New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-05

Gordon Wright had a tender heart, strong Will,
rare combination which is often the motive OF adj
mirable actions. The general impression when he
produced was that of intelligent good-nature'
LOngnev.e was certainly equipped with greater
variety Of gifts. He was tall dark, aglle' per
feetly finished good-looking to fault, so good
looking that be might be forgiven even II he had
been a fool But he was very far from beng
fool He had many talents O, which he had MADE
something bv study and discipline He was almost
always spoken OF as accomplished, Out po"pe
wondered why he had accomplished so ltiie' ne
had no career bnt al ali events he enjoyed himself,
and without dispute very charming feiloW'
urbano. free banded. with ready w.t. and with that
fortunate quality in appearance known as disttnc-
ton. With this rehearsal of the prominent charac-
ters in the drama. the sequel can easily be I'M
aencd but not the subtle artifice and tne inycn-
ton with which Mr. James has conducted MS I'M
pretending plot to natural and credible denoue-
ment The study OF Ihis in his own pages VIII
prove an exercise of aesthetic discipline as well as
a provocaton to curiosity, and piquant source OF
mental endowment
The interest Of the story Is by no means conlhcd
TO the figures which occupy the foreground OF the
canvas Int many of tho side scenes are NJ a sincn
larry attractive character aud drawn with the con-
summate skill Of master in his kind. Mr.. James
qualities and the description of natural beauty
His pictures Of European scenery are "a exquisite
as thcv are faithful, derived from artistic OBJ
servatiun and a suggestive fancy. Nor does any
thing peculiar ard significant In the many-coioren
phases of human life escape his piercing notice.
Little Blanche Evers the conjugal hummlng-oiId
fhnt hoveTs around the domestic tree OF Gordon
Wright, Captain Loveock the bumptious, good
uaturcd reckless English swashbucSler, ana
good Mistress Vivian. the matrouly mamma
of the heroine, are all admirable, amusing
sketches The ast-aam 1t parsonage is brought out
as n type Of character peculiar 30 BOSTON, Dut soil
encd and sccuarizod oy q residence IN the more
sunuv atmospncrc of New.Yorl She was a little
elderly lady with an expression of t'morou' 'lFl-
lance ana baud of HAIR as softly white as doves
wing. She was Of old New ENGLAND stock, shy and
scruDulous Of nait of the original Boston tcmpeTa-
mcnt but the Boston temperament sophisticated,
perverted little not to say corrupted the local
cast wind, in fact. with an infusion from climates
less touic Ms Vivian might indeed he called a
Puritan grown worldly, B'stonian relaxed Inc
prominent feature in her character that concerns
the reader Of this history is preference VI Gordon
Wright with an income Of thiriy Thousand dollars
as The husband of her daughter to Bernard Tongue
VILE whose revenue amounted to CONSIDERABLY
smaller sum.
The lovers OF SENSATIONAL NcllOh anu P+''ii4'''N
narratives g;terng with all the colors OF the soap
bubble and atounding in high-wIought scenes oi
human misery and human rapture, Will find little
to admire in this creation of genius more remark
able for acute observation, dep insight aud re-
fined analysis than for gorgeous wOrd-painting anu
strange aud grOteSque inycutons. 1t has lew Incl
dents and those mostly drawn from the dusty
routine of common life. Mr. James ls not epic, nor
tragic in his artistic tendencies. but psy cmcal II
50 hard word may be allowed. He dehghls
IN the study and the representation OF per
sonal traits. which, though not eccentric. are
original. and illustrate natural but suggestive
qualities of human character 10 experiments WIN
The missions. as the old alchemsts did with tho
metals, not so much with the view of transmitting
dro,s into gold, as Of exhibiting accustomed forms
III novel and striking combinations. Mr. James,
STYLE has been so Justly commended as model OF
terse and vigorous and elegant expression rs to
call for no sign of admiration in this place; but We
must demur at his extravagant use of certain favor
ite terms the adjective clerer, for instance often
occurring two three times in q single page, ana
as superhuous as the white daises In a Held OF
grass. To make the matter worse. the word is nseu
in the English of clerer. which mas not YET
become so familiar TO American ears, as to be WIN
ont a certain SAVIOR Of affectation. lFs only me-
81 feel like dong so and so not legal-tenders
Gated Englishman, like the incompatible Captain
Lovelock.
TALES OF THE cMEsAPEAXE By GEoEoE AYE IEo
1owSaESD {" GATH " 12mO, PIP. 30 American nov"
Conp@ny
The collection of original sketches in prose
and verse contained In the present volume anordS
lively illustration Of the untrDg viyacy aud flowing
EXPRESSION characteristic of the author. They are de-
voted mostly to description Of on the eastern
shore Of Maryland and furnish series OF attractive
pictures OF the social habits, personal traits ana 40
nestle pecuarties OF the population on the borders OF
Chesapeake Bay The motive and Inspiration OF the
volume are APPLY set forth in the following stanzas from
the Introductory poem. entitled MOthernook =
One day, worn out with head and pen
And the debate Of public men,
l said aloud, " oni If there were,
Some piacc 10 make me young awhile,
I would 20 there would go there
And many mile u
linen something crfcd-perhaps my map,
That not iu vain oft invoke
The dear old soil that gave you sap
And SEQ the land OF PocomokoV
sense of shame that neverye
My foot that old shore was set
Thou ah pTodgal In wandering,
Arose and with tngled cncek.
Iihe some late wild duck on the wlac.
started down the Cbesarehke
The morning sunlight, silyery calm
And capes aud inlets breathing balm.
And lovely islands cloGbed In palm,
Closed round the sound OF POcomoke
The things OF childhood all come back
The wonder tales Of mother day
Thcian tue Inn, the ivy vines
That Won Oh English cAurchBidc CLOAK,
wherein we read the stately lines
or Addieon, wri, in his signs,
Aboye the dead Of POco1'oke.
TIE word in this old nook may peep.
And think ~ Iiatess and asleep;
But have seen the world enough
To tlink lie grandeur something du1.
And here were men II sterling stuh,
| In their o ~ wonderful:
Young Luther MARI ms waywnrd race,
! Ard william WindPI's core OF oak,
The lion hear ~ Samuel Chase,
And great DecRtur's royal face,
And Henry Wise OF Pocom0ke.
ut1nr we lave raped our little nnrt.