The Portland daily press., 1877-02-10
Recent Publications.

MADcAP VIOLET. By William Black, author o
"The Strange Adventures Of a Phaeton," "a
Princess of Thule" &C., SC. New York: Harper
Brothers. Portland: Loring Short g. Harmon
Mr.. William Black is, in many respects, the
best novelist of the present time. His work is
as tative in its way as the poetry of
Mr. Tennyson or the criticism of Mr.. Stedman
that is to say, it is in delicate and sympa-
thetic harmony with the spirit of his day in
thought, fancy and mech ansm. His artistic
appreciation of nature as seen in man or coun-
try, his fine analysis and brilliant, facile and
sincere delineation of character and style at
once poetic, frank and refned-are the very es-
sence of nineteenth century literary work. In
"Madcap Violet all these traits are displayed In
full degree; and this novel may be uuhesilating-
ly pronounced the authors best, thus far-and,
excepting the tragedy of the story's end very
nearly an ideal work of fiction. 1t is leg itimate
to the reviewer to make this exception, for the
intention of the novelst's art is first to please,
secondly to crown his design with such beau
ties of fancy and speech as he can command;
aud the more exquisitely the story is told, the
more lifelike are its characters, and the more
they win for themselves place among people
one knows and cares for, the less right has the
novelist to grieve US as with sudden loss. Yet
had the story ended differently, some of the most
genuinely pathetic chapters of modern fiction
would have been lost, as well as the exquisite
closing paragraph, which has the startling
luminous quality and mingled passion of
the future and Of to-day that we're the es-
sence of Mr.. Rossettis "Bessed Damozel"
"Madcap Violet is to its authors pre-
vious best work, ga Princess of Thule
what diamond is to pearl. The soft rouud-
ness the seaborn fairness of the earlier work
were full OF bsauty, unity and freshness-but
the brillIance, manysded and rejecting every
tint that fancy or passion give to it, prove that
Mr. Blacks later work is to be regarded as, not
more perfect of its kind, but of greater worth.
In Mr.. Black one recognizes the ideal novelist
Of to-day, one who has in a very great degree
achieved the aims of all the best novelists who
depict the social life of the time. He notes
with quickness, humor and force, he describes
with warmth aud delicacy of expression, and
fine as is his analysis it is never overdrawn or
inconsistent with manly strength; there is in 1t
always reserve of conscious power. He is
moreover prose poet; in sentence he compri-
ses sonnet; and his description prove him to
possess the eye of painter and the imagination
of which his literary style is ths beautiful and
adequate translation. The opening chapters OF
Madcap Violet are, though exceedingly enter.
tainng not the best; Vlolets impulses and
freaks carry away not only herself, but her BIZ
ographer at times, and the episode where she
invites George Miller to wear the costume of
Romeo at the fancy ball is impossible to a ma
tura a. n aa bara in Grof Of
thoughtlessness. 1t is Mr.. Drummond whose
identity most perfectly impresses itself upon
the readers Imagination and to draw so finely
this nature-at once so noble, 50 full of all
principle dominated by such Irresponsible
fancles, this strayed soul out of some
happy wandering planet who was the
bewderment and glory of those that knew
him best-displays the extraordinary and sus-
tanned power of the novelist The brief mo-
nologues of James Drummoud are the parallel
which Mr.. Black offers to the profound refec-
tlons which George Eliot chants in true choric
spirit, as fate plays with her personages. That
these monologues are written with certain
facile nonchalance, without insistence, or per-
sonality of the aathor, adds to their charm.
1t is not of course designed to weigh the worth
of the work of Mr.. Black with tnat OF George
Eliot-a comparison impossible and imperti-
nent as a whole, while very suitable in some
special points The march of events and of
developments of "Madcap Violet is steady
and sufficiently rapid. Like lull in the omi.
nous rising of waters is the chapter in which
Violet, James Drummond and George Miller
take days pleasure among the rocks and sea-
birds-a day whose pleasure is even pathetic
because the author has said to the reader, bear
with it, it was their last happy day. 1t is the
beauty, the nobility of this novel that raises its
tragedy above being too pteous, that leaves
after it certain sense of acquiescence and
rest, such as its actors have, when every doubt
is passed over, and death and madness divi1e,
with cold and darkness, only the least part of
those that live upon the pages, as they lived in