New-York tribune., 1894-10-24

|
| HIGHLAND COUSINS \ Novel. BY William
Black Illustrated. Harper Brothers)
CATHERINE De MEDIcI BY Honorf de de Ralzac. ia.
Translated by Katharine Prescott Normeiey'
Roberts Brothers)
A novel. no less than piece OF architecture
| play. a painting or statue. is dependent for lis
large effect upon the sense OF form. OF proportion
| OF composition as the painters say. winch animaies
| II. II reveals this quality when the central idea
whatever It may be. is developed consistently, CO.
! herently logically in manner To achieve some
| desired end Miss Murfrees last Tennessee Noun
tain novel His Vanished star" ignores this funda-
mental art principle. leaving one 10 infer either hat
she lacks the constructive literary sense. or that
she does appreciate IL at its full value In us
opening pages her book promises admirably There
| are the materials for dramatic story in the con-
! ncting interests of the protector OF the hotel Tor
tourists and nvalds and Of the resolu,e nerce-eyed
| mountaneer who his home endangered by the
! improvements that are proposed To be- made IL APP
pears also as several OF the other characters VINO
are introduced in the opening scene were destined
to play not unmportant parts in the drama
especially the silent whose manner fore
bodies danger to Keniston and Capn Lucys
daughter. Julia In whom was reproduced with "A
certain supple feline effect" the "panher-like dan
serous intmation that informed the old mans
every gesture"
The promise OF the opening pages is not however
borne out by the sequel. The authors grasp OF
her subject is feeble She soon yields to the iempta
ton to wander OF among the moonshiners. who are
rugged and picturesque In their way. bat who nave
practically nothing to do with the main theme o.
the story, which is unceremonously LETT 20 WORK
Itself ont best II may. As with the plot 90 win
the Illogical character-studies Old Cap'n Lucy
turns out 10 be amb-ke. rather tnan panther-like.
and his feline daughter OF whom great things were
naturally expected is found TO be little morn than
a lay figure The clew the character Of the mys-
torous and threatening stranger Of the opening
scene Is also discovered to have been misleading
60 far AT least. as Wiliston was concerned Al
though he was the chief of the moonshinerS VINO
were making whiskey in the abandoned mine near
nv events proved that Wildston mistaken IN
fearing that he would have him TO hght as well
as Cap'n Lucy. The book contains some shre"d
and clever characterize tions an occasional enecuNc
massage descriptive Of nature-athough the number
OF these is less than in the authors earlier ho'eS
and a few dramatic Incidents that are painted with
breadth and vgor Its interest. however. IS essen
TALLY episodical and az whole 1t Is distinctly as
appointing
william Blacks prodgious industry is att"sted
| by the fact that nearly thirty OF his volumes are
now found the shelves OF his admirers. beSP''e
this literary activity. there is nothing desultory or
tnchoate about his last story. "Highlan1 Cousins
no uncertainty to who is the heroine OF 'he
tale or whether IT has heroine. II Is SAFE 10
say however. that few novelists would nave hh'
tho courage not to say audaciiy to attempt 10 en-
= readers
amiable qualities Barbara Maclean posses"''
From the day In which Barbara makes her en-
trance upon the scene In storm such as sets o"
the beauty Of so many OF Mr.. Blacks heroin"s uh-
TIL at the end OF her extraordinary career Sh' "'S
| in the Glasgow jail. she displays scarcely trait
that can be called lovable She has surprising
beauty OF person unalled with any charm Of mind
or sweetness OF character. and this draws TO hcI
side the poor schoolmaster. Allan Henderson, ana
holds him willing captive obed'ent TO her every
! whim and blind to her intellectual ana moral de-
| fciences Her amiable weakness * frankly
| and delightfuy femninc-a passion FOR pretty
clothes and ornaments for her personal ahorh-
| ment; and IL is this passion which overmasters
her at last and leads her into temptation whlch
she lacks the moral power to resist jessie Mac
lean Barbara's cousin. with whom the orphan
girl makes her home is as sweet and charming
as is necessary TO produce the effect OF contrast;
and the have a good deal OF Individuality ana
| character The heartburnings which grow out OF
the relations OF these young people are que 10 tho
curious fact, which is without its match In recent
| fiction so far are aware. that Peter NC
Fadyen the town councillor in Duntroone. is in
love with Jessie. who Is In love with Allan Hen
| derson the schoolmaster. who IS In love with the
| bevitching Barbara, who is In love with Jack
| Ogvie the purser OF the steamer that makes
| daily trips 10 the islands. When 1T Is remembered
that comparatively little of this superabundance oi
! affection is returned. the wengh limtless pos
siblties in the way OF lovers sorrows VIII be ap-
nrecated The natural scenery OF the story Is full
| OF Scotch mist. the glow OF the heather, ana all
the other color In the use OF which the author is
past master. The timely chapter on golf marks
the definite entrance OF this game, described by
| an expert. into fiction.
| In her book published In 1856 entitled "Balzac.
ca Vie ct ses Oeuvres," Nine. L. Survle, the
| surviving sister of the novelist. explains that
| "Catherine de- Medici,' Immediately following
| LES Chouans" written when Ba.zac was
| under the influence OF Sir Walter Scott and when
ne had in mind a somewhat i-defnod purpose TO
write n series OF historical novels pcturng the
manners and morals OF the French at various
| critical periods. II Will be difficult. we are In
| clined to think for any one familiar with the
other admirable translatons In this series TO read
catherine de- Medici" without commenting the
| sound Judgment which led Balzac soon after to
abandon this form of literature and to devote
! himself to porraying the manners and morals Of
the peop.e high and low. OF his own time In this
great work he showed Incompatible power TO
use Henry James's not too strong phrase. mailing
his age live In the pages OF his novels OF town
and provincial life with unsurpassed vvidness and
truth. AS have seen. however. when Cath
crime de- Medlc' written Balzac had not
vet found his meter. Something OF this inde
cision, this lack OF clearness and deiniteness OF
purpose. is felt throughout the book II was
| bold stroke for a young novelist who had his
name to make attempt at the outset to give
a picture of the French court from the time OF
the death OF Catherine de- Medci's husband,
| Henri II. in 1862 until the death OF her second
| son. Charles TX. in 1874 The period was stormy
one the fierce religious between the Calvin
! lists and the Catholics eliminating In the horrors
OF st. Bartiolomew's Eve in i512; and the motive
! OF found In the bitter feeling of
the time and In the political fntrigues by which
| Catherine sought 10 checkmate the ambition OF
| the Guises and to make the throne safe for her
| sons. Balzac's attempt TO rehabitaie the char
| Iact of of
nature he admits well expressed In the Tus-
can motto. "odate aspettate." hate and walt"
does not impress one altogether successful.
One cannot escape from the sound OF the creaking
machinery from the feeling that the figures
moving. not because they OF flesh and