New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-08
MINOR NOVELS.
NOTHING STRIKING IN PLOTS.

mans Green q 10
THE CASE OF MoHAMMED BENANL A story Of To-
day l2ms PIP. S24 ID. Appleton q Co.
BLACK ICE. By ALBION W. ToURaEE. 12mo, PIP. 43o'
Fsrds, Howard h Hubert
FOR GOD AND GOLD. BY JULIAN CoRBErE l2ms'
PIP. ACT. Macmillan 4 CO.
LIFE INTEREST BIZ MRS ALEXANDER. 18mo, PIP.
49, Henry Holt & Co.
SECTION 55s; Or The Fatal Latter From the Diary Of
Inspector Byrnes By JULIAN HAWTHORNE l6mo'
p. 246. Cassell Co.
PHYLLIS OF THE srERRAs AND DRIFT FROM
REDWOOD CAMP. BY BRET HARrE 16mo, PIP 2lo.
HsaGhtsn Mfnin & Co.
The island is a peculiar book, half allegory,
half novel with O strong flavor Of satire. There
is little inventive skill about the machinery. An
English lord, given TO day dreams, meditates one
day while standing on the steps OF the Royal
Exchange at London, and perceives the discon-
tent, restlessness and fever of modern society.
The spectacle sticks by him. He goes TO France
to get rid Of it, but the evidences are still more
convincing there. Switzerland only introduces
him to some Nihiists. Finally he takes ship for
the other side Of the world, and being by an ac-
cident left on Pitcairn Island en- route, there dis
covers an ideal colony, governed solely by the
law Of love, living in peace, plenty and happi-
ness developing a noble physical culture ana
wholly undisturbed by the ferment of nineteenth
century civilization The description of this
colony is indeed agreeable, and the contrasts
incidentally struck out are, as intended, striking
For a time there seems danger that the visitor
may do mischief by trying to develop civilized
vices and defects. such as ambition, SOCIAL me
quality the greed of gain, etc, in this unsophis-
tioeted community. Fortunately the ethical III
fuence of Victoria, a sweet piece oil womanhoou'
sufices to avert the peril Bnt Victoria, after
tho inevitable fashion, falls in love with the
stranger and hence q situation the path0s Oh
which would be deeper If the character OF the
person Of quality bad been drawn with sharper
and frmer strokes Precisely what didactlc pur-
pose is sought it is not easy to perceive. vi
course the conditions arising in an Isolated
group of less than ono hundred persons can sug-
gest no solution for the social problems which
are evolved from the aggregation OF great popn-
lations. The story is no doubt pretty one
and the innocent wholesome life oil the island
rs is well imagined; but the book as whole
conveys an impression of incompleteness, as
though the scheme had not been Thought out In
he authors mind thoroughly
sMohummod Benani" is published anonymously,
out it is evident that the author Is famliler
through personal experience with the Orlentalisn
nc describes SO faithfully. The evidence OF his
knowledge, however, is to be found even more in
ais characters than in his scenery and customs
Mohammed himself is probably portrait, ana
remarkable one too. lie represents type seen
only in Eastern oountries type combining
certain mysticism with such shrewdness In affairs
and such cynicism in ethics would constitute
in Western society truly sinister personality
but in its proper habitat may be more benehcent
than mschievous The girl Eftomah is another
strictly Oriental person, and abont the whole
story hangs kind Of mist as Of incense or ira
grant woods burning-that strange, subtle, lntoxi-
eating atmosp here which is known to all who have
plunged into the mythical traditions Of tire good
Haroun AL Raschid" The scene Of "Mohammed
Bcnani' is not indicated by the author, fictitious
names being employed, not only for the countries
mentioned but for the various functionarles and
national diplomatic representatives who appear
But there arc grounds for susrecting that certain
African province is pictured under these DISCUSSES
and that reference is had to scandal which not
very long ago provoked wide discussion, and the
exposure of which led to radical reforms in several
directions The story touches but incidentally on
this subject and in an indirect way. As tale 1T
is written with considerable power and artistic
feeling. 1t would certainly have been more Ell
fective, regarded as fiction, had the author not op-
viously sought to conceal the identities OF people
or the locality of events, for what object is not
altogether clear since after all no very grave
charges seem to be nsinuated, beyond that OF as
sassination at the end, and even there suspicion
is only inferable There is mystery and ORIENTAL
magic enough in the story TO arouse an appetite
for more of these Eastern cxotics. Perhaps the
unknown writer purposes some day to give the
sequel to "Mohammed Benani.
In his last novel Mr.. Tourgee confines himself to
the exploitation Of domestic adventures. lie says
the story was partly written during severe illness
hat is rdl v Wis
make, inasmuch as 1t is apt 10 suggest scepticlsm
as to the mental vigor displayed in the book so
introduced The question whether an author can
De justified in giving the public anything below
his best is moreover unavoldably raised py the
mention Of invalid convalescent literary proouc-
ton In this there certainly is more dfuse and
perfunctory writing than Is usual In Judge Tour
gees books The story is very long and great deal
of the first part has scarcely any relation TO what
follows. 1t is O garrulous and indeed not a nttle
tedious account Of the supposed narrat0rs mousse
horses and habits, and it is carried much too Tar
for the pleasure of the reader. When ne arrives
at the story he becomes much more interesting,
and the description of the martyr school-tcacher
b feeling and effective. As a whole Black lee
cannot be regarded as one of Judge Tourgee's
strongest stories, and most people Will probably
think that it could be considerably improved by
udicious pruning and condensation.
Julian Corbett has succeeded tolerably we'll
in imparting life 10 tale Of the Elizabcthan era
For God and Cold is o romance OF Raleigh and
the Spanish plate ships, Of love and friendship
buccaneering and nascent Puritan sm The dill
Guilty Of vivifying a story cast in SO archaic 1"
period is twofod arising first from the hlndrances
to clear conception the part of the author, ana
second from tie hindrances to clear Apprehension
IN the part of the reader II the express on OF human
emotion and passion is fundamentally the same
in all periods-and this is by no means TO be &C
cepted without proviso-it is certain that the out
ward clothing Of it differs widely from age to age.
But externals have so much TO do with aprrehen-
sion that the physical manifestations the gestures