New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NOVELS AND TALES.

Illustrated lomo. PIP. 444. Frank a. hnnsey d
STRANGE TRUE STORIES OF LOUISIANA. BY
George W Gable Illustrated l2mo' PIP. 3oo'
Charles Scribner's Sons.
THE STORY OF TONTY. By Mary liartwen Gamer
wood. Illustrated l6mo' PIP ~ Cme'so ~ -
McClurG & Co.
II bappened to Wkie Collins. as to so many authors
10 die in harness, and to leave his work unfinished
I, his last illness however. lie sent to his friend
Walter Desant and asked him to undertake the com
petion Of this story. Blind Love" and MI Besah' IT.
lates how all the authors notes were sent 10 mi' anu
how lie found that these not merely notes sucH
a. l expected-slmplc Indications OF the plot ana the
DEVELOPMENT of events. but an actual detaied scenario
in which every incident however trivial. was carefully
laid down: there also fragments of Dialogue III
serted at those places where dialogue was wah'eu 10
emphasize the situation and make it real WIN lhese
helms lie carried ont the task entrusted to him. lie
saws of his share in it: have been careful TO adhere
faithfully and exactly TO the plot scene 10y scene uo"
IN the smallest deta as it laid down by the author
in this book. | have altered nothing. nave pre-
served and incorporated every fragment Oh uia''su''
have used the very language wherever that was "iV
fen 50 carefully as TO show that ii was meant TO DC
used think that there is only one trivial ueta"
where had 10 choose because it not clear fOn tue
notes what the author had Intended The plot o. inc
novel every scene. every situation from Dcehi'"s "
end is tie work of Whic Collins Tic ac'"'' "II''"s
Is entirely his up certain point from ina punt ~
the end II /, partly his, but ms.ay "ilne where HI
The uract,ed critic viii, doubt, at once lay hi>
finger Oh the spot This is interesting as aHoiuluS
INSIGHT into Wilkic CDins'S ways oil WorAitg' ~
w,iter Of fiction probably spent more pans over pc
lninares or plotted the details as well as tc Gee'"
framework with 50 much and completeness
since moreover no writer had more lndlVluudi s'Sc'
Willie Mr. Bc>ant's manner is in the same way quite
distinctive il might he thought that the collaboration
Of these two could hardly have been made to take on
smoothneSs But the dovctaing has been done WIN
remarkable Skill and the practsed critic Is very
likely to fall into he ventures to lay Ills hheci
ON the spoi, where the junction is effected
blind Love" is not at all like Wllhie Collins
oarler novel,-tho>c OF complicated plot upon which
MS reputation rests. There IS indeed criminal
spiracy in this tale. anG some Spying ana laying Oh
counterplo,s but tic central motive Is new 1t eN'
hibite tire dominant influence Of blind love- over
character amenabc to reason IN all other respects
The heroine loves man of extremely ana hopcessN
bad rccord-an Irish Lord. WHO has been cast or by
his family because Of his mvcierate vasaoondasc ana
addiction to evil company. This fellow has been
everywhere and done every thine-eXcept earn an
honest livelihood. He is very fascinating to both
women and men, however, and the girl VINO mas
fallen under his influence cannot escape. she Is
loved by but does not love. a man OF very different
character-a patient, LOYAL self sacrh'lng aitIuNt
who seeing he cannot win her for himself or save
her from the fatal marriage upon w!uch she Is uc'
tcrmined tries 20 bcfriend her afterwam and docs
succeed in preventing her utter Tuin. But the
significance OF The plot consists in The slow tloHSh
steady generalization of the good wifi" OF the bad
husband Having taken Lord Harry with hcr ewes
omen and no illusions his character and career.
she has really begun life by lowering her Standards
aud familiarity with his still lower ones cannot bur
n,ensibly dctcrioatc her moral Judgment further
In elect she sinks with and 10 him, until She finds
herself consentins party To criminal fraud her
husband has arranged, Whereby through pei7pnat0h
10 cheat an insurance cOnpsny and collect large
rail tNpl nfIrdp
heroine j. kept in ignorance Of that In the end her
druggcd reyolts and she breaks with ard
leaves her bad husband, who tereGpO and gets
himself assassinatcd by the lnvincibcs.' The CHEF
villain OF the story DR.. Timpany, recalls CoilnsN
earlier manner. LJrd Harry marks quite de
yarture The novel characterized by graphic force.
dramatic situations. sustained interest and significant
dialogue and there is sign of decadencc abou: Il,
thoush il was the last work of justly favo!itc
writer.
Mrs De Koycn certainly inspired with bold
idea in undertaking the translation II Pierre Lon
"Pecheur DIslande7 for tiele j, 10 French writer
of the day whose work suffers much in the rcn
dcrine OF if, or whose special charms wliOy
incapable Reproduction IN another language. We
cannot say that Mrs. De KOven's experiment is
distinguished success. 1t the best She has made q
fair offer at her work. has Just missed failure.
But at the same time her Iceland FiOkefman" j. q
distinct book from the original and lack, the perfume
the delicate color. the subtle charms Of the Latter.
Those who cannot read French may obtain remote
and imperfect molten Of Pierre Lofts masterpiece
from this version Of it, but certainly nobody who can
read French ought TO be content with anything shor
Of the original
Mr. Munscy's Tragedy OF Errors shows some
faults of mmaturity bat possesses decided merit and
freshness The plot is really clever and in several
respects original the secret Of the assassination
being preserved almost 10 the very last with skill
which woud have done credit to veteran novelist
Mr.. Munsey Is rather weak in his dialogue. and that
is point ambitious young writer afford 10
fail in. lie finds difficulty in cOnceving dramatic
situations but he does not cmbody his characters with
sufficient ntcnness to give them individuality and
di,tncness in all cases. The account Of the estab
lshment Of metropolitan magazine is perhaps in
part personal Renaissance. and therefore inter-.
though it must be said that the prospects Of
in such an enterprise without capital credit or cx
pericncc. such scarcely to justify the employ
ment Of the possible instance OF show
ing what be done by pluck, industry and perse
veIance.
Mr.. Gable has made very pleasant volume Of
Strange True stories Of Louisiana" Whether they
are indeed jlst what they represented 10 be- NAV
perhaps, be passed 1t Is enough TO know that
they may very well all have been true, and that il
they are not. they speak all the more 10 the credit
OF their inventor. The cvdencethc internal evidence.
that is 10 say-secms favor Of their gcnuincness.
II is curious extinct state Of society into which these
tales carry the life Of the great plantations, tie
tIansplanted splendOr and frvolty Of the French
"emigres' flying from the Revolutionary guotine,
and Haunting their velvet and silk suits, their diamonds
and their ,aces, in that faraway primitive community.
with all the vanity and trviay Of "A incapable
Of learning by experience. The pictures Of these
immigrants and Of the real pioneers full Of
than passing interest. and il not be said that
Mr.. Cable gets tie most possible in the Of effects
out OF his material.
Miss Catherw0Od appears to have devoted herself
to exploiting series Of the old French Canadian
adventurers and heroes The subject Of her present
romance Henry de Tonty (or Tonti), was for some
years the right hand Of La Sale. whose fortunes good
and evil, the younger man shared loyalty His
makes the groundwork OF d pretty story. and