The New York herald., 1874-12-06
THE WINTER NOVELS.

It Is the supreme genius OF George Sand that
makes her novels so dangerous. Her stories are
80 thoroughly absorbing that II is impossible for
the reader lay one down until 1t is finished. II
| George Sand were q coarse woman there would be
| little to fear from her writings. No one but q
woman could write with such delicacy and yet
such tremendous force. George Sand under
stands the passions that tear the human breast
better than any OF the modern writer's that am
acquainted with,n remarks Miss Rachel who is
verging upon the uncertain age ana has had her
own experiences.
''MY SISTER JEANNE"
Felicia, who reads novels almost entirely for the
story, readily agrees with Miss Rachel, but for her
part 1t Is the plot and the characters that the
most interesting. She says:-"Jeannie Is GER
talnlY q lovely girl, but too sentimental for my
taste. / think 1t a little unnatural that she
should fall SO desperately in love with
boy whom she had lived with as brother.
To be sure, she had long suspected that
she was not the daughter OF NINE. Biesa, in
which case Laurent would not be-her brother.
wonder that Nine. Blesa did not fathom Jeannie's
heart. Perhaps she did. and tnat was the reason
that she did not press her to accept one o. the
many suitors who besought her hand.n
sLaurent's love for Manuela, whom he had
never seen, is very natural" adds Fred; IL have
experienced passions OF that kind myseIu
''Poor ManuelaW signs Miss Rachel, show weak
yet how strong Her life with Sir Richard must
have been utterly miserable, Notwithstanding his
kindness. or course she loved him. but what was
her returns II the right man had married
Manuela in the first place he might have made
something OF her. ALI she needed was the right
sort OF love. She was capable Of bestowing great
heart full upon some one; but II was no more than
natural that she should want little in return.
H. ~ toll in Iovo
and how thoroughly consistent her running
away with vlanner'
81 wonder,n muses. Felicia, 'ff Laurent was not
half in love with Jeannie even before he dscov.
cred that she was not his sister,"
.Felicia, fear that you lose the best part OF
George Sand in your eagerness alter the storyn
says Miss Rachel. "Do you ever stop to consider
what wonderful writer she Is; how full her books
are OF lfe's philosophy; how she goes down into
the deepest abysses OF the heart and brings its
innermost secrets to the surfaces Are you not
filled with admiration at the beautiful language
with which she clothes her thoughts; at the wit
that nashes through the pages like diamonds on
velvet background You lose a great deal, my
Felicia; George sand is more than q story tellern
"a TERRIBLE sECRETn
| The title, "a Terrible Secretn (Carleton) was
entirely TOO sensational for Miss Rachel, and
nothing would induce her to read she pooK.
Felicia, who never stopped at anything in the
shape OF novel, read the story through, and then
gave her cousin the benefit OF her opinion. 'The
story Is not half 30 startling as its name mpiies
To be sure 1t could hardly be called tale OF every
day life. yet there are some natural bits in It. The
strange insanity In the Catheron family which led
the to murder their wives II they particularly
| dotted on them is not consistent with average
human nature. The devotion or Inez Catheron to
her cousin, Sir Victor, Is really touching That she
should be willing to be branded as q murderess to
/ save his good name, although he sighted her to
marry Miss Dobb, the beautiful daughter OF
soap boiler, partakes, indeed, OF the heroic When
the son OF old Sir Victor appears upon the scene
and visits America, thinking that his father is
dead the story becomes quite interesting. The
stuart family, whom he meets here ana Edith
Darrel, with whom he falls In love, are really ex-
ceIlent types OF a certain class OF Americans New
York is full OF just such girls as Beatrix stuart
Jolly, good-natured ana little rough. You and I
not so dreadful after all. think IL unnatural for
| girl IKE Edith Darrell TO have married Sir Victor
| while she loved her cousin, Charley Smart so
dearly; but, poor girl, her nigh marriage did not
| do her much good. The very day they were mar
ried sir Victor had twnge OF the family insanity.
| BRIDE lies down TO take nap while the
| groom goes out to smoke a cigar. When he
| returns ne sees bis wife sleeping and he loves her
so intensely that he knows that he Will kill her II
| ne stays there. so he writes a hasty note and ls
| of In the next train. When Edith wakes up she
derstands that she Is deserted, refuses his prof.
| Tered money with scorn and goes out as shop
grI. lime dies; she meets Str Victor. and he begs