The herald., 1894-10-20
FRIDAY MORNING CLUB.
THEY LISTEN VERY INTEREST
ING LITERARY DISCUSSION.
Mrs. Agnsw on "Triiby"- Miss Over
toms Analysis of "Poor Folk"
Mrs. George Rice en- "The
Traveller from Altruria."

new quarters of the Friday club was
fully tested yesterday morning. The
usual full attendance was swelled by a
number of guests including:
Miss Russell, Mas Ellis, Mrs. DR.. Cole,
Mrs. Harriet Harris. Mrs. Millsr, Mrs.
+. S. Mcclure, Miss Mabel Wallace, Mr..
S. 2. Wilson, Mrs. Martina, Mrs. M.
NJ. Greene. Mrs. G. F. Paserons, Mrs.
Geo. L. Cochran. Mrs. f. M. O'Connor.
Mrs. w. E. Rothernay, Mrs. III. G. Scate,
Mrs. G. Wiley Wells, and Mrs. F. M.
Heath.
The programme was purely literary,
consisting OF l0-minute papers on five OF
ths latest additions to fiction, followed
by scussion.
Du Maurier's Trilby was presented by
Mrs. Agnew. She considered it the
book OF the year, from the hand of 40
artist who showed that his pen was in
no way inferior to his pencil, whose
readers found themselves, after a de-
lighttul journey through Bohemia, with
more faith in kindly providence. as
we'll ae wider sympathy with the vic
Tins OF environment and unkind cir
cumatance. While Du Msurier does not
apparently aim at reform, still he has 80
taught ineensibly. While the author 10
not musician he has certainly sue
ceeded in illustrating sound by word
painting. Not only to those who love
art, but also to those who love human.
ity the book is delight.
Mrs. Shelly Tolhurst followed with
review of Mre. Humphrey Wards Mar
celia, written in her usual skillful, incl
sive style. She found the frat volume
OF Marcella thoroughly artistic, feeling
that ii the writer offended any rule OF
art, it was done knowingly, and allowing
the novelist the license we allow the
poet. She touched lightly bat clearly
upon the evident personal knowledge
and sympathy of the writer with the
conditions ehe deals with, and depre-
Gated with the majority OF Mrs. Wards
readers) the intent OF the reformer in
the second volume. Too evident pur-
pose along such lines destroys the art.
istic effect. The same criticism was
offered to the elaboration of minor char
acters.
Mics Overton found. in the Russian
novel. Poor Folk, opportunity for the
play of her lively fancy and keen, If not
rather severe critical abilities. She cer>
tainly found in book, with no appar-
ent raison d'etre, no moral, no rights, no
wrongs. no burning questions, a ecsne
that might be laid anywhere. with
personnel not at all new or novel, enough
to make very bright and interesting
review, even to those who had not read
the book in question. However. the
unI Ironouncable Russian author had his
admirers among the audience.
The next paper on the programme
was by Mrs. George Rice. Mrs. Rice
succeeded in giving very definite out
line OF The Traveller from Altruria, with
some observations on the probable ef-
feet of such conditions on society Mr..
Howells had comfortably disposed OF all
our social problems except the one 80
often overlooked: What shall be done
with the children? Mrs. Rice's paper
was careful and just, as becomes a crit
ique OF SO conscientious a writer as Mr..
Howells.
Mrs. Lewis A. Croft followed with a
brief outline of the motif of the last
book on the list, For the Right. A
gentle. kindly sympathy for the
thwarted efforts and the sadness OF
disappointed aud Intellectual life, as por-
trayed in the story OF the chief char
acter in For the Right, and full appre-
citation OF his long and fruitless efforts
to reconcile the discrepancies between
justice and law was we'll balanced by
the ability OF the essayist to put plainly
bsfore her audience the merits and de-
merits of the construction OF this some
what unusual story.
TIE discussion which followed would
have been more interesting had the
time been allotted between the read
ings, instesd of following them all.