New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-22
CURRENT FICTION.
LONG AND SHORT STORIES.


MASTER OF HIS FATE BY AMELIA 4. BARR l6mo,
PIP 293 Dodd, Mead d Co.
HITHERsEA MERE. BY LADY AUGUSTA NOEL 12mo,
PIP. 800 Macmillan Co.
FOUR GHOST STORIES. BY MRS. WORDSWORTH
l2mo DIP. 255 Macmillan Co.
WELl4WORN ROADS OF SPAIN, HOLLAND AND
ITALY BY F. HoPKMsoS SMITH 16Izo, PIP. III.
Houghton, Mifin Co.
BEFORE THE DAWN. stsry of Paris and the
Jacquerie. By GEORGE DULAc. l2ms, PIP 9o|'
G. p Putnam's Sons
MRS PERRICOTTs LOGGER, AND OTHER STORIES.
By LADY SOPHIA PALMER l6mo PIP 23s. Mac
milan Co.
A MAGNIFICENT PLEBEIAN. BY JULIA MAGRUDER-
l6mo. PIP. 22s. Harper Brothers
THE ANGEL OF THE VILLAGE. BY L. NJ. ouoRS.
Translated by Mrs MATHEWS. l6mo' PIP ZOO
Boston, Cupples Hurd.
Mrs. Barr's new novel is more cheerful than
her stories are usually. According TO her won't
there is moral in solution, but 1t is not obtruded,
and he who runs may read or may decline TO
read as he chooses. The hero cuts not very
heroic figure in the first part of the story and
sooth to say, the ease with which he turns over
new leaf subsequently is not consistent WITH the
character given OF him previously. self-lndulg-
ent weak purpoSed young man Like Joe Braith-
waite a young man who permitted his rich wife
to take all government out of his hands, and
who was fast drifting into systematic feebleness
in all ways-was IL likely that such an one should
suddenly reassume his full manhood, and subject
himself TO a training and discipline not less rigid
than Notifying? The author thinks this quite
natural Undoubtedly It Is necessary to the story,
and imparts lveliness and interest thereto; but
we have our doubts about Joe Notwithstanding
his conversion. AS TO old Amos, he is a capital,
thoroughly consistent and vigorous individual
and extrenneIv wall drawn So tho is Amt Martha,
and Edith, though here, too, the change of nature
IS too dramatic and sudden to be altogether sat
isfactory. 1t is, however very entertaining,
bright and sunshiny novel
Lady Augusta Noel has done much good and
careful work in her story, Hithersea Mere" but
why should she have killed one of the most
interesting of her people just as everybody was
getting concerned as to her future and wonder
ing how she would turn out. Hilary is really
more fascinating study than the heroine Rhone.
She is one Of those perplexing young creatures
who seem OVERLOOKING with vitality which has
no guidance and may carry her up or down al
most accident determines. Yet she is doing
as nicely as possible when perversely impossible
love is brought forward to touch her tender
little heart The story of Rhone and her mother,
the people who were nearly crushed by the fan
cied obligations of writing the life Of the hus-
band and father who had been famous church.
man, seems touch Of real life. At all events,
IL is very naturally told. Lady Noel describes
well and with sympathy. She shows the tendency
of her sex for about whom some sorrow or
mystery hangs, and seems for short space tempted
70 put q modern Lara on the scene. But this
impulse is subdued, and the story violates no
nineteenth-century sensibilities and descends in
to no scnsationalism. 1t is fuently and pleasantly
written, and nowhere dull stiff or extravaganza
Mrs Molesworth's four ghost stories are not
certifcated In any way, and therefore one does not
know whether TO regard them as founded on fact"
or as ingenious fctions. Certainly they are each
and all interesting. though they have been pub
lished before in magazines. The story entitled
Witnessed by Two" is not ghost story In the
common sense, but rather an account OF what
people nowadays call the projection Of tho
actual body" man who has sailed for India
appears ono day at the front door Of the house
Of the woman he loves The latter recognizes and
admits hni. He goes TO the library, where the
lady Joins him, and a. tbsy stand together on
the hearthYug he vanishes Naturally she con-
cludes him dead. But he is not; and returning 10
England, he tells her OF q strange dream be had
had in which all that she and her brother actually
saw passed before him in vision. Such a
story this, il properly authenticated, would be
hailed with deligh: by those melancholy associa-
lions calling themselves Psychological Societies,
which appear 90 incapable Of ever finding any Of