New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-01
DIR. HAMNoND's NEW STORY.

A STRONG MINDED WOMAN; OF, Two Years RS, Aner
BY WILLIAM A HAMMOND limo PIP ooS'
Readers of Dr. Hammonds " Lal," Nho may have
wondered what came of the attempt to transform
that erratlc young person into an ornament OF So
ciety, will be glad to meet her again IN tins new
story after she has had two years OF the most ex-
pensive education obtainable in the city OF New
York She is presented a creature of ravishing
beauty. noble character and ample accomplish
ments distinguished on all ordinary occasions by
exquisite propriety of language. but in moments OF
emotion reiapsing into the dialect OF Heilbender
with All abandon superior to all restraint. To hear
the vigorous speech of Colorado horse-theves burst
ing from the lips OF beautiful young lady, in one
of the most elegant houses in Fifth Avenue" must
have been 90 unpleasant that her friends probably
took part cular pains to spare her any unnecessary
excitement The love affair between Lal and Iys-
Gowns runs its natural course in A Strong Minded
Woman net without some distractions, but with
the anticipated happy result; and Theodore Willis,
who in the last chapters of " La" abandoned ex-
periments in physiology and the dissection of
every kind Of an animal, from man to insects" III
order to become the wife of Godfrey Moultrie, is ex-
hibited in the full enjoyment Of domestic bliss.
Whether tho aStrong Min led Woman of the
novel is Theodore or Rachel Meadows may he open
TO some doubt Theodore is tempted back TO her
Physiology in medical college for women, and she
delivers at the open ng of the school address of
extraordinary force and brillsncy which becomes
the sensation Of society Stopped however, at the
outset of her professional career by the discovery
that she is about to De a mother, she submits for
the rest of her life to the burden of inglorious con-
tent aud happiness Rachel Meadows Is q lecturer
on Astronomy, Woman Suffrage and other things
and her career kew ise is spoiled for she falls i'll
love and marIies. How Dr.. Hammond views the
general subject of Woman's Rights in its practical
bearings may be imagined from the fate which he
awards to these aniable and high minded advocates
OF the reform. He does not believe that women
ought 20 be debarrcd from any privileges of study
Or the exercise of any of their intellectual powers
Int with a few individual exceptions they have no
desire for the higher professional education If they
wanted it they would get il. Several of the members
of a reform organization called y The United w omen
of America figure in the story. They are very bad
COMPANY. and the vulgaIity displayed by them
almost overpasses the limit of allowable realism.
Miss Billy Bremen, the eoarsest and most malignant
of them. is too disgusting for literary art. Some
nse II made of the tarl question i'll the of the
hook: Moultre who has been elected to Congress
ms a revenue reformer, is obliged to modify his
opinions when he inds that the abolition OF GER
taIu duty has ruined some of his friends; but this
topic is treated too briefly to be effective as an ee-
ment of complication.
AS story 1" A Strong Minded Woman is less in
tsrestng than either L" Lal " or Doctor Grattan."
ID contains mysteries. no exciting adventures
aud few dramatic situations and the most perplex-
ing incidents are adjusted promptly that the
readers concern dies away by degrees instead OF
being sustained to the close. Moreover the talk is
much too diiluse. Conversation like that at MOul-
tries table NAV he heard in thousand New-fork
houses but is not entertaining real life, and is
no better for being IN BOOK