New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-02
AMERICAN NOVELS.
HOLIDAY EDITIONS OF FAvoRITE AU-
THORS.

Thu GhqlH ia Nv Orson Lowell octave.
DID, Kill aSi The Macmillan Company
FAR IL THE FOREST "a s ySs ce By com
THE WrHoyT S G1TST wS an BY RSSaFe
ton in the Year Of the War Nth with sS"Cin Co
Ao1 RsIonv Win an Introduction by sylvester
Baxter. Memorial ,s,.,, Ed !, on octave '''
THE BIIND MANS WORLD. and Other s SSr,cS
Rv Tdward Belamy With PREDATORY . 9HesTn
By ". D. Howells. octave. PIP KILL 40 ho'S"-
THE CASTING AWAY OF MRS LEcs s,sc Hnn
MRS ALEsHINE. BY r, Frank 3 DorT Steele
U Wn np is s T Fl century Company
we are glad that the publishers have pu, MI
Cables novels into handsome form. ihoiN .ou"'
hooks OF his have been luxuriously printed "
fore but he needed this tribute or n'e Vo'"''e'
similarly printed ard bound. They VIII, pei,
hans renew the circulation Of works tha'' ioI OIL
their limitations deserve place apar" no.
Nr Cables scope is limited must be patent "
every impartial student Of his deveiopi"e",
insight into human nature "hiie nee" vi
snecial proyince Of Southern types, leaves one
With an uneasy impression that II Wou'o sooh
,-ove ineffectual outside Of that somewhat mar
YOU, Neld There is a lack, too. OF pIiihi'Ne
force in this novelist. His PASSION IeaNe' -"
cold Yet having stated these SHORTCOMINGS We
have hearty appreciation or MI N""'e
people and conditions Of urban ana p"'.o
Louisiana he has painted with sonhet"liis Va Wv
freshness OF a discoverer. and gooo uea' i''o'0
~ the friendly understanding that comes from
long experience II 1t were not for KIM "a
mental sobriety which pervades all his work we
would say that he an authoritative inter-
nretsr Of the vivacty of the South. AS 1t u.s. III
sr,,e ~ his tendency toward heaviness OF touch
ne gives n plausible account Of that horio
rave,v which distinguishes life in New-Oreans
and its surrounding neighborhoods. Best or All
and here IL where Mr.. Gable lays his strongest
claim upon our grattude-these novels present
IN most alluring outlines the drftwoOd from the
old regime which has fioated down on the tides
OF social development. Possibly MI Cab!e "ouiu
call ii less a development than decadence Al
ou events the glimpses Of old-fashiOned folk
and ideas which we get in his pages seem 10
bring with them the fragrance and charm OF
period whose disappearance We cannot but re-
gret. What our novelist has to tell us about the
new life of the South Is interesting enough But
he is most himself and most readable when ne
is saturated with old sentiments and with the
etrangeness Of the CreOles and French people OF
the earlier days Of Louisiana We may add' d.
we relinquish his books. that. as though in
commonplace temperament there is story
telling vein in him which will not down
The salient characteristics of Mr. Allen mover
1.-THE Choir Invisible" hardly warrant the pains
which have been taken by his publishers to
make a Christmas volume out OF II. We nave
here exquisite paper and type, spirited iliustra-
tions by Mr.. Orson Lowell. clever artist and
highly decorative binding. They are put at the
service Of tale romantic in aim but sckIy-
sentimental in spirit TO the point of being maud
lin The Choir Invisible" is Candidly, morbid
and weakening book, with no grasp upon human
nature and with only the most superficial claim
10 he regarded as an essay in literary art. Such
mawkish books are distinctly facilitating.
The great success of Hugh Wynne" and THE
Adventures of FRANCOIS" must inevitably send
many readers with awakened curiosity 10 the
authors earlier books. Counting. presumably
upon this movement. The Century Company
brings out well-prnted edition Of Far in the
Forest" novel of Northern Pennsylvania life.
frs, published nearly ten ago 1t is a
narrative Of picturesque incidents set in a rude
environment, and is extremely interesting as
showing the methods of the author before he
struck in his two most recent rOmances, the
more engaging note which has caught the popu-
lar fancy.
DR. Hale did not need TO prefix 10 the new
edition OF The Man Without a Country" his
remarks about the history Of mankind in its
warlike relations since the original appearance
OF his famous little tale. Indeed. the writing Of
this Introduction has led him into saying some
odd things. 1t has come about" he observes
"that the Sultan Of Turkey cannot permit the
massacre Of Armenian Christians without an
swering for such permission before the world"
This Is TO put IT quantity. TO say the least We
prefer 10 read DR.. Hales tract. or story, which
ever you choose TO call It, without reference 10
any political conditions Of the present day. II
can stand alone as a well-written production
that was eminently worth writing. and will he
worth reading long patriotism has any
hold upon the hearts Of our countrymen.
II IL patriotism. we suppose OF a sort thai
Underlies the writings Of the late Edward Bel
lamy He had high ideals, and with sincere
fervor he laid them before his fellow-men. 1t
IS impossible to read without sympathy the in
PRODUCTION which Mr.. Sylvester Baxter has writ
ten for the new memorial edition of Looking
Backward" Mr.. Howels is equally sure Of
respectful hearing in his predatory remarks in
1.-THE Blind Mans World and Other Stories"
which appears in a companion volume But
when find Mr.. Howells saying that "in Ed
ward Bellamy We were rich In romantic imagi-
nation, surpassed only by that OF Hawthorne"
we feel that there is something seriously wrong.
Hawthorne belongs TO literature: Edward Bel
amy knocked vainy at its gates. We admit
.ha, he had Imagination. but it worked to small
purpose. Looking Backward" was the only one
Of his books that ever brought him fame. and
while it is noted in this edition that 10000
copies OF the book have been printed we doubt
II they have any better fate than to repose on
neglected shelves as the melancholy evidences Of
q phase Of sociological discussion.
After Mr. Bellamy's rather dull speculations
Mr.. Stockton's humor is welcome. THE Cast
ing Away OF Mrs. Lecks and Mrs Aleshne"
Is truly droll look. and the publishers have