The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-08-19
TWO NOVELS BY MEN.

Women have become so prominent IN
the field of fiction that critics have asked
whether it might not as we'll be aOan-
dOned to them altogether. 1t is therefore
gratifying to the sterner sex to observe
that the two best novels OF the summer
have been written by men.
OF these two, "Trilby," by Du Maurier.
strikes out a new path. la many points
of view it is unique in modern English
fiction. Ii is the work OF one who reached
the age of 90 before he used his pen.
Many years ago Du Maurier established
reputation as an artist; not in oils, but
with the pencil, and as s deiueator OF 80
ciety. He became the head of that coterie
of deft illustrators which gave to Punch
and to the periodicals of Harper q Broth
ers one of their most agreeable features
Two or three years ago he wrote novel,
Peter Ibbetson," which became fairly
popular. He followed it up with "Trilby."
Trilby is a Partisan grisette whose call
ing is that of a model. Withal she leads
the usual life of the grisette and has taken
her place in the past in the demi-monde.
That such a parsonage should be the hero
inc of a novel published in so prim a
periodical as Hdrper's Magazine is indeed
a tribute to the genius and delicacy OF the
author.
Another novelty in "Trilby" is the use
Of bypnotism. Trilby is "note-blind" !;
she cannot distinguish one musical note
from another; but she falls into the hands
of an extraordinary musical genius named
Svengali, who teaches her mechanically by
hypnotic influence how TO utter note after
note, and converts a girl vino could not
sing a single bar of music correctly. if he
were not at her elbow, into a greater vO-
callst than Patti. The feat involves a
strain upon the readers credulity; but its
working is delightful reading. interviewer
with this supernatural musical evolution
is a wonderfully graphic description of
student and artist life in Paris, and with a
charming love tale in which TrlbY loses
her heart to a gifted English artist, who
saunters through the pages under the name
of Little Billie. NJ. du Maurier. who is a
caricaturist by profession, has scattered
humor and drollery throughout his work,
much to the enjoyment Of the reader.
The other novel of the day is 1.-The
Handsome Humes." by William Black.
Mr. Black is a veteran. 1t is quarter OF
a century since he wrote "In Silk Attire"
and twenty years since "a Princess of
Thule" gave notice to the world that the
English school of fiction still lived. Since
then he has been an industrious but not
always a popular novelist. lie has now
flashed out with book which may per-
haps take rank as his masterpiece. Mr..
Black neither attempts to break away
from the beaten path, nor I'M
dertakes to solve social problems.
His forte is painting nature and the hu-
man mind. he draws an English land
scape with all its color and all Its life so
that the reader can see the green lanes,
smellthe fragrant flowers and feel the cool
breeze against his cheek. 1t is said that
American travellers have taken his "Ad-
ventures of a Phaeton" as a guidebook,
and that Mr.. Blaine, when he drove on
Mr.. Carnegie's boxseat, always carried ii
in his pocket. Future visitors to Oxford
will be likely to explore the beauties of
Henley, that lovely English town, with
the long reaches of river on which college
regattas are rowed, by the light of the pas
toral pictures in THE Handsome fumes"
But Mr.. Black is more than landscape
painter. He has fathomed the depths of
the girl mind and draws the young woman
of the period as she is, with all her vague
aspirations. His hand is not as strong as
Hardy's. but its work is more graceful.
And he is wise enough to draw the people
he knows. people one meets in good
houses. people who are polished with
end.century refinement. He is gifted with
the dramatic instinct; the interest of his
reader is always kept on the stretch to
divine the coming denouement. In choos-
ing between the two novels men readers
Will probably give the preference to
"Trilby," but the ladies are sure to bestow
their Iaurels upon 1.-THE Handsome
Hnmasn