The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-28
THREE NOVELS.

IIHssH -
To the reader With red blood In his
veins there is always something exniI
arating in the novel that treats OF hur-
ricane journeys, sharp lpassages-at.
arms and the fierce fash and clash OF
swinging swords. This type of novel
Is coming again into vogue, and for our
part we are heartily glad of 1t. There
ought to be a mood for every possible
variety of good story telling; indeed
as one has aDtly said. the hction
which analyses the motives OF modern
social units may enrich ana strengthen
us by its inferences. for the artists
vision Is keener and truer than the
layman's, and yet "A Hazard OF New
Fortunes or 'Silas Lapham' need not
and does not close the door to Lorna
Doone.'"
We have had Doyle and Hope and
Weyman and Gilbert Parker, and now
the Messrs. Appleton, in Mistress
Dorothy Marvin" introduce new fig-
ure IN the historical list, to wit, John
Snaith, who has spun yarn OF James
II's time which will keep many a read
err up nights when he should be peace
fully asleep. The virtue of Mr.. Snaith
Is that he has let theories go to the
dogs. and put in all his time trying
to make an interesting. human story.
lie has drawn q hero who reflects at
once the daring, bravery and the moral
paralysis OF that changeful epoch IN
English history: heroine as kaleido-
scoplc I'm moods and unique In up
bringing as she Is. at the last. true
loveable and affectionate; most &C.
centric relic OF the lighting days or
cavilierdom. when to be gentleman
meant to be able to carve WIN the
sword through whole regiments OF the
canaille; u dear, sly rogue Of an nm
keeper. who overcharges. tricks and
wheedles people purely out OF duty
toward his starving family or len
mythical children. and other folk OF
even greater quality. as you SHAH see
In the reading.
AS one reviewer puts It.: "Sedgemoor
Field, where the billhooks and scythes
Of Monmouth's men went down before
the swords Of Horse Guards, the Bloody
Assizes dominated by JefYrey's flaming
face, adventures on the road and In
political intrigues and the landing ana
triumph OF william of Orange. are
among the scenes of the dual career
pictured In this moving tale. lnnkeep-
ers and kings. blacksmiths and princes.
were among those with whom he had
to do at this time or that, and the
stern, silent prince. Of Orange. the
swarthy, narrow minded king, and po-
lite Jack Churchill, the first duke Of
Marlborough. all play their parts In
pages which have the serious merit OF
picturing the conditions attending Eng
lands great revolution and OF indicat-
Ing with much force the characters OF
the foremost figures"
We confess that Mr.. Snaiths volume
kept us up Il whole night: and II that
isn't what novels are written for, what
Is their mission?
That tragedy of the centuries. the
French Revolution, has been written
at but never written up by the writers
of novels. Perhaps its significance and
luxuriance OF foul plot and bloody deed
cannot be more than partly compre-
hended: yet the field is so rich that we
often wonder 1t has not a larger and
more imposing number of occupants.
An attempt to 0ut something or the
savagery OF this revolving epoch upon
the canvas Is successfully made by
Harold Spender In a book which reach
es US from the Merriam: company en-
titled AT the Sign of the Guillotine.
1t brings out with unusual distinctness
the contrast of classes and the bloodier
contrast OF methods which made even
the >insolent and over-bearing Bour-
bons seem like ministering angels of
mercy beside the wild-eyed demons of
ing delirium Of the Terror. But more
interesting, even, than that, because
more original In conception, is the pic
ture which Mr.. Spender draws of the
master spirit of the directory, the Graf
ty, ambitious, Pecksniffian Robespierre.
The touches employed in this delinea-
tion are by far the most noteworthy
feature Of the book. They make his
tory luminous and biography vivid.
Il "
A new book by Captain Charles King
has come 20 mean frank. clean and
wholesome delight. 1t may not tax the
intellect nor stir the profound emotions
hut It Is sure to afford pleasant and
decent pastime, and to this rule Kit
tvs Conquest" (by the Lippincotts
Philadelphla) is no exception. 1t is a
story of ku-klux days; of reconstruc-
tion troubles In the still bleeding and
unreconciled south: of vengeful mobs
held in check only by the superior
force Of regular soldiery; of the inevit-
able friction and nuctuation of post
hellum restlessness. Such Is the back
ground: but the foreground Is filed
with charming and natural people
some of whom fall in love across sec
tional lines and others of whom help
to complicate the fabric of the nara
tive as we'll as to amplify the authors
delineations OF human nature. At the
last, Of course. all ends happily; but
before that pleasant sequel Is reached
enough incident occurs to make q
thoroughly readable romance.