New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-25
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

eur uorsE AT HIGH BRIDGE A Novel BY
EDGAR FAwcETE l6ano. PIP $780, iick""' w.
Mr. Fawcett's new story is in new VEN i'e
1sayes the clubs ana fashionable "mansions' OF
New York and throws only few passing giances
=. the society which he has satirized so often ana
~ weu Most OF his personages belong to a class
,;tt,e II nj all removed from the vulgar-the
tborouphbred vulgar who are ignorant, LOUD, am
bitious prctcntious and mean spirited; am he
sketches the manners of this hideous class WIN
naturalism which would do credit TO MIR. iiowels'
But his object in writing just now Is not salIc
of any social class The great novelty OF Inc
House at High Bridge" is it's motive. An accom-
plished but unsuccessful man OF letters has peeh
induced by en- INSCRIPTIONS Bohemian TO appro
PIRATE the manuscript of a novel; supposed 10 ma
been written by a man long dead ana 10 p"ohsh
il as his own. The book hits the popular nancy
and the fame which Coggeshal could not earn by
honest work suddenly becomes the reward Oh is
theft But his punishment is swift and terrible
lie is crushed by the Consciousness OF hs
degradation lie shinls with agony from the
love and venc,aton of his favorite daughter Inc
knowledge that he is unworthy of her deNouoh
drives him almost TO madness, while the fear lest
she should tuln from him and despise MN Is ue
chief consideration which restraints him from
making peace with his conscience oy IupnO
nvowal of the truth. The situation IS compe'c,'
nv the appearance of the rea thor OF ue IL Ho''
How'd Brocl<holst who becomes betrothed 10 isa
he, Cooccshal before he knows OF the 1Iaud WHICH
hos heen proctised vi on him. Here is a tra'ical
s,o,v of great force and Mr.. Fawcetts treatment
of il is admirable. The mental fortunes Oh uc
,vrotcbed no, elist man Of too ine an orSan'1a-
ton and essentially too good nature ever U DC
come hardened 10 his guilt or lose the seise Oh it'
meanncss : the cruel certainty with which isaoei'
IN ber very ten erness for him. innOccntN lac rates
ofresb his oui, ering wounds the c~mplcat on oi
circumstances and intigues which agg1avats ire
xi,nati, n the machnati us of the two re sons
who know the secret the gradual breakdown OF
Cocpeshal ,nder his burden tie Slow tatciu' ap
nroacb of the catast ophe-al these elements OF the
novel are handled with mastery skill. am inc
result is far by the strongest DOCK MI raw
cett has vet given us 1t is not LIS most Drill
liant essay we doubt whether II Will be the NOS.
popular: but il shows power in the treatment OF
rassion which he has not hitherto put FORTH ana
we think that it places him on distinctly higher
level than he has yet occupied. 1t is ony In the
windin, up that one detects era C fault. When
Cosccshal's crime is Ievea ed to BIockhost' we
are told that this model lover battles the consplr-
tors nv lie With new gravity. dignity.
sirnness and manlincss fixed upon his face, he
soIemly denies the authorship of his book Here
MIR Fawcett strikes fa'se note. The lie is not
unnatural many q man would have thus shielded
the father for the sake of the DAUGHTER; out ~
iny even under such palliating circumstances IL
not an action which cOnfels dignity an man mess
III on the perpctrator.