New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-12

THE THREE IMPORTERS or THE ,s, TRA Hn j,
Roberts Brothers. Boston.
STOLEN SOULS BY William lie Queux i2mo, p2
3C5. Frederick y. Stokes Company. New-fork
THE LITTLE ROOM AND OTHER STORIES. by
| Madeleine Yale Wynn. l6mo, PIP. 49, Way &
Williams, Chicago.
More 4 s eminent than Is possessed by the average
novel reader is required to divine the underlying
| idea OF MIR hbbott's THE Gods Give Ny Donkey
| Wings" We frankly confess that it has so far
cyaded us. although. after the manner Of the sym
bolic which it belongs, the author presumably
| attaches some aesthetic importance to this winged
donkey which. like Stevenson's immortal companion
J is his patient feow-travelier in a strange land
Wishing give the reader every possible assistance
in the solution of Mr.. Abbott's mystery 1t may be
observed that the few occasions In which the
words Of the title in the text they are used
in the form of lntericctions. and reproduced
verbatim with one exception when the formula un-
dcrgocs a verbal change by the substitution of
feather" for wings. Arc we to understand that
this Is slip Of the pen, is it a symbol?
Apart from the donkey. the plot Of the story, II
such it may be called. Is concerned with the adj
ventures of a mysterious Zcnda-like community
Matters reach a climax In episode which might
have supplied Mr.. Stockton with the materials for
dro tale. bat In Mr. Abbotts hands becomes. II
not positively coarse. at least duh and perplexing
The defect is due two things First to the authors
inability either natural acquired. OF telling
simple tale In "A simple manner; aud. secondly, 10
the ridiculous afectations Of his verbal style. He
possesses the genuine dccadent prediction for
archaic words. and he has read just enough Of
Stevenson to catch the trick Of some Of his man
| nerisrs without absorbing any of his genius The
result is that the effect OF striking drum Is re-
ierred to "a great black bIotch Of sound" Else
where familiar phrase are twisted into specious
originality by the substitution OF unusual words.
when the everyday Is iugsled into familiarity
procreates vlipcndency" For the rest the style Is
characterized by downright hysteria and especially
Is this the predominant quality when the author
come, to deal with nature. His groves rumble"
his waters 'hcavc." hts air pants and his mount
ains rock" Nature in his view f. in a perpetual
of violent ERUPTION and the curious thing about
it all is that the reader is witness to this tremen-
dous commotior. without Il pcrccpubic change OF
emotion Mr.. Abbott's excitement Is singuary
communicative. and jus. about interesting and
In about the sam" way the harmless raving Of
the inmate Of an insane asylum. Tho gods ccrtainly
did not give his donkey wings. which f. perhaps the
conclusion he wishes the reader draw from his
/ narrative
Presumably IT not Mr.. Ralph Adams Grams
Intention 10 interest h!s readers IN the plots the
half-lozen stories which ne has grouped together
under the tile BLACK Spirits AMI White" II such
his Intention he has succeeded admirably.
ON tho other hand. he has spared no pains In the
I elaboration OF his details fs color Is SIMPLY tre-
menlous. a sunset Is positively rallid beside any
ono OF dozen pages which might BE- indicated In
this little book. Similarly. Mr. Abbo;ts rocking
mountains and painting ar wear lamblikc peace
fulrcss In comparison 10 Mr. Grams spasm-
struck objects Bu; his forte - his description
~ nature but his analysis OF psychic state In
monts o.: hiGeous obs'ss.on. Thus We ind one 90
the characters recOiIng before most cNtraori.-
nary pair Of eyes In the velvet darkness." says
Mr. cram. In recalling the prellcament OF this I'M
fortunate parsonage came two white eyes milky.
opalcsceri. small. farawny. awful eyes like a dead
dream" Elsewhere. speaking for himself. he OBJ
serves: suddenly wet ICY mouth. Ike that OF 4
dead cutteish. shap"icss. eilyike. fell mine.
The horror began slow.y To draw my he from me.
but. enormous arl shuddcr ng folds % palp!-
'atng Jelly swept slnuously around me-" etc.
There is plenty more Of this sort o. stuff In the
book. and there Is no reason ~hy Mr.. cram should
not 20 on producing II. 20 long there Is glass
OF Jelly lcf, in the cupboard.
II the productions o, these Chicago purvoyors OF
horrors must b. taken seriously. We may bee per
iniitel po'nt ont that. excepting always the AZ
fcctarons Of their vocabulary, they fail to pro-
luce the effect ~ which they aim by laying the
whole stress o. their endeavor the physical de-
/ OF their horrors. 5 Writer may be disgusting or
ridiculous ,Mr Cram dcNteroGsly conirves 20 be-
/ bothD in this way. but ne never be thoroughly
effective after the manner OF d, Maupassant IN
LA Horla" AM FtzG"rald In "Th" WHAT Is IT,
Both OF these writer's. beng accomplished men OF
letters as well artists relied on psychology FOR
their main effects giving only 50 much material
/
OF some particular horror" Hal De Maupassant
lived in Chicago he probably would have giver
a full-length portrait Of the ghost in Ia Horla'
iiord tale whch. In its present form. stands rs
one OF the finest grewsone taies in any language
would have fallen utterly fiat. These Chicago
Youngsters also make the art ste mistake o. sup
poslre that the reader Is interested in ghosts
such whereas as a matter OF fart the interest
centres IN the person who sees The ghost. Mr..
Arthur Machcn. pleased TO note. Is alive
to this essential distinction. and has made most
effective use OF his knowledge In the volume of
sccutyc tales published under the title The Three
/ Impostors; or. The Transmutatons." The matter
Of these tales Is grcwsome enough to please the
most exacting taste. and the method OF telling.
from the artistic point Of view, leaves very Ntt!e
/ 10 be desired. Again Stevensous influence is con-
spcuous but is aggrc ssiyely so. and IS limited
10 a particular manner OF studying facts. ard n "A
subtle adm xturc OF the prepOsterous with the
| COMMONPLACE. In tho cas-" where n specially c'-
reciivc horror reaches up an abnormay long arm
and takes a bust OF PIT from the bookcase The
touch IL admirable.
Turning. howev r. from the manner to the matter
| of Mr. Machen's book we can find no word strong
enough to express our adherence Of III" class
of literature herein represented II Is, 10 be sure
A class which enjoys for the moment certain
vogue but tina; the thing Is a 'fn1' renders 1t no
more tolerabe to people with dccently clean minds
And In Mr. Machsn's case the offence Is all The
more henous because disguised In a style OF eN-
cmp.ary grace and finish. II has the appearance
at first sight. OF perfect innocence. but n moments
thought reveals the Inherent nasncss OF the Fabric
one becomes painfully conscious OF being In the
presence OF foul mind bent on wicked ana cor
rupting nsnuations which are al the more mis-
chavous because they inslnuations. There are
passages In this book which make decent man
bush for the much vaunted freedom Of the press
In this blessed land OF liberty. and make one .ol-
| Grant OF the severe Russian censorship.
Mysteries Is the normal condition OF the char
acters In Mr.. William lie Qucux's stolen Souls"
| Every one has H. and has 1t bad. But the tale IL
not degenerate; there Is too much hustle. ana too
many daggers and revovers FOR that: 1t moves
forward with the impetuosy OF an Adephi melo-
drama. and much the lines. The acton