New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME MINOR NOVELS.

SOME MINOR NOVELS
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THE SUICIDE OF SYLVESTER GRAY by Ep Sarfe
sUome Again. is a simple story, but well TOLD
No theme has been oftener employed In notop IMAM
that Of the establishment OF the young man,
country bred, who goes to the metropolis 10 seek
his fortune full Of fantastic hopes, and destined
20 q bitter experience. Yet when we consioer
how many genuine successes occur IN such cases
and how well the countrymen really hold their
own against the competition OF the townsmen'
the insistance by novelists upon the exploitation
Of the failures seems hardly in accord with
healthy view of life Mr.. Macdonalds hero is
poet and he is lucky enough to obtain work as a
reviewer upon metropolitan journal The author
however does not appear to be on good terms with
the critics for he loses opportunity OF sneerhs
ut their occupation. That he knows comparatively
little about Journalism is shown In bis eVidehV
suppositon that il Is not difficult or unusual ior
q raw lad Just nut Of the country 10 OBTAIN
responsible position on the stan OF great Lohooh
newspaper According to the orthodox ldea III
fiction this young poet-critic finds Lady Tiara
We're de We're, who has no objection 10 oreak
country heart while inveglng its owner to write
a hattering review of o hook of feeble verse when
she has published Compensation comes finally to
the sorely tried hero, but only after he has had
the nonsense taken out Of him and has returned
home 10 fall i'll Of the usual brain fever. The
real heroine Is not the Lady We're de We're, but a
home-loving little cousin, and she makes very
sweet and attractive picture in the story. There
NAV be thought somewhat too much didacticism In
the book but Mr.. Macdonald cannot escape that
for like the dogs in Dr. Wattss hymn
it Is his nature TO-" and no doubt many readers
will approve hts prediction for touching upon
those deep and dark questions which are forever
exercising the wits Of men.
The Story Of Antony Grace is an old-fashioned
one with plenty Of action sufficiently entangied
and exciting plot. particularly bad specimen OF
yilain-who, by some strange oversight escapes
condcn punishment after all-and some very Jar
work in the building Of characters and the de-
scriptions Of scenery. There is manifest advan-
taQe in killing of hero's father and mother IN
the first chapter and thus starting him out lonely
orphan. In such a situation the field for adven-
tnre is wide. and especially for adventure of the
David Copperfeld" order. Mr.. Fem has done
well by his orphan. carrying him through perils
and privations including realistic experience as
hired boy in a great printing establishment. lie
there falls in with poor man OF genius who has
invented new printing press. destined to revolu-
tionze the business The introduction of very
rich and beautiful girl who smOoths over all dill
culties with her ever ready check-book, is rather
an indication Of Incidence In the author, that
kind Of Deus ex machina being, as rnle, con-
spicuous by It's absence in real life. But some
of the people notably the policeman and his sweet
heart are drawn with good deal Of power and
originality and the interest is well sustained
throu ghout.
The Rev Alfred Church and Miss Putnam have
worked together in producing the Count Of the
Saxon Shore" an attempt to reproduce the con-
ditions existing In England at the close of the
Roman occupation. The title is that Of an I'm
per:al officer whose task il was to protect the
coasts of Britain and Gaul from the attacks of the
Saxon pirates" In the present story this Official
Is represented being so weakened by the with
drawal of the Imperial aid to be almost In
capable of performing his duty. The authors
observe in their preface: So little is known about
the last years of the Roman occupation that the
writer of fiction has almost a free hand 1t has
been employed here in apparently antedating the
withdrawal
the data regarding the period are meagre that
this view may be justified The reader finds HIM
self in stran.e world from the beginning, being
introduced to legOnary camp, the soldiers of
which arc Just amusing themselves by killing their
last pseudo Emperor and choosing new one.
Ancient Druds yearning to propitiate their gods
by human sacrifice; savage Picts and savage
Saxons, making piratical raids; Roman and Brit
ons, slaves and freemen, ningle in the panorama
Evidently much research has gone to the compo-
sjtion of the story which is not lacking in ina 81
nation or in graphic force. But the experiment is
IN the nature of things an exceedingly difficult
one, and the characters, as might have been ex-
pected, are far too modern TO haCmonize with
their surroundings. The arche olOgy of the book
is no doubt ,ound, but that cannot compensate for
tie absence of vitality in the story; but this
absence OF vitality is the inevitable result of the
conditions chosen, and reflects in no way upon
the ability of the authors.
In Exchange for Soul" is a very good and
strong story. Conscientious and abundant labor
has been put into it, 1t exhibits that instinct OF
true observation which is so rare quality. 1t is
full of animated and picturesque description, and
Of fresh and unfamiliar scenes. The life of the
fishing village which enters largely into the mar
rdtive is drawn with sympathy and insight, and
several figures stand out boldly original and Wig
orous creations. The limpet-catcher Barbara is
one of these. She is a sort of English Christie
tombstone and very well conceived. Canon Cod
frey is another charming character; true Chris
tan. cheerful, helpful, in no way ascetic, but
carving sunshine wherever he goes and dlss mt
mating purity and the spirit of self-sacri!ice. The
motive Of the story is the temptation OF young
girl to marry for position man she does mol
love. Her danger rescue and final redemption
furnish the main current of the novel, and bel
career is most carefully and even brilliantly e.
lowed out Hastes, perhaps more difficult study