New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-30
T'RILBY Y.
A FASCINATING BOOK.

TRILBY Novel. BY George Du Maurer win
Illustrations by the author. Post svo. PIP. io'.
Harper q Brothers.
There could hardly be slighter plot. one less
empty Of Incident. than that Of the book through
which young Trllby wends her painful way But
who cares for plot as the fascinating tale nows
on-as Tany the Laird and Little Bilee teach
lis new lessons II the love 81 comrades ana poor
Trby shrives her soul In suffering. The DOOR,
like Trilby herself. hes charm" that indefnab'e
and most winning Of attributes; and the critic
bows dsarned before H. Here is humor with It's
poirnan, touch of sadness: here is a boys fresh
ness Of feeling and belief In good. with the
sophistication # man Of ;hc world-the com
bina,ion is Irresistible.
surely nobody ever put into words more deftly
than our author The grip Of friendship possible
- men: and 50 AR at least the three English
painters in the Quarter Latin deserve to live IN
romance with the Immortal Three II Dumas.
Romance We must call this story. no doubt. In
sp,t. 81 all THAI realism # Partisan studos-for
most things in fiction that are not dull and Nat
and brea thing grim disillusion are contenptuous-
~ dismissed NOWADAYS as "rpm1ntic" Romano.
then le, this story be- with IT. sunny and manly
spjrl,. us wholesome enthusiasm. its whimsical
Witt f. tru.r o. llfc than the realism u ihe
day
VII, can ever forget the three merry CON-
panions Of the Brush? especially tho light
hearted Laird as b. dances his rcel in ID" Men
don Garden with VOLTA respayce De HON k"r
Ter swee'? or the Laird as he succumbs 70
memory and Madame Ninards hric-A brac with
h.s helpless "Jc prong? Whatever h. does ana
SAYS the Laird is a friend indeed 10 every reader
who knows how TO appreciate him Mr.. Du
N,uri,r's characters stand ont with a marvel
Ions clearness which Jew "reallsis' attain. Here
are n, wooden men and women. How small a
space is given ~ Dodo- and Zouzou and the
Vinards,-yct they are real people. revealing
themselves In = few Illuminating strokes ~ tn"
brush.
Svengali is a triumph ~ poriraiture. one docs
not need the authors curious drawing II show
forth the spider nature 81 thai strange miXtur"
Of moral dirt and abnormal talents The hyp-
motto phras- Of the story wodld have seemed
lrotosanelv far-fctchcd twenty years ago bu'
now It is simple and natural enough and quite
in accord with the occult whims Of the period
Probably the scene in the Paris cJnccrt-rOom
cannot be fully appreciated by those who have
not felt what Music says to her worshppers.
but for these fortunate beings it will be long
before those strains SO magically described, grow
silent
Trilby. it is said. and grievous doubts have been
expressed concerning the opinions on this life
and the next uttered at her death-bcd Evil 10
him who evil thinks "rrilby' is not a book for
a sunday school library, perhaps; but outside
that restriction II Is not easy 10 realize that
there exists an ina nation that could be soiled
bv a story Of tone 50 lofty. rhe and horror
felt by the girl in her shame suggest a mental
tragedy more moving than many "A sermon. and
he who could find matter for caviI In her sad
rcmorsc and simple faith has read with little
effect a certain gentcnce concerning the sinner
| who repcntcth.
! Mr. Du Maurier's style has much distinction
! a blending of refinement and unconvcntiOnality
/ that Is delightful. II Is vchemently alive more
over: there is not a word which could be spared
without marring the effect. not a line which does
/ not fall into rank with vigorous step. 1t has
poetic grace too, n musical and witching rhythm
here and there. Let us not forget To note the
amusing English-French--of which comic lam
guage Mr. Du Mauricr Is a master, as all read
crs Of punch" have long known.
The authors illustration are charming. We
admit that he always seems to us most success
full in the representation those figures In
which there is humorous suggestion. Thus we
find the Laird in these drawings a far more life
/ like parsonage than the ma jestic Trilby. whose
features are more regular than expressive. We
must confess. too. that the sketches Of the IA
nous feet do not appear 10 MS beautiful. But
| carping at these beguiling pictures is I'M
gracious business. and 1t Is enough To record the
readers pleasure at finding illustrations that
really Illustrate. II Is not a common thing in the
history of novels.