New-York tribune., 1886-05-30
PROFESSOR HARDY'S NEW STORY.
A CLEVER AND SAD BOOK.

THE WIND OF DESTINY BY ARTHUR SqERBuIss
HARDY. l6mo. pp 3OZ. Houghton Mi'hh ~ Co
The new novel by the author OF But fet
Woman - has most of the qualities which made the
success of the earlier work. and in some respects
shows an increase of strength. 1t is inferior to s
predecessor in simplicity of treatment, but for this
defect there are many compensstions Inc pan Is
larccr the assembIage Of characters IS more varied
thc incidents are more telling. There are no por-
traits canal to at least two OF those III
the au.hors first story; but all the principal per-
sonapes are vigorously sketched. anl s)na o. tle
contrasts among them are highly eHcctiVe lucy
belong to no particular country or society. Inc
action at first passes in and near Dinant, IN france
and here we find the same charm or local Color
which distinguished But Yet a Woman After IN
Introductory tragedy, however, which is but loosely
attached to the real story, the scene SHIFTS 10 a
American village, aud actors are Transporter
across the ocean to play there IN the COM
r,,cat,ops which enlist our attention for
the rest of the book. The French vile
and her American husband, the daughters to whom
the memory of Brittany is dearer than anything in
this land. the dreamy and romantic young artist,
thc heiress the oil philosopher are people OF gem
era type. who have no necessary connection WIN
the couutrv III which they happen TO dwell some
thing might have been done by setting these deni
2ens Of the larger world in conflict with the narrow
Puritanic life around them, which Is limited at ana
NOT described; bur the author had no such pian
II ia very sad book. The opening motto
from spinoza which denies the possibility
of any control of actions by tho free
dcci ion of the soul. and the closing renectiohS OF
Schcnberg who recognizes in the universe an IN
ces,aat movement and collision or mass ana atoln'
in winch we drive Others and are driven BY thcm
brt meyer drive ourselves would seem 10 include Il
4. ,,.1,, vnrai nt L
Tie authorqnalie5 his doctrine Of fate, by decar-
at;on nut into the mouth of Schon berg OF the ne
cessity of faith IN a Being 50 transccndent that
the inventions of men become puerlities." In
tao construction OF the novel. however, the
v,nd of destiny blows unrelentIngly. one
! oftcr another of the personage' are
driven 70 misery or destruction by agencies Tor
which they are not responsible, crushed by errors
for which they are not to blame. The end Oh
| GLADYS. which is the principal catastrophe OF INC
story. results indeed from daliiance with passion
| which she valnly believed herself strong enough 10
rein; but Der fault is weakness rather than an uh
! ruy will, and there Is not, nor pIoDaoy dih tu'
author intend that there should be, any proportion
between the impulsivc indelberate acts ano
tbc dreadful consequences. Other lives art
| wrecked with hers and Tor these
hlind destiny alone is to answer. The gentle
|
ipr Rowan even poor commonplace good-hearted
lack Tcmole, seem to have earned happiness; bu
the wind of destiny sweeps them all away le
while the fates are cruel, 1t should bo remarked
that the author does not obtain his effects d.
merely working mp distressing scenes. HIS story
j. the tragedy of pathos, not of horror. Inc dram
Of Gladys III particular is 0eautlhed Dy man.
,ouc,cs of natural feeling and the tone of tn
whole book is sympathetic AMI poeticaL
In this. a. IN his previous work. Professor Hard!
ovccls IN the dissection of tine female heart an'
ANALYSIS of the operations Of the female mind under
exceptional aud trying circumstanccA Here seem
70 he ms real power, and we do not believe that
has vet reached ITS limit " The WIND ot Destiny
is not altogether satisfactory rs piece Oh al';
contains too much a,ido reelection, which Is no.
and thon rhetorical; il uses rather more materlf
than the author quite knows how to manage and
"a over prodIgaI of sorrows; bat it shows progre'
and it promises more than II shows.