New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME MINOR NOVELS.

the hEEFEh Cr iitt. NJ III r., w.
THE HOUSEHOLD OF Mcneil. ~ Amelia E. EaTr.
lomo. PIP 327. Dodd Mead Il Co.
oCEANIDES Ry Erns, llimm"l; 1cmo. PIP Ale
Boston: Ernst Won Hmmci Publishing CO.
BRUSHES AND CHISEL>. Nv Tcodcro serra"' loH'o'
PIP ol3. Boston: Lee a shepard
Daniel Dane is a name in fiction nn' MS
first book shows few signs of incNperi"nrr' lie
launches ont with bolncss and spirit. ana nc ms
achieved the by means common feat OF pro,
dncinr plot characterized bv freshness ana SIKH
NJ combinations Arnold North. tic princlp'I per
sonncc in "Ncngcancc is Mine. is a dcri"c"iF IN
tercsting if not altogether cdfyinS character. lie
is a man of science of the present period; an
English professor of chemistry: aGn"snc III re-
Ncious concerns. and holding til" advanced
theory that every one is a 3w unto nm or her
self The relations between the people in the
story are not normal or conventional. Arnold
North's iron will and devotion 10 science do NOT
nrcycnt him from falling in love with the wife OF
another man and the situation is complicated by
the fact that vet another married woman falls IN
love with HIM Here are the materials for
Gallo romance, but Daniel Dane h"rrowS from
France nothing more objectionable than pl"'
skeleton His hero, indeed. is untronhcd by
ethical limitations may he judged from rl>
manner Of smoothing the course Of his trie l"v"
The husband being in the way. tie great chemist
removes him by communicating to him the germs
Arnold North is stanchy consistent. and never
exhibits the least regrc, or rcmor>c for This cold
bloodcd murder OF course. after such crime no
hero of fiction could Ne expected I" prosper. and
equally OF course the indication of the title th1t
he is to he punished by higher Power is fnl-
filled. II is true that his punishment Involves
the ambiguous outcome Of one sort of wlck"dn'>s
being triumphed over by another for his enemy
Sarah is quite rcprchcnshc rs and much less
,.lo'
But the story is we'll told, and with such effect
that the reader is apt 10 find himself in sympathy
with Arnold az the end, Notwithstanding! the IT.
regularity Of his methods ItseNms piiv TO have
killed of poor Madeline Just rs she had come
into possession of her inheritance, particularly as
she had done wrong to anybody: hut in fiction.
as in real life. il is often difficult I" punish the
guilty without al the same time innctIr- suffer
ing upon the innocent
Conrad Meyers story Of The Temptation Of
Pescara" is a brilliantly written historical
romance which takes some liberties with history.
According this new version tn" lannon's victor
of Pavia refused :" JOIN the Milanc>~ League
against Spain and Germany, and his wife. Nl'torla
Colonna, sought 10 induce him 10 take that step
valrIy. History has supposed that lie did loin
the League. though only 10 hctrLv II to Charles
the Fifth. and that the offer Of the trown Of
Naples might have been accepted by Em bu' for
the advice of vi,toria. In the story. on lie
other hand, il is the dazzle Of this prospective
crown that lures NittorIa iut" hrcpHIn4 'hc
temptrr of Avclos. The early death OF tl.e latter.
in the very prime of his manhood and ne fnIl
flush of his military fame, renders plausible
Meyers theory tina; he had received AZ Pavia u
really mortal wound. and WAS only kept 'liv"
thereafter by his IndonI'ahlc VIII. untll i've
situation became pcr?ic\"d and mt"'r'"''"-
hostile Influences dragging HIM with c'I"I ioI g
in opposite drcctions-that hc rclnqu!>hcl tho
will TO live and died. as the only way %: saving
his honor and doing his duty to his country and
his Emperor AT the same time. Meyer has 81
forth this sixteenth century story with mastery
force and vivilncSs. The historical portraits "!r
carefully drawn and full Of interest Tia" a"il'n
Is natural and animated. and IL" >'rA@-Ir n
Pescara's soul is described with singular snhtAnr
and penetration. The translation hy Cl1r' Eel
is excellent.
Mr.. F. w. Robinsons novel, TIE kcci"r Of
the Keys contains some ii">" :ii-'!"'.H.
as for instanre that Of the faEdul"nt hanHi"p'
who has sil-cd iown stolen for'n'r. a''' Oh
coming ont OF jail j. himself N turn cheated ~
the Old confidential clerk. 10 whose Supposed H.
tcgri,y he had in,ru>t"d II" money. I!'i" Is
also a n!nrler. the gcal pei c'rat'r 81 Who" Is
concealed almost the last with skill wm'h
are some characters whose "niakc-up Offers Ncrr
interesting studies. Tie author seems - rs !"
have failed only in the attempt 10 render a''ra"if"
Neryny the repcHtant partner III the cn'"IIHI2
finn II is OF course intended HAT he >h""d
nppcar as Il GOOD man. but tho result Is :" make
him suspected OF can't and 20 secure his CONVICTION
OF prgGishness. lie Is. moreover. sad as ~" IN
plications OF such belief may '"', we i""r gun"
an impossible character in the present era, or II
not absolutely iMlos,lblc AZ least 80 abnormal
tina, man Ike him would 10 certainty be- com
United insane.
Mrs Bars Scotch stories arc always pleasing,
and the Nouerho!d Of Mcneil" maintains her
reputation, though II is in no resi"" al advance
upon its predecessors. Inc old laird Is d"r'f.c>'
a faithful and typica study, bHt tie Lord M1\-
we'll strikes us Us rather exceeding tho bounds OF
probability. II is scarcely thnkablc tIa' al 'h'
close of The nineteenth century an cducntri Scot
fish Peer could Lc capable Of hiring all Italian
brig1nd to murder his wife Len Scottish
Lord Of TO-DAY nigh, ho,c lis wife and wish her
dead bnt surely he would not, unless on OF his
mind pvt himself, his liberty. his yrry lf" IN
The power Of an Italian vagabrn1 and outlaw, for
whose silence hc had 40 guarantee, and WI" world
certainly blac;nail # ne M lot bc'rv hi!n This
episode in the story i, really too str' order
and must he protested against. All fhr rest Is
smooth and reasonable enough, anc the interest
is we'll sustained to the end.
Tn, author Of "Occanidcs" evidently counts
upon an audience fit ,hon.h few: and a rather
queer kind Of people they l:'nst he who can aTprc
ciatc and take delight IN sich $ III As lac "h"rs
them. He calls his book "A ps:chical novel
The psychology Of il consists III a long series of
alleged interviews with duplex angels after the
SwedenborG pattern, one Of which celestial VISIT
ors appears in a lluc satin coat and Whit" satin
waistcoat and biccchcs-whch costume must have
been very imposing and cNrr'ivc. The ANGELS
teach the supposed writer all about the genesis OF