Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-11-10
EDITORS TABLE.

Fra Lippo Lippi 10 the title Of novel b.
Margaret We're Harrington of this city
which has just been issued from the press
of G. T. Putnam's Sons of New York. The
book is one of exceptional strength and
will take foremost rank among the more
recent historical novels. Miss Harrington
takes for the groundwork of her book the
romantic life of Fra Fillipo Lippi, q
famous Florentine painter Of the nj
teenth century. Upon this she has
constructed a most charming and enter
tanning story. The first impression one
gets in reading it is the absolute accuracy
of its historical environment. No detail has
been omitted in giving rs correct and vivid
picture Of the people, the customs, the srt,
the religion, of Florence and its suburbs in
which the events of the book occur.
Not even the topography of the
country is omitted, and as we follow the
areas artist and his pupil Fra DiamaLte,
in one of their afternoon outings, to large
hill overlooking the city we
look through their own sppreciative eyes
upon landscape as varied and beautiful
in form az it is rich in color, and sympa-
thize with them in the pleasure that fills
their artistic souls 10 the contemplation of
20 IdlI BItHts nC ctOAy 10
told in q style at once wonderfully clear
and condensed. The characters are sharp
ly drawn. The movement of the book is
easy and natural, and the interest OF the
reader, awakened in the opening chapter, is
closely held snd intensified to the close.
We live and feel with the characters of the
story. With warm interest we watch the
little careless orphaned Fi!lippo, boiling
over with exuberaat life and spirits, turned
over to the care of the monks in the con-
vent Of the Carmine scarce week after
the good prior hal detected him in the very
act of despoiling one of the pear trees that
stool in its garden. We watch him amid
the irksome duties which form part
of his education for the priesthood
with feeling that his worldly
little soul can never find serene resting
place in its sacred Offices. We note with
interest his first artistic efforts, the bold
ness and the skill of which amaze his pious
teacher and suggest to those about him the
possibility that after all this careless child
so indifferent to his studies, may possess an
artistic soul that will one day win wide rec
ognilion and bring distinguished honor upon
his convent.
We see him in later years when he hss
left the monastery and is winning the ap-
plause of the artistic world by his
mastery work, and we catch something of
the spirit that animases his labors. We get
in comparison, too, an excellent glimpse Of
contemporary srt. We watch with increas-
ing interest his work upon the frescoes in
the chapel of the convent of St. Margarita
at Prato, suburb of Florence. His vain
efforts to paint satisfactory Madonns's
face in the fresco behind the altar, and the
reluctant consent Of the Abbess TO let the
beautiful Lucrezia Butt sit before him as .
model, awakes 4 strong interest in the story
Tnen follows the elopement OF the artist
with Lucrezia with glimpses Of their sub
sequent domestic life. The insane jeal-
ousy and resentment of Lucrezis's cousin
the Princess Bestrice, who is msdly in love
with Fra Filli?po, forms q good back
ground to this portion of the story. The
end of the great artist though sad lends q
dramatic interest to the story that
it would not otherwise have had.
The Messrs. Putnam have shown their very
high appreciation of this novel by the
splendid manner in which they have
got it up. Among all the new novels
of the year we have seen none that
equals this in beauty of mechanical
execution. The paper is very heavy
and of the finest quality; the type is large
and clear, and the illustrations are all
photographers from masterpieces
of them from the brush Of Fra Lippo
Lippi himself. The many friends of Miss
Harrington are justly proud of the splen-
did success she has scored with this
book. BY it she is given q good position
among the best contemporary American
novelists. The strength she has
shown presages q brilliant future. We
understand that the Messrs. Putnam have
arranged with her to publish all of her
works in the future.