New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-03

soldier. man Of some elegance and of a still
more engaging humor. The character has
wonderfully debonar note. Stevenson seems to
nave resolved that in phase OF the story
should his hero abandon the gallant bearing Of
polshed gentleman AS result he moves
through the romance with a charming air. fur
thermore. with the carriage of one who in spite
or all his unhappiness is still favorite of fort
une. The jade is very kind to Anne. allowing
him to be put in jeopardy more than once. plac-
Ing him in miserable circumstances at times.
and keeping a peculiarly noisome enemy con-
stantly at his heels. but with delightful re-
pentance she aids the flying victim to escape,
gives him an estate. and marries him to the
Flora of his choice. That is what st. Ives is.
tale OF a French prisoner in Edinburgh and
England, who passes through various thrilling
escapes. The book is drawn in attractive but
not very vivid colors. In fact. all the way
through there Is lack of vigor which prevents
the story from being accepted az one OF It's au-
thor's major productions. st. Ives is pleas
ing parsonage and his gay humor viii especially
be remembered, but he is not flesh and blood
the touch Of artiiice which makes him charming
makes him also difficult to grasp as "A strong
reality. The tale (Which by the way. is
pandcd by the authors ill-judgcd enthusiasm to
ton, appeals to the readers sense Of what is
fluent and light hearted in the narration Of ex-
citing events; then it leaves him wondering why
Stevenson could not have put keener air into
it, a surer note of human passion and adventure.
Mr. Yeats begins by rcpclling the reader of
THE Secret Ross and ends by claiming and
holding his allegiance 10 the last page. The re-
pulsiOn is provoked by what seems TO be need
less vein Of pumpcd-up celtic" eloluence III 10
stories They are woven Of rhythmic figures, Of
dreamy sentences. and the very commas seem
bewitched All this threatens to rob the facry
romances of half their naive felicity. But We
confess that in the long run Mr.. Yeats conquers
in spite Of himself. His mysticism gets so near
TO human emotion, human sympathies, that 1t
forgets to be too mystical, and there Is throb
OF living hearts at the OF his most fantastic
narratives. They are all spun from old Irish
memories AID dreams. and seem. indeed. the
fruit Of wandcrings In another world so remote
and so uncanny is their enchantment II they
need any Improvement II iS In respect OF
their construction. Mr.. Yeats rightly throws
vagueness faery folk and scenes, but the
telling of his tales could justinably be more con-
else more exquisite. Now the words get in the
way Of the reader with exasperating frequency.
The last impression is OF born story teller
who has allowed artistic ambitions to warp the
drectness Of his style. Fortunately the witch
cry at the centre Of these stories Is powerful and
retains its sway, making the book delight to
the reader But think how much more cnthus- |
asm would be evoked by a work that Joined to
such Imagination as Is here revealed firm, free
mastery OF words
Mr. Boothby would have been helped in the |
writing OF "Dr. Nikola" If he had had not all.
but say a tenth, OF Mr.. Ysatss rhetoric. More
than that would have wrecked him. as 1t has