New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-18
murder as If no pheasant had ever been pre-

Let us admit that ST. far. she within her
rights But she has told story which on the
face OF 1t is improbable, and she has so handled
1t as to create a prejudice against the landlord
and a prepossesson IT. favor of the poacher
which the relations between the two justify per-
haps nowhere In England. 1t might possibly
be true as an exception. Her readers are asked
10 accent Il as the rule The conditions neccs-
sary to the development Of her facts hardly
exist in England, where ground game is no
longer protected as It was formerly-the occu-
pier now has it-snd where a pheasant preserve
differs in little but name from larger poultry
yard. But Mrs Ward was impressed by the
severity, as she thought It. Of the penalty the
murderer had to pay and she has made sure OF
wider sympathy by improving the facts In
his interest Marcella openly sympathzes with
him. The reader will be apt to think that Mar
celia is. for this purpose. Mrs. Ward
She Is herself more curious and interesting
study than any of her characters. any Of her
| books. or than all Of them. An account OF Mrs
Humphry Ward which should be perfectly
| frank, would be instructive. and would. think.
be helpful criticism on her books But there
are two reasons which forbid one to make the
attempt She is alive. and she is woman.
! The pe, must stay its course. l have known
| Mrs Humphry Ward for many years and her
! books and something about the circumstances OF
| her life. SO far as am concerned II | gave
! myself a free hand my indiscreuons would,
| feel sure. present her TO the craving American
! public in a more. and not less. attractive light
! than that which radiates from mere criticism
and comment 7 mean TO say. that more /
intimate knowledge of the writer or even such |
knowledge as comes from mountaineering. /
would add something to the prestige which her /
books have brought to her. and make her read /
ers more her friends than ever. But | dare .
not do her this kind of justice. II might be done
in France 1t is constantly done in France. |
where. In some respects, the conditions OF life .
are less morbid than in England; where arti- .
fetal restraints upon the relations between
writer and her public are less numerous and
strict than here. / don't speak Of mere gossip.
There is gossip here both at dinner tables and
in the press What mean Is that psychology
zeal study which here. and perhaps in Amer
lea would give offence. merely because 1t was
psychological. would in France or elsewhere on
the Continent give none. But remark or two
may perhaps be made. cautiously.
1t is almost a matter OF wonder that Mrs.
Wards success did not come to her earlier in
life She has always lived amid literature and
literary influences Her family was literary:
she was always among books. Her husband IS
a man both OF letters and Of art writer. as
all the world knows THE Times; writer
on art and on many other SUBJECTS certainly
with a great knowledge OF art practical and
theoretical and Of much beside art Her uncle b
was Matthew Arnold to whom owe my intro
duction to her Other similar influences might
be mentioned vet all together to have
moulded her but slowly True she wrote a
book before Robert Elsmere." but II made no
great impression. and is forgotten; the very
name Of IL is forgotten. There no lightness
of touch in IT, and to this day she has hardly
gained lightness Of touch. Throughout Mar
celia" there is a note not Of seriousness merely.
but OF intensity 1t does at times become IA ,
tguing The mind Of the reader. OF most
readers longs for repose for variety. FOR come
thing not too bright or good for human natures 2
daily food Whether Mrs Ward ever
sciously tries to be amusing or not. one can only
guess. But 10 try is fatal. Sponaneity Is
what one longs for;-that she should let herself
60 and see what comes OF It, At times she does.
but not in this direction. The gift Of humor
does not come to her by nature. She does not
even seem aware of the literary value OF such
gift or of the Incompatible charm Of tina, bird
like carolling which to many women s natural !
Nine. de Sevigne. fo- example. whose place In =:
French literature is perfectly secure even in en-
age which tries 10 neglect the classics OF the r
seventeenth century.-Mme. de Sevigne always
seems to write as II she could not help H. Her
letters write themselves. Whether she suspected !!
that the outpourings OF her soul TO her daughter -
would ever be read by others Is disputed II II
hardly matters. She would have been bold
woman had she set herself deliberately To adj
dress to the public some Of the very letters I'm !
which the pubic most delights. II Is because {:
IF the buoyancy and fresh simplicity Of her ma
ure and Of her writing. that ia disposed 70 ,
4
trast but a counterpart. to Mrs. Ward. Even =
n her most elaborate and most celebrated let (
ers the engagement Of La Grande Mademoiselle :
IT the death OF Vatel. for instance. the art Is !,
wholly invisible In Mrs. Ward Il IS never !
INVISIBLE. seldom. And the highest art-but ,,
he proverb Is musty But the less celebrated
etters. the mass Of them, those which all but q,
Sevgnists read once and no more. are hardly %
ess admirable The expression OF a mothers >,
affection for "A daughter might be considered
nonotonous theme. IT is mOnotonOus and the
'ariety Of the dction is such that the theme :
3 inexhaustibe. Never many sparkling :"
unes played a single string. Nor Is the ex-
preston often rhetorical. 1t is simple and in
vitable. and 1t never pals. The letters might r
,e set as test OF literary feeling and Of critical
perception. DO you like them, and go on read +
ng them all your life? Then YOU have a lasts u
or what Is best in the written biography Of the by
most beautiful OF all emotions. and II you have .
hat. you have the equipment OF a critic. i
1t Is the want in Mrs. Ward OF what Is so =
universal with Nine. de Sevigne which makes N
and sometimes disappointing. You G.
Wish she had less conscience and simpler In Ut
eectua endowment. book by Mrs. Ward Is .
work OF engineering; the result Of great "
ources great energy. great courage and peril no
acity. The mass OF waters which are TO fri SUI
ate a province supply the wants OF a great -
ity has been collected into an artificial lake and
will be DISPERSED by equally artificial channels -