New-York tribune., 1876-08-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
WORKS OF FICTION.


qTt;s HsE,,Iy NT's VIFs; or HI BL,NpEETD. BY -
w IcSss.oS Is VIsSNa" l2no FP i24 Boston frhtei
As 'TrGoT5> Ks SIZE LIVED By 7. W. ROBINSON svO'
pgg iS ojT 5!pST p6yEfMES By JOHN sAuMERs syO.
P9. rs. Harper hrctBfS. . -
The author Of the merchants VIE caiis
his story Political Romance OF Our Day ont peyond
,,c c,rcalsncc that one character is Senator, and
Inc other "a s;atesnans daughter" these Is nothing
,olt.cl about t. The narrative cast in such loos"
form thai v lave difficulty IN ascertainnE that IL
isa s.c'y-or rather Ssetch-Cf inc1mpahbiIty oi ha
turrs m a Uai4ied couple. IL seems 10 have been WIT
tet a person OF considerable ini nnaton hhO"Ie-o'
aud exycIlcco o' society," but ignorant, or regardless
Of t,e Laws OF literary art. Without the latter only
strong or gin& genius might hope to command
hearing There is next 10 no plot, ana Il
CORRESPONDING lack of Incident ana "f''o
there should have been careful stadcN N CHARACTER W
balance tai, deficiency we hay" only ftSlnel'S s"'
tered "a ~ random among descriptions OF luxurious iui-
niturc The author dspltys literary neNper4ehce III
o'stracua Use OF itahcized words less than III pro
tert,ls display Of unnecessary French pLras's' We
might overlook this fault Il he were not hilsfli t' u
spariug critic OF AGiericsn life ana mahheS' I'D az
essay upon this suuect iHc!uded III Tue Foiaui,' nc
especially condemns trotension and Nusarlty "ile IL
ustr.ns the Irst lave indicated, ana tie latter
IN such PIN asses as spreadcagle hurry and o-ahent'Ve
ness" Yet nc lamcnts that careless o. rlannes
and inelcgt in specc LIVING in Boston, he speaks OF
"T:elary aud AIT coteries where awiess eeds hoS e
ratic sway and brooks conventional tics ~ hch'e he
does not consider such cstcros belonging 10 ooee!
Here however. is an opinion which wo can accept n
man who finds himself ~ home in roSi'ion fhe'
sc, uis bos no business 20 be there" The author OF
"Thc Nerciaups Wife is certainly not at home III Lit
euture.
Whether story is particularly worth tchas or not
Mfr Robinson always knows how 10 tell H. TIC LHS
positive rft OF narrative aud great skill IN arranging anu
oontrastns his situations AS Long a. She Lived Is
not one of best stories yet it is harGy less enter
tain M for that re lSon The Eer0ne is al indePchde
,np,lsr IN rican girl who rejects advice and gets
INTO much trouble the hero is moody, Dgentie u the
verge of rudcncSsin fact ildor tyne 81 MI Rochester
ard il Is net elite clear why the two shold CONE 10
tov oacn other We fo,csce from the start that they wi
and are prepared to fad yGia reasons as We 20 oh&i
these not being dscoye-able forced to assume
that they love because the author intends T. Tie IO'
esrecaIly IN the continued finding OF Wills and the IN
sanity of the young OF the story Is careessy con
struc.cd; but il closes just before the reader grows I'm
pat.ent and all cyon the bad CEaracters) are happy
forever after work, ike all others OF the same
euthor wEich we tlvc read made acceptable by l'a
lively and thoroughly entertaining style
Mr. John Saunders after attaching himself 10 Ltca-
ture Is publisher 80 years ago, seems determined l"
maze himself known novelist before Le 'uce Il t'
usual period Of Intellectual a"tiTity nhi growth were
hundred instead fifty years, lie might succeed II G'
ing very respectable place; for lis works show care
minute observation and earnest effort TO master the
secret Of romano writing. "Isrel Mort. OvcrnGE IS
IN some essential respects Es best work The principal
character is very stpDugy and consistently draw" dhu'
the very last Page, when he suddenly becomes rhe-
nomenou. Years ago, VIXEN the production OF hON'!s
vas al ont oucicth Of the present supply such eNaE
serated tran sformations of human nature were TO be
e,pectcd. but the device las been worn so
tireadbare that We are longer moved When
some hard selfish and cruel heart throws of the habit OF
life and in the Vinfung Of an eye becomes miracle
OF humanity and agnanuaty. "IsToe Mott Is 4 story
OF lie in the coal mines Of Vale, which Is described Win
force and yyiGncss DAT COalC only have come rom
actual knowledge. Tle loyes:6ry which IL blended VIII
tho fortunes of tho grim . errntn Is rather weak and
,,echauca. yoI,ur David Mo-t docs not hold the read
ers interest and his sweetheart, Nest Is merely lay
Azure to hang a little emotion uHn The Strength OF
the story lies ~ admirable delneatcI-i'P to ecr
tain pont-of the mingled force, niide and shie"dnes
of lsrae, Mort himself.