New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-07
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE SUNDAY ls9-TWENTYEIGii1 AGES

,oor.nhv IN the ordinary meaning OF the woro
49, ,o,, intend to write, or is It not rather
80. ahout her?" On learning that 1t would Dc
- ann roem about herself" as revealed to the
r,uchess he forthwith declared you must .rea'
- h,sct romantcally" Why may ASK IN
turnp Because. according to Sonya herself tine
service In lifes banquet is badly mahaseo, az
the guests seem to get the portions oeS'"eu "
others" and she, who wanted to be loved TO aoora-
,,on was forced to content herself with a maine
matician's honors? The answer must De III '"o
negative for she forced her remuneration upon ne'
self. and In a way to excite smai eo'.p
Woman per may be an object OF chi'~-'ou'
m,ration but woman with her nerves out % o'o''
through morbid introspection is a far less moving
spectacle. No., Ma
II is In such a condition that We hnd NINE
Kovalevskv An A child sho was sulky. SILENT
Jealous and as she grew older she was suo'ec' "
fits OF unreasoning emotion. That much We move
on her own confession. Her later years. 40 ~
folded in this narrative. do not seem 10 nave
brought any spiritual enriching and oroaden'hs VI
her nature For a moment the reader feels that
tho arnbtt,us daughter Of the retired country pro-
prietor is about to make a great spring INTO 'ne
srbere Of ideaIism when she marrtes Nladimr
Kovaleysky after the fashion Of so many OF her
contemporaries Just to win her way out in'o inc
world OF study and mental growth But she gives
no return for the devotion OF that young STUDENT
and wonders why their life together does not or'hs
her the happiness for which she lonsed 10 an
orIooker at this distance the explanation seems
very simple Unlike Marie Bashkirtsen she dd
not know her own mind. She was consumed with
ambition-and yet whittier did she Intend that IL
sbould lead her? The book before us gives no
coherent account OF her ultimate aim she was
landed In impasse.
She worked heroically. and at hrst oiush sne
might seem to have had serious aspirations 10 DC
tho great mathematician which she undoubtedly
became. close scrutiny OF her life yieids .he
unnattering conclusion that she IoVed "oih io'
the excitement II gave her. and this Is the secret
OF all her character. Therein was she very IKE
Marie Bashkirtseff though It seems TO us mat the
latter had In spite OF her hysteTcal nature. a
aosnor canac,,v for conservation to ideal. The
more noted woman leaves an ignoble impression
Nine Kovalevsky had in some ways WIDER hor'-
zon. Her devotion TO mathematics was. IN nus ana
starts, nterpenetrated by the ardor or a scientist
pure and simple. and the light OF her inteiiect
glowed with a pure flame. But her heart was too
often warmed by the murky fires or sentimenta'-
ism At the apex Of her career as matnema-
ticIan she was signing for some one 10 love.
noble soul does not go about looking FOR us rate
nor does Il impel the possessor TO write hgh-
falt,.in letters the subject TO even MS or her
most intimate friend Nine. kovalevsky ana her
present biographer extracted much pleasure. ana.
as they thought. much profit from their years OF
can be said, with all respect, that they did each
other harm The Russian was volube. the Swede
was by contrast reserved but both were given 10
introspection 70 morbid self pity They oner a
curious picture running about Paris together with
the avowed purpose OF getting material for future
literary work-artncial seekers after sensations.
students OF life who had failed to master the
fundamental conditions OF healthful living.
Sonya left her husband for two reasons. ap-
parently when they were living In fair circum-
stances In Russia. She wanted him 10 understand
her TO sympathlze with her and was unwilling II
she was capable TO enter into his own emotions
She was Jealous moreover. where the book leaves
us to infer that she had no serious basis for her
feeling. From that time her travels about Europe
were more and more feverish. her craving for ex-
element became more and more imperative her
sentimental longings became more sentimental
At last. she met the man whom she believed 10 be
a genius and her predestned mate He loved her
IN his own way not coldly at all. II can be OWNED
hu, NJ the same time not enough as lap dog
might to satisfy her jealous disposition He came
,er Paris TO witness the ovation given her as the
winner OF the prize mentioned above She was
even then when on the pinnacle OF bliss 'un-
happy as a dog" and II these pages give correct
impression IL was because she could neither marry
the man she loved and be happy as his wife. nor
devote herself without him TO scientific career
She ended by doing neither one thing nor the
other, but by going back 10 mathematics with
sting in her hear, and divided impulse. For a
while this anomalous state OF things lasted with
apparent success. Then the long strain broke. and
she died still young. still confused In mind. SIN
the rather ambiguous and unsatisfying indiv'du-
Atty which she had been al the start IL IS not
quite plain why so elaborate book as THIS one
should have been made about her with Its crowded
title page that suggests obligations It were idle TO
attempt TO pay In any detail Briefly stated. the
efforts OF the various writer's and transators con-
ccrnel may be said 10 have given the work a
pleasing unity and TO have left lively portrait
OF their heroine Sonyas own share in the MARIA
tive is clear and clever. She herself was more
than clever I'm matters OF mathematics. but In no
other relation does she excite admiration or pro-
found sorrow. She was a sick soul. and such are
always 20 be ptied; but In books they must be
Accordingly interesting to leave permanent marx