New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28


mindmg us how vivid. how plastic Mr.. AL
drlch's successful characters always are TheFe
isn't any Colonial mansion on the other side OF
the road" confesses Mr.. Edward Delaney u
Mr. John Fleming. ct the close OF thc stoi'
which made Mr. Aldrich famous: theFe '"h
any piazza there isn't any hammock
isn't any Marjorie Daw." Yet marl'r'e va"
existed for John Fleming. she mas eAis'eo 'o'
thousands and she Is perhaps the mos' co'
yjnclng testimony Of all to Mr. Aidrichs narra
tive rover He has TIE art-whea workihs WIN
In Nnits-to body forth al Image clearly anu
permanently. Lacking the larger constructive
faculty which would have enabled him TO carry
his figures through lorS sequence OF ue-
velopments. he Is apt to leave an impression
Of dealing more with whlms and fancies. more
with ccccntricIties than with beings Of flesh and
blood; but even n fairy IS made part OF inc
human family when human beings have been
persuaded to believe in her. and whether 1t
Is Marjorie Daw or Mile. Olympic Nabriski.
whether it is Joe Bladburn or the Chevalicr de
Resscguer, the pcrsonages Of our ro-
marcer are plausible and real. In calling Mr..
Aldrch a romancer we perhaps stretch the
meaning Of the term. His prose sentiment Is
curously different from that Of his verse. lie
imports no poetry into his tales. But he gives
them, somehow, something II the atmosphere
Of romance just as he throws over THE story
of Bad roy," "A Eivcrmouth Romance and
that queer book Of travels, From Ponkapog
to Pcsth." a glamour which Is not 4 glamour n
charm that is not charm. flavor OF romance
that Is not romantic and that yet stays in the
memory as something gracious. blithe. capt-
waiting and original Perhaps It is just the
originality. Still more Is II likely that this
fascination which Mr. Aldrich cXcrts Is mat
ter of words. OF art. Of that manner to which
have already referred. Consider closely the
stories we have named and their substance is
discovered to be of the slightest character. but
they hold their own. and promise to hold II
for many long day. because Mr.. Aldrich has
that gift OF address. that smoothness. We had
almost said that felicity Of expression. which
goes far to make good writing good literature.
But II IL In his verse that Mr.. Adrich comes
nearest to felicity. and though his prose far
exceeds his poetry in bulk Il obviously occu-
pies a second place. To take up the stories IL
to read them with the critical faculties always
alert Good as they are they might be more
brilliant We are far from regarding the
poems az great masterpieces. but they provoke
the beginning. they do not pretend TO rise higher
than a certain clearly visible point In the
heavens. and between that point and the earth
they move with ease and with n sureness
for which one is grateful In these days Of ~
rical reckcssncss. II has been Mr.. Aldrichs
pride TO polish his poems TO the last degree
To the present collection. he admits, as we learn
from A brief predatory note. some lines which
he would prefer To leave unpublished; the fact
that they occur In anthologics beyond his con-
troll his only reason for including them. but even
with these works t. be rcckoncd with the two
volumes have that nrmncss 81 step, page after
page. which speaks ~ the craftsman who is
absolutely his own master. In that mastery
lies Mr. Aldrich's power and his weakness 1t
Is we'll to control ones ert. 1t Is better. almost.
To- be controlled by ones inspiration, or At any
rate 10 have an inspiration with wings Of It's
own. Tie great burden Mr.. Aldrich bears. as
a poet. Is the burden of one who has to get
together his own material. who has To weave
his rhymes partly out Of observation. out Of ex-
perlenca. out of reflection. out Of almost every
thing save the inspiration which comes and
shakes the very soul Of the man who Is worthy
Of the divine fire. Mr. Aidrich may he worthy.
but he Is too much Of an artist to wait patient
~ until the fire desc"nds- When 1t does come
he accepts it in a fastidious spirit and seeks
to dctain It's hurrying tongues in harmonious
bondage. His harmony is 50 musical. so tender
why should it not be an unadultcrated JOY? II
comes near to being such JOY. have
suggested above. and. having indicated the rift
within the lutte, we may point out the deep
pleasure that in spite Of all. remains. 1t does
not seriously matter that none Of the long pieces
quite reaches it's aim that "Wyndham Tow