The morning times., 1896-07-26
viduaiity ana substannailty Of the =
Haissance


N THIS new direction of energies, II Is
etngular that the women were first 10
| seizc upon It's possibilities, and not until
last year did a man with any degree OF
efficiency or success take part IN the
renaissance. one or the nrst women to
give colonial atmosphere to her books was
Augusta Campbell Watson. SO early as
1892 she wrote her successful. .'The Old
HarbOr Town" The place which gives its
name TO the story Is New London, Conn.,,
as IL was In 1774. The heroine, Lefty
Chester. is a typical girl or the colonies, Ia
her white frock, only ankle long, with bare
neck. and fair, mit-screened arms, and de
mure. downcast eyes. shaded under tile i'm
mense bonnet and nodding ostrich pIumes
She dances the minuet, she plays upon the
harp, she Is betrothedtO Lord Percy Seldom,
>of bis majesty's army, but she loves Robert
Ayeriti, q cOlOni1t. Thus Is 1t the old
story. then as now,'and the heart triumphed
as right did after the storms OF bitter war.
Mrs. WatsOn's second Rbvei was Dorothy,
the Puritan. The Story ofa Strange Delu-
sion.'' Af1t
In this she hns not only taken rrncr
hold on the possibilitfes OF the time, but
she has commanded her own resources
better. 1t reveals more accomplished
writer than the earlier book. The story is
keyed in admirable harmony with the
rigidi:y of the Puritan character, their
supersttuons and 7unrelenting Intolerance
1t Is not a Revolutionary story, but reaches
back into the earlier and more precisely
colonial days. Cotton, Mather himself is
one OF the conspicuous characters. Dorothy
fell under the bigotcd hate of those about
herana was conden,netDtod death us witch.
The procession to GaiIows Hill and how
Dorothy was rescued ffou the hemp are
told with grnphic fidelity and dramatic
power. E. P. Dutton, as the publisher OF
these stories, should be credited as a
pioneer in the new development.
I N THE chronology OF the colonial fiction
at this point steps in Miss Anna Iobeson
Brown. young woman not yet twenty
three years ofaAe. She Is a daughter OF
O distinguished orator OF Philadelphia.
and the great-nlece OF Charies Hockden
the earlier history OF American literature.
For several years Miss Brown has Con-
tributed to st. Nicholas and other maya
Zines. but her first long story was not pub
Iislled until S95. It has been followed by
another novel, and by the charming histori-
cal tale. ''Sir Mark" romance OF the
Old World and the New. which pictures
life in the first capital-PhiladeIphia The
story opens with the adventures OF the son
exhibits the social life and the political IN
trigues OF the first capitah '.Sir Mark" is
one OF the most interesting of the colonial
romances. being not only Miss Browns best
book, but one OF the best OF the class to
which IL belongs.
HE next woman to present to readers
OF today some aliegoric fiction of
social and domestic life during Colo
niaIand Revolutionary days, was Anne
HOllingsworth Wharton. She is
Pennsylvania woman. Drawn into tie new
current, she was carried along with its
varying caprices. At first SHE wrote Sc
verely historical papers. aud then specific
subjects ciained her efforts. Always a
voraci student. she sooD had the atmos-
phere md temperament colonial so well as
simulated that she attempted two works,
which justified her endeavor, for they stand
out conspicu ousiy in this Htera ture as
picturesque 3s well as accurate and they,
In their way, are delightful guide looks
TO the people and places OF the times. She
was encouraged by the Lippincotts, and
they have, through her, become la way
identified with the publication
OF colonial literature. Miss Wharton's
first book was Through Colonial Door
wa U.s." This volume Contains seven
papers. which were first published in the
The seven are, the title chapter: one on the
famous MeschianLa which was held at the
house OF one OF the family TO which she be-
longs; New York balls and receptions be-
fore the war of the Revolution; the Arneri-
can Philosophical Society. one or the most
influential factors in the mental growth OF
the times; the Wistar parties, the direct |