New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THROUGH ONE. ADMINISTRATION.

The Washington novel, or onedeabng with por-
fes2life is always looked for with interest oy'the
vuhlc. THO National capital is " central point To-
alt Amesicaus They read eagerly every detail of
tha nnblie and lives of noted men conneetod
with tho Governments which sthe newspapers car
furnish thsm-how they dress and how they talk
what tuey say and what they do not say. their
wives and children, their struggles for an edneaton
and the decorations in their parlors. NothinS
comes amiss to a greedy public. Tile Washington
novel il more fascinating than the Washington
letter The reader looks to it for freer sketches of
the Nations great nan than the correpondent hnds
it ALWAYS prudent to make aud hunts little details
of olaracte,istcs and character through It's pages
i'm the hepe of finally catching the original or the
portrait The Washington novel seems 10 DO feau
abroad Also especially IN England, with great IN
terest. The question nf the morality OF iino AMY
of American politics ana public Ie-or perhaps !"
woula he more correct TO say of the precise degree
of its immorality--is an absorbing one WHOM 'no
autlIor rs in Democracy" draws darh pictHe'
in which there is no pleam Of light crowuS 'Ho
foreground with corruption. aud pu's purify anu
homer and out,lic morality far in the background,
If they appear his canvas at all eSaggera'oS ~l
the vn,cariies and ignores most of the rchnemehts
and oraces Of Washington life, the heart OF the
british reviewer is flied with a fierce JOY. He
may not know any more of the rsal America IMAM
the writer IN BIack5ro0d who expressed us sur
nyise that Soure Cav lord. in Mr. HOwellss" Aoderh
Irstaf,ce, should combiHe the functions OF an az
toruey and barrister; but he has constructed ouS
of hls inner consciousness an America ID wHitn
all Senators take brides. and the poiltica a'ihos-
,,n.r.. rreks with corruption and he welcomes the
,otirist who seems 10 confirm his handiwork IL
may he said at once that he will not find full sup
portfor his theory in Mrs. Burnetts book nat
ever else may be said OF hvr sketch Of lie al tDe
capita it is certainly not hbelIous. WINE cor
rupt intrigue forms the basis of the political Sue Oh
the story, tue predominance OF goods recognized
~ well as the existence of evil, and Ter leading
Ssnator-tlis must have hsen shock to the britlah
reviewer- actually refuses abribe.
Mrs. Burnett has attaine, popularity as 5novel-
lat and IA herself u resident of Washington
Naturallva book was expected from her which
vould differ from most OF It's predecessors in the
sagne field in being written with know ledge oi Inc
theme and CIV ing fresh views OF it. In THIS respect
we think it will be fOuad disappointing. IheioHe
two distinct sides to the book. and tie washington
side 10 wholly subordinate in interest to TIE OTHER
It's characters are mostly shadowy. Some of them
have net names. even. but pass across the stage
nnier th-ir official titles. The very name OF the
hook is somewhat misleading The events de-
seribed are prolonged Through one Adnlnls'ra-
ton" bat they have nothing TO do with the AZ
minstra;ion and the phrase is merely measure of
time There is patherc incident OF the suiierings
of a Government clerk and his young wife, when
politics puts another man in his place, and there
Is the inevitable " bill" to be lobbied through-the
latter episode for the first time bringing distnc-
tive phase of Washington liie il we may believe
tito be such. into the story. Here and there is a
passage OF vivagious description or good hllnoed
satire But Jnsse are brought IN IS with IN ebert,
and the story promptly returns to IT'S real current
the unfortunate lcve OF married woman for man
who is not her husband. The man Is Colonel
Tredennis whom Mrs. Amory had met in Wash
incten eight years before. when she was Bertha
Herrck. The word that might have brought them
together was not spoken and when lTedennls
returns to Washington from the plains and the
Indians he iuds her a wife aud mUtler. ire
denniss love for her is as strong as ever and see
ing that she is unhappy, he watches with anxiety
her friendship for an agreeable young Government
cIer,x Hrbuthnot who seems to 6e IN love with her,
and who talks disappointed bopes, and sings tenor
in that Indifferent and blighted manner which is |
supposed to be peculiarly dangerous TO the peace |
of women Berthas- fat her, Professor Hefrick. |
watches this too. fearing n disaster Arbuthuot |
him self watches Bertha. and the RESIN TACT. all
the characters in che book watch one another aud |
discuss one another. to pretornatural extent
and is the first to discover that TredennlsH the
man whom Bertha loves Mrs. Sylyestre young
widow a friend of Bertha, discovers 1t also, ana
full confidence between them follows. Amofy |
the husband, graceful. fascinating, selfish and
shallow man. is about the only one who does not
discoyer that his vile is wretced, and in lcve with
another man. He is too much absorbed in himself
and the Westorla land scheme. This IS project 10
mako certain Lands valuable by pushing a railroad
hill through CONGRESSMAN idea which has been
worn threadbare by the novelists and dramatsts
He persuades his wife to use her social influences
her dinner parties and receptions. to help the Di
telling her that Its success Will bring MIN legal
business She is portrayed as dung so win sttasge
innocence and ignorance. Scandal connects her
name with that of Senator's whom size has enter
tanned for her husbands sake. He attempts
bribery in a way that would probably make pro-
fessional lobbyist open his eyes-gyes her an en- |
yelope containing a check 10 hand to Senator |
Blinded who has never gwen any Indication how |
he stands toward the bill. This also gets about, |
and part of society prepares to trampe her uhder
foot. Her friends Tally and protect her IrGdennis |
being ALWAYS her unseen guardian. Her husband |
s,es n defaulter TO her and her father, and IRE |
denis goes back to the plains. Time passes. and
in perhaps the only really strong and dramatic |
scene in the book, she overhears at the Inaugural
tien bail tho news that Tiedeuns has been killed
By the Indians. while trying TO save the lle o. a |
httie child. Here the curtain falls.
1t would DO perhaps severe Characterization TO |
eay that this isla demoralizlng book but it is not
"a he denied that its tone is unhealthy, and ITS |
effect unwhoiesome The single and controlling |
tleme as il has been already s9id, is the love OF
married woman for who is not her husband. |
In the early part of the book the reader sperhaps
mised as to the object of this affection. and looks
for a catastrophe Ia which Arbuthnot shall be
involved. Then the situation changes bat not the
i,lea There is still the danger OF dlshopor. with
Trcicnnis as the partner nj it. ltseems almost like
an to aliude TO possibility which tie