New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-28
FROM GAY TO GRAVE.
MIR sr0CKTON,S NEW BOOK.


bearing scarcely trace of the peculiar hulnor
upon which his reputation previously rested. Or
course the undertaking Of such work was an
experiment and most people would have thocGho
il very doubtful one. The mere avoidance Oh
al tue tricks of manner aud tendencies 10 odo'
droll or bizarre fancies and interpretations ilh-
poscd a strain upon the writer hardIJ TN theoTS'
compatible with the free and natural d"Vc!op-
mcnt of story planned upon the recognized
lines Of sober fiction. The first point 10 ne hocu,
however is the success attained in striking an"
holding the right key. 1t is Impossible TO douot
that the novelty of the task. and its oesettnS
difficulties must have affected the authors WORK
more or less but he must be snpernaouraiiS
subtle and lseen critic who can lay his hnGer upon
any mart Of Ardis Clavcrden matter or style
and declare that this or that is the direct eiieco
Of the conditions under which it WAS written.
and uyst not be ascribed TO the authors deliberate
prrposcs. or to those styIstic tendencies which
arc the man himself. The temptation is no
doubt strong to anayze the novel with a special
view to the discovery Of what may ne caleo
points Of conflict: to say, here or ueF' o'o
author was about to drift OIL into that humor'sic
view which has become second nature U InIi
to intimate that the sudden pulling up OF ms
frcakish fancy has resulted in still ana AWKWARD
or patchy, places. But all such attempts TO reod
occult meanings into the text are attehdee Win
u,ore danger to the critic than 10 the author ana
1t is safe to say no more than TINS: tna' "i
Stockton hos evolved serious style OF DIS o"'a
almost as distinctive as his humorous stSlc.
We say almost" os distinctive. for the reason
.ba. this new STYLE is suggestive of an
other-itself a most peculiar one. 1t recalls, now
and then. the quaint elaboration which Marked
Mr.. Howe's STORY Of q Country Town. But
in other respects it is not like that singular ana
haunting book 1t is free from the oppressive
air Of gloom and hopelessness which perraoes ME-
Howe's novel. 1t is in the manner alone 'na'
apy resemblance between the two WORKS can %
found Mr. Stockton's atmosphere is periecuy
wholesome and peptic. His people live very niucn
in tho oman mir The sun shines mostly In a
bright blue sky; and the action goes on out oil
doors by preference, on roomy piazzas, ana i""h'
and fields The scene is laid in Virginia, ID inc
shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, ana tAe
"dra,natis pcrsonac" embrace quite cosmopon'an
gathering, including SOutherpers and Nor'herherS'
Englishmen, and on Anerican-ltaAan, hot 10
speak Of the intelligent contraband, who naturally
plays the humble part of supe line story re-
wolves about Ardis Clavcrden, who, 1t Is almost
necessary to state 50 unilluminative is the name,
is n vonnc woman; and a young woman, be it
added. Of as many and as bewidering charms ana
virtucs as any heroine could exhibit and possess
Ards has many suitors; in fact everybody fails
IN love with her. and nearly everybody asplres 10
marry her The man who is really most deserv-
ing Of her is unfortunately ruled oil the course oy
the author on the score OF age and poverty ms
conclusion having been fOrcgone. perhaps II wouih
ha We been better art 10 make the Doctor less at
uactive.
The man who wins tho prize has some rather
serious defects: in especial jealousy so vl'icn'
N to impel him more than once " acts which
come lear TO wreclsing his future. But he IS
Young and has means and to youth the world
belongs stronger and far more artistically
conceived character is that of Jack Surrey, the
experienced Northern man who comes TO Virginia
with the express purpose of marrying Ards, an"
who succeeds in acquiring the hatred or dislike
Of all who meet hn-includng the r1ader-with-
ont after oil. being half bad fellow. lie is
pushing rcsolute, able and sometimes willing TO
say cutting and exasperating things. He some
how strokes peoples fur the wrong way and this
is very cleycrly devised. He is the innocent
AGENT in several unpleasant cOntrctemps. and he
has knack of appearing just when he is least
wanted By others But he wins his way BY Sheer
pluck and manfulness. and the end az which lie
arrives will it may fairly be predicted, surprise
without dspleasing the gentle reader. II III
Ards Clavcrden" Mr. Stockton fonnd II neces-
sary to insert small safety-valve for the casn-
ment Of his imrerions tendencies toward In"
humorous, one can hardly 20 astray in Snrlnising
that Egbert Darymple was created 10 serve That
particular purpose. lie is kind OF Antinons-
Bunthorne if such combination nay be Thought
possbe and but for mis- tragic end he would pass
very we'll for a pure colncdy charact@ In ae-
signing him 80 grim an exit We think Mr. stock
ton has made mistake The description Of lis
a. ;,ln &c c;ruulorlv almost shock lupv
quaint and odd: but the question 10 he resolved
Is whether it is in keeping with his character as
described. and the answer 70 this must we think
br in the negative So fatuCus an cgOts, neither
would nor could do what EYhert D2rymP!r j
represented az doing. Therefore the episode j;
not good art and yet one would be sorry TO lose
that chapter.
The Chiverleys must not be forgotten. Tho
pIcture Of these genial philosophers. living in thci
big studis Oh too fomiar terms with the wolf a
tbe door, is excellent. Mr.. Chiverlcr is typical
His name is legion, in fact He stands for Tho
mob Of we.l-train"d and technically skilful artist
without IMAGINATION or creative power. wEo car
COPY faithfully everything buc the spirit that All
mates nature, who are admirably industrious an'
pcrsevering, and who never rise above TIE pot
boiling stage Such people however, are not oil
wars to be pitied They may. like Chivcrl"y. NJ
thoroughly happy even III slr'lfhca ciIc"h'''"'
and when they have such wives as Mrs Chiverle,
WA they would deserve worse success than mcdi
ocrlty doonls them 1" IL they not happy
That sketch Of the svdio life is particularly pleas
ant and natural 80 s Tie cntir" study o. ID
Lester, who supplies TO the story that snh-maaA
choly note which all true artists know TO b" in
dispense bic the production of the highest effects
lie represents the "might-bnvc been" element il
tho drama. He is the man whose purpose in lif
seems thwarted, ye; whose sorrow so swcctrns az
puriles him that his influence is ennobng. Til
young EDglshmen, and especially Tom Pronte
are drawn with quiet humOr and appreciation, an
they are clearly distinguished.
Much 70 the credit of Mr. Stockton is the firmncI
with which he has avoided, i'll more than or
place. a descent from comedy TO farce, ard troy