The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-17

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Henry James. Jr, though born In
America. has spent so much of his time
abroad that really his ideas are not truly
American. Most of the scenes Of his
novels are laid abroad. His characters
are generally Americans travelling In
those countries.
In his books he has made special ef-
fort to emphasize Che difference In social
customs between America and foreign
countries. Many. of his eountrymen are
feign to criticse him a little severely
in his representations of American ways,
especially in one of his best known
works, DAISY Miller" which is an exag-
gerated picture Of the manners of an
exceptionally silly American girl.
Mr.. James Early decided to make lit
erature a profession, and having a suf-
fieieney of this worlds goods he has not
been dependent upon his writings for
support. Julian Hawthorne says: "He
critic,sss both himself and othsrs in the
driest light without softness and with
out severity. He aims to reach. the I'M
biased truth, be 1t writing or otherwise,
and aims also to follow his convictions
as TO what is right in literature without
conc rn-ng himself to inquire whether
what is right Is also popular and re-
munerative."
1t is truly refreshing to meet such n
man in the world of letters when SO
many who are classed as foremost au-
thors allow their work to bear evidence
of forced marches for publication. And
not only this, but lend their personal
influence to clap-trap methods of adj
vertising. Henry James has been styled
as the l=ader of the "morealstic school,"
and the originator of that class of fiction
known as the international novel;"
They say that a taste for Henry
James has to be cultivated, as many
do not care for the analytical style of
his work. It is apt to be littls fatigu-
ing and boring unless the reader gives
himself over to an admiration and APP
probation of this special feature of work
His latest book just published by
Houghton, Miffin & Co., in a neat vol
uma of green and gold and with most
excellent paper and print is, "Spoils of
Poynton." To say that it is totally I'M
like any recent work of fiction you may
have read hardly expresses the matter
fully. 1t is not only unlike any othar
story in the form, but also in the
method of it's treatment, and originality
counts for great deal in our quest for
something new and good. The criti-
csm is frequently made of Mr.. jams
that his stories close abruptly, leaving
too much to the imagination of thu
reader. This is perfectly true of 1.-THE
Spells of Poynton." 1t closes vsry alb
ruptly and certainly does leave a great
deal to the imagination of the reader.
Now, I can hardly make up my mind
whether l like this special quality or
not.
AS I finished the last page with a fell
low reader it was remarked: What does
he mean by that? Pshaw! it's perfectly
absurd for book to end that way"
Now, had everything been smoothed
out according TO the readers wishes and
expecta tons the book would have been
laid aside with an eminent degree of sat-
isfac tion, grant you, but it would have
stood an equal chance of being imme-
dfa tely dismissed from the mind and at
tention of the reader
Whereas this enigmatical aspect of the
find myself wondering what owen Ger
eth meant. What could possibly have
happened to make him act as he did?
And holding regular debates within my
self on the pros and cons off certain ac-
tons, weighing the construction of GER
tain sentences and calculating their
every possible shade Of meaning. If you
possess a due share of curiosty-and
most of us do-this sort of thing be-
comes very tantaliZing, particularly as
there is no solution of the problem which
can be entirely satisfactory. James is
classed with HowellS as a realistic
writer, but, like the latter al thor, ideal
ICES much of his work. In no actual life
it has ever been my gocd fortune to
know, do people converse in such point
ed, epignamltic style.
Conversations are not so brilliant that
IL recorded they would command con-
slant penetra ton of thought to appre-
eiate the deep shades Of meaning ami
scintillations of wit.
ITO have specific STYLE" says Mr..
Herbert Spencer, sis to be poor in
speech'' But to have in no sense anil
no degree "a specific STYLE IS TO be
..fautily faiasless," to be devoid of that
individuality which Is at once the spring
and the charm of genius. Emerson al
ways taught young writer's to have each
his own method, style, wit, and eio-
quence." In Mr.. James books the style
is exceedingly involved, ana~the meaning
sometimes obscure, until one becomes
accustomed to its peculiarities. He has
a habit OF inserting more qualifying re-
marks in the middle Of the sentence.
For instance, But it was not at all a
joy to Fleda, conscious how much to
himself it would be a surprise, thar he
should find her stlll in the house" His
work shows that 1t has received such
studious, labored attention that the
spontaneity is all hammered out of it.
and one must read with concentration to
catch the full meaning.
''Heppiness," by Mr.. Horace Fletcher.