New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-03
SOME MODERN FICTION,

D. so sas EwH ANA sss'
Russian by isaBnL j. HAPaooD. lamA PIP $685.
Thomas Y: Croweli b Go.
a ROMANTIC YOUNG LADY. BY ROBERT GRAM
limo PIP S54 Ticknor n Co
A PHANTOM LOVER A Fantastic story roth By 'h~
NON LEE. l6mo. PIP. 1874 Roberts brothers.
JOHN lSso gu susSS S dasss Gs 'A
poyERIY-GRAss BY LILLE CtAoE wYMAS' l6mo |
I'D. tx, 320 Houghton Mitlin O Co
aThe Chamber over the Gate" Is an American |
novel. if not the American novel, and - IL
strong one. The sccno Is laid in Indiana Inc
characters are mostly members of one family inc
0atsm.rs, though several households arc con-
cerned. The pictures are of family hfe III 'nae
middle state which comprises tho MAJORITY Oh
industrious and fairly prosperous Americans
There Is no wealth and no poverty of an extreme
hind in the book The whole narrative Is an easy
realistic uncxaggeraed. faithfully drawn study OF
ou,te everyday existence and yet the story Is
full of deep tragedy. The decline and fall OF hugh
Gatsimer is the main theme Hugh Is q clever
young man. but hard. selfish and without prin-
cipe Entering into business for himself on MS
mercenary marriage with a frivolous girl for whom
he cares nothing. his character develops with MS
success in trade, becoming steadily WORSE Until
n. oets fairly on tile downhill path and goes gal
looping TO ruin.
His increasing moral degradation, the successive
WEAKNESSES and infames with which he paves inc
vay to his eliminating outrages, the CONSISTENCY
of his behavior with his character as ihdicateo' ~"
eyince decided talent and that instructive decacy
and subtety of perception which belong only W
considerable capacity for fiction. One OF the
oldest puzzles of heredity is we'll treated IN tne
marked difference between the brothers hugh an"
. Steven: the latter, clearly deriving from MS
father being All upright, chivalrous. manly man
the former inheriting his mothers qualities chiefly
being tho black sheep Of the family. one OF the
eubtlest things IN the book is the scene IN whlc"
Doctor Steve is led, by the mothers ooStiha.o
attempts 70 Justify Hugh when all his villaineS ITO
exposed to divine the nature of the sympathy 'na'
EXISTS between the two The mother had the germs
~ Vpoh,s worst vices In her. but her life had fur
nished no stimulus to them, and the love OF her
husband and children had yelled her apparent
defects Yet 1t Is made clear that III defen ing
Hugh she Is moved quito as much by real inaolhty
IN seo the vice Of his conduct as by that maternal
passion which obscures the faults of children.
The book is full Of good character drawing.
Steven Lefty. Miriam, Coral, Clara GatsiIner'
John, Bob Fountain, Nanny June each ana All
are real people, Ineligible, ndividuanzed ana
clearly defined Miriam Is next to Hugh and Lefty
the most careful study; by no means lovable but
often unite despicable little creature. OF Trivial
nature to fret even good husband. fulI or silly
frivoties small vices and exasperatlng ldiosyh-
oraccs; yet rising, through her constancy ana the
martyrdom of her mothers love. to true dignity
Mt times and vindicatng her claims to partlclpa
tion I'm those gifts of womanhood whose exercise
discloses q purity, unselishuess and devotion BE-
yond the reach Of There is. however no
straining after effect The tragedy Is such as lies
ALL about us in ordinary life; mental incompatl'
bility aud infdellty; fraud in business mgr
nrized family honor and pride struck down by a
trusted member of the circle. There Is bat one
peculiar episode. and that is the story OF Corars
birth She Is the daughter of beautiful octoroon'
whom DR.. Steven met at the South during the
war and married without any suspicion that she
was not white He Is undeceiyed In terrible
manner and the event overshadows the remainder
| of his life and dooms poor Coral to celibacy.
i It's probable that The Chamber over the cato"
has been drawn largely from real life. IL some
times happens that an author achieves one teihng
novel by drawing upon his or her personal
arouaintainces but that when second venture Is
made and similar material is not available IaiIare
results In the present case we are leu 10 nope io
better Things Margaret Holmes may have used
her own experience in this novel, but she coniu OF
have made 1t what it is had she not possesSeu Iha'
assmiiative and idealizing faculty which marks
the born story-teler Her taste and Judgment too
are goodland ripe. She neither overdoes nor siurS
ANYTHING Her style is perfectly simple. Quiet
and therefore enective. The pathos OF her mos
moving situations is in the facts not In the WORDS
Altogether she has written book OF great force
and promise.
The five short tales embraced in st. Johns Eve.
slight though they seem to the careless reader
are unite enough to ex plain the remarkable sensa
ton W hch thc,appearance of Gogol created In the
literature of his native country, and which long
after his death finds an echo in another language
StrenQth freshness and an indescribably orgina
abundant humor are the most obvious characters
tics of this unconventional story teller lie looKeC
upon a world which the poet and novelist had
hardly yet touched, and found 1t full of romance
pathos wonder and drollery. The exuoerance o.
This untaught leader ola new literature III th'
discovery of his virgin themes was like the delight
ofa child to whom has just been revealed som'
mystery of familiar nature, some higher meaning
IN the scenes of his daily life. GogoPs description
of the Russian peasants, small townspeople ano
petty officials could scarcely be surpassed
viyidness; but no saw everything with q po
etc eve and his extraordinary pictures are Ia
more impressive by their suggestiveness than o'
the fidelity Of their minute details Ihus wnn'
his method is that Of the best school OF real'sts-
not those who copy everything, but those who
know how to select what is worth elaboration-h
conception of the subject Is highly imaginative
glance at the five stories in this volume will
chow how happily he combines the art OF the 1--WE
schools. st. Johns Eve " Is tale OF witches AM
devils related with great forces but II Is MOI
merely an experiment In the fantastio' 1t Is also
brilliant illustration of rustic manners and train
of thought, and abounds IN little by-sketches Of
character, the introduction Of which Is one OF
Gogois most constant and most entertaining
habits. "Old Fashioned Farmers Is singuiariJ
vivid picture of homey manners In peacefui ano
secluded village and although 1t aims ostenslb ll
atlttle beyond exact accuracy 1t Is Ia fact suiuse
with a mixture of humor and fine sentiment whici
makes it one Of the most delightful OSCILLATIONS II
%ha ,vbole Wilma @Tbe Tale of how Ivan Ivano