New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-26
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TIVE NEW NOVELS


pp as. Henry Holt a co. .,
.THE DILEMMA Novel by The Author o. The Battle
Of Dorking" $40 PIP. l7S. Harper hro'hefS
leah MORDEcAl. Novel. BY Mrs. BELLE hENDiCk
LA AsBorG l2mo rp. .Ss. Baker. Pratt a. Co
George Eliot's place in English literature has been
gradually and fairly won. In her earliest works she
made the reader sensible of her large and high IDEAL
of achievement and all she has since done Illus
trates the unsefsh earnestness with which she Gu
deayors to attain It. In ROmoa" she first rose to
the level of comparison with the best modern writers
OF fiction the work was not publishers success,
but out of it the great and deserved success OF
"Niddleuarch" She has now reached that vantage
ground which secures the respect of the critic and
the universal interest of the public for anything she
may write. Recognizing this fortune, she must feel
free 10 give her Tpest finest, broadcast views of ire
through the medium If her romantic creations. II is
hardly reasonable, perhaps. to expect All inme,l-
ate advance upon the many rare and admirable
qualities of MiddcmaIch," but we are at least JUS
titled in anticipating equally careful studies OF char
acter and skill in their contrast and evolution In
"Dauiel Derouda" We find all this, and even some
thing more-a vclier grace, "A more secure freedom
IN the descriptive and conversational passages' Oh
the other hand that feature which was generally
extolled in MiddIemarch," although it became
obtrusive long before the cose-the hablt OF
infinitely Analysing the motives of her characters-is
even more pronounced in the present work. Occa-
is Immediately followed by its philosophical eXplt-
nation, much III the manner of a lecturer WHO III
drawing ferns illustrate the laws of beauty gives
us their anatomy at the same tire. This results
from an over-cultvatOp-c certainly from an over
refinemeDt-of the artistic faculty. 1t Is well
enough for the author to justify every detail 10 hef
SELF but not necessary that the reader also should
hear it, He enjoys the exercise of his Own insight,
and never objects to little analysis OF
his own in book the solid value OF
which he acknowledges. George EtOts characters
are distinct and consistent long ~ they act and
meet and talk Lut when she bids them stand aside
and let her interpret them to us. we are often itte
bewildercd by tie very length and mnuteness OF
her dissections Her illustrations. too, drawn from
every field Of know dge are oftcu so reconcile that
they oblige us to stop and work them out like so
many problems When. for instance, she says;
His features kept that Undesirable look of sub
dued activity which often accompanies Il new NEIL
tai survey of familiar facts" obliged TO ask
ourselves what such expression is; then, hndine
than we cannot it on our own faces ncr reueni-
Der it on the face OF friend we fall back on the
wayne and unsatisfactory impression of " subdued
activity" Here IS a passage winch is confused 10
the very verge of inconprehenslbility -.
But GrandcOurts hair though lie had not much OF II,
OF fine sunny blonde ana his oo1s were hGt
have strange spiritual chemistry going on within us, 80
that lazy sagnaOn OF even a coltOny mlAlncss may
BE- preparing knows not what btng or eA lnsive
material The navy waking from sleep ana without
malice Eeaving stone 10 crush the ic out Oh ID, s.i
sleeping conrad, is understood to lack the trained mo
tive winch makes character fairy calcuiaOle I'D u"
actions but by roundabout course even gentleman
may make OF himself chaney pcrsOnIge, raising an ui
certainty ~ what he may d0 next which sadly sPos
cOmpan0nshlp.
1t is surprising to find such blemishes in so excel
lent an artist. The first half of Daniel Deronda"
appears to contain all the elements of the story but
much less than half the plot The character of
Gwendolen is drawn with mastery skill, aud we find
her in all respects superior to the D0i0thea Oh
4" Middlemarch" Grandcourt has a little IN common
with Casaubon, but he is distinct individual, and
by no means the ay-hgure which he would certainly
have become i'll most other hands. Daniel himself
still remains shadowy, and We cannot even guess
what leading part be is set to play but the threads
of a new interest already in process OF spinning,
and the last chapters describing jewish family III
London are among the most picturesque and or!Si-
nal in the volume AS the story now seems to be
laid out it promises much action and many strong
dramatic situations. There is living writer OF
fiction who inspires with more confidence IN the
ability TO fulfill Indicated designs than George io1'
The title "A New Godiva" has the air of being
merely a trick to catch the attention OF the public
The incident--that of arlstocratic lady being
forced by want and devotion 10 her sick husband to
sit as a painters models very delicately hinted
not described, and its results, although the most Is
made of them are rather awkwardly interviewer
with the nam of the plot. The mora OF the
story is that good blood will always show ITSELF
and that its possessor, III spite OF Incredible reckless
ness. blindness, prejudice and cruelty, may alwayo
recover his good fortune and then be happy forever
after Arthur DeveTcU, heir TO a title and t2O,OOO
year, marres the supposed daughter OF "A game
keeper whom his aunt has educated III the most per
feet style. Succeeding to the baropetcy and Estate
ho filings his money to the winds, signs documents
without reading them, allows no check 10 his DC
sres and becomes a pauper before he KNOWS IL.
Brought to the verge of death by disease and stary
ton he is saved by the self-sacriiice OF his wife,
which his subsequent conduct shows was a mistake
on her part He discovers that she has been u
model brushes her with his aristOcratic scOrn, and
rushes away 10 Australia. After two shIpwrecks
and An encounter with highwaymen, he comes back
penitent, his hands full of papers which restore to
him the possession Of his estates, and finds that ms
wife is really the granddaughter of Admiral Sir
John Bolt. and of as good blood himself. Tears
kisses an heir and the purchase Of the now precious
p,cure of Godiva" form the closing tableau. There
are two other lively couples, bOtn OF whom marry III
tho early chapter, which is rather apty for we
find their coutship quite diyertng. All the scenes
are very fairly drawn, and the book IS quite as en-
tertainipg as the average of new novels 1t will
serve admirably TO I'll two Idle hours and then 10 be
forgotten.
Mr. Hardy's former work, Far from tho Mad
ding Crowd" in spite Of the Alteration OF Tie htie,
lifted hn from the sntl0nal writers OF nction
into the ranks of tie lsw who have skill enough 10
select new fields and fresh types of character There
is a healthy odor, as OF clover, ripe apples, or
fresh milk, about his pages his women have more
blood and vital force than The average lady novel
-, -. s.rTh. Hand of Ethelierfa" shows gIeaT