W. Goodwin;
(Tendencies of Religious Thought in Eng-
tions, and unaccountable phenomena in
land, 1688–1750,' by the Rev. Mark Pat-
general; in addition to the things more
tison; and (On the Interpretation of
strictly pertaining to witchcraft. Palfrey
the historian believes that this book had
Scripture,' by Professor Benjamin Jowett.
an unfortunate effect upon the mind and
House
[ousehold of Sir Thomas More, imagination of President Mather's son,
The, by Anne Manning, (1869,) is the Reverend Cotton Mather; and that
written in the form of the diary of the it led him into investigations and publi-
Chancellor's daughter, Margaret. The cations supposed to have had an im-
story, beginning when More is merely a portant effect in producing the disas-
private gentleman, a great lawyer, and trous delusion which followed three years
or
## p. 245 (#281) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
245
so
later, in which Cotton Mather was voyage, to explore the hypothetical Ant-
lamentably conspicuous.
arctic continent. He investigated the speci-
fied latitudes, and sailed farther south
A"
Ibert Nyanza, The: Tue GREAT BASIN than any previous navigator. Having
OF THE NILE AND EXPLORATIONS OF
satisfied himself that no such continent
THE Nile Sources, by Samuel White existed, he turned eastward and discov-
Baker, 1866. The record of over four years'
ered New Caledonia, Georgia, and other
explorations in Africa, from March 1861 to islands. On his return he received many
August 1865, by which the geographical honors, and was elected to the Royal
knowledge of the sources of the Nile was Society. His third voyage was in search
completed. Bruce, ninety years before, had
of the Northwest Passage. Sailing about
found the source of the Blue Nile, and Speke
in the Pacific, he discovered the Sand-
and Grant were about to report finding in
wich or Hawaiian Islands; and then, hav-
the Victoria Nyanza the remotest eastern ing explored the unknown coast of North
source of the White Nile. Baker's explor-
America, he passed through Bering's
ations made known the immense lake, Strait, and surveyed the coast on both
named by him Albert Nyanza, into the
sides. Baffled in his attempt to reach the
northeast corner of which the outlet Atlantic, he returned to winter near
stream from the Victoria empties, and out
Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands, where
from the northern point of which the
he was treacherously murdered by the
White Nile issues to flow through thirty
natives in 1779.
degrees of latitude to the Mediterranean.
The narrative is especially important
The equatorial lake system, by which the
because Cook was animated by the scien-
Nile is fed for ten months in the year,
tific spirit, and made valuable observa-
became fully known when Baker had sup- tions in many departments of science.
plemented the discoveries of Speke and Throughout the book appear the resources
Grant. In a second work of great inter- and courage of the man, and his humane
est, «The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia,' discretion in dealing both with his sail-
Baker completed the true story of the
ors and with the savages; while its publi-
Nile, showing that the annual food by cation gave a new impetus to discovery
which the special agriculture of the Nile
and exploration.
valley is created, would not take place at
all but for the Blue Nile and other Abys- Cotton Kingdom, The, by Frederick
Baker
Law
spent twelve months in exploring all the
of a traveler's observations on cotton
Abyssinian tributaries of the Nile; and and slavery” were published in 1861, be-
he was thus able to give an accurate ac-
ing compiled from three previous works
count of all the sources through which on the same subject, which had originally
nature gives to Egypt, not only a great
appeared as letters to the New York
river all the year round, but an immense Times, between 1856 and 1860. The book,
fertilizing midsummer flood.
written with especial reference to English
readers, was dedicated to John Stuart
Cook's Voyages. The accounts of Cap- Mill. It is intended for the class of per-
tain Cook's three voyages were writ- sons that would consider (Uncle Tom's
ten by as many hands: the first by Dr. Cabin) overdrawn and hysterical, and
Hawkesworth; the second by Cook him- deals exclusively with facts. Authorities
self; while Lieutenant King prepared the are cited, government reports quoted,
third from Cook's notes, and completed names and places specified: everything is
the narrative.
done to make the work convincing.
The first voyage was undertaken in 1768, Though the author began his observa-
to observe the transit of Venus. Having tions in a fair and judicial spirit, he was
made successful observations at Otaheite everywhere impressed with the disadvan-
in the Society Islands, Cook explored the tages of slavery. Even in States like Vir-
South Seas, and determined the insularity ginia, where slaves were generally well
of New Zealand, which had been consid- treated, the economic evils were great,
ered part of a great Antarctic continent. while farther south things were much
He discovered the straits named after
The slaveholding proprietors ex-
him, and amid great dangers explored perienced so much difficulty in managing
the eastern coast of Australia, hitherto their estates that they had no energy for
unknown. In 1772 he started on a second public affairs. There were no good roads,
worse.
## p. 246 (#282) ############################################
246
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
an
un-
and no community life existed. Though honest growler » found much to criti-
the railroad and steamboat had been in- cize. He detested slavery as
troduced, they were operated in a primi- mixed evil, and made it largely respon-
tive and desultory fashion, mails were sible for the prevailing ills. Everywhere
irregular, and intercommunication was he finds plenty of servants and no serv-
uncertain and precarious. Slave labor, of ice. He is astonished at the familiar
course, made free labor unremunerative intercourse between blacks and whites,
and despised, and the poor white lived which however appears to be only toler-
from hand to mouth on the brink of pau- able to the latter as long as their mas-
perism.
In the cotton States the large tership is recognized. He finds that the
plantations were worked with profit, but South has advanced far less in civiliza-
the small ones frequently failed to pay tion than the North since the Revolu-
expenses. In every instance the cost of tion. Shiftlessness prevails everywhere.
maintaining and managing the negroes The slave system seems to enervate the
was so great, and their labor so forced whites, while rendering the blacks child-
and reluctant, that much better results ish and irresponsible. It takes more of
could have been obtained from free labor. the latter than of Northern workmen to
In fact, had there been no other ques- do a given piece of work. In spite of
tion involved, its monstrous wastefulness the abundance of labor, buildings remain
would have condemned slavery. But the out of repair, estates are neglected.
The
moral evils were incalculably great. The farming is unintelligent. There is a
slave was reduced, virtually, to the level surprising quantity of uncultivated land,
of the brute, and all efforts to raise him and of land needlessly impoverished by
morally and intellectually were regarded repeated plantings of the same crop.
as unsafe and revolutionary. He lost the The Southern economic conditions need
good qualities of barbarism, and gained revolutinizing; and already Mr. Olmsted
the vices of civilization, and was deliber- notes their instability, and anticipates the
ately made as helpless as possible. The storm of civil war soon to break.
degradation of the master was even more
deplorable
. His sensibilities were blunted | John Bull and His Island was trans-
by the daily spectacle of brutality, his
from the French of "Max
moral fibre was loosened, and there was O'Rell» (Paul Blouet) in 1884. It is a
no incentive to self-control, since he was humorous exposition of his view of Eng-
subject to no law save his own capricious lish life and character, which by its para-
will.
doxes attracted much attention when
Not only was this book of value at the it appeared. The keen-visioned author
time of its publication, but it is useful at was too fond of exercising his wit to
the present day. It explains how the be impartial. Some of his conclusions,
curse of slavery retarded the industrial drawn from sensational articles in the
development of the South; and by show- daily newspapers, are based upon insuf-
ing the condition of master and negro ficient premises. He presents a carica-
before the emancipation, it affords a bet- ture rather than a portrait, but draws it
ter comprehension of the grave problems so cleverly that even its subject is forced
that confront America to-day.
to recognize his own faults and foibles.
His mockery of the conceited, domineer-
Seaboard Slave ing type of Englishman, always sure that
States, A, by Frederick Law Olm- he is right and others wrong, quibbling
sted, 1856, first appeared as a series of to preserve the letter of truth while
sketches in the New York Times. It is disregarding its spirit, and referring all
the record of a trip made by Mr. Olm- values to a money standard, is sharp
sted at that period, through Virginia, but without bitterness. He hits off the
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, national character in startling paradox;
Alabama, and Louisiana, for the pur- for example, he says that every year
pose of noting the general aspects of «a sum of money is spent in Bibles
those States; and particularly of study- and alcoholic liquors alone, sufficient to
ing the labor and agricultural conditions abolish pauperism and allow every free-
in comparison with those of the North. born Briton to live like a gentleman. ”
His
personal observations, enlivened But he recognizes fairly, too, the physical,
with humorous and anecdotal touches, mental, and moral qualities which make
are supplemented with statistics. This the English strong; and he finds much
Journey in the
## p. 247 (#283) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
247
to admire in their home life and social His general ideas of science led him to
institutions.
supplement his History) with a second
work on "The Philosophy of the Induct-
Conflict of Ages, The; or, The Great
ive Sciences, Founded upon their His-
Debate on the Moral Relations of
tory) (1840. ) This second volume Dr.
God and Man. By Rev. Edward Beecher,
Whewell described as an application of
D. D. (1853. ) A work of departure from
the plan of Bacon's Novum Organum)
strict Calvinistic orthodoxy, in which the
to the present condition of physical sci-
idea was presented of a series of ages,
ence, and as an attempt «to extract
previous to that of the present life, and
from the actual past progress of science
coming after it, the previous one having
the elements of a more effectual and
affected our birth here, and the one yet
substantial method of discovery” than
to come being an opportunity still open
Bacon's.
to us for overcoming evil in our natures
by union with divine good. In the Con- Chemistry, The New, by Professor
cord of Ages,' (1860,) and in his (History
J. P.
Cooke. (Revised Edition,
of Opinions on the Scriptural Doctrine of 1884. ) A book of very exceptional value
Future Retribution, (1878,) Dr. Beecher
as a most interesting literary treatment
further pursued the argument on behalf
of the chief principles of chemistry. It
of Final Restoration.
originated in a popular Lowell Institute
course of lectures delivered in Boston
Conflict between Religion and Sci. in 1872, and published as a book in 1873,
ence, History of the. By Dr. J. the design of which was to develop
W. Draper. (1874. ) One of the earliest the general principles of chemistry in a
attempts by a competent scholar to tell
systematic order, with no more descrip-
the story of science in its slow and diffi- tion of substances and processes than
cult development in ages dominated by the illustration of principles called for.
ecclesiastical authority. The first vent- For this presentation to popular hearers,
ures in research aiming to penetrate the and to readers, Professor Cooke's qual-
secrets of nature encountered the same ifications were higher than those of any
opposition as magic and quack medicine; other modern teacher of chemistry except
and only after long struggle against the Faraday; and his chapters, or lectures,
spirit, of repression, and of persecution form a book as readable as it is in-
even, were the great steps initiating our structive. Ten years after its first issue,
modern science successfully taken. Dr. Professor Cooke not only rewrote many
Draper's ardor as an advocate is on the parts to make a popular exposition of
side of science, and he presses the indict- the actual state of the science, but he
ment against church antagonism to free added much new material, and left a
research with great vigor and wide learn- volume of which it is not too much to
ing. His book is a popular one, very say that it stands before all others as a
readable, and very instructive, with due work opening the gates of science to the
allowance for the possibility that the final general reader, and giving the story of
verdict may be somewhat more lenient chemistry a place in literature. For the
than his towards the church.
studious inquirer it is to be placed by
the side of Faraday's Experimental Re-
Inductive Sciences, History of the, by searches in Electricity. "
William Whewell. (1837. Final edi-
tion, 1857). The story of the progress of Israel, History of, by Ernest Renan.
the physical sciences, from the earliest
Vie de '
Greek beginnings, and from the groping of Jesus, of the most accomplished of
physical science of the Middle Ages, recent authors, the charm of which has
down to a time now sixty years since. carried its sale in France alone to over
Although the book is relatively out of 300,000 copies, came out in 1863; and
date, through the immense progress which was the first of a series of seven vol-
science has made since 1837, and the umes devoted to a review of the origins
greater accuracy and thoroughness with and early development of Christianity,
which parts of the history are known, down to the date in Roman history
yet the ample learning and great ability marked by the death of the Emperor
of Whewell, and the conception which he Marcus Aurelius. Upon the completion
had of the progress of science, gives his of this work M. Renan set himself the
work a permanent interest and value. task of adding, by way of introduction to
## p. 248 (#284) ############################################
248
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
his history of Christian origins, a history The book is powerful, but possesses iittle
of the Jews; and on October 24th, 1891, interest for those readers who do not
he was able to write, at the close of a care for the ethical and ethnical ques-
fifth volume, that the task was finished. tions it discusses.
There are two books ) in each of his
five volumes, and the successive stages
Majesty, by Louis Marie Anne Cou-
perus. This is one of the great
of the history are these: (1) the Israel-
works of modern Dutch fiction, said to
ites in their nomad state, until their
be based on the life of the present Tsar
establishment in the land of Canaan;
of Russia, Nicholas II. Othomar, Crown
(2) the Israelites as settled tribes, until
prince of Liparia, is the son of the
the establishment of the Kingdom of
Emperor Oscar and his wife Elizabeth.
David; (3) the Single Kingdom; (4) the
He is a delicate, nervous, morbid, over-
two kingdoms; (5) the Kingdom of
conscientious boy, who loves his people,
Judah alone; (6) the Captivity in Baby-
but dreads the responsibility one day to
lon; (7) Judæa under Persian Domina-
be his. Oscar, on the contrary, is con-
tion; (8) the Jews under Greek Domina-
tion; (9) Jewish Autonomy; (10) the
fident that majesty is infallible; while
Elizabeth lives in constant terror of an
Jewish People under Greek Domination.
As a philologist of distinction, an ex-
anarchist's bomb, not for herself, but for
her husband and children. Othomar is
pert in the whole field of Semitic stud-
led into a love affair by the Duchess of
ies, a traveler and archæologist familiar
with the scenes and the surviving monu-
Yemena, a beautiful coquette, much older
than himself. He falls ill, is sent away
ments of Palestine, Renan brought ex-
with his cousin Hermann, visits his
ceptional knowledge to the work of
restoring the past of the Israelite race.
grandfather (King of Denmark) Sieg-
fried of Gothland, and is betrothed for
The freedom of his opinions led him
state reasons to the Archduchess Valérie.
away from traditional paths; while the
He wishes to abdicate in favor of his
warmth of his sentiment, often ardently
Jewish, and the richness of his imagina-
younger brother, who however dies, and
tion, gave to the more significant pages
he is forced to take up his burden. Soon
of Hebrew story an illumination rarely
after his marriage, his father is assassi-
nated and he is crowned. The story of
found in sober history.
his noble deeds (a romantic forecast) as
Emperor is told in a second volume,
Jew, The, by Joseph Ignatius Kraszew-
called "The Peace of the World. ) Cou-
ski, is a story of the soil, simply
perus is the leader of the Dutch «sens-
told by one of Poland's best-known writ-
itivists) who within the last fifteen or
When Jean Huba, a Polish exile,
twenty years have revolutionized Dutch
enters a tavern and swoons at the feet
taste. He is still a young man, having
of the guests, Signor Firpo the landlord
been born in 1863. Majesty) was pub-
wishes to send him elsewhere to die;
lished in 1894, and may be regarded
but the stranger regains consciousness,
and finds himself surrounded by a motley
rather as a prose poem than as a novel.
society of Russians, Italians, Poles, Jews, aptain's Daughter, The, by Alexan-
, ,
Danes, and Tsigane (Gipsies), gathered der Pushkin. This story, published
at little tables enjoying themselves. A in 1832, narrates the adventures of a
strange friendship is set on foot be- young officer and his sweetheart, during
tween Jacob Harmon, an educated Jew, Pugachéf's rebellion, in the reign of
and the exile Jean Huba, familiarly Catherine II. Piotr Andreyevich Grinef,
known as Ivas. Their conversation serves son of a wealthy Russian noble, joins the
to put the reader in possession of many army, and is sent to the small fortress of
facts in Jewish history. Jacob under- Byělogorsk. Savelich, an old family serv-
takes to convert Ivas to Judaism; and ant, accompanies him thither, and with
argues well, using politics and philoso- wonderful love and devotion acts the
phy as well as religion for illustrations. part of guardian angel. Captain Mironof,
They agree to return to Poland to im- the commandant, a kindly old soldier,
prove the intellectual condition of the receives him with much affection and
Jews, become involved in political in- offers him the hospitality of his house;
trigues there, and are forced to quit the where Vasilisa his wife, good-hearted but
country. One or two love affairs give inquisitive, oversees the affairs of the
a slight tinge of romance to the story. whole fortress. Piotr and the sweet-faced
ers.
## p. 249 (#285) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
249
one.
daughter Maria soon fall in love; but the strength and beauty of her spiritual
Schvabrin, the girl's rejected lover, causes She loves him, but feels that her
the devoted pair to undergo many trials. duty lies with her aged grandparents;
In time, Emilian Pugachéf, a Cossack, and despite his violent love-making, re-
assuming the title Peter III. , arrives at mains firm in refusing him. At the risk
the fortress with a band of insurgents, of his life, Bruno saves his mother by
among them the traitor Schvabrin; and stopping her runaway horses, and a rec-
overpowering the garrison, captures the onciliation is brought about at last. Bruno
town. Captain Mironof and his wife are next saves Serena's life, and they become
murdered, and Schvabrin, the traitor and engaged. Hagar, a Hebrew woman, who
deserter, is left in charge. Pugachef, loves Bruno and has followed him to
with unexpected gratitude, remember- Ramm, is jealous of Serena and attempts
ing a former kindness of Piotr, pardons to kill her. Failing in this she tries to
him and permits him to leave the town, take her own life, and dies confessing
although Piotr will not swear allegiance. her sin and clearing Bruno's character.
He goes to Orenburg with his servant; Serena and Bruno marry, and the letters
and while there receives a letter from again continue in a pleasant domestic
Maria, who prays for help from Schva- vein. There are many interesting situa-
brin's persecutions. Piotr rescues her, tions in the book, much poetry of thought
and she goes to his parents, who gladly and feeling, besides an atmosphere of
welcome her, while Piotr joins a detach- country life that is most refreshing.
ment of the army under Jurin. Here Miss Bremer has been called the Jane
Schvabrin gives information that leads Austen of Sweden.
to his arrest as a spy and his sentence
as an exile to Siberia. From this fate
Ar
round the World in Eighty Days,
he is saved by Maria, who obtains his by Jules Verne.
Phileas Fogg, a
pardon from the Empress, and he is re- respectable English gentleman of phleg-
leased in time to see Pugachéf hanged matic temperament and methodical hab-
as a traitor. The author, who also wrote its, maintains, during a discussion at his
a serious history of the Pugachéf rebel- club in London, that a man can travel
lion, gives in this delightful romance a around the world in eighty days; and to
very true account of that remarkable up- prove it, he makes a wager of half his
rising.
fortune that he can do it himself in that
time. The bet is accepted, and he starts
Neighbors, The, by Frederika Bremer. the same night, taking his French serv-
The scene of this every-day romance ant Passepartout with him. He wins his
is laid in Sweden, and the descriptions wager, after a series of adventures in
give a delightful glimpse into the domes- which nature, man, accident, and the
tic life of that country.
Franziska Wer- novelist combine to defeat him, but are
ner tells the story by a series of letters all baffled by his unfailing resource, iron
to a distant friend. She has lately mar- will, invincible coolness, and Napoleonic
ried Bear,” a country doctor; and the readiness to sacrifice everything else to
first letters describe her impressions of the one essential point; - everything ex-
her new home, her neighbors, and her cept humanity, in whose behalf he twice
stepmother-in-law. Ma chère mère, as risks defeat, first to save from suttee the
she is called, is an eccentric woman pos- beautiful young Hindoo widow Aouda,
sessed of great ability and an iron will. and second to save Passepartout from
Years before she and her own son Bruno murder by a Chinese mob. His virtue
had quarreled, his fiery temper had is rewarded by success and Aouda.
clashed with hers, and he ran from
home with his mother's curse ringing in Kate Beaumont, by W. De Forest;
his After fifteen years of dissipa- is society in South
tion, he returns under an assumed name Carolina, in the prosperous, chivalrous,
and settles at Ramm, as a new neigh- slaveholding, hard-drinking, quick-shoot-
bor, hoping to win his mother's forgive- ing days before the war. The Beaumonts
ness. He is discovered by Franziska and and McAllisters, each a powerful family,
her husband; and at their house he re- with many ramifications, have been at
news his love for Serena, his childhood's feud with each other for years, till at
friend. She is pure and good, and his last young Frank McAllister comes back
passionate, stormy nature is quieted by from Europe to fall in love with Kate
## p. 250 (#286) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
sence.
was
250
Beaumont. From this point the compli-
But a handsome knight, disguised
cations and perversities of the story begin. as a beggar-woman, manages to gain an
There is much incident, all throwing entrance, and pays court in succes-
light on character, and helping in its sion to Nonchalante and Babillarde, who
evolution, and the book is extremely en- allow themselves to be deceived by his
tertaining: while as a vivid picture of a flattering tongue. Then he attempts to
fading civilization a society in modern woo Finette; but she is not a bird to
America as purely feudal as that of the be caught with such chaff, and she finds
Middle Ages — it is unsurpassed.
an opportunity of dropping him into a
trench, and so gets rid of him. In this
April Hopes, a novel of two young
graceful story, the author endeavors to
people, by W. D. Howells,
prove that distrust is the mother of
published in 1887. In the heroine, Alice
safety, just as idleness is the mother of
Pasmer, he has portrayed the high-bred
all the vices.
New England girl with the Puritan con-
science. The hero, Dan Mavering, a
Harvard graduate of good family, has
Adolphe, a romance by Benjamin Con-
stant. The story has very little
this conscience to contend with in his
incident or action. The whole plot may
wooing of Alice and during his engage-
be summed up in a few words: Adolphe
ment with her. Their most serious mis-
loves Eléonore, and can be happy neither
understandings arise from the girl's iron-
with her nor without her. The beauty
clad code, which makes no allowance
of the author's style and the keenness
for human nature. ” The book is well
and delicacy with which he analyzes cer-
written, exhibiting the author's character-
tain morbid moods of the soul, have
istic realism of style and treatment.
placed this work among the masterpieces
of French literature. The romance is
Dame Care (Frau Sorge), a novel by
Hermann Sudermann, was issued
almost universally believed to be an au-
in 1888. The story follows the life of tobiography, in which Constant narrates
Paul Meyerhofer, a boy at whose cradle
a portion of the adventures of his own
Care seemed to preside. He was born
youth.
on the day his father's estate was sold at
auction. His childhood was spent in pov- Aro a Spring (Autour d'une
erty, his boyhood and youth in hard work.
Source'), by Gustave Droz, is a
He had always before him the spectacle
French idyl of country life in this cen-
of a cowed, suffering mother; of an over-
tury, charming in its truthful presenta-
bearing, shiftless father, whose schemes
tion of a village community. It was
for making money only plunged his family
published in 1869. The hero is the Abbé
in deeper misfortune. His younger sis-
Roche, a middle-aged priest in a mount-
ters, when they grow up, bring disgrace
ain town. He is a man of noble, vigor-
upon him. To save their honor he makes ous nature, and fine presence, with no
enormous sacrifices; in short, his whole
experience of the outside world. To the
career is one of misfortune.
The one
long-untenanted château of Manteigney
brightness of his life is his love for Elsbeth
comes its count, with his pretty young
Douglas, the daughter of his godmother.
wife, a rather light fashionable Parisian,
At the close of the novel it is intimated
whose money has enabled her husband to
that he will marry her, and that «Dame
rehabilitate his ancestral possessions. She
Care," his foster-mother, will not trouble
is a strange, alluring apparition to the
him again. The story, written with
priest, and he loves her, to his sorrow.
much pathos and beauty, is a peculiar
She is a somewhat cynical study
blending of realism and romanticism.
social butterfly. The attraction of the
tale lies in the romantic nobility of
Adven
dventures of Finette, The ("L'A- the Abbé, the poetry with which the coun-
droite Princesse; ou, Les Aventures try scenes are depicted,- the fact that
de Finette'), a novel, by Perrault. This Droz was originally a painter comes out
is the story of the three daughters of a in his picturesque descriptions, and the
European king, who are surnamed, on light touch with which the frivolous folk
account of their characters, Babillarde, of the château are portrayed. The title
Nonchalante, and Finette. The king of the story refers to a medicinal spring
travels to a distant country, and all three that is discovered on the Manteigney es-
are shut up in a tower during his ab- tate.
round
a
## p. 251 (#287) ############################################
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
251
Crime of the
Boulevard, The, a novel,
by Jules Claretie, is the history of
a crime which occurred in Paris, on the
Boulevard de Clichy, in 1896. Pierre de
Rovère is found murdered in his apart-
ment. Bernadet, the police agent, who
has a passion for photography, takes a
picture of the retina of the dead man's
eyes, and finds the image of a man whom
he recognizes at the funeral. He arrests
this person, who proves to be Rovère's
dearest friend, Jacques Dantin. He is,
however, not the real murderer. The
mixture of pseudo-science and sensational
detail in this novel is thoroughly French.
Captain Fracasse, by Théophile Gau-
The scene is laid in France
during the reign of Louis XIII. ; the man-
ners, morals, and language of that age
being carefully depicted. The Château
de la Misère, situated in Gascony, is the
home of the young Baron de Sicognac,
where he lives alone in poverty, with
his faithful Pierre, and his four-footed
friends Bayard, Miraut, and Beëlzebub.
To a troop of strolling players he offers
shelter, they in turn sharing with him
their supper. Falling under the charms
of Isabella, the pretty ingénue of the
troop, he accepts their kindly offer to
continue with them to Paris, where good
fortune may await him. Martamoro, one
of the actors, perishes in the snow; and
Sicognac, ashamed of being a burden to
his companions, takes his place, assuming
the name of Captain Fracasse, and pass-
ing through many adventures on the road.
Isabella returns the love of Captain Fra-
casse, but will not allow him to commit
a mésalliance by making her his wife.
(Captain Fracasse,' although announced
in 1840, was not published until 1863,
when it met with most brilliant success.
Much of the story is borrowed from the
(Roman Comique) of Scarron.
Disciple, The (ʻle Disciple”), by Paul
Bourget, in its eloquent preface,
which is the best part of the book, calls
upon the young men of the present to
shake off the apathy that overcame the
author's own generation after the dis-
heartening siege of 1870. Without this
preface, the reader would be likely to
set the book down as unwholesome, and
not grasp the idea that the character of
the disciple is intended as warning
against the habit of analyzing and ex-
perimenting with the emotions.
The
boy's imagination, drawn out by the
brilliant but often enervating literature
that comes in the way of all university
students, is further stimulated by the
works of an agnostic philosopher, who
treats exhaustively of the passions. The
young man becomes his devoted follower,
and makes a practical application of his
teachings. In a family where he be-
comes a tutor he experiments with the
affection he inspires in a young girl, and
is the direct cause of her death. The
philosopher, recognizing the logical out-
come of his theory that the scientific
spirit demands impartial investigation,
even in the things of the mind and
heart, feels no small remorse. His dis-
ciple escapes the vengeance of the law,
only to fall in a duel with the dead girl's
brother. The recluse, who according to
the journals was the original of the char-
acter of the philosopher, died in Paris in
1896. Unlike the philosopher, he was a
lifelong botanist, devoting all his ener-
gies to that science, so that the points
of resemblance between the real and the
fictitious professor are mostly external.
Both lived near the Jardin des Plantes,
their sole recreation consisting in looking
at the animals. Both held aloof from so-
ciety, never marrying, and practicing the
severest economy.
When an officer of
the Legion of Honor sought the botanist
to confer the red ribbon upon him, he
found that member of the Institute on
the point of cooking his dinner, and un-
willing to admit him to his garret. In
the story, the mice that overrun the gar-
ret, the caprices of Ferdinand, and a pet
rooster kept by the concierge, are the
only enlivening elements. But the holes
and corners in the region of the Jardin
des Plantes, and the exquisite vistas of
the Observatory and Luxembourg Gar-
den, have never been better described.
House of Penarvan, The, by Jules
Sandeau.
