New-York tribune., 1894-04-08
RIKER'S,
9th Ave-, Cor. 22d st.

the miners responsible for Mr.. Bailey's attack
upon Lord Shand. chairman of the Board OF
Cancellation Mr.. Bailey, nevertheless Is Il
councillor Of Nottingham. and his influence with
the miners Is considerable. He induced large
meeting Of them to pass resolution DECLARING
Lord Shard "biassed partisan and unfit TO De
chairman Mr.. Bailey IS himself a member Oh
tho BOARD of Cancellation Lord Shand's offence
is that he does not use his position as umpire
exclusively in the interest OF wOrklngmen' ne
could not embody the minimum wage dogma
I'm the settled rules OF the body. Mr.. ficKaro'
president Of the coal miners, thinks Mr. Baiiey
and his Nottinghamshire men ''precipitate' Out
unless Cancellation Is to mean surrender ana 'he
board to be a mere machine for registering 'he
edcts of the Miners Union the president must
Use his Judgment and Mr.. Bailey must keep his
temper.
II the true proportions OF things are TO De coh-
sidered, the appearance Of Mrs. Humphry "aru
new novel is a more important event thah o|e-
elections or parliamentary wrangles. Mar
celia" was published on Tuesday. The DAILY
naners Of the same morning contained notices Of
the book. 1t can hardly be said that many oi
them reviewed or criticised It, They agree. how
ever. IN praisng. which is perhaps more inpo'-
tant to the author and to the publisher. They
]
wavs cynical pessimists who told you it would
be her worst or would be condemned as her
worst which is not always the same thing
Robert Elsmere." said these despairing persons,
succeeded because it was surprise DaVid
Crieve" succeeded because 1t was by the author
Of Robert ElsInere." Her third book. they
added will be the true test Of her power and
Of her attraction for the public. and the pubic
will discover that it has been imposed on and
will own frankly that 1t is bored by Mrs. Ward :
solemnities These cheerful predictions have not
como true The welcome TO "Marcella Is instan-
taneous. 1t is far warmer than TO either OF the
other two 1t is both sympathetic and critical.
PEOPLE see even the reviewers see. that IL IS
too late to dispute Mrs Wards hold on her
readers and that her readers increase. the ciT-
Gle videns and the best readers are inside IL.
If Mrs Ward had but felt sure OF TINS she
might have chosen a less burning topic thah
Socialism and spared us the least engaging size
of Marcella's character The subject seems I"
concession to a popular craving for literature Oh
topics that have little or no connection Win "'-
erature In the high sense. 1t Is, however true
that Mrs. Ward writes from the heart ana iro'"
q full or pretty full mind. The problems ol
soc,s, reform do interest her as the problems OF
netanhvs,cal scepticsm interested her. She has
studied them only too much, II her mover Is 10
be Judged as novel. ana there Is no o'her
right way Of judging II. There can be no DOUBT
IL would have been a better novel. nopIer piece
OF literature a truer expression of art, had she
not saturated her system with socialistic invesu-
cations and studies Of all kinds before she wrote
IT, Those who like actuality will find 1t here as
they find It in the newspapers Marce'a IL !"
pamphlet in three volumes.
Bevond however the Socialistic Interest there
is a human interest. There are characters VINO
live and move and have their being between
these covers. There is a plot, though II breaks
in two and has to be patched together again.
Mrs. Ward writes better than OF OLD. with more
ease but still with labor and with lack OF
that simplicity and unaffected charm which be-
long TO the best writing and TO that only. Al
together she need hardly have fed to Rome 70
cscape the reviews Of her own book. nor need her
friends and admirers in America doubt that
"Marcela" will advance her fame.