New-York tribune., 1890-06-06
NEW NOVELS.

THE BEGUMs DAUGHTER. by Edwn wnr-iI haseraer Ismo
Bynncr With Illustrations by +. L. Merrlii err i-"o
pp 473. Boston: Little, brown 4" w. .
THE RING OF AMASIS. BY the farI vi A."
Iomo. PIP. 224. Macmillan d CO.
Mr.. Bynncr has chosen for his romance striking
and stirring episode in the history Oh od Ne"-io'"
The insurrection of Jacob LelsIer Hh ioo' eN0' Wv
motive 10 The Bceum's Daughter and vests 1t WIN
a fair scmblance OF historical accuracy. "he'"cr
indeed the romancer drawing upon lmagnauoh lor al
that gives life and versimilltude 10 MS P'c'os'
not almost as likely 10 hit the truth as inc average
historian who builds description upon the trea'her
ous foundations Of contemporary gossip pcJ"uloe'
jealousy or Journalism question no' To be answered
lightly Mr. Bynncr's Begun however is din
cult subiect and not rendered less so By the auof
apparent uncertainty as to the historic warrant 10Y
her Introduction Tho bringing or such an amen
character the old Dutch picture was rsRy at inc
hest and though the author has certainly invested her
with marked Individuality it would be almost too much
TO say that this character accods with her racial
idiosypcracics The Dutch portraits on the other
hand are drawn with care finish and very natural
color Jacob Leisler and his family. Hester RaTic'
Dr. Staas Mayor Van Cortlandt and his wife @er'rEd
Schuyler otecnie. the handsome "JunNer,' RIP Van
Dorm. Tryntje his wife, and the baby, Eipse-a
these stand out clearly, and play their parts easily
and smoothly while the local color and atmosphere
arc all that can be desired. Catalina, the Begums
daughter, is charming. and Hester Is an uncommony
strong conception carried out artsticaly and WIN
symmetry and truth.
Jacob Ieisler one may well suppose TO have been
very much such as Mr.. Bynner has represented
him-fanatical. ambitions, energetic stern, OBSTINATE
but not prescent. The parts of his story relating
his downfall and subsequent fate especially visoi
Gus and good. The circumstances In which Governor
sloughtcr signed the death warrant of Leisler ana
Milbornc do here overpass the warrant Of history
the fact that His Exccllency piled with hqIor
craftily by the enemies of the condemned man ana
mad
drunk being fully attested. Perhaps the reader may
regret that Stccne should have been baiked oil Ms
ambition 10 go TO sea as a volunteer win captain
Kidd, for in Mr.. Bynners hands the account ot the
cruise had not then hosted the black nag but
was the Kings and Lord Beiomont'S good friend
and protcgc-woud have been decidedly interesting.
As il is however. the story is full OF incidents ana
skilful character studies, and deserves TO rank among
The best historical romances OF the day.
The Earl of LytIon has rewritten his story, "Thc
Ring of Amasis," and completely that II must take
its place among the novels. As twcnty-s years
have passed since the first version OF the story al
peared moreover, the number of those who remember
IL is doubtless very small and ii has merit enough 10
Justify the reproduction in the more artistic and fin
isled form now accorded IT. 1t deals with what, for
lack Of better phrase NAV be called archaecioslcaI
yupernaturalsm: the idea, that is to say, that the
power and influence Of ancient amuets. spells or
charms may be revived after thousands Of years OF
lie and destiny. Another idea, however, seems To De
rather hinted than expressed; that of metcmpNychoNS
or rencarnation. The tragedy Of scthoS and AnasiS
is reproduced after the lapse of 5000 years with the
iteration Of every detail The fatcfu ring OF AhaSi>'
bearing the mystic Inscriptions OF sch krOnOs pUrSue'
md devastates the life OF its pOsscSsor LORD LNtoh
has dealt skully with the psychological aspects OF
The case by putting the recital Of the story In tic
mouth OF a physician who has made the study OF
slienism a specially and has eXhausNcy analylcd the
whole obscure department of hahcnations.
secondary problem in ethics Is wrought into the web
of the story the question being 10 the responsibility
accrlng from absolute nactiOu at time when action
might have averted disaster. The wretchcd Conrad
knows well that he guilty of the murder Of his
brother as though he had struck him 10 the heart
with "a knife, and in his haunting by the Hand OF sch
Kronos he recognizes just doom. The tale Is weird.
with distinctly marked German favor-th0uGh not a
German favor of the present Generaton-and II Is
written with grace Imagination and vigOr