The times., 1897-11-07
90 90 Thr Henrt.v

Julien Gordon's new novel, Eat Not Thy
Heart" is a thoughtful, thought-begetting
piece Of philosopilc fiction. The superficial
viii call 1t clever, and not understand It.
The appreciative win fain devouT IL when
once the taste OF It Is on their tongue, but.
perforce, they VIII only mince, for il isnot q
morsel for gnlping. Il is an ambitious work,
fun of the salt OF analysis and not without
the spice Of romance.
Democracy does not seem to be a social
solution. Human nature and natural frailty
are not subJugat ted herein: it is onlyuassed
sndignored. The greatcry of ours that the
poorest and Tneanest may be President is
not happy corollary of a socia ideal; 1t is
only the lens Of disillusion. Julien Cor
don's theme is the Unsuitable desire of the
unattsinahe. Her story involves an Ameri-
can household, and embraces conditions
which express an unrest which is general,
crying for consideration. The author offers
no remedy. She seems to stand in sympa-
thy with Oakes. the schoolnaster, a ma
tcrialist AMI iconoclast, who says:
We have nothing to do with the remedies.
We deSlroy-puil down. Let the ne Xt
generation rear up its temples on the ruins
OF the past SufiicIent unto US Is 70 point
the way 10 clear away the debris dig the
foundations upon which they snail build.
This is our work. Let them find theirs.
The Long Island estate OF Archibald
Marston, a New York millionaire. is the
scene OF the story, or, more properly, the
study. Though he, an average man Of his
class, ana his wife. woman beginning to
be II tsponslve To some Of the calls or those
about hey, but out Of ear-reach, are in
the foreground, they are only the re
Elective agents OF contrast. In their circle
tie author INDUCES her cleverness at smart
conversation. The heart and interest of
the reader is across the place in the fore
mans modest home.
Beth Bush, the foreman's wife, is the
striking figure Of the story. She is the
daughter Oi poor, middle-class people. She
has a vague smattering OF knowledge
gathered in the Common schools. Recogniz-
inC the Integrity OF Joe Bush's character
she marries the young farmer with a
Welding love, but Spurred by a s!nclderiDg
ambition. She is the figure, the in
carnation Of ambition and its attendant
passions, envy and hatred. She yearns with
a fierce consuming desire for the unat-
tainabIe. Only, with Indefinite Instructive
hore. she believes it auainable. The po-
s.tions cr foreman and dairy-mistIess, for
her husband and herself with the Mars
tons, seems to promise step toward her
goal. They accept.
Life is to her only q dancing mirage.
She Fpurus her environment The sup
posed eIys'un Of the Fashionable life
which is about her, but casting her into a
black shadow with its exclusive briIliancy.
is q litter. btter pang 10 her heart. She is
rl L.
iecturaI Her eyes are focused tefore her
ana upward hut she is out of hearing. One
morning tle mistress and q group Of her
guests come TO Reth's cottage to inquire
for her sick child. The occasion seems
opportune 10 the foolishly ambitious
woman she is over her pots and pans,
unkempt She rusheS to her bedroom
and slips into q prided tca-gown. Mrs
Marston had never seen The tea-gown.
Beth thought it such pity that ii should
waste and fade and Mrs Marston never
know she had it. AS the guests trailed
| toward the house they discussed the gro
tesque garment ana laughed. Beth heard
/ it all, and in the quick birth OF time before
] the mirthful echo of their laughter died
! on her earz, Beth had traverSed the mar
! row verge which separates hatred from
! crime" That night the mansion was
fired; the evidence involved Beth; her
/ husband went to 3Ir. Marston and accused
! himself, but the case was never pressed
There are number Of other characters
oontrasted aud interesting. There is
! the narrow-visioned Marston; his sym
pathetic wife, who does not quite appre
! ciate what she seems to understand; the
/ epigrernDatic Isham, 80 valuable Tor con
/ versation; the unambitious, patient, re-
signed, honest Joe Bush, and the socialistic
i oakes.
The author is prolix and discursive, bu
She is exactinGly analytical, and displays
comprehensive understanding of the condi
tons she describes. There is only an ex
cuse of a story IN Eat Not Thy Heart
the text is largely an exposition OF charac-
ter and condition, when 1t is not a palpa
BILE discussion. The dialogue is the smart
| est portion. X is curt and natural, pointe,
always, and sometimes epigramma tic. Whei
the author is not transcribing the spokel
words, her pen is a scalpel. laying bar,
the thoughts and feelings of her puppets
II is accomplished with results enjoya
! bic by ElI who have concern for the yexin,