The scene of this new "American novel" is laid in Washington, and the author has evidently enjoyed exceptional opportunities for getting behind the scenes as well as before the footlights. Its hero is a Senator, compounded of the worst characteristics of several well-known Senators living and dead; and, while intensely disgusted with the entire "dance of Democracy" as exhibited at the seat of government, it is against the Senate that the author appears to feel the bitterest animosity. Here is a characteristic passage: "A certain secret jealousy of the British Minister is always lurking in the breast of every American Senator, if he is truly democratic; for democracy, rightly understood, is the government of the people, by the people, for the benefit of Senators, and there is always a danger that the British Minister may not understand this political principle as he should." This comes early in the story; at a later stage the author is too angry to be epigrammatic, and vents her contempt in this style: "Every one remarked how much he [Ratcliffe, the hero of the story] was improved since entering the Cabinet. He had dropped his senatorial manner. His clothes were no longer congressional, but those of a respectable man, neat and decent. His shirts no longer protruded in the wrong places, nor were his shirt-collars frayed or soiled. His hair did not stray over his eyes, ears, and coat like that of a Scotch terrier, but had got itself cut. Having overheard Mrs. Lee express on one occasion her opinion of people who did not take a cold bath every morning, he had thought it best to adopt this reform, although he would not have had it generally known, for it savored of caste. He made an effort not to be dictatorial, and to forget that he had been the Prairie Giant, the bully of the Senate. In short, what with Mrs. Lee's influence and what with his emancipation from the Senate-chamber with its code of bad manners and worse morals, Mr. Ratcliffe was fast becoming a respectable member of society whom a man who had never been in prison or in politics might safely acknowledge as a friend." This passage, whose malice is so great as to defeat its own object, will serve to explain if not to justify our estimate of the book. Its cleverness can not be denied-is very remarkable, in fact; but more than cleverness will hardly be conceded to it. The satire is pungent, at times poignant, but after all the result is vituperation rather than delineation-it is as if little Miss Mowcher had set herself to portray the "nobility and gentry " with whose superficial foibles she was so volubly familiar. spite of its aristocratic air of cosmopolitan ease and Moreover, in man-of-the-world experience, there is more than a suspicion of callowness about it-of that state of mind which it has become fashionable to characterize as "provincial." The author evidently supposes that the "Court" at Washington is the only Court where dullness, and vapid routine, and vulgar display have been the rule; thus revealing not only a lack of opportunity for personal comparisons, but a lack of acquaintance with historical facts which Saint-Simon, and De Tocqueville, and Taine, and 575 the world. sort-and "Democracy" is extremely amusing-but scription edition of Irving's works, Mr. Charles Dudley Warner's essay on Washington Irving has been combined with Mr. Bryant's well-known oration, and with a chapter of reminiscences by the late Mr. G. P. Putnam, and issued in a separate volume for the benefit of those who are already provided with satisfactory editions of Irving.* RegardMr. Warner's essay appears to better advantage than ed as a general introduction to the Irving literature, when regarded as an independent essay or study. It brings together in convenient form the well-known facts of Irving's career; it arranges them in an animated and pleasing narrative; and it comments upon the successive productions of Irving's genius in a manner which will prove helpful to the reader who it contributes nothing fresh to our knowledge of comes to them unprepared by previous reading; but Irving, in the way either of biographical fact or of critical interpretation. A fair summary of its qualities will be given when we say that as biography it is very good indeed; and that as criticism it is robustly sensible and appreciative, but not to our sense delicately discriminating. Mr. Bryant's "Discourse Irving," delivered before the New York Historical on the Life, Character, and Genius of Washington Society in 1860, a few months after Irving's lamented death, is a well-known performance, and ranks mirable both as oratory and as criticism, and conamong the happiest efforts of its author. It is adout with more elaboration. Mr. Putnam's "Recoltains the germs of much that Mr. Warner has worked lections of Irving" are somewhat meager and tenuous, but are interesting as far as they go, and add some intimate domestic touches to the portrait of the gentle author. The book, as a whole, is one which readers of Irving's works will be glad to have at hand. PREPARED as an introduction to the new sub It is in no small degree creditable to "Gath" and to journalism that, in the midst of his exacting labors as a Washington correspondent," he has found the time and the inclination to produce a series of sketches so imaginative, so romantic, so genial in sentiment, and so picturesque in description as the "Tales of the Chesapeake." Most of these tales, as we gather from the brief prefatory note, have previously appeared in different forms; * Studies of Irving. By Charles Dudley Warner, but for most readers probably, as for ourselves, they will possess the charm of novelty, in addition to that more lasting charm which comes from their fine and distinct literary flavor. Of the twenty-seven pieces which the little book contains, fourteen, including the highly poetic and graceful "Introduction," are in verse-the rest being in prose, which itself not seldom " werges on the poetical," as Mr. Wegg would say. Nearly all, both in prose and verse, are suffused with that local color which constitutes a principal charm of such writing, and some possess the genuine legendary flavor. The Eastern Shore of Maryland would soon become classic ground under such treatment; and even Washington takes on a new and more winning aspect when contemplated from the view-point of "Crutch, the Page." To everything that he touches, Mr. Townsend imparts a certain imaginative heightening; and those who are not convinced by his "Introduction" that he is a genuine poet should turn to his closing verses on "Old St. Mary's." The charm of this latter piece is indescribably romantic, caressing, and tender, as witness the following stanza : A fruity smell is in the schoolhouse lane ; The clover bees are sick with evening heats; A few old houses from the window-pane Fling back the flame of sunset, and there beats The throb of oars from basking oyster fleets, And clangorous music of the oyster-tongs Plunged down in deep bivalvulous retreats, And sound of seine drawn home with negro songs. . . In the preface to his "Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer," Mr. Peter H. Burnett, the author, says: “I was born a pioneer, as Nashville at the date of my birth was but a small village, and Tennessee a border-State, but thinly populated. I have been a pioneer most of my life; and whenever, since my arrival in California, I have seen a party of immigrants with their ox-teams and white-sheeted wagons, I have been excited, have felt younger, and was for the moment anxious to make another trip. If the theory of Symmes had been proven by time to be true, and had a fine and accessible country been discovered at the north or south pole before I attained the age of sixty, I should have been strongly tempted to organize a * Recollections and Opinions of an Old Pioneer. By Peter H. Burnett, First Governor of the State of California. New York: D. Appleton & Company. 12mo, pp. 448. party of emigrants for that distant region." This passage is a fairly accurate summary both of the author's character and of the reminiscences of his long and adventurous life. Born on the borders when the "border" was still east of the Mississippi, Mr. Burnett led the advancing wave of population first to Missouri, then by ox-cart across the continent to Oregon, where he was one of the earliest settlers, and then to California when the discovery of gold summoned thither all such bold and adventurous spirits; and the author is not mistaken in thinking that the record of his own life throws valuable light upon the history of the Western and Pacific States. The "Recollections" are somewhat rambling and discursive in subject and style, but in general they are highly readable. The author is particularly good at telling a story, and his narrative of the Donner Lake tragedy contains details which we have not seen in any previous version. .. The Napoleon "boom," to borrow a phrase from the political vocabulary, is not likely to suggest a more interesting revival than that of the "Memoirs of Napoleon, his Court and Family," by the Duchess d'Abrantes, which have been long out of print and are practically unknown to the present generation of readers. The Duchess enjoyed very exceptional opportunities for such work as she undertook, and though her "Memoirs " seldom rise above the level of chit-chat and gossip, yet they deal with such a throng of illustrious personages, and with such momentous events, that their interest and value are scarcely impaired by the lack of literary skill on the part of the author. It is particularly interesting to compare them on certain points with the recently published "Memoirs of Madame de Rémusat." The Duchess retained to the last those generous illusions regarding Napoleon which were dissipated after a time by Madame de Rémusat's more piercing vision; and she presents the other side-the rose-color aspect-of those traits and occurrences which Madame de Rémusat criticises with such asperity. Read together, the two versions furnish the needful correction to each other, and enhance each other's interest: the masculine vigor and conciseness of Madame de Rémusat being admirably complemented by Madame Junot's copious and picturesque embroidery. |