New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-15
CURRENT FICTION.


iaren i2mo PIP. aG; Dodd Mead & 60.
SUNSHINE AND HAAR. by Gabriel setoun.
emo. PIP. 257. Harper & Brothers.
PIP. 20, Harper & Brothers.
THE SORROWS of SATAN. BY Mare Corelli
Company.
Emo PIP. 2i& Harper Brothers.
The second series of Drumtochty sketches which
Ian Maclaren puts forth under the title The
DAYS o. Od Lang Syne" displays all those quail
ties which we have grown accustomed 10 associate
with the author of "i}esde the Bonnie Briar Bush.
If we unable II distinguish the presence of any
now marks Of genius We note the absence OF none
of the old There il the same bepling OF
pathos and humor, the same wit the same vivacty
Of narration the same kindly satire innocent
human fOib.cs the carefulness OF observation
and the same freshness in presentation. 1t u.s. we
are inclined to think, upon this last quality that
Mr. Macarens calm to popularity mainly rests
for whether the public knows it or not. it chershes
a healthy disasto for professionalism in letters
and turns with relief and enthusiasm toward the
author who either from refinement of art. or. as
in Mr. Macaren's case from natural simplicity of
character delivers his message with the artess
grace of one who tells anerdote to his friends
How or In what Mr. Maclaren writes his
ta,es-whether they flow from his pen with the
freedom of Improvisation. or whether his vvacity
and spontaneity. like kipling'a are the result OF
pznstaking revision are matters about which 1t Is
no, necessary 10 oneself. The essential
thing il that. for the present at least. his art is
the servant OF his material. which in its abundance
he seems to have accumulated not by deliberate
study and observation but by the natural accre-
ton Of sympathetic association with his scenes and
characters. il Il this simplicity and this sincerity
which specially recommend Nj. Macliren 10 the
general public well as to the 1aded critic. one
"a sciO O
considerably narrower than that OF his country
man. Crockett. and immeasurab,y so than that
OF the American. Mary wilkins; but one feels at
the same time that no l. master within his chosen
preserve. and Is on intimate terms of sympathy
with those emotions called forth by the love of
children and parents, and the love Of home. II
peasas him. for the most part, to depict these
emotions being in state OF tears. This may
or may be a defect. according TO ones taste. but
IL is due Mr. Maclaren to say that his gentle weep
ing H. quite consist 'ntly contagious as any one
may find out for himself by reading either Drum
sheugh's Love story For Conscience Sake.
ooth of them printed in his last volume.
what Ian Nacaren has done for Drumtochty.
Mr.. Gabriel setonn is trying to do for another
Scotch town nv the name of Barncraig. and to this
end has published two volumes OF tales. the last
Of which bears the partially untranslatabe title
Of Sunshine and Haar" From hint in the pref
ace we assume that the word 'haar means fog"
or mist" something Of the sort. At all events.
it comes from tie and hangs heavy about
the melancholy streets" It also creeps cold and
clanmy from the gloomy gates OF the kirkyard
to the desolate seat OF the Cox" Surely ii must
be u mis-" although no more certain of its
exact meaning than Mr. Martin is Of the meaning
OF "brae." In the good old days when Gait pub
lished his stories 1t was the the
meanings Of these GncOuth terms at tie foot OF
the page, and cordially wish that this admirable
practice might be revived. Ii would save an end
Ice cff nd rfat nlv
a godsend to The conscientious reader who would
then be able 10 translate these fascinating Scotch
writer's into nteiliglble English. and solve for
all the tormeni.ng question whether they we're talk
ing merely transatng commonplaces into
foreign tongue. A. matters stand now, all
can do IL accept these dialect passages on faith
and believe, with the old Russian peasant. that
cur stories Ike MS religious books all the more
inspired because they written in language
not clearly Understood.
The current cult OF the short story has produced
nothing better than Mr. Julian Ralphs People
We Pass" winch y the title given a collection OF
eight brie: and sra phic sketches OF tenemelhouse
life In New-YoTk CITY The same locality has at
different periods attracted the attention OF Mr..
Jany!er. MIR Davis and Professor Matthews and
the results OF their studies and observations have
been duly recorded in stories which have enjoyed
I'm their day certain need OF popularity. But az
ter allowing for al that excellent In the works
OF this trio Of writer's 1t Is nevertheless a fact
that 1t has been reserved for Mr.. Ralph to produce
the first trutaful picture East Side life as IL IS
in i,self-a picture studied from the point OF view
%; the locality Itself and OF the people who I've IN
4. and make II what IL H. These tales SAYS Mr.
Ralph. s9eahins o. the stories In the present vo.-
ume. ar. IN inc man. reflections OF scenes that
have been actually witnessed" The statement IL
literally true For more than twenty years Mr..