The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-06-03

Under the somewhat unsatisfactory title OF
the sun Mdm IIarpcrsl. Miss GRANT has given
us n story which in moro than one respect IL
striking performance. II IL an agreeable duty
at this time. when three English novclists have
passed away and left but one fully qualified
successor to mark in now writer signs of
promise md Achievements of II high II not tas In
this case they certainly are not) Of the highest
order. The sun Maid IL by no means what
the author calls IT, n romance: II 1t were. we
should not probably see cause to dwell on it
long. We must regard II. however, "a n novel
in the cNao and fruitful sense. that Is. as tran
script OF human life under actual contemporary
conditions. and as such it presents some fca-
turos Of so much merit as TO exact discrimna-
tive notice.
There is OF course. such thing ns tho exhibit
ton Of high art as well MS homcly art in any
field Of literature. and we would not for a mo-
mcnt Imply that. either in the selection Of types
or In tho invention Of incidents which are TO
evolve and emphasize character. the almost un-
known writer Of this story moves on the plane Of
George Eliot or Charlotte Brontc. On the whole
we might place her in the Trollopc school. hut
she cvinccs some engaging qualities Of which
that panstaklng. colorlcss photographer is
quite destitute. She has the gift OF making you
feel that her persons not only live. nut ought TO
live; you not only tolerate their acquaintance
and follow their fortunes with mild interest "A
in the ease Of Mr.. Trollopc's self possessed and
wrll-ds 'iplincl actors but you submit 10 a sort
Of personal fascination and make their hopes
or trials your own. To point our meaning in
another way we may mention that there is
humor AMI pathos in this book. whereas we
dare affirm that the most jocund reader never
found a laugh or the most lachrymose a tear in
Mr.. Trollopc's calm pages.
The scene Of this story is laid in the country
about Pau. u region Of France which ia as ind-
vdual and interesting in It's social IA in It's
natural features. but ono which we do not re-
member To- have secn portrayed in any English
work At fiction. As rule. we suppose that for a
writer 20 lay the action Of his tale in a foreign
country is a blundcr only second to the so-calcd
historical novel. And country. Of course. is
properly called foreign. irrespective Of length
of residence. whose language Is not your mother
tongue. ION can hardly think correctly OF
Franco If you think in the English language
and obviously II you seek to transmit your OBJ
servation- OF given community through me-
| dunn fashioned in another widely different
| your ideas cannot escape tnec and rcfracton
| Nevertheless the partial. more or less dclusive
| notions Of French life obtanable from an Eng
/ l-h novel are probably better than none Two
| or three writer's night he named for instance
| Miss Thnckeray and Mrs. Sartors. who
/ have been tulcruhly successful in this
TOM ds force. Neither. however. has con.
/ trived to combine 80 much effort after pune.
/ ulou- correctness with SO much livelincss in
/ the general effect as We see blended in tn,
sun Maid" Thus the reader will here And
1 plainly indicate characteristic and sug-
/ se-tiye anomaly in the social structure # rura
/ France namely the profound vcneration IN
] i.4 of