New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-24
LITERATURE AND THE DRAMA
HRS. HUMPHREY WARDS NEW NOVEL--MR
BEERBOHM TREES HAMLET.
INEVITABLE COMPARISONS WITH ROBERT
rI,sMFRE "A PAINFULLY SLOW AND
SOLEMN PRINCE OF DENMARK.
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SOLEMN PRINCE OF DENMARK.
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copvrtont 1882. By The Tribune AssOctotiOn
london. Jan. 23.-Mrs. Humphrey Wards
new novel, The History of David Gnevc,' was
published on Friday in London by Mcssrs.
smith Elder & Co., and reviewed at length in
all the leading papers of that morning. They
agree pretty well in their estimate Of the book
and in drawing comparisons between David
Crieven and Robert Elsmere." These COMPARE
.ons are inevitable but of doubtful critical
,s,ue II Is not TO he expected that Mrs. Ward
.bould write a novel from which theological spec
nation should be wholly absent 1t is not alb
cent from David Grieve,' but 1t does not so
entirely dominate the book as in her former
work. Probably in Robert Ekmere" the very
causs which impaired its literary value and It's
value as a work OF art contributed most to its
nopular success. Such things have been known
before 1t came at a moment when mems minds,
and womens more than mems We're turned to
;rouiry into matters OF religious belief. Mrs
Ward. deliberately, no doubt accepted some I'M
,.rfectiops in the structure OF her novel; in order
70 say wha: she wished to say respecting certain
snirtual problems She had purpose. and
nnrpose alien from art is usually injurious. The
torm becomes irregular for the sake Of what the
vriter considers the substance. which ought, how
aver 10 be the substance of different book.
Mrs. Wards interest in spiritual problems re-
mains but the writer and the woman OF letters
has this time got the upper hand. DAVID UrleVe
is therefore less polencal and more dramatic IMAM
sIobert Elsmere." 1t is primarily mover, anu
mt primarily theological treatise. IL Is less
rioh in personal records, less full Of experiences
in life. and less psychological. In return, IL mas
movement. interest, and conceptions OF character
not entirely based relations to the other world
:, wouM have been a still better book had Mrs.
Ward been able to relieve herself from memories
., her first great success David Grieve, too
!. overladen with meditations, reflections episodes
Of no concern to the story, and elaborate chronicles
~ mental states which only retard the progress
=, the narrative. They are often suggestive, anu
M, seldom full of tenderness and beauty, but
often so long as to seem out OF place. 1t there
be a prevailing note; it Is not so much rehgious
,houchtfulness as human passion.
But in the presence Of such popularity rs
that which befel Robert Elsmere" the merely
critical opinion may not now, any more THAN theh'
no Of much avail. 1t is conceivable that as the
General opinion of the former book outran It's
merits as q novel, may it now do less than JUS
lice 70 book which has on the face of 1t more
clements of attractivcness than its predecessor
Nor is il at all certain that English and American
opirions will run in the same groove; Stlll less,
tina, English opinion will have much influence on
American Judgment upon book which appeals Just
Is directly to American 10 English approval We
stole Robert EIsmere." and were lavish of praise
while robbing the author of her property. We
cannot steal David Greve,' thanks to that act
OF atonement which we call the Copyright act
and no rcmorse need mingle either with the praise
or with the pleasure we shall have in reading
bool, we pay for honestly.
The workmanship Of this novel is better than
of Mrs Wards last. Yet Robert hlsmere was
thirteen years in printing, and David Grlevc
has been but three years on the stocks. Three
wears in these prolific days are age. Few
things arc more creditable to this lady than her
indifference 10 the temptations of public favor III
IFS coarser form We shall know how 10 esti-
mate her literary conscientiousness if we contrast
these three years of patient production with the
months which certain writers, who are the darlngs
Of the circulating library and OF 1O-cent iiora-
RES consider sufficient for the building OF DOCK
They, no doubt. are good judges III thelr' own
case Mrs. Ward is a good judge in hers and in
the general interest of literature. She has learned
in this interval more Of the trade OF authorship
she writes with moro thought of her reader, recos
nizcs her duty more fully, and requires OF MIN
less effort. She has not however, consulted HIS
tastes in all points. For reasons suilcieht 10
her she has made this gloomy tale suppose BIC
would say she had TO write what was III her'
More than ever does she take serious views Of the
world She has learning, she has CONVICTIONS,
she has the habit of looking at the problem OF
life etbically: and 10 write long work from which
both moral and spiritual thought should I've
banished might be impossible to her
Mrs. Wards most dangerous rival WIN 'he
public Is herself. II she can repeat her loriheI
experience. she will do what has sef-om D'c"
done Whether She does or not she has seculeu
the right TO be heard on those questions TOT WHICH
She cares most. Orthodox or unorthodoX, "hae
does it matter? Who shall now establish d canon
Of belief or brand as a heresy any honest cor
viction? Mrs. Wards genius Is c0nceded' anu ~
can take care of itself She has even es'aoii'N'"
in the minds OF scores OF thousands Of readers an
authority, both in speculative and in literary mat
ters. which might justify her in taking some
liberties with both. She often writes admlraoiy'
She always so writes to fix the attention. hef
.ndowmcpts are many; not least among them
ypor OF mind and an intrepidity which are more
often masculine than feminine yet do not cease
to be feminine because they have also vri'c IoIcc'
She has 10 sum up many things In sentence t""'
indchnablc and irresistible charm when the pest
writer's among women have, and the best writer's
among men never have; or almost never
Mr.. Beerbohm Trees Hamlet might bc called
Hamlet Up To Date" IT is the very la'cSI On
preston of that hunger for novelty ana Tor mouc'h'
ity which exists in the dramatic world, az else
where. Mr. Tree is among the most ambitious OF
the Younger generation Of actors, and ambition Is
an excellent thing when justified by capacity
Nobody would deny, that he has capacity. III is'
however, possible for actor 70 be capable ana yet
not to find Hamlet entirely within It's range
IL probably is not, never was, and never VIII DC,