694 



The Review of Reviews. 



,uain, as the HtUe pic.^e of t.e^ Chipn^. is powe^ul^ U '^ -;--,:-,-- ,;^:^1:; 

 fdf;Tth"eboorLyVcon tf^es gloo.y, thus appreciated b^^ the viv.d, 



/ne contribution to our information about China. alert, and clear v.s.on of a Frenchwoman. 



SOME FAMOUS SWEDISH 

 AUTHORESSES.* 



This is the first volume of a series of studies 

 in French upon the European women writers of 

 to-day. Madame Cruppi has undertaken a great 

 enterprise, for she does not hide the fact that 

 she hopes thus to achieve a synthesis of femmme 

 activities. The author intends to pass in review 

 the notable women of letters now living. The 

 plan is so vast that one might fear to find in 

 this volume some superficiality. Not so; the 

 Swedish Press recognised at a glance that the 

 authoress is profoundly penetrated by the spirit 

 of the country, and it is no slight success on 

 the part of a Frenchwoman to have so portrayed 

 Swedish souls that they can recognise the like- 

 ness themselves. Madame Cruppi says :— _ 



" If the Sweden of to-day attracts us, it is 

 because this country of firm consciences, intense 

 inner Ufe and inexhaustible imagination offers 

 an element of which our French souls confusedly 

 feel a need. At another time we may drink 

 from other streams, but to-day, tired of the hard 

 positivism in the moral and social sphere, of an 

 often brutal realism in the artistic world, it de- 

 lights us to plunge our eyes in those limpid blue 

 eyes which reflect the depths of the soul rather 

 than the shape of things." This idealism of 

 the Swedish race Madame L. Cruppi shows in the 

 diverse personalities whose lives she relates, for 

 she does not confine herself to a literary study, 

 she brings her heroines forward, describes their 

 characters, their fights against their surround- 

 ings, and moral physiognomy. Of the country 

 itself, which she doubtless knows well, Madame 

 Cruppi gives a picturesque description. " Selma 

 Lagerhof lived in Vermland in the heart of 

 Sweden. The great roadless forests, the innu- 

 merable boatless lakes, the desert plains on the 

 soil of which sleeping pools reflect the clouds, 

 and great flights of birds or fragments of the 

 heaven posed upon the earth ; this vast country 

 where the human habitations form little islands 

 in the midst of the immensity, the sovereign soli- 

 tude, she has peopled them with a world of 

 phantoms, terrible or gracious." 



From their fine writings Madame L. Cruppi 

 has made numerous and well-chosen quotations, 

 which permit the reader who does not know 

 these Swedish authors to appreciate their 

 genius, thus giving a complete idea of this 

 Swedish movement, ■t ruly rich, varied and 



* Femmes Ecrivains D'Aiijotird'hui. By 

 Louise Cruppi. (Artheme Fayard. 4 francs.) 



A GREAT TORY. 



This second volume of Mr. Monypenny's great 

 work* is of practical, present interest. It takes 

 in the years from 1837 to 1846, and deals, not 

 only with the most vigorous part of his life, com- 

 mencing with his first Parliamentary speech, but 

 with a course of public affairs during those 

 years, which has a singular bearing upon present 

 day politics; the Poor Law, the Tariff System, 

 and Home Rule for Ireland being the prominent 



topics. 



As is well known, Disraeli was not always a 

 good party follower, and the story of his deal- 

 ings with Sir Robert Peel contributes a valuable 

 chapter to our political history. 



The letters give an amusing account of 

 Disraeli's maiden speech, which was practically 

 unheard because of the uproar in the House. 

 " All organ'sed by the Rads and the Repealers, 

 they formed a compact body near the bar of the 

 House and seemed determined to set me down." 

 That Ihev did not do. although hisses, groans, 

 hoots, cat-calls, drumming with the feet, loud 

 conversation, and imitation of animals show- 

 that the House could indulge in horse play in 

 1837 as well as in iqi2. Disraeli continued on 

 his feet for the exact time he had calculated his 

 speech would take him, occasionally getting in 

 a word apropos when there was a lull in the 

 noise. One sentence, " In one hand the keys of 

 St. Peter and in the other "... got no further 

 because of a renewed interruption and caused 

 much curiositv as to the finish. Called upon by 

 the Attornev-General the next day to fit in the 

 ending words, Disraeli said they were " the Cap 

 of Liberty." The story of Disraeli's engage- 

 ment, the one quarrel, and his marriage is 

 keenlv Interesting. The reader would be wise, 

 however, to provide himself with copies of 

 " Coningsby " and " Sybil " in order to get the 

 full value of the biography itself, and of the 

 clever analysis of these two books, which abound 

 in allusions to the politics of the day. 



Two things we do learn from Disraeli's story : 

 the power that is given by patient, unflagging, 

 vet intense resolve, and a wonderful picture of 

 the social condition of the England of those days. 

 The public and the Trustees will alike regret 

 the loss of Mr. Monv penny before the finish of 

 a task which had so well advanced under his 

 care. 



*The Life of Disraeli. By W. F. Monypenny. 

 (John Murray. 12s. net.) 



