New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-01
CASA BRACCIO.
MD MARION CRAWFORD AS A NOVELIST.
CASA BRACCIO BY F. Marion Crawford. WIN
octave PIP $Si, 1872. New-York and London;
Macmillan and Co, 1895.

CASA BRACCIO. BY F. Marion Crawford With
illustrations by A. Casta!gne In Two volumes Volumes.
octave PIP 33i, 1892 New-York and London;
Macmillan and Co., 1895.
On the nv leaf OF Casa Bracco" appears the fol-
lowing sentence: This story. being my twenty
ff,h novel is affectionately dedicated to my wife"
The words remind us that a novelist so 1acie
and so prolific Mr.. Crawford. who Is aiso at the
present time In the prime Of life. may be expected
10 mt a hundred volumes to his credit
before writing his last chapter. A final estimate
OF his gifts and accomplishments must await the
appearance Of all that he has 10 say. But he has
said much this dedication shows; and though II
has covered only short space OF ume' MI.
Isaacs" his first novel, having been published In
1882 the latest of his works Is In some sort mile
stone Casa Braccio'' marks point at which Mr..
Crawfords readers. II not the novelist himself,
NAV well pause for a critical survey of all that
has gone before. 1t cannot be easy foi them to be
critical He has given them much pleasure;
he has entertained them too steadily and too well.
Possibly thar just that one uncommon ser
vice might be asked OF some novelists by some
publics. But Mr.. Crawford If he is fastidious
about his public. must expect the public TO DO
fastdious about him. and to weigh him with care.
He has amused for thirteen years. sometimes he
has charmed us and he has scarcely ever failed to
be interesting No novelist OF his time has BEEN
on the whole. more readable. What has he been
than that? What has he given his public
beyond amusement? He has given II. to begin WITH
invitation to read him. In sngularly smooth
and persuasive narrative style We put aside any
minute discussion Of that style. Broadly speaking
1t was sufficient from the beginning. It fluent
and natural IL seemed the proper vehicle for what
the author had TO forth. and. therefore style
10 ingratate itself with the confirmed reader Of
novels. Mr.. Crawford received with open arms
the very threshold of his with small
thought OF any peculiarites OF dction or OF man.
The main point that he had a story to
tell.
He has never lost sight Of the main point In
every OF his twenty-five works he Is the teller
OF tales-even volumes like "Khaled," or with
the Immortals." which take him somewhat outside
his accustomed province the province Of the novel;
list. We have spoken above OF his gifts" and "ac-
comp.ishments." The unmistakable Gift he
possesses Is this OF weaving fascinating tale 1t
lies close to the region OF accomplishments and.
though his first book promised otherwise, he has
rarely seemed to depend much upon ina gnation
as upon combination OF inventive and observant
faculties for the construction OF his plot But no
matter what acquired faculties he exercises in the
evolution Of his story. II is a story that Mr. Craw-
ford always tells. and he tells Il to a great ex-
tent because 1t is natural for him TO tell II, He
may drag in the most artificial OF expedients
he may be improbable. inartistic but he holds
you, carries you with him from the first page
10 the last That ic no slight test OF a clever
writer and when 1t has been successfully met
In fields az varied those Mr.. Crawford has
exploited II might seem though the novelst's
position were tolsrably secure In the India OF his
"Mr Isaacs" he achieved a versimtude which he
has matched In the Italy of hts Southern stories.