The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-29
THE CRITICS COLUMN.
DEyOTED 10 COMMENT UfOy CUR
RENT PUBLfcaTf0Ss.
"rhc Amazing Marriage "-"A Breath OF
suspicion -" The Desire of
ihs Moth"
TILE AMAZING MARRIAGErr -

Sons New York, tAJe. For sale ~
West, Johnston * Co.
In our opinion this latest Of Mr.. Mere
diths novels VIII m no degree add iustfe
20 his reputation. II L. fun OF his merits
ani faults with the latter In the major
ity. The intricate anu devious vices OF
his literary style need no commend. They
mark every line he has ever written ana
are at their worst I'm this yOicme There
are numerous sentences IN IL whose mean
ing r., we feel contidvnt, obscure TO Mr.
Meredith himself, or, should II be clear
TO that gentleman, furnish new PROOF
that he Is not a success at metaphors
and had much better let them alone.
The book, IN common with his others.
abounds In interesting incidents. but u
n chain of surprises ana dsappointments'
the second volume following most IL
logically on the first, which encourages
the reader I'm antcipations greatly al
variance with results. The Individuality
OF each actor i'm the story Is vigorously
and brilliantly drawn, as we should ex-
pcct of MIR. Meredith. From start TO
finish, we think he leaves too much 20
Inference The central fact OF the story.
abominabe as Il is. Is merely implied and
the reader In numerous Instances, pro-
ceeds upon his way In unpleasant I'M
certainty. which IL not thorough assur-
ance when the book ~ laid down. on
tho whole, while the novel Is fun OF Mr..
Meredlth's characteristic power, We 90
not. as we have said. consider Il In any
sense superior to his preceding works.
but, on the contrary, inferior IN some re-
spects. 20 any OF IL.
A BREATH or SUSPICION 4 novel.
BY Frances Isabel Currie =. I. Webb.
New York. For sale by J. ". RAN
doiph Company.
This * novel of pure motive, mo
story Of "A marriage I'm the little Canadian
village OF Yarrow, between a Canadian
girl and a Spaniard. In the face OF oppo-
sition on the part OF the girls guardian
Tho opposition arises through constitu-
tional Scotch mistrust OF the lovers ma
tionaity There is another lover. In the
admirable person OF "A cousin-lRcgnaii
by name. The Breath OF Suspicion
which makes the interest OF the story
and gives the novel It's title. II cast by
the villain OF the story. Brevilo, also
Spaniard Numerous other and second-
ary characters are tSiningly and
well drawn, the plot having wholesome
denouement in the restoration or mu-
tual confidence between husband ana
wife. It IL "A refreshing contrast TO tne
average novel OF the times, whose writerH
appear to consider immortality and inter-
est synonymous. Its heroine Is honestly
and deeply I'm love with her husband.
and ne is honestly and deeply In love
with her, a somewhat more admirable
than common state OF affairs In current
fiction. We congratulate Mrs Currie
on having the good sense 10 perceive ana
respect the interest attaching TO purity
and nobility ia character and upon the
production OF very enjoyable novel
THE DESIRE OF THE MOTH. by
Capel Nane Appleton'S Town ana
Country Library. ID. Appleton
Company. New York. 80 cents. For
sale by West. Johnston Company.
This story may be styled another IL
Iusfrnfion OF the influence OF hereilty on
character. and OF the inevitable suffering
| consequent upon neglect or duty. its
heroine. I'm whom there II much that IN
noble, IL the child of woman who de-
seris her husband and her duty for an
other man. There Is more than sug-
eestion I'm the novel that while born be-
fore the mothers flight, and reared In
| the home Of the deserted husband, she ~
not his child A considerable portion or
| the story IL the record of a lonely ana
uuloved childhood. The flight or tho
daughter with her lover follows her mar
riage TO a superb old character. the
| Squire, many years her senior, into
which she Is hurried by the loneliness and
isolation OF her home. The remaining
1
tracing. for the benefit OF the reader, the
inevitable rebound OF sin upon the inno-
cent.
Literary Notes.
A large number OF unpublished letters
from literary and musical celebrities
vas found recently among the papers
left by Mr.. George Thompson, an Edin-
/ burah lawyer. The letters are being
published I'm the Glasgow Evening News.
! srhe first batch contains letters from Jean
Armour. the wife OF Robert Burns, ana
from the poets brother Letters rom
Dickens. Scott Byron. Tom Moore, Beet
hoven. Haydn, and Weber are 10 follow
When, says the New YORK lndepehu-
| emf the British cOmmoncr mas pee"
raised TO the rank OF his nations noDillty'
ne a. supposed To suffer a change that II
even richer and stranger than the one OF
| which Ariel sings Ills solemn rcpofu-
lion from the ordinary citizen ccf'aihly
| ought distinctly TO be left Perhaps u
w. a respectful scnsiblilty OF THIS hinf
| that led M 10 class Sir John ,nnial, ia
a recent literary notice In our colIin"s'
as dead, not merely 10 the vulgar h''r,
hut. as what the lrishman rouin car
! "dcad entirely" II gives MS pleasure 20
| ,,,r,. ourselves. not 10 speak OF our read
err that this veteran among Lonloh IL
i,,strators and carlcaturists Is still very
much alive and full Of industry In his
Golden old age lie became sir JoDh
renniel some years ago. a recent num-
her of Punch contains political cartoon:
,,'itb The signature -. t. as clever ana
secure In its art as anything tnat Us
d,,ftsman has published during many
decades OF a wonderful productivity. our
statement was made on tho strength OF
stscial information. obtained because OF
| some doubt I'm writing down the arust
as working, and as not having his name
| renre.ented BY a second ~ t. harphy
| "a. t.f.--..ttop uaa nfsinfOrmatiOA.