The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-27
SOME OF THE NEW
BOOKS REVIEWED.
Phases Of an Inferior Planet, by Miss
Ellen Glasgow.
KATIE, DAUGHTER OF THE KING.
"The Greatest Thing Ever Known by
Ralph Waldo Twinc-A Thought
full Treatise Luxury and Sac
r,fice"-Othcr Publications.

PHASES or Az INFERIOR PLANET.
BY Euen Glasgow. author OF The
Descendant" Harper & Brothers.
Publishers. New York.
Il returned and saw under the sun. that
the race is not 90 the swift nor the battle
20 the strong. neither yet bread TO the
vfso nor yet riches 10 men Of under
stasdfng. nor set favor 10 men OF skill,
nut dine and chance happeneth 10 them
all"
Tnis. from tho Book OF Ecclesiastes
supplies Mis- glasgow with the motif OF
her second novel. u IS noteworthy that
eho. scarcely over the threshold of young
womaRhood. takes the point Of view. in
oil her literary work thus far, Of tho
eastern king whose wisdom as It Is
found 40 the chapter from which the YER
stole ls taken was not the wisdom OF
ths heights from which he finally look
ed
May We. who so highly regard the force
and genius IN our young townswoman.
not express the hope out Of our belief
in her power, that very soon she shall
sound the koyuOtos Of hope the clear
note that shall not only win the public 3
critical ear but give her the place 10
which her talents enutie her, IN
"Thnt choir Invisible
Whose music IS tho gladness OF the
world"
Tho book has power an through s..
Miss Glasgow has advanced since the APP
pearance of "rhe Descendant the
strength Of which her critics then. almost
without exception. spoke as promising
thfnrs which should ultimately make
her public listen with an intent ear
g. even moro clearly indicated here. 1here
IS "a more vital interest in the book. me
dialogue moves with more ease ana WIN
AT the eplgrammaic terssness OF the
earlier novel
pr,ookivn Uagfe. truly inevitable that
thfe eacond story should be judged TO
srreater or less degree by the stanoafu
tet Inn "The Descendant although II II
an entirely different work But MISS
Glasgow las not yet published sum
cient amount for her work to be judged
b. its general average
A. the outset let 10 be said. without
reference 10 whatever faults may inhere
20 thIs book. fhat 10 gives no sign Of fall
IRE. The authors unusual power IS as
eviacut in phases OF An Inferior
Planet" as 10 was in her first novel;
which. n will be recalled, was study
in hereditv This book IS no where an
echo OF that work. save that the leading
characters show the influence IN thci
development Of inherited environment IL
Is nodded upon entirely different lines.
Il "a not worth while as n rule TO cavil
a. an authors choice Of title. Still one
cannot help feeling that I'm This instance
"Phases OF An Inferior Planet IL "A
somewhat infelicitous caption. 10 S. too
b1okish. is scarcely dehnitive. and might
have been more direct and striking"
The scene Of the story is in New York
city. tho time the present, and the action
Is concerned chiefly with che development
OF two characters-Mariana Musin a young
woman Of Southern birth and Hugucnoi
ancestry and Anthony Algarcife. young
professor who lectures upon science I'm q
girls college in New York, and, havme
no income beyond his own earnings, oc-