The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-03-05
The Up-to- Date Literature Of
These Times.
WHAT BOOKSELLERS ARE SHOWING
Maarten Martens "The Greater
GIory"v" Christina Chard" Is .
Thoroughly Fin-de-Siccle Novel
Miscellaneous Gossip.


the haphazard reader 1t will offer few
charms. Such an one will be unable to
follow the many characters through the
intricate plot of the story, and, what 10
more, he cannot grasp the deep spiritual
motive that is the very foundation OF the
novel.
The author of Goods Fool" is one OF the
few novelists who can write an interest
ing story with purpose. While he treats
of the highest spiritual truths he Is never
prosy or pedantic. He gives no hint OF
the motive behind the action during the
progress of the story and, at the end OF
the last chapter, 1t is unnecessary to dilate
upon the "moraI" in a postlude. The
careful reader who has followed the char
acters through the story closes the book
with full realization Of the greater glory.
The story, stripped of all its intricacy
OF plot, Is based upon contest for title
and property between two branches OF an
old family. During this contest the rights
are wrested from the legal proprietor, and
the author has succeeded in showing that
the greatest glory and the greatest suc-
cess are not synonymous terms.
The novel is not love story. With the
exception of the naive affection of two
children, the love Is always left out, but
the reader is introduced to q host OF won
derful characters, men and women whose
souls are laid bare by Martens powerful
pen.
In the introduction alone the author
proves his genius. In this allegory, for
it can be called by no other name, the en-
tire story is disclosed, but in such a man
ner as not to mar the beauty of the narra-
tive.
Martens humor is delightful. 1t ap-
pears in the animated dialogue SO sudden
ly as to be entirely unexpected and the
bursts of passion only tend to make the
characters more real. They are men and
women who walk through the drama OF
life that is ennacted on the pages OF the
novel, not unreal and unsympathetic crea-
tions of man who draws his characters
from his Imagination instead OF his expe-
rience.
While "The Greater Glory" Is very real
istic the ideal, has found its proper place
in the authors mind, and many OF his
words will furnish material for the deep
est thought, as when he says: "There be
climbings which ascend to depths OF In
fanny; there be also-God is merciful!-
most infamous faliings into Heaven"
The GREATER GLORY A STORY OF HIGH
LIFE. BY Maarten Martens. New York:
ID. Appleton g. Co.. 1894. Preston a. Rounds
has it.
: I I
Augustine Birrell is one of the few es-
sayists who can write interesting books
about books. His "Obiter Dicta" " and
Res Judicatse - have been warmly well
coined by the lovers of critical literature
and there is no reason why his latest work,
Men, Women and Books" should not
be received with equal favor. His style is
lucid and to the point. He makes no at
tempt to write for effect and his estimates
OF the character and value of man or
book are based SO thoroughly upon fact
that there is little opportunity to ques-
tion them.
Mr.. Birrell's new book treats of e vari-
ETY. of subjects. Beginning with Dean
Swift, the author considers the merit OF
the works OF Sterne, johnson, De Quincy,
Marie Bashkirtsef, Hannah More and
others, completing the work with enter
tanning studies upon kindred suDjects,an
as ell the essays are well written and en-
tertaining the book Is just the one to use
as an antidote for an overdose OF the
works that are known as "modern
fiction"
MEN, WOMEN AND Books. BY Augustine
Birrell. New York; Charles Scribners
Sons. 1894. Preston e. Rounds has 1t.
7 !
In "Christina Chard" Mrs. Campbell
Praed has written thoroughly fin-de-
steele novel. While the novelist owes her
reputatio On largely to those works in which
the strange escoteric doctrines have been
tied together by q thread OF fiction,
her new story, which has just been issued
by Appleton, will add to her popularity
among the readers Of novels. The story
is very real. 1t 10 picture of life among
a certain class In society; class that
is characterized as the "fringe on the
skirts of Bohemia" The heroine, who
is the daughter of an adventurer, refuses
to love the ninety and nine men who adore
her, including her own husband, and then
throws her affection at the feet OF the one
man who loves another woman too well to
be able to love her. The other char
acters love, become tangled up to-
gether in interesting situations, and
then extricate themselves, for while the
plot is not at all new the interest in the
story is kept up to the end by the graphic
pen pictures, the well sustained action and
the true bits of coloring that are so char
acteristic of the author whose power has
long been recognized.
CpRrsrrNA CHARp. BY Mrs. Campbell-Praed,
New York. ID. Appleton d Co.. 1894 Pros
ton a. Rounds has IL.
I I I
Alexander Allardyce's new story,
"Earlscourt," Is a clean and extremely in
terestipg picture OF provincial life. There
is novelty and freshness about
the work that will commend
1t to those who have become
satiated with the wishy-washy stun
that too often does duty as modern fiction.
While the plot is not new 1t is treated
with a subtle humor that is irresistible.
OF course the story is very English, and
the highest praise that can be
awarded the author is that
many OF his characters remind the
reader of some of Dickens creations. Mr..
Allardyce is q powerful painter OF charsc-
ter. His DIR. sparshott, Of the many titles,
and stephen Brancepeth are unique
enough In the field OF fiction to be well