New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-01

almost nodding over their sumbcrous talk ana
action from mere association.
Mr.. Rider Haggard gained the ear of the public
by writing genuine romaDces in which all the
canons OF the new school were placidly set at
nanght and the interest was made TO depend almost
wholly upon rapid and stirring action, pct
uresouely described. In his latest story, Mr.
Nelson's Wil7 he has departed from his hrSt
principles to q considerable extent The super
natural is not resorted TO at all. The plot leaves
scant room for purely imaginative work. Inc
central incident is certainly singular enough it is
even in n measure Grotesque. But there is no such
sustained novelty and wealth Of invention here as
characterize She' and King Solomon's Mines
It is said that the account of Mr.. Nelson's pub
fishing establishment is from life, and that IT Is
so faithful picture of the methods OF an actual
publishing house in England that the models talk
of having recourse to the law to vindicate them
selves If there is any truth in this report, Mr..
Haggard will assurcdly not be censured by the
reading public for writing as he has done, Tor the
mere existence Of such n firm would constitute iuh
justification for far more pitess exposure OF lts
practices II any such house as Nelson's docs
exist in England. the man who brings it before
the bar of public opinion should be regarded as
common benefactor. and it is not credible that
It must, however, be said that if (paradoxical as
the statement may appear the account OF Nee
sons is not founded on fact it is an extravaganza
beyond Justification
Mr. Haggard does not pretend to be analytical,
and therefore perhaps it is scarcely fair TO find
fault with his psychology; but since his story
turns entirely upon the action Of Augusta Smith
ers while on Kerguclen Land, it is hardly possible
to refrain from considering the question of proba-
bilty in its relation TO her crucial act OF course
the fact that there is in the books recorded in
stance Of young woman public-spi ted enough
to spoil her beauty for the sake Of young man
whom she certainly likes. but with whom she is
not quite in love, cannot be taken to prove the
impossibilty of such sacrifice. Still, it is an in
teresting and suggestive question, and one which
men and women are tolcraby certain to view diff
ferently. We inclined to suspect that Mr.
Haggard's opinion OF the possibilities land which
is also perhaps the masculine view generality would
not be Endorsed by most women; who, while ire
quently accused of ungenerous estimates where
their own sex is concerned, nevertheless do III eX-
plotting that SEX often appear to comprehend IL
more thoroughly and penctratingly than masculine
critics and writers. II is true that MIR. HaSgard
has made the inducements as strong az possible.
A fortune Of two millions sterling must always be
a particularly wcghty consideration with young
woman of the nineteenth century, even when, or
it, there is no contingency in sight by which the
personal relations of the young woman herself to
the great fortune may be rendered pleasantly In
innate.
Still il must be remembered that there was no
certanty-not even strong probability, IN TACT
as to the ultimate destiny of Mr.. Nelson's
estate; while the only method by which
IL Ln n
ed involved very practical and altogether
repulsive certainty. The indebe tattooing of a
pretty girls beautiful shoulders must be an op-
Grafton, one would think to give pause even
to the most devoted affection. The question then
is, may novelist draw freely upon the latent
or reserve altruism of his generation, as Mr..
Haggard has here done, without transccnding the
limits OF true art Nor is it a question of the
gravity Of the sacrifice. When, III this same
story, Lord Ilolmhurst and many other brave
men promptly devoted themselves to death on
learning that the boats of the sinking steamer
would only suffice to save the women and children,
these heroes solved a really simple problem, and
followed an honorcd precedent. But Augusta, in
barring her lovely shoulders to the incisve fish
bone and the branding cu;tlc-inl, was making
Remuneration the rains and penalties of which
must be borne during her whole life and for
which it was possible that no compensation OF
any kind might be rendered. We Shall not
venture to determine so delicate and difficult
an issue as this We gan only admire the temerity
with which Mr.. IIaggard has encountered it. and
must leave its solution to the Judgment of the
wonderful scx-the true Isis, let us reycrcntially
suggest-whose veil no man has ever been able
to remove.
This one point either settled or evaded, all the
rest follows logically. The trial scene is particu
larry well done, and the readers sympathy is I
aroused for the pluclIy little barrister, who single
handed faces all the great guns of the bar, and |
wins his suit in spite of the tremendous odds. |
There's not much misunderstanding in the story, |
which is simple and old-fashioned in its general
lines. though decidedly original in its motive Mr..
Hargard however has skctched his principal per-
sonages vigorously and clearly, and they are not
wooden at all, but and speak in very /
natural and easy way Still considered mere |
work. Mr.. Nelson's WILL in comparison with !
the romances which gave the author his reputa- |
tion is somewhat thin and inferior in labor and
finish II is the curse of vogue in fiction that the
field for mere money making which 10 opens TO /
writers almost compelS them to spur themselves !
into spasms and hurries of creation which exhaust
their Imagination and impair every good quality |
of their work Mr.. Ilaggard cannot afford TO do |
h1ck-worll 10 matter how well he is paid for 1t. |
and if he yields to the temptation, as TOO many
equally promising novclists have done, he is un- |
likely to produce anything equal to what he has
already published.
WATCHING GAME or BASEBALL
From It'd Bits