New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-02

.s and n vas hardly worth while 10 anAlsJe MIN 50
carefully only IN the end 10 take him out OF the hsnos
OF destiny and degrade him 20 The common leVei OF
that imaginative fiction In which everything set hgn'
Al the eleventh hour by the convenient death Of
millionaire relative.
Mrs waIworth has written clever story IN
snlepdld Egoust,' which Is tho history Of one OF
those men (oi whom every one knows some OK
au,pIes who with much talent and capacity possess
m altruIstle elements, but use, e&pend ana eohly
aiur away the affections which, unfortunately for
others, they are peculiarly adapted to create and
fostor Randall Machaye Is sculptor, who has
married a girl much too good for him. They arc
very poor and only by making rich connection
can he succeed She spurs him on TO seek foothoid
in society and one result Of his social successes IS
the growth Of q conviction In him that he Is
"hamperedH by his marriage. Ills unseihsh wlfc
being tainted by him, disappears that he may have
fuller opportunity - rise. NATURALLY enough DC
Yields the first temptation in the form OF pfetV
etri and only stops short Of bgamy, apparently,
because circumstance result In the oreaAng-ao~h
OF his health Machaye seems TO have weariod The
author Al last for he Is dismissed from the seeno
finally iu very uneeremonious fashion, IN otuor
10 make room for the foil 10 him, who, Of course
must reward the self sacrificing Marianne IN The
orthodox fashion. II IA rather curious, oy INC way
that evon when novelIsts UNDERTAKE 10 SNOW inc
perils OF matr1mony, they arc scarcely ever ABOVE
a resort 70 the old conventional make'peneVe thA'
the wcddine-day marks the summit OF human iel'ey'
instead of being simply the entrance upon Ne'5
aubious experiment A Splendid Egotst Is some
yrbal UNEQUAL and seems to have been finished IN
TOO much haste The latter paH would indeed DC
,mnroyd by rewriting for tho facility with which the
d.yo,.d wife transfers her affections Is not In Keep
ing with her character as originally Indicated
,,-, Kemble's novel is but mildly interesting, the
most amusing person in it being also the most uh-
attractive II IS rather sentimental tale OF TWO SIS
ters both OF whom love the saDe cooress young man.
The scene Is laid IN New England In rural Village
and the Judge and the Doctor, A. Also perhaps INC
Rev. Mr. Edwards appear TO be photographs the
REV Caleb Kilfrrow is drawn with such unprepossess'
ing outlines that no has almost the appearance OF
carcature Tho girl Mary, whose hopeless concealed
love for her sisters intended husband supplies the
tragic element Is 50 extremely eccentric, il-ngu-
lated and unamablc young lady that the reader can
hardly sympathze with her as keeuly a. he Wouh hho
TO- Her death in the circumstances described IS ntte
short of q miracle. Mrs. Konible would have uone
Uer 10 take expert advice before killing healthy
Young woman with that precipiiancy, AS 70 MOTIFS
who 40 promptly plays the part OF murderer when
he is entirely innocent Of offence his behavior cannot
he EXPLAINED without impeachng the literary art OF
the author Mrs Kcmble may have the capacity to
vrite a good novel, but Far Away and Long Ago. Is
a mediocre performance,
r"The sphinx In Aubrey Parish was as able as
it is long Il would DO q good novel; As II iS' much
cannot DO said for the story 1t has strong ha'or
Of IscoDalanisr II has pair OF lovers who allow
themselves to be separated for years by wicked
uncIe VERY tamely. 1t has mysterious parsonage
who carries kind Of Lara-llhe reputation, plays tho
mysogynist somewhat brutality. and reminds ono al
trrnate,y Of Byron's villains and OF Mr. Rochester
Tbs author has attempted 10 Introduce vein OF humor
IN tho tale but not very successfully The ~uon u
SLOW aud duh conversation anything but spngh'y'
and nearly all the chsncters arc wooden and IueIe'S
9TH. Berheleys and their Hoighbors" Is good and
clever story whose coils fault IT'S brovity Tho scene
is laid IN the SOUTH since the Rebellion. and a. wash
lneton and the pictures Of Southern life are Psrucn
lArly lively and faithful. though probably the type OF
old fashioned southerDers 10 which Colonel Berkeley
belongs has by this time almost ceased to exist. The
incident OF the CAntacuEcres VII recall. and Is evil
IDENTIFY based upon a diplomatic scandal and sensation
which actually occurred good rnaNv IrS ago though
tho author has presumably changed tho course OF
events To suit his plot. pretty love afar gives
~. and charm to the tale. which. sfter plenty OF III
cdent terminates IT, the good old Say. The author
shows decided talent
The author OF Lady Biucbcari' Is not content 10
proceed IN the common grOoycs "ZIt and Noe u
what may DO very fairly termed a novel OF svoinons
Tho hero IL The first human being developed from \
family Of authropod apes, and Zoe Il OF hko oHgii"
Thor meeting, courshp, union and gradual progress
IN civilization II described with exceedingly droll
mixture OF modern ideas and archaic facts. The
sns-ch OF the old ape to his unnatural hairless aud
telllcss sor on casting him on, Is Aughaoo example
Of this and the proprc,y Of tho sentiments expressed
by the now Eve IN her first interview with the new
Adam Is certainly calculated TO oonfound and bcVlder
tho DarwiniAnE especially a. both persons are sup
posed to be exercising tho faculty Of speech for the
nrst time In short tho story Il humorous oXtrava
ganza but full OF charming iancirs and quaint ideas.
and written IN q manner 10 interest and attract all
who take the necessary prrcSution Of putting aside
every scientific and other preeoncepuon before reading
this odd boob.
"Yankoe Girls In Zulu Land" was book Of somc
ncrit but 80 much can hardly bo said OF " An !. u.
B. in South Africa" The mysterious initials mean
Illicit Diamond Buycr' and the story, such as II f.,
turns upon a transaction Of the kind Al the diamond
mines In South Africa Tho story il poor, hiusy and
lacking In almost every essential requirement Of ar
tsuo fiction. But for the illustrations the book
would scarcely deserve mention. Those arc not Of
equal merit, the processes employed sometimes pro
ducIng those botchS effects which interfere so tnuCh
with the satSfactorncss Of tho new French school Of
book Illustration Tho designs are Ofteu much better
Than the execution In fact The book Is Wen printed,
but upon q paper which is much too glossy.