Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-12

from the day on Author of "A Yellow which it was OK Aster.'I
 pected to put the novel upon the market Mrs Wards earnings from this book, add cd to those which she has received from "David Grieve'' and "Robcrt Elsmcrc, :" will make hcru wealthy woman and can be compared only with the earnings of Dick ems and George Eliot Thackcray did not receive 50 much for all his novels as Mrs
 Ward will gain from her three stories.
 Tho interest in this novel has been so great that the critics of the leading news papers and writers for the magazines have bcsought he publishers for advance copies, and one very unusual paper has already been published in d review, which furnish es a study of the novel written before that book was in the hands of the public. This writer declares that the public interest i'll the story is justified, and that it will prob ably take rank with the greatest novels produced in the English language.
 There has been great deal of comment over a recent development of fiction illus trated by such works as 'The Heavenly Twins, "A Supcrfluous Woman and "A Yellow Astcr" These novels, each of them written by married woman, havo had very great sale, but there are in dications that already reaction has begun against the neurotic novel, such as these are, and it is expected that this story of "Marcella' by Mrs. Ward will do very much to hasten this reaction.
 In one of the most ably edited ncwspa- pers of this country there appeared recently a very brilliant criticism of such works as "The Heavenly Twins and "A Superflu- ous Woman.' The article stripped off the mask behind which the motive of these books was hidden and revealed it to be real q iSfr A.1I hNS purpose on the part of certain able though misguided women. The writer asked if it were true now that women are so completely monopolizing the field of TO- mantle and ncurotic fiction that as their ability to write increases their motives and lessons dctcriorate. That this sur mise is not correct Is indicated by the universal interest which the publication of this latest work of Mrs. Ward has created, by the very great attention which is being attracted to the latest serial of Mrs. Margaret Deland, which is now run ming in The Atlantic Monthly, and by the extraordinary talent for sustained work Of tho highest order which Miss Mary Will kins is revealing in her latest serial, ''Pem- broke. "
 The fiction which these three women are producing is of the highest quality of art, splendid dramatic power, healthy in every impulse, and jtStifes the claims of those who havc been asserting that the great novelists of this and the next gener- atfon are to be women who have wrested the laurels from men. Some of the ablest critics believe that there are men still ca pablo of writing a story of prc-eminent ability, but that men of such capacity have been tempted into other fields of endeavor where the promises of influence and wealth seem to be greater.
 We may hear something of young American author during the year. He had wri Il a short story of some 2O,OOo words ,i had it rejected by IS publishers. It can" Lack to him the last time so thumb worn and dingy that he was almost asham- ed to send it out again, but he determined to try once more and sent it to the editor of St. Nicholas. In few days he received note from Mrs. Dodge saying that St. Nicholas would accept with very great de- light the story and would begin the pub. lication at an carly day. These numerous rejections and the final acceptance by so fine critic as Mrs. Dodge indicate, accord ing to the precedents, that the story will make hit. k. J EDWARDS