New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-09
RECENT FICTION.
ROCKS GRAVE AND GAY.

i6mo. pp 21o Stone & Kimbail
RT f GoMMA 81 NJ M sr8 Bake or lsmo
PIP 226 D. Appleton Co.
THE GRAY LADY BY Henry Seton Merriman'
i6mo DID, S77 Macmillan & Co.
wILMOT's CHILD. BY Atey Nyne. Narrow i'f'o'
PIP. 1889. Dodd Mead q Co.
A HOUSE BOAT ON THE sTYx BY, John Ken Ken
drick Bangs. Illustrated l6mo, PIP H. harper
& Brothers
Having dedicated his budding talents TO depic.'"s
morbid states and episodes more or less decauei,
for the de.ectation OF the coere which patroH~ed
THE Yellow Book" Mr.. II. b. Marriott watson mas
suddenly pulled himself together, and, as II party
10 atone for the ndiscretions OF his early days mas
produced a book whose merits are the sharpest OF
criticisms on his previous work He has created IN
"Galloping Dick of the best highwaymeh VI
later day fiction. "Gallopng DICK. II may pe CA
p.aIned is the alias of one Dick Ryder, some
time gentleman of the road and the SIX chapters
or rather stories which are comprised under the
general title recount corresponding number OF ep-
sodes In his adventurous career the author mas
taken no pains arrange the chapters chronology
cally and except that Dick Is always on mana as
the centre OF interest the chapters nave no con-
nection A corresponding variety Is 10 be noticeu
also in tho scenes, which shift according 10 the
exigencies OF Dick Ryder's luck, and are somewhat
The one relatively constant feature Is that the
setting is for the most part under the stars or IN
the dark Mr. Watson has been uncommony sue
cessful In his night effects He can do postroaH
through a wood TO perfection and reproduce ,ne
atmosphere-the chiness and loneliness OF Twin
out apparently actually describing 1t. But his forte
is character drawing. which Is vivacious and
araphlc enough TO please the most fastdlous taste
1t Is not so much that Mr. Watson has done some
thing entirely novel, as that he has done an oio
thing In a striking way, which distinguishes MIN
from the host OF modern ncompetents. he mas
taken the stock hghwayman Of the gentleman type
and has elaborated him with an almost MISSIONER
like minuteness He has given him his full share
OF faults but he has held fast to his one vrtue-a
highly developed sense of honor, In the oid-tifne
sense Of the word He has made him a gentleman
wliha that he leaves him scarcely a gentlemany
trait and yet he forces to like "Calloplng Dick
His gallantry his wit, his good nature are irresis-
tible Witness Dicks adventure with the Bishop
In the chapter THE Quandary of the Bishop. or
in his chance meeting with King Charlie In the
chapter entitled "Of a Meeting at Fuham.' Both
chapters admirable.
The author Of "Courtship by Command has fore
stalled criticism by observing that the story Is "a
genuine piece of realism since the moods or the
actors are based human documents in many
cases furnished by their own hands. or failing that
by those OF contemporaries who witnessed their
grimaces" Ccnceding therefore, that the story is
realistic IT. that 1t is based verifiabe historical
data We note that the romantic element IS fur
n,shrd by the circumstances OF the marriage OF
Eugene de Beauharnais and Augusta OF Bavaria
The interest such as there is. however centres on
the conduct and moods" OF Napoleon himself
and from a remark Of the authors It may be gath
cred that the narrative was written primarily TO
show the monster OF bloodthirstlness and am
bition'' IN one OF his most charming moods. This
design has been carried ont with toerable skill
Artisilcally the work is credi,able. though the
author shows an unpleasant tendency TO misuse
aijectlves
II Is 70 be said 10 the credit Of Mr.. Henry Seton
Merrlnan that he has managed 10 treat in The
Gray Lady" n highly sensational plot with we'll
regulated restraint. He tells his story in matter
o,-faci sort OF way. and prepares BY number OF
subtle articles for his catastrophe. He probably
comes as near as possible to making US believe in
Luke's horrible demonstration OF his passion for
Agatha In brief. the tale recounts the fortunes
OF two brothers. and OF woman to whom both
are attached. bu, In different degrees. and from
different motives. Luke and Henry Fitz-Henry
came OF a naval family; both tried for commits
sion and Henry, whose tastes were urban. won,
AMI Luke. the born sailor. failed Later Luke
becomes an officer a merchantmen. and a chance
conversation in which a man named Carr explains
a daring and dishonorabc way OF doing the ma
rine underwriters supplies him with the idea which
leads him to a crime. Convincing himself that he
cannot do without Agatha. Luke Fitz-Herry deho-
eratcy runs his vessel a sunken rock He has
900 passengers and crew aboard AZ the time but
ne counts himself sailor enough 10 save them; as
for himself he cannot 1--we without Agatha and
that is enough Luke was according 20 Mr..
Merriman. Handicapped from the beginning of his
lie by a tendency 10 go wrong. There is not
particle OF doubt that he went wrong on this &C.
CASTOR. Now. as 1t turns Quit always does IN
stores-Agatha is among the passengers OF the
hapless snip Croonah. Luke meets her as he IS
hurry!ng back from the bridge to see the captain;
ne sees her and goes no further He declares his
love; tells her that he has wrecked the vessel for
love OF her. AT last" says the author. THE
woman's vanity satisfied. The snip had
been thrown away for her and with his ship Luke
had cast away his unrlvalled reputation as sea-
man. his honor n gentleman. his conscience.
He was 4 criminal a thief a murderer for Agatha's
sake She true to !rr school, to her generation,
to her training. proud Of II. for she one OF
those unhappy women who Will not have their low
ers love honor more
Following this there spirited description OF
the sinking vessel the end Of II all being that
Agatha is drowned. Luke is ishei out OF the
water unconscious. and Is finally exonerated by a
court OF inquiry which decides that the wreck Of
the Croonah due to unusual currents. The
ANALYSIS OF the story reveals its defects, but the
reader may rest assured that 1t is a good tale In
the telling. The Gray Lady" is a certain Mrs.
Harrington. who Is remotely responsible for the
wrccklng OF the Croonah. by her failure TO appre-
cite Luke's fiery passionate temper.
II bad English. pompous rhetoric. slpshod con-
struc;lon and mawkish sentiment are the necessary
ingredients OF an effective story. then "Wilmot's
Child" by Atey Nyne. is masterpiece OF the first
water. Masterpieces of this class. however.
seldom read, except by two Classes OF readers:
literary reviewers who must suffer in the cause OF
duty and professional students, who follow the
literary movement for informations sake What this
story Is about, why II should come about as 1t
does. are things like the answer OF the Sphinx.
certain respectable m!dde-aged couple by the name
OF Wilmot having no children OF their own. adopt
child. and then without their knowledge employ the
child's mother TO nurse it, Then the chid's father
turns up. and there is great commotion. and the
matter ends. apparently with the Wilmots adopt-