New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-10
CURRENT FICTION.
LONG NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.
IN THE HEART OF 2

iHf emo o,' Do. ao5 Robert Bonner's Sons.
THE PHILADELPHIAN. BY Louis John Jennings
MI 12mo' PIP 9ol. na'ps 1855, q nro, rr.r.
lated by Mrs. NJ. Carey. 12mo, PIP. 2oo' Dooo'
FoRBsTALLED. BY NJ Beth3 Tn, Edward'' LIMO PIP
310 United States Book Company
GALLAGHER. and Other stories. BY Richard Harding
Davis. Emo. pp 23S Charles scribners Sons.
STORIES OF OLD NEW SPAIN. BY Thomas A. Jan
vier 12mo, PIP. 800. ID. Appleton d Co
NINE OWN PEOPLE BY Rudyard Kirling. With
an introduction by Henry James. 12mo, PIP. 26s
United states Book Company.
ZADOC PINE and Other Stories. BY II. c. Bunner
l2mo, pp. 256. Charles Scrbner's Sons.
Maxwell Grays new novel Is interesting enough and
good enough to merit more than passing mention 1t
Is in large degree novel Of action, and at the same
time it embraces much psychological study. There is
not much plot. but plenty of natural development
The story is concerned with the fortunes OF namees
orphan boy and girl who becomes an orphan, ana
who is made dependent upon the lad. her brother by
adoption. The earlier charmingly set In an
English country village where a venerable mill is the
centre of the action and the homo Of the hero and
heroine. Maxwell Gray's country sketches are as
breezy redoent of outdoor life those OF Richard
Jefries and there is felicity in his choice OF words
which throws a poetic charm over them. This Is but
the by-play Of the book II IS In the portraure Oh
human nature, IN the realization Of its vicssltudes IN
the reproduction Of genuine emotional conditions, in the
the interest OF tho novel consists. There are not
many actors in this drama. The feeling OF CONFUSION
produced by crowd is never experienced But all
who have anything do with the central interest arc
clearly and fully drawn and individuallzed. Ihere Is
author whose springs to the memory IN reanlng
Of the miller Meade and HIS wife, the Plummers land
particularly Mrs. Pummerl. Sarah and Abraham, and
all those good rustlcs Of Cleeve and Redwoods. That
author is George Eliot The reminiscence. however,
in no way suggests is suggested by the least mp
proach to imitation. Maxwell Gray's country people
are as distinct, independent, full Of their own
vitality and diOsyncasies are George Eiiots. They
arc alike simply in being representatives OF members
Of the same class Mrs. Pummer, and old Sarah, and
the Meades, are racy and original with n slow and
quaint wit. archaic turn Of expression, all their
own. They are real persons, each with wel-marked
character and distinct methods Of manifestation.
ain the Heart Of the storm is fine novel, full OF
noble work. perception. insight and literary capacity.
1t is by far the best Maxwell Gray has written, nor do
we forget the exceencles of "The silence OF Dean
Maitland in saying this.
Mr.. Fawcett has never done better than in A New
York Family" It is a we'll written story, eminently
natural strong in character drawing. full Of varied
interest throughout The evolution Of the Everards,
a German American family, from the humblest con-
diton TO one Of commercial emnence is wrought with
uncommon realism The vicissitudes of their life
such as We all recognize. Mr.. Fawcett has enlarged
his opportunities by including In his story the of
the Tweed Ring, and he has deepened The interest by
introducing Tweed himself and his counsellor Sweeny,
in two clearly and strongly drawn portraits. There Is
much tragedy in the tale but II to throw into
higher relief one of the most beautiful characters the
author has attemptedthat Of Frederick Everard,
the head of the family and the house A manler man
than this pure and upright TeutOn could not be
conceived and yet nothing be more in accord with
experience than the bitter dlsappontments he suffers
.1no ob1 tao oio1Iv no II
are well defined indivduates. The style Of this
novel differs much from the authors preceding works.
and as we think, for the better
The Beads of Tasmer' is OF those Scotch stories
which Mrs Barr, when at her best. writes charm
ingly. The Torquls, chiefs of Highland clan, living
in their old castle by the sea- highly picturesque
and there is a pretty love story, complicated by a
difference of religion which threatens to put an i'm
psssabe barrier between young Torquil and Roberta
"a terribly cacophonous name, by the way. The
in which the old Baron, who has adopted modern
IDEAS carries his favorte project OF deporng the
faithful clan full Of pathos and no doubt might
have been drawn from The life so many similar in
stances Of sweeping away whole settlements to make
deer forests or sheep pastures have occurred Of late
gears. The ultimate function OF the ~ Beads Of
Tasmer" comes a surprise to the reader, which Is
creditabe the authors skill. and the story ends
happily, there is nothing 10 mar the pleasure which
the book confers
Why Mr. Jennings named his novel "The Phila-
delphian" is not altogether obvious for though Mr.
Rufus Snapper who halls from the City Of Brotherly
Love- appears frequently in the course Of the narrative
his position is not the most conspicuous one
over he is handicapped in odd way all through
The impression is conveyed that he was intended 70
be person OF preternatural acumen who gathers and
holds all the threads OF the intrigue which con-
stitutes the interest Of the story. But in effect he
getting wrong scents, and constantly missing
important discoveries by a hairs breadth Thus he
suspects that Lady ClaveFing is poisoning her hus-
band but he is unable to prevent IL. He has reason
to fear that sam Rafferty, is plotting against the life
Of Caverng but the latter is murdered In spite of
these suspicious. Again. he thinks he has clcw to
the identity Of the assassin, but he proves have been
all at in the matter. In short he fails live up
to the character ascrbed TO him. and In tins respect is
disappointing There Is plenty of movement and in
teest in the plot, however and the story is lively
bright.
"Iermola7 is by the author OF "The Jew" and is a
strong study OF an almost unknown Polish province
whore the customs Of the Middle Ages survive and no
current a modern civilization has yet found it, way.
The motive Of the story inevitably recalls that Of
George Eots "Sllas Marner,7 but the treatment is
very different. An old man, who IS almost pauper,
finds an abandoned baby one night and adopts him.
ms IS Jn6 central tplaOut vi IL uCN'iDpo OHc
of those humble tragedies which though they make
ripple on the surface Of society the less involve
souwrecks and indispensable agOnIcs. The tragedy
Of IerTnoa is told with mastery force and effective
ness.
Mrs Betham- Edwards has in "Forestaed' spread
the motive of short story over the space OF regular
novel II is the supposed experience OF great scien-
tifc explorer who after working for years discovers at
length the solution of great cOsmical problems, only
10 find that he has been iorestalled by his pupil.
Naturally he suspects treachery fraud quaTe with
his young wife, turns her out OF his house. and he
HAYES very badly indeed. Much follows this initial
catastrophe, but the authors ideas not worked out
satisfactorily. None Of the characters firmly
deneated, and the utterly irrational conduct of DIR.
Noraud makes hard to take real Interest in him.
The means by which he lnaly clears up the mystery
are well conceived but the execution IS patchy.