New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-06-15

inveterate and unexplained fondness OF MI 0r'n'o
NJ, vi, ,orpg men for gazing ut the stars
whose orbs eloquent with chaste out IinponoSi"
,,s+or,, emhittered even while they soiteheo .no
vouno mans spirit. He had gazed SO oI'eh a, 'no
stars beforen ETC. If Mr. Grant hao p"us."
moment and asked himself what ho mean, "
mo the mystery of the stars chaste." and why ho
,aea .ho conjunction but" and indeed whether the
so,toroe had anv meaning at ALL he would not have
oornled the sordid reflections of his Average Man
with any such nonsense. 1t is to haste also tha'
we must attribute an astonishing statement Ill MS
nar,,,lel between the cliffs of Mount Desert ana
those of the Gulf of ST. Lawrence: Auh0aJ" 'nc
geological formation different, the DollheSs anu
wild. silent grandeur of Great Head AWAKEN sehsa-
tons kindred to those which the sight OF the feco
Rock inspires" 1t is a question how lar an au'"o'
is entitled to plead hurry in extenuatioh oi SUI"
blunders. The world will wait patiently uhth no
has done his best. But An Average man mas
other faults which more deliberate workmanship
Md NOT have obviated 1t is as nearly destitute
of the literary quality as book which is not posi-
t,velv uncouth can be- We can hardly speak of style
in connection with writing crude The Average
Man is a dull and commonplace person, whose tax
is wand whose character is faint and whose LIE is
uninterestng His of material prosperity ana
moral decline is apparently intended as warning
against the agnostic philosophy; but MI uranus
head is not strong enough for this serions suolec
and he hons about it, more futile than Orpheus
with his Irish monkey.
-9Tbe Crime of Henry Vane" has some of the
strong qualities which made the success OF Guerh-
dale" although it is much lighter piece Oh "orh
than that clever novel; 1t is story which may oe
road in two bours: it has no plot and the moral
we'll we are to find that for ourselves and when we
have fixed upon it we shall probably be in doubt
o1,-4 no w author
tended. "a study with moral" ought not TO DE
left like n conuudrum without an answer, even
4hough the solution be discoverable with little
natience and acuteness. Henry Vane may be ac-
cepted as type of the well-bred, cultivated, lnte-
gent strong and successful man OF the lhouerh
world Winifred Thomas as the fascinating and &C
complished American bee both are persons 10 De
enved and admired by their acquaintance IL Is
for the reader to discern what was lacking III each
and this is the key to j. SIS disagreeaple STUDY
We have called it dlsagreeabe, and yet it has many
brilliant and entertaining pages; the sKe'ches Vi
society are vivid and amusing the picture OF LIE
Of summer hotel in the mountains is an exquisite
hit of realism the satire is keen and true the dla-
logue is almost always good, although the author
has NOT escaped the fault to which writers of more
vulgar stamp are especially prone OF making his
lovers quarrel and say rude things to each other-
which is like the love-making of cats on renee,
| Perbans the most noticeable and engaging charm OF
the book lies in the clear easy direct and polished
style which betrays the thorough literary WORK
man. j. S. has the vigor. grace and facility Oh
| writer who understands his trade
| Another novelist having a shy at the problem OF
creatiOn Il am an unorthodox person. SAYS Hiss
| Howe's heroine when she is invited 10 prayer??1 i
frankly, would prefer NOT com1gi II No. hUu b ~
allow Being an agnostic sR2ald a ant Sn UI
| svmpathv with your service" we 90 not unueI1s
| Sand flat Miicent expresses the sent. Inents OF
Miss Maud Howe; but it is becoming the Ia 'hloh 10
attribute little atheism TO pet st os The
prevailing taste at various times mas run W amN
hair hollow eyes, slang sinqoslty athletcs, t
less and vague unrest and we must say lhal lno
LIGHT use of 1nbelief as property of fiction is par
| ticularly unpleasant when the offender Is yo4ng
MceR ti fEe stoTy and is not often
brought into view. " The san Rosario haho IL.
has merit enough to make us forget its iauits' us
| sentiment is little wild ana spaSnoulc: lVo PaS2
ages of reflection are not particularly WISE Dut u
has ygor freshness, animation, ana at lesst t0ucn
of originality. 1t is the story OF girl OF american
narenfare born in Venice and suddenly transpanted
| 10 ranch IN California. There she meets young
artist and she finds in him not only 1Ue
| with the dreamiest city of the Old World, ana
harshly checked by rude experiences IN the newest
mart of the New World, but she finds also an lnlu
| euce which develops noble traits OF character ana
| generous but neglected lmpu SEES GRAHAM H INV
ever, has more intellect ana lmaglna'iSVIH i o'i
| heart and he separates himse # IRON Mllceht,
| partly because he has discovered panInl episoHe
In her past life, but principally through me cpnNic
ton that devotion to her IS nconslSteht WIN MS ue
| votion TO art We shall not spoil the pleasure Oh
the novel reader by disclosing the end OF the story
il is enough to say that it is conceived In poetcl
sniPt and that it is fine touch of Miss Howe's to
| wake Graham. suddenly and late, to realization
| that love- instead Of spelling his art has RAISED IL
| TO new heights The background OF the story was
well chosen and the sketches Of California me- he
cattle-ranch the sea-shore the mountain sides the
rnned mission, the summer camp, tne t huIC, imG
artists romantic haunts, are painted WIN glowing
| coiors and animated with personal adventure Oh
| incident indeed dramatic and even thrilling there
| is plenty and Miss Howe is as strong IN narratNo
| os in description. The character Of MllIcent is
| traced with aiectiOnate care !; and although many
strokes have been added which DO not improve Ia
| fine agnOstcism, fol example, is superfuous, ana
| fine magnetic experiences are also lnaItstlc-the
| development of character to which we nave re-
ferred is admirably wrought OUT. Ordiia Is Idd
less successful even in his affected ana lmposslDe
talk Miss Howe shows that she has not YET learned
| how to draw man. The other personages are Dut
family outlined, and we have no reason 10 IhInh
| that fhe author cared anything about them. she
| has written one-character novel; not the most
| difficult form of art,-but she has done 1t we'll
| The anthor of "The Usurper has the adyan-
tooe Of dealing with fresh material and has used 1t
with considerable adrOtness. The japanese history
of the seventeenth century 1.-THE actions deScrlOeu ~
this book belong to the year lol2l is ot u 1i
incidents of a great revolt against the SnOgun are
| interviewer with a brilliant description OF that
grOtesque and splendid clyllizatlon WHOSE IeIcs
strewing the path of ruthless progress, are among
| the most beautiful treasures OF the East We are
| made familiar i'll this story with the aspect OF
| strange armies, furious battles magnificent Pag-
eants stately ceremonies. the festivals of luxurious
courts, the diversions of the populace the shows OF
the theatre glowing costumes are deliheated loI us
| with the fervor and accuracy of an inspired
modiste: the streets and gardens are bright with
| antterng silks embroidered scarves, gold and sill
yer and Furnished bronze and scarlet lacquer even
| the formalities of decaptation aud harl-klr are
made gorgeous not to say attractive How lar the
| picture is a true one japanese antiquares must
determine the public for whom it is drawn VIII ne
content to know that it is highly interesting. OF
the love element which of course enters into the
nrncasses are TOO remote and strange to touch our
| svmpathies but an abundance of heroic adventure
| Is combined with the story of their fortunes, anu
i u IL i'm NO nut IL Ii