New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
NEW NOVELS.
A CLEVER ENGLISH STORY.
Of this publicatit

LADY BABY. by Dorothea Gerard. 12mo' PIP 2's'
Harper a Bros. 49,
COUNTESS IRENE BY J. Fogerty. i2mo' pp- $685.
ID. Appleton q Co. or
JACK GORDON. BY W. c. Hudson. 1amo PIP. 247'
Cassell Publishing Co.
VERY STRANGE FAMILY BY F, W. ROBINSON
1omo. PIP. 1872 Frank +. Love 20.
co1-TDy.T SAY NO By John Iabberton. 12mo,
rp 2a9 Bedford. Clarke IL co.
ALEXIA. BY Mary Abbott l6mo, Pr. III. chi
cago: 4. G. McClurg CO.
THE HATTE NOBLEssE. by George Manville Fcnn
limo. PIP. Az. Frank +. Lowell Co.
If ~The Awakening Of Mary Fenwcl' really is the
first hook Of new author 4 Is a remarkable work, Tor
IL easily surpasses three fourths OF the current hctlo
and f. is marked by AL artistic completeness not less
striking that It's simple truth 10 life. The motive i
sufficiently difficult one young womah-Na'F
Fenwick-to whom large fortune has descended dis
covers as she thinks on her wedding day, that sic
has been married for her money alone. Very proud,
and rot really in love with her husband this reveal
ton profoundly dis gusts and angcrs her. ana on the
instant she resolves 10 be only wife IN name IL
nroves impo.sble 20 obtain release from her fridom
Iicr husband is in truth not the mcrccnay creature
she believes. and ne loves her The interest Oh inc
story lies I'm the gradual development In this proud
cola Golf absorbed woman Of feeling for her husband
which duIv rpcns into love- and finally breaks down
all the barriers her wounded cgoism has set mp ana
brings the two together Tho struggle Is oescrocu
with skill and tact. The country -honse lie is chroh-
clcd with free. bold and graphic touches Inc PEG
plc introduced full of character. human, easy ana
vivaclous The children especially arc drawn win
tenderness insight and truth 10 nature which render
Jack and GIL among the most charming creations OF
tho Kind No one has moro successfully reproduced
the child mind than Miss Whiihy and the death OF
GIL is not likely 10 bo read with dry ewes by many
Nsrys sister Cccly Is the one Disappointing figure In
the story she begins so promislngy, and seems 10
descend 50 swiftly and ncedes,y into the position OF
a sortid "mondaine" II Is true that She never al
together loses her atracfvcncss but after her mar
r,are IN a ho-.cy vonih one can take but feeble in
terc,t in her and her relationship IN Mary can no
longer be recognized. Both Mary and her husband
are fire studies and the author IN evolving them mas
shown a maturity of thought and a facility ~ eN-
preston which would do honor n a veteran novelist
iIumor IS generally the quality in which women are
most deficient bu, certainly Miss Whiiby has plenty
Of IT, ard employs IT with excellent taste. 70 ex-
good a frs, novel will naturally be taken
A. earnest Of equally good even better things 10
come from the same hand
Mr.. ,rlo Bates has written kind of counterpart N
Indinc in Abrccht.7 II j, pure romance. av"we1N
non didacc hu, dealing. n Us OWL peculiar suggestive
way with orc 81 those psychca problems which have
alvay, Interested and pcfpleNed thinkers Tie story 5
ca, n nr form II Tcuonl' romance ~ tie time "i
cnari.iuacnc II H. ~ 4 kolo'd.7 or sylvan spr'c.
who ,..o, and ,vcd- mortal maiden. and according
TO tie tradition Of the period thereby wins
for himself soul and the opportunity OF redemption
Tor ic Koholds were though supernatural. Vet soul
los creatures. endowed with largo power, ~ so'd ana
evil hut distinctly animal In character and without
hone fpr the future. y To story pr'si"-'fn u seems
,roi,., be that tie kl.oi bride viii Jos" Der own
soul a. an Offset 10 the sain II on" ny hr hn'Ha''
r The it Gradual, cA,ansc chsri tor. tho careless.
,, hearted wood creature becoming .obcr. Thoughtful
and religious whilc the former exalted peiS and
other oridrc>s ~ the Countess Erna j. replaced 'y
love NJ pleasure and fiivov which threaten speedy
shinYrcri, 10 tic marrat-. Erna', temptations
and tho final conquest are powerfully represented
rhrougiout the tale an atmosphere Of ramor .ur
rounds evcrytnr and TIE reader is put ana kept ln
the proper ~mllcu7 with AN art deserving hSh
pra,.e There (. much poetry and rlciursgucncS,
I'm the Descriptions and while the tissue Of the romance
b. distinctly n,ht. tho color. arc appropriate, they
m lsc on sllfullv and tremendously. and tho general
effect is pleasing and gratifying.
We have learned to expect good fiction from the
anthor ~ "ncata7 and ic-car my Neighbour and
hc r~ade need fear 10 disappointment In opening hcr
last novel which bears Tho fetching tI'le Lady
uabv~ Tho heroine indeed f. very pcrvcrsc and
naughty vounz person. who does Il great many things
which she ought not to do and leaves undono most
things which ,hc Og-h. 10 do. she knows nothing
~ thc world save through novcls-|hich Is 7" say
she knows nothing Of the world. cynics may declare
If the man who wins her had not been prcicrnaurally
must have driven him frantic. l,ut there Is abundant
matter 81 incrcs; outside 81 lovers qnarrels. The
story has two cyclists. male ard female. 'arbury,
tho former {, really 4 contemplate character. and
rather grotcsqnc. with ls black hair and eyes and
his hcamty a. Of staee hfigand or pirate King.
The author does not appear 10 intend doing So but She
has. Willingly or unviitingy. caused Mr. Carhury 10
Ice vcrv nearly ridiculous. and that T. fatal 10 taking
! i'm seriously Lady Egphio-ync tho female cso-t.
j, res firmly drawn and Ices carefully filed In.
therefore not impressive or amusing. There Is
stir and movement enough in tho plot. and the wicked
woman is that mid typo ~ lnipui'y cngcndclcd by
civilzation-th pcnnilcss girl namely who. lowered
only with social accomplishments, and u,"d only To the
highly artificial life Of society f. driven to
intrigle and plot for the sake Of husband who viii
solyo the problem Of permanent bread Land butter.
Maud hyperion has little coed In her. but the
cxlgcncic. ~ her position have gone far toward
smo'herlng II. ~ho Is not an advcntnress IT the
Mis- Gwilto type In vllho Conss Arinadalc7
hnt sine is driven TO base cxpcdcnt,. and comes to
grief In one way though her creator mcrciful enough
10 let her marry wealthy tallow chandler and
finally 20 ont Ike one OF her husbands candles, with
an unpleasant. OdOr.
.Tnc Countess Irene" Is mainly what may be
termed continental novel. Most Of the action takes
place in Austria and principally at Vienna though the
author Is not les at home on the shannon than
the Danube The pictures of Vicnnc,c life are de
fMfnlN VIVA anu anu lIf NlhdlDNN Nr'
fresh and distinguished by originality largely
due the curious mixture OF Municipalities and altca
ton Of countries. Tho Countess Irene herself
can hardly DO regarded altogether
successful creation. for though her qualities
strongly outlined. there Is lack Of individuality
about her. Her foil Irma, Is more satisfactory In
this respect. The old Count Nugcnt is finely drawn
character. and the portrait Of Baron Lndhcim. the
preposterOus Did pcdant gives the impression Of a
study from tie life. There is some touch-and go
comedy between the old Baron and Irene which Is
diycrtlng. As 10 the in;raucs Of the rascay music
seller and his vile wife, il they are true TO any phase
Of Vcnnesc life thcy certainly strong prcsenta-
lions and the description of the regulations Of Vienna
apartment houses Is Of character to from those
places all foreigners who object to being spcd upon.
intcricrcd with and Geeccd at the time. The
author has light touch in describing scenery. aud
he evidently knows his ground thoroughly 1t Is an
entertaining and wewriitcn novel.
Jack Gordon belongs In the category Of the
shilling drcadluls." this class Of sensational stories
a. gH Tho. Id. Of l..