Adele Dubois Part 27

PIQUE:

A Tale of the English Aristocracy.

Three thousand eight hundred and seventy-six new books were published in England this last year, which is about the average number of past years.

Thirteen years ago PIQUE was first published in London, and up to the present time, notwithstanding the enormous number of new books that have been issued, the effect of which is to crowd the old ones out of sight, this remarkable novel has continued to have a large sale.

This is the strongest praise that can be bestowed on any book.

It is not in the least "sensational", but relies solely on its rare beauty of style and truthfulness to nature for its popularity.

It has the merit of being amusing, pleasantly written, and engrossing.

The characters being high-bred men and women, are charming companions for an hour's solitude, and one puts the book aside regretfully, even as one closes the eyes on a delicious vision.

The American edition has taken everyone by surprise, that so remarkably good a novel should have so long escaped attention.

Everybody is charmed with it, and its sale is immense, and will endure for years to come.

FAITH GARTNEY'S GIRLHOOD.

By the Author of "Boys at Chequa.s.set".

This charming story fills a void long felt for something for a young girl, growing into womanhood, to read.

It depicts that bewitching period in life, lying between FOURTEEN and TWENTY, with its n.o.ble aspirations, and fresh enthusiasm.

It is written by a very accomplished lady, whose previous book was universally p.r.o.nounced to be "the best Boys' book written".

A lady of rare culture, and wide experience, says,--

"'Faith Gartney's Girlhood,' is a n.o.ble, good work, that could only have been accomplished by an elevated mind united to a chaste, tender heart. From the first page to the last, the impression is received of a life which has been lived; the characters are genuine, well drawn, skilfully presented; they are received at once with kind, friendly greeting, and followed with interest, till the last page compels a reluctant farewell.

"'The book is written for girls, growing as they grow to womanhood.'

The story has an interest, far beyond that found in modern romances of the day, conveyed in pure, refined language; suggestive, pleasing thoughts are unfolded on every page; the reflective and descriptive pa.s.sages are natural, simple, and exquisitely finished.

"In these days, when the tendency of society is to educate girls for heartless, aimless, fact.i.tious life, a book like this is to be welcomed and gratefully received. Wherever it is read, it will be retained as a thoughtful, suggestive--if silent--friend".

_Parents, give it a wide circulation_.

Margaret and her Bridesmaids.

BY THE AUTHOR OF

"The Lady of Glynne", "Mr. and Mrs. Ashton", "Valley of a Hundred Fires", "The Ladies of Lovel Leigh", "The Challenge", "The Queen of the County".

This talented auth.o.r.ess ranks first among the successful female novel writers of England. Her books are immensely popular there; edition after edition of each has been called for, and the announcement of a new one from her pen creates a new demand, and increases the popularity of what has been published. By an arrangement with her and her English publishers, all her books are to be brought before the American public, where she is almost wholly unknown, except to the readers at LORING'S CIRCULATING LIBRARY, and they are enthusiastic over them.

"Margaret and Her Bridesmaids" is the one chosen to introduce her with, as this, she writes me, has enjoyed the greatest popularity in England. This will be followed by "THE QUEEN OF THE COUNTY", and the others, as fast as compatible.

It is the history of four school-girls.

The _London Athenaeum_, the highest literary authority, says of it: "We may save ourselves the trouble of giving any lengthened review of this book, for we recommend all who are in search of a fascinating novel, to read it for themselves. They will find it well worth their while. There is a freshness and originality about it quite charming, and there is a certain n.o.bleness in the treatment, both of sentiment and incident, which is not often found. We imagine that few can read it without deriving some comfort or profit from the quiet good sense and un.o.btrusive words of counsel with which it abounds".

The story is very interesting. It is the history of four school-fellows. Margaret, the heroine, is, of course, a woman in the highest state of perfection. But Lotty--the little, wilful, wild, fascinating, brave Lotty--is the gem of the book, and, as far as our experience in novel reading goes, is an entirely original character--a creation--and a very charming one. No story that occurs to our memory contains more interest than this for novel readers, particularly those of the tender s.e.x, to whom it will be a dear favorite.

We hope the auth.o.r.ess will give us some more novels, as good as "Margaret and her Bridesmaids".

TWICE LOST.

A NOVEL.

By S.M., Author of "Linnet's Trial".

Read the Opinions of the English Press.

Another first-rate novel by a woman! The plot well conceived and worked out, the characters individualized and clear-cut, and the story so admirably told that you are hurried along for two hours and a half with a smile often breaking out at the humor, a tear ready to start at the pathos, and with unflagging interest, till the heroine's release from all trouble is announced at the end. *** We heartily recommend the book to all readers. It is more full of character than any book we remember since Charles Reade's "Christie Johnstone".--_Reader_.

"Twice Lost" is an entertaining novel; the struggle between the high-spirited, generous, half-savage heroine, and her specious, handsome, unprincipled, _soi-disant_ father, is exciting; and the sympathy of the reader is cleverly enlisted for the heroine, Lucia, from the first moment. The personages have all of them a certain look of reality, and there is a notion of likeness which insures the reader's interest. We can recommend "Twice Lost" as a novel worth reading.--_Athenaeum_.

By far the cleverest book on our list is "Twice Lost".... This is bold and skilful drawing, and it is a fair sample of the earlier half of the volume. The combined vigor, ease, and perspicuity of the writing is unusual.--_Guardian_.

Nothing can be better of its kind than the first portion of "Twice Lost".... The caustic humor and strong common sense which mark the sketches of character in this book, betray a keenness of observation and apt.i.tude for producing a telling likeness with a few strokes, which need only a wider cultivation to secure a more complete success than has been attained in "Twice Lost".--_Westminster Review_.

It is quite clear that the author has given a good deal of thought to the construction of the story, with a view to producing strong interest without the use of the common sensational expedients. To say that "Twice Lost" is very well written, and very interesting, would not be doing it justice.--_Morning Herald_.

There can be no doubt of the author's power. She holds her characters and incidents well in hand, writes firmly, and often very happily, and there are many pa.s.sages which indicate power much above mediocrity.--_London Review_.

Not very often do we meet with a novel so thoroughly good as "Twice Lost". If, as may be a.s.sumed from both subject and style, its author is a woman, she may at once be cla.s.sed with the Bronte sisters and George Eliot. She has the firm conception and distinct touch of the first-cla.s.s artist. Her characters are real and individual.--_Press_.

This is a well-written romantic tale, in which we find many pleasing incidents and some successful portraiture of character. The character of Miss Derwent, the companion and governess of the heroine, Miss Langley, is very well developed in the course of the narrative. The moral tone of the book is very good, and so far as religious matters are touched upon, they are treated with propriety and reverence.-- _English Churchman_.

The characters are well drawn--the situations are new, the sentiments are unsentimental, and the incidental remarks those of a clever woman who is reasonable and tolerant.--_Globe_.

The plot of this tale is an original one, and well worked out.... We can sincerely recommend this tale; it is quite out of the general run of books, and is sure to prove an interesting one.--_Observer_.

We notice this story because its auth.o.r.ess will one day, we believe, produce a powerful novel.--_Spectator_.