New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-20
"THE MARTIAN."
MR. DU MAURIERS NEW ROMANCE AND
IT'S IRRESISTIBLE HERO.

The suppOsttiouS autnOr OF Inc 4Hdiuh"'
which is to say the Right Honorable Sir Robert
Maurice Bart NJ p to whom Mr.. Du Mturier as
signs the task of telling the tale protests that he
is of himself OF earthly consequence IL Is bar'y
Josselin who counts. Bartholomew Josselih' as
Monsieur Brossard. Of the Institution r. brosSi:n
I'm the Paris Of fifty years ago. was pleased 10 ca"
him But what does it matter, what boots 1t that
tho modest baronet comes TO the writing or MS
friends biogra phy as TO a trade-poor, struB-
cling Raronet with his dealings I'm foreign wines
.and British party politics, and bmetaiiism' anu
his conviction that he ''can only write III te'e-
graphese" The truth Is that he has an lrresist-
lille theme and he writes rresstibly All the quiet
captivation of Peter Ibbetson" comes back TO the
reader as he opens the October "Harpers al the
mage where The Marian begins, and not even
the impersh able Paris Of "Trilby' has swee'er
glamour than that which is thrown over the Paris
of these opening chapters
Is Rarty Jossein the Marian? The question is
not answered yet explicitly but from the hrst II Is
plain that he il to pervade the book. Mr.. pu Mau-
rier begins at the beginning of his nero's HE we
are told Of his immediate ancestry OF no" MS
father Lord Runswick. married his mother the
famous Antoinettc Josselin,' OF the Bouifes' Oh
how the lad was left orphan, and OF how he
was broush: to Monsieur Brossards school There
he throws his spell upon the other pupils instan-
taneously and there the reader watches him WOO
ing the masters dancing jigs and singing songs LOT
the women In the "lngerie,' or, in less happy mo-
ments. defending himself with his two British
fists against Dugit big boy with WHISPERS, VINO
had him by the collar and was KICKING III" 10
rights" Josselin was perpetually being kicked TO
RIGHTS but apparently IL most often IN en- en-
counter OF his own seeking. Whether this YVES the
ase or not however. meant little 10 Barty anu less
to the boys. They adored him either way wheh
Joliyet BACKED his eye he seemed sorry Tor II WIN
more genuneness in his sorrow than is customary
with schoolboys Everybody at the Institution r.
Rrossard adored Josselin, and they had the same
reason that must be given after a peruSai or the
first chapters OF his history. 1T is Impossible 10
help it. To be sure. he wrote "Sardonyx ana
Notes in a Moonbeam. and other masterpieces
over which. Mr. Du Maurier assures US the world
has gone quite mad. Besides. ne was beautiful as
Apollo strong clever amusng-a thousand things.
What do they all amount to in comparison with
the mere fact that he was adorable?
This is the impression derived from so much OF
THE Marian the October number OF Har-
pers Magazine which will appear next Tuesday,
contains 1t is vague enough In so far as the prom
lse of the plot is concerned How Barty Jossen is
70 become All that we are told he became-a great
writer a great man-is more than can be even sur
missed as yet But there is no vagueness about the
confidence raised by these early chapters; they
make It plain beyond cavil that Mr.. Du Maurier is
on his own ground. that he is moving in his most
spontaneous and feicitous manner In that sphere.
haf-earthly haf-spirtual. wherein his genius
brea,hos its most desired air. His hunor Is as In
nocent and sunny. his style is as delicate and
sprlghtly his powers OF narration and OF descrip-
ton are as fresh and sure as ever they Lave
been Best OF all, the feeling Of doubt about his
success in n vein which seemed beyond reworking
Il quite vanquished and forgotten. The Marian
may not be valued highly as either of Its prede-
ccssors-that is impossible TO tell now-but II Is
almost certain TO become as eldeared. The
nance has the ring OF Mr.. Du Mauriers best fo-
mancing the simple. almost naive. admiration Of
the boys for Barty shows the author as we have
known him In his highest estate true. Wise, free
from tho slightest suspicion of sen;imentaty
cant. The Marian" opens again the portals OF
his delightful world the story revves the tender
ness the sweetness. the original magic which many
readers have feared could never be recapured. and
the four five pictures reveal Enthusiastically the
same hand that wrought the text. One sketch par
tlculary that OF Barty charming the tall. gaunt VI.
Bonzig OF the masters. with the winning ways
OF himself and his white mouse belongs among the
most eloquent drawings Mr. Du Maurier has made.
We are that Barty's character will be correct
Is understood before the end OF The Marian" is
reached. "lie has been deazed an ang H. Il
saint and n demi-g god: he has been carlcaturcd as
lf-lnduged sensualist a vulgar Lothario "A buf-
foon a joker OF practical jokes" but he strikes
at the outset that chord OF sympathy which will
make every reader see him as he really was hts
dearest friend the Robert Maurice OF Mr. Du Mau-
rier's pages. knew him for hfty years:
"He was In reality the simplest, The most affec-
tionate and most good-natured OF men, The very
soul OF honor. the best OF husbands and fathers
and friends the most fascinating companion that
ever lived and one who kept TO the last the fresh
ness and joyous spirits OF a schoolboy ard the
heart OF a child one who said or did an un-
kind thing; probably never even thought one Cen
crous and cpen-handcd to fault Sow TO con-
DENIM quick to forgive and gifted with power OF
Immediately inspiring affection and keepng II for.
ever after such as have never known In any one
else he grew TO be flor all his quick tempered I'M
pulsiveness) OF the gentest and meekest end
most humble minded Of men,
The edition OF George Meredith is to have a
pencil portrait OF him by Mr. John Sargent repro