New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME MINOR NOVELS.


sYRLIS. BY ouiaa lamo, PIP 400. Philadelphia;
THE Rtk kRRn Stt GSSp'"F y James payn ,amo
MISE gp Es sG4 Hfps Ros g Richard Allen 2mo
THE SALT MASTER OF LUYEBURG. BY Julius
limo, PIP. 3o5. +. Y. Crowell Co. ,eno
L'oNCLE sClpIo. Par Andre Theuriet. 1omo'
VENICE. BY Katherine 7. Macquoid. John W.
Lowell Company.
Ouida's novel is. like all her works, an ex-
traordinary mixture Of talent and crudity. The sub
title, "PositiOn," reveals the leading motive OF
"Syrl,n,n which is TO exhibit the ways IT. when
a haughty and egostic English arstocracy sacrifices
every worthy and noble consideration to worldly
status. Oudas conception OF the arstocratc nature
and habits curious. and might have been borrowed
from that peculiar author of "servantgalsm,' Mr..
G.. p W. Reynolds. All her lords and dukes are
blackguards and scapegraces OF one variety ana
another. They language" before what Ouda calls
"their women" They all in love with somebody
clse's wife. The chief villain, Lord Avillon. is
monster OF selfshness and self indulgence. who Is
capable of very impotc remarks, though he is
running over with culture. As TO the hero OF the
story, Syrlin. he is particularly impossible genius
of nondescript origin, who can do everything but
behave like man OF cOmm0n-senSe and gentleman.
Nobody Ouida Of realistic tendencies III
this book for the world she describes is the pure
70 conclude that Syrln" is stupid On the contrary,
II is often wonderfully brilliant The nveCtive in
which the author ashes her imaginary aristocracy Is
most fiery and intense; her descriptions arc frequently
vivid and effective in remarkable degree; and there
is throughout curions contrast between the absudity
Of the plot and motive and the strength ana sKlll
with which they are handled. 1t is, in short, easy
10 understand how such a writer has attained vide
popularity, and why her books appeal with special
force to people OF strong imagination and little knowl
edge of the world.
Mr.. Payn's story, "The Burnt Million" taxes the
readers credulity almost at the outset by requiring
him to accept the theory that The daughter of a
notorious and money lender could be kept in
absolute ignorance of the nature of her fathers bust
ness though frequently meeting his clients and vic
tins. for the rest the story is ingenious and lively,
and is furnished with sensations enough TO satisfy the
most exacting taste in that line In other respects
Mr.. Payns work here seems less careful than usual.
His character studies not particularly clke. and
the situation of the two sisters, both in love with tho
same man and living in the same house with him, is
rather strong order" What kind of women must
they have been not detect another before the
end Of the first week7 The burnt million episode.
too, is by mo probable. such piece of
Quixotism is doubt possible, but one would not
think much of the wisdom of the young man capable
of IL; and it is questionable whether his sweetheart
would really be grateful him in the future if she
ever came to know what he had DONE Ostensibly for
her sake. Men who throw million sterling into
the fire never turn up in real life outside OF unatlc
asylums. and probably it is quite as well for the
world that they do not The young man in Mr.. Payn's
story, too must have had remarkable legal ad-
WISER to say the least and who cared nothing
at all for his reputation for cOmmon-sense.
Altogether the Burnt Million is farfetched and not
b little clumsy In construction.
Mr. Richard Aliens story Of the New-Jersey shore,
"Mss Eatons Romance is we'll written, spirited and
interesting There just plot enough in it TO give the
narrative cohesion, and there is plenty of the tender
sentiment which BELTS the summer novel and adds
rest to the luxury Of the hammock.
II is love story of the good old fashion, in which
pair, long estranged through Misunderstanding and
the treachery of Others brought together again
under very romantic circumstances. The best tling
In 1t is the scene when Robert is apparently dying;
bis life slowly ebbing away, and himself in profound
trance. His old love, Miss Eaton, seats herself at
his bedside and by the intensity Of her will force, I'M
consciously directed into the deeps where his spirit
Is sinking, recalls him TO life and effects the crisis
which saves him. This episode is finely told, and 1t
has the merit Of embodyng profound TRUTH for cases
exactly parallel have not infrequently occurred. The
novel is marred by but defect namely, the need
lessIy melodramatic character and conduct Of Burr
Markham, the amiable and innocent eX-eonvct, VINO
soS Of WarSaW Mr. MARKHAM in truth Jars
upon us somewhat, and the ystcry which surrounds
him might very well have been spared
julius Wolff is a writer of marked power and Of such
4 conscientious thOroughness one scarcely looks
Tor In these days. His novel, The salt Master Of
Luneburgn is historical romance OF the fifteenth
century, written with careful attention to all the
antiquarian and archaeological details. 1t gives
very clear and lfelike picture of the old German
guilds and the city life of the Middle Ages, and the
author has introduced great deal of curious inorna
ton about the ceremonies, rites and usages of those
ancient corporations their festivals and solemn gather
ings for initiation and Other purposes. The state on
skilled labor in the fifteenth century in Germany
may be learned clearly enough from this story. which
deals with labor troubles municipal revolutions, and
60 forth The figure of Gothard Hennebcrg. the salt
master is drawn with much art and vigor and the
6ne robust old stands ont In strong relief, a
noble and capable citizen for any period. II Is an
extremely interesting tale, and the translation strikes
us as highly creditable
Andre Thcuriet's "L'Oncle Scpio" reminds us. as
much as any French novel possibly could Of David
Copperfeld" The supposed narrator may be compared
10 David himself and Uncle scipio to Mr.. Micawbcr.
though the latter at bottom much honester and
generally better fellow than the French copy There
IS also distinct suggestion Of Colonel sellers in this
bohemian uncle, who is always coming 10 the front
with some great enterprise in which ms own ana every
body elscs fortune is be made. and who as lnfaby
fails OF his great expectations IL IS an amusing tae
In the main, and Of course, well written
The two stories in katherine S. Macquod's new
voume are rather thin. Will not add much TO her
repuation "Hcttys Revenge" is the stronger of the
two bnt even that is not saying much for II: INC
author of COsete" Is expected 10 90 Deter "oh 'I
this.