New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-08
NEW NOVELS.
MRS Br-RNETTs ROMANCE OF THE TINE
OF QUEEN ANNE.


Conan Doyle. 12no PIP. 36l. ID. Appleton K CO.
THE RED REPUBLIC. By. r; W. Chambers
limo. pp as G. p. Putnam's Sons.
"A Lady OF Quality" by Mrs. Frances Hodgsoh
Burnett Is a romance of the time Of Queen anne
being according to the title page "a most curious
hitherto unknown history. related by Mr.. isaac
Bickerstafr but not presented 10 the worid OF iasn
ion through the pages OF The Tatler.'" The story
marks a wide departure from the authors aec"s-
toned field OF literary observation Her eHpefi-
ment has not proved altogether SUCCESSFUL e''hei,
but 1t must be admitted that "A Lady OF Quahty
Is a much better historical study than might nave
been expected from the writer OF latte Ao'a
FauntIeroy" The a.oogness. the impersonaHty' OF
the authors attitude is remarkable cohsiuer,hs
the strong individual bent Of her temperament WIN
Its drift toward sentirnental!sm. lhhi '"e
attitude cost her considerable effort the deveiop-
nent of the story demonstrates conc.usveIy. Con-
tras the first two-:hirds Of the story with the re-
naming section and II will be apparent that the
authors impulse. which was successfully he!d III
check during the early stages, decared itseh III"
peratively toward the close. Witness the circu"-
stances OF Sir Jeoffrys death, and the conversion
OF the proud beautiful. worldly Clorinda INTO
sweet loving Lady Bountfu. Doubtless sucn con-
versions were not unknown in the age OF queen
Anne but In saying that the Mrs burnett VIM 10
most familiar TO her readers summary sHatches
the pen from the hand OF the fmpersonal historian,
IN the concluding chapters OF "A Lady OF Vuahty'
! attention
which the transition is worked out than to the
transition itself From artistic point OF view
this change IL a serious bemish
The truth IS that Ms Burnett essayed the impos-
slb,e when she tried to make Clorinda over into
,ovable character The logic OF the lattcrs nature
does not lead such conclusion. ana the au-
thor's powers OF persuasion are not sufncienuy
strong 20 impose 1t upon the reader The DOCK Is
reiinquishel with the feeling that a woman Vfo
could do murder. though she felt JUSTIFIED IN
the act and could carry dead body IN me eepth
OF nigh: ard stow It in the cellar to conceal |; from
her husbands eyes is not precisely the stun out OF
which to fashion the gentle creature Of Mrs Bur
nets concluding pages. There is something wrong
In the psychology OF this situation Had he autnor
made the motive OF Clorinda's silence about the
murder OF Sir John Oxon to depend upon her fear
of discovery Il would have been more convincing.
As It is she Is known 10 have held her peace solely
berause she hestatei to open her husbands eyes
t. the true state OF affairs. fearing :hat he SHOULD
look a with changed eyes-feeiins II at some
what Of his rlghtful NEED had gone"
Although "A Lady OF Quality" Is far from being
perfect book. 1t is a story which may safely be
counted on to interest a wide circle OF readers.
II has the charm OF romance. OF ingenious. COM
plicatcd plot and It IL composed with considerable
skill in the language of the period described. Mrs
Burnett has evidently read widely a preparation
for her task. AS regards insight, her obser-
walton rarely goes below the surface She is not
perneatcd by the spirit OF the time. That which Is
easily accessible. the conspicuous peculiarities OF
manners and customs she has caught and turned
to excellent account. The hand OF the practsed
writer is apparent on every page. But the finished
work leaves the impression OF having been written
up OF having been put forth to satisfy the demand
for historical stories. and not In order reflect
the atmosphere OF n past age In the light OF full
and sympathetic scholarship. Concedng to Mrs
Burnett her limitations she has done we'll and al
lowing for certain inconsistencies In the character
/ Of h.rh qb.h al
Conan Doyle is on his own ground again in THE
Exploits OF Brgader Gerard" There Is no more
psychology In The Stark Monro Letters" but
there stirring situations perous rides and hair
breadth escapes. and there is much heroic fighting.
Brlsalier Gerard is Sherlock Holmes Transferred
In mctamorphosls from the detective bureau to
the fed Of battle; whisked away from oontempo-
rary London to the stirring times Of the First En-
plre Just Sherlock was an indomitabc d.
tecivc 80 Gerard Is an nvincible swordsman No
wonder Napoleon admired the Brlgadier and In
trusted him with the dangerous and important mis-
sion which Is described in the last chapter OF this
book. The Brgader is not a man OF extraordinary
intelligence. In fact he is rather thick-wttcd. and
this reason why the Emperor thought SO much
OF him. But he possessed soldiers sense OF duty
and honor. He never went around an obstacle that
he could climb over. This eccentricty Is admirably
described In the chapter entitled How Brigadier
Gerard Won His Medal" The Emperor sent him
| I
fall into the hands OF the enemy. and thus throw
them Off the scent of deep-laid plan. But Ma
poeon counted without his host when he sent
Gerard: ne did not reckon with the latters
indomitGble sword and uncrrng pistol. his r-
repressible courage and supcrhuman ingenuity In
disentanglng himself from the compcated
situations. The Emperor OF. how.
ever, than Marshal Milleheurs, than the Spanish
brigand, who thought to end the Brigadiers brill
liant career by tying his legs two bent trees
and releasing the trees. A deceitfu monk also
deceived himself when he thought to kill Gerard by
stabbing him In the eye with bradawl. The
Brigadier recovered from the wound he did
from countless Others and In his old age. when he
Ia supposed to tell the story OF his adventures. he
gives up counting his scars In conclusion. It may
be noted that the Brigadier has the usual virtues
Of men OF his stamp; a womsn In distress Is sure
OF his assistance. and his loyalty Is exemplary
all occasions He has also a dash Of sentimental
ism In his character. and curously taste for art.
The history OF his exploits may be heartily COM
mended.
THE Red Republic" by r. w. Chambers, Is
a story Of the Paris Commune. which aims to pre-
sent vivid and truthful picture of that episode by
interesting the reader In the fortunes OF a young
American art student whose studio Is In the La tin
quarter. The book Is admirable despite the ap-
parent haste In which 1t written and tendency
at times to ford rhetoric. In the main however
Mr. Chambers writes with restraint and with due
regard to truth in his descriptions OF scenery and
the delineaton Of character As regards the latter
he has given himself a wide range by building up
his plot out OF cosmopolitan material. Thus there
encountered an American hero. a French
heroine. Russian general. Irish soldiers O Greek
villain and a generous allowance of French mis-
creants The characters are we'll drawn although
Mr.. Chambers has still something to learn about
his women. He approaches them with a certain
hesitancy which suggests that they arc still mys-
teries to him. On the other hand his men are ex-
cellent The same adjective may be applied to his
descriptions of the many fights in the story He
handles thess With almost mastery skill. l