New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

A MODERN INSTANCE; Novel,. p! osSood & CO.
AZ uovells gives us q higher idea OF MS powers
with every new book. His latest story aoouhus III
.bo same sort of delicate touches which charmed US
in his earlier productions, but II SHOWS also d ihoo
,oorous hand than of old, a more resolute purpose
and n frmer intellectual grasp This is only 10 SLY
tbal his genius is still ripening. Distinguished as
is the place which he has already secured III Aheli
csn literature. he seems TO be rising steauiN W
higher levels In "a Modern Instance" we ma an
his usual penetration as a student of American me-
his poetic fancy in the creation OF character anu
his UNIQUE art in portraymg distinct ndivlduahty
nv the deft presentation of small traits lie deals
with a variety of personages' oil types
and of social environments, ranging ron
lumber camp in Maine, through oinVio"'
circles of Boston, to an Indiana courtroom,
md oyery scene is so vivid that the sonDre anu
painful story almost STIMULATES win heht' i''
precision is not the Photographic accuracy Mn''u
makes n dull copy of commonplace things; II Is vi
talized and refined by that imaginative quahty
which belongs TO true art. we almost peIsuduo
ourselves that we have known the counterpart Oh
hi figures and observed the same phases of expert
ence which he describes so finely. Ill the winter
woods. in the dull village in Boston homes and
boarding houses, and barrooms ard newspaper
offices: but in truth all these pictures are creations
which have definite object in the book. " Mod
ern Instance is novel of the unfolding OF charac
ter; and its subordinate pcrsonages as well as It's
incidents are directly concerned in calling out the
good and evil tendencies in the nature OF the chei
actors The development of BARLEY Hubbard Is
perhaps Mr.. Howells's master-work
BARLEY Hubbard is young country ed
itor, smart, self-made, good-looiiing, reck-
less. popular" he passed the time OF
day and was give and take right along, rs DIS au-
mIrers expressed It, from the first. in community
where his snartness had that honor which gives us
more smart men to the square milo than any other
country in the world, and after a romantic mar
riage with Marcia Gaylord, pTccpitated by an cpl
sode which places him in a very bad light, he goes
10 seek his fortune the Boston press. Inc lei
low has the making of a tirSt-cass scoundrel IN
him. remarks Squire Gaylord; and to Marcia 5
. ouestion, "Do You think he's scoundrel now -
the old man answers :" lie hasn't had any great OPP
portunity yet" Opportunity comes step by step
Ii is not that BARLEY is confronted suddenly WIN
strong temptation; but everything IN his llfe-tal-
ure, success, hardship, prosperity, COCA company
and bad work, idleness even love, c0nsplie 10
nonrisb the worst impulses of weak selfish
and undisciplIned character. We see Inn
growing coarser and more unprincipied III
every chapter and the vile depth to which
he falls at last has been reached SO gradually
that II appears inevitable The possibilities of evil
latent in him become active agencies IN the Simplest
way because there is not ing in his education MS
boefs OF his theories Of life, to repTess them. The
marriage. which would have saved little better
man. proves his complete destruction. We sec at
the beginning that his lndOent satisfaction In The
passionate devotion of a beautiful and uue-hearted
woman is only sort Of sensuous indulgence, never
rising 10 the dignity of affection, not capable OF any
GOOD influence upon his career. 1t becomes rather
AZ. rt,iss inf
OF Marcia's love drives her into brief Oubursts OF
unreaso1 able jealousy. And Marcia herself, weak
in everything but love, blind believer III Barley
to the very last has too little force of character to
nouId such a husband. She too changes as the
novel goes on, not that she deteriorates in moral
qualities but she grows "commoner and
narrower" and the simplicity which was so
charming in the village of Equity becomes
aproyolng ignorance III Boston. So the unhappy
couple, neither having anything to lean upon eX-
cept self, go from bad 70 worse, aud the END Is
desertion and an Indiana divorce.
1t is in the treatment of this catastrophe that Mr.
Howells puts forth the fullest measure of his
strength We shall not dull the edge of the
readers interest by entering into the particulars
we shall content ourselves with calling attention
to the splendid vigor and movement of the nara
tive and the brilliant series of dramatic effects
which eliminate with the scene In the courtroom.
The Indignation of an honest gentleman at the ras-
calitIes of our divorce laws rings out with an elo-
ouence to which no American susceptible to shame
can remain Indifferent; and if Mr. Howellss main
purpose was to point moral upon this text, to
hold up in their true light "thOSe scoundrels who
lure women from their duty ruin homes and de-
stroy society not in the old hbertne fashion III
which the seducer had at least the grace to risk his
life but safely, smoothly, under the shelter OF our
infamous laws" to exhibit the principles of those
uncertain men, those certain women, with whom
shame is not sha me, dishonOr dishonor"-if
this was his main purpose he has nobly fulfilled it.