New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-26
" ONE or OUR CONQUERORS"
MEREDITH'S NEW NOVEL.
ONE OF OUR CONQCERORS. Hy George MEREDITH
12mn. I'D. Ala. KOherts Brothers

his part 10 concedc anything to his critics. Its
faults as usual lie on the surface and that one Of
them which has most interfcrcd with his pOpu-
larity, namely, the practice of packing his thought
too closely is no less conspicuous now than for
merly Whether this be a real defect not de
ponds primarily upon the authors purpose II he
writes Intentionally for an audience select but
few. his methods justified. Il he seeks wider
recognition il must be recognized that his methods
initiate against the success he desires, and are 70
that extent mistaken. Bat this is not the highest
point of view. Genius does what 1t can in lis
own way. 1t cannot change its nature. II cannot
disguise its attributes. IL must work IN accord
ancc with the conditions in which it is set a
writer's style if the writer be worth anything is
not tic result of education, but the product OF
untrammelled natural expression. 4 Browning,
a Carlyle, a Macaulay do not write in these char
acteristic ways because they have consciously
selected and preferred those ways, but because
those ways come to them naturally, because their
thought runs most easily in these moulds. The
lover of Meredith learns 10 the first
difficulty of following his strongly condensed,
epigrammatic style, and penetrates to the depth
of his rich stores Of fancy and philosophy.
The new story, "One of Our COnqucrors, is
in some respects more seriously. we might almost
predecessors. Mr.. Meredith, indeed, holds views
so large that his designs quite naturally suggests
the play of coslnic forces He deals with great
problems as other novelists deal with simple
situations. lie is not content to tell story.
The philosopher in him struggles with the poet
for supremacy over the narrator. His dramatic
feeling is strong as has been sufficiently proved;
but it is subordinated to stronger psychologist
interest. The opening paragraph of the second
chapter in this volume we'll illustrates our mean
ing, for here he iustifes and defends the lcsurcy
detail with which he introduces bis characters and
the care he takes in making them ineligible IL
is not so with the Tale, he says: The Tale In
spirits ones earlier ardors when we sped without
baggage, when the Impossible was wings to
imagination, and heroic sculpture the simplest art
of the chisel. 1t does not advance, tits true; IL
drives the whrligig circle round and round the
single central point; but il is enriched with the
boys and girls of both ages in this land; and all
the English critics heap their honOrs on its brave
old Simphcity-our national literary flag, which
sigualizes us while we float. subsequently 10 flap
over the shadows. One may sigh for il. An i'll
tortured minstrel who had by fatcful direction
been brought TO sec with distinctncss that man IS
not as much comprised in external features as tic
monkey will he devoted 10 the task OF the fuller
portTaiturc" Ii is this fuller portraturc that
We are to look for in Mr. MeTcdth's novels and
those who do not care for it, but prefer the sim
pcity of the Tale, are fairly warned in advance
The study to which the author invites MS IN
the present instance is indeed mainly psychologist
but set distinctly enough IL frame Of circum-
stance One of Cur Conquerors' is Victor
Radnor; man of genius, strenuous, electric
creature, whose swift apprehension, decision and
action have raised him 20 pinnacle q financial
and commercial greatness He is a favorItc Of
fortune as the phrase goes. All his undertakings
prosper Withal he is the prince Of good fellows
beneficent full Of affection, an optimis in every
fibre Of both mind and hOdy. This Is the pan who
is introduced by a fall in the mud Of London
Bridge and who ends with far greater fall The
" cOnqueror" indeed, has weak place in his armor,
and this is the cause of his misfortune. His
career so far as shown, is a constant struggle 10
cover up, TO overcome, 10 ncutralize that which
he will not admit to have been fault yet which
arrays against him and his-but more his
than him-that social judgment which, however
based upon Convention, S AMI mdst rc.13ln the
voice of doom TO all who live in, for or by the
society that utters il. Victor Radnor is man
of such personal attraction that he draws and
holds TO his side choice companionship, and the
descriptions Of this coterie are among the most
interesting IU4IES III llic uOoh J4N'u hbcltlN call
not wholly ostracise condemn such mognatc
as Radnor. For long time indeed It is uusus-
picious Of the skeleton in his closet But in spite
Of secrecy the Eumenides track him, and his
dearly loved daughter, Nesta Victoria, becomes
the innocent instrument Of n punishment which
falls where the hurt is deepest, namely, upon
and through his idolized partncr-choscn by love,
but not confirmed by law-Nataia
Wealth, influence, genius, sanguinc and buoy
ant disposition are powcrlcss here against the
gnawng Of an uneasy,sensitivc woman's conscience.
supreme love cannot avert the physical and
mental consequences Of hope deferred and Of a
certain awful looking for judgment. The people
depicted are for tho most part such really DO
care less than the generality about The decree
of society They are people Of high culture and
views. But they are not exempt
from the common fate They are affected in
despite of themselves by that which they dcprccatc
The atmosphere is pcrmeated by the anAietics Of
Victor Radnor ard Natalia. As to them, their
whole happiness comes to be dependent upon the
death Of one bitter and unforgvng old woman,
whom they have wrongcd, conycntionally at least,
and during whose life they must remain in the
wrong themselves. Set this long-drawn tragedy
amid all manner of external symbols of prosper
ity and igt-hcartcd pleasure .m2Itug; spice every
scene with the wit, cynicism and sarcasm Of
Colney Durarcc and Simeon Fehelan; flavor the
whole with VIVID descriptions Of social friyo.itlcs
aud iranities and il will be seen how, through
the genius of the author, tie fatal clements as
scrt themselves above every diversion, and how
puny and impOtcnt are all tine cOnquerOrs'
envled Observation-Disclosures 10 avert Or rctad the
steadily advancing catastrophe. There Is not
word Of direct monItlOn or application in the
volume, yet none the less is The story chat Of
the little c!ouG, 10 larger than mans hand,
that eX pands and approaches until IT has swatAcd
the heavens in black. And it Is more thDu this.
1t is type Of the dominance OF the spiritual
over the material in lie. The little rift within
TIE lutte is not Z physical but psychological
breach; yet II siIcnces the material music none
the less surely.
Mr. Meredith lacks the fervor and the com
pclling power Of Bazac. Ills thought is, in
deed. not less embracing in rs sweep. but his
Interpretation falls short Of the great Frenchmans
IL his apparent determination b. LEI no element of
the situation escape his careful analysis he some
times approaches dangerously near 10 Ineffective