New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-21

get along with, but fundamentally unthinl,ahl,c
people. No reason that can be considered at al
sufficient is given for Ruths prceocious &c
termination TO 90 into convent Her love Tor
Amory is at no time hopeless, nor is it, shown why
She thought so. When Amory asks her TO be his
wife every possible excuse for her surrender 10
mystical fanatiCism disappears, but yet she re-
verts TO th't irrational resolve, and finally breaks
faith with her aflianccd husband without appar-
emily realizing in the least the depth of the wrong
she is dong him lie on his part quite as I'M
arcountobly accepts her abandonment Of him,
and N doing exposes the mistake Of the authors
in representing him after his return from tho war
as having learned ii.mness and strength OF char
meter. Inc truth, poor Amory is an inyertebratc
from first to last, while Ruth Is incoming, NOR
bid. silly girl, with whose jaundced and unnatural
predictions II is difficult to be patient.
Conscience, again, nndergoes almost a total
change OF character. The girl who loves Ardash-
tel is in nothing identical with the girl who has
ton. She has become suddenly and incXplicaby
hard and vicious. At no time did she have much
manners, but now she ceases 70 have any principles
either. II may be said in explanation that the
pcssimst Russian had derraved her by his evil
communications; but young American girls OF the
period are not prone to be thus swiftly donor
allied by the idle chatter OF cynical foreigner,
and moreover the change in Constance Is too
swift ard too radical 10 be so accounted for.
Tbr authors apparently intend 10 illustrate
the force Of inherited apttudes and tendencies
ia the lives OF the two girls The key IT, TINS
theory is given in " Shppics" remark TO Judge
Ford: They just divide their mother between
en-: and Ruth has got her plcty. ana 'ois'ahcc
has got her passion. with something else thrown
in from the other side OF the house winch none
of us understands too we'll" In order TO know
how reasonable this hypothesis is we ought 70
have been told good deal more about cprneua
Curwcn than in fact we are. As DESCRIBED 10
the story neither her picty nor her passion
appcars to have been abnormally developed. ! nc
one was not strong enough 10 teach her hcf
duty to her husband the other was not strong
enough 10 Suggest to her any sacrifices for her
lover She seems to have been woman OF more
emotion than vCliton. and therefore not likely 70
have transmitted 10 her children any remarkable
enorry.
But the children arc the victims Of dominant
Inherited tendencies OF the most exaggerated kInd
Neither anDnarS - h. her own mistress AT the
most critical moments, and ~ such moments
neither acts nationally or consistently Regard
Ruth and Constance anart frOn their environ
,ncnt and one must admire the skill with which
they are drawn. "a" ease and grace OF thPli
NOV enont the deliracy with which their salient
traits arc brought out But consider them in their
relations 60 the rest OF tie drama Is r"afsonae
and they appear TO be out OF harmony with thcir
surroundings awkward and unnatural IL " Inc
consider il to he H. would certainly not he worth
Will, 20 anayzc IFS comDosiion with this MI
uutcncss: but il il in possible not 10 bc struck
Nv ;hc strange contrast between its parts. ana
ce,cciallv tho nnfaithiulucsS to human nature and
life which prevents book really adnlraole IN so
many OF - details from producing the eHcct Of
enc~rss. Whether thc c0p0borativ" m"ihod sub
posed 20 have beer employed upon MS compo-
stion is in any way accountable Tor the lmper-
focticn Of fhn result wc have no means OF know
ing hut The story. while well worth rea"lng
and much above fhc avora"" WORK ot hc'lon
in mower fills short Of excellence to the extent
and in the ways here indicated