New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
FICTION.
HE SEQUEL TO TIE PRISONER OF
ZENDA."

u.
Fritz Won Tarl,nheim. by ANTHONY Hope WI, WIN
Eight FGll-Pase Illustrations hy Charles P }adIi
oii,.on. DuclecmO. PIP. ~ 1886 Henry i'ol'
THE CONCERT DIRECTOR. by Nellie h Bis
sett Duodccimo, PIP 29' TIE Macmillan Noh'-
pany.
illustrated Duodecimo. PIP. 80. ID. Appieio"
TALES OF THE CITY ROOM by Elizabeth G;
Jordan Duodecimo' PIP ~ Cha''e' "''''''''
FROM THE OTHER SIDE. Stories Of Transat-
mo- NJ. 22s. Houshton Mi:n Co
There is one little point Of dincrenc" between
'rhe Prisoner Of fonda" and its sequel. "Hupert
OF Hentzau" which the reader forGets win Will
inpness. or regrets profoundly. acc"r!!nG as MS
interest in the mccc plot and cra''A'lc "''''"
NJ the later story rises or fal's II IS Tie d'"''-
orco between an utterly fresh and buoyAnt in
sniration ana one which Is stiI roih2h'' SIN
no,en, bu, little worn and even MITE con-
ven,ioual.zcd "The Prisoner = /"nia 'ooh
the town by storm. not because II was l great
,,,,o,- for /, is Of course. nothing II the sort
hint hocaugc the tale was romantic ana VAS '"ln
with iuimitablo spirit 1t had tnc rosy co!"fS ~
,,ou,b dung all about it, II could not BE- r'au
twicc rs cnchantrnont Coul! not last 'ohS
onouch Iut while the spc! lasted II was I'M
nerioIs and we envy cvery reader VINO HAS sum
10 read the book for the first time 10 'c''
"R,pert OF Hcn.2au" .or the hrs' ''Ae Is no
such exciting experience. II Is. indeed peasant
but il touches the imagination IN more Ia
miliar way Tn, plot is inGcnously 'Ao'l''''"'
and. from tine to time, the issues hanging uP'"
Its development are not only thriii'nS III '"''"-
selves bat are treated with such ai' 'ha' one
,orco,s AS we have said above. the charm WIN
,bicb NJ Hone once enchain.d his reader. ana
is content with just the brilliant mel'd'a''A
and pretty sentiment Of the story aa II u wiz
ten But when one remembers IN" o'd 'n''"
one IL thrown back too exclusively upon VIC
melodrama and the pretty sentiment anu '"c
,e,iqhts IN them moro tcnpcrately Rupert u
HentZau" seems wcll-conceIF'd an" VIII
vr;t,en book. rather than the fruit Of i brilliant
Inspiration.
This much admitted. let US lay stress upon
what is best in the work. II Is admirahly h''u
together Mr. Hope has lost none Of his skill in
the writing Of lively conversation. and II The IN
genuity with which he has planned his nara
tive is little too obvious. at least he carries OUT
the plan smoothly and effectively. There are no
creakings Everything moves swiftly and
naturally 10 the climax upon which. "" may
add Mr. Hope has wreaked himself with TACT
that IL I,crhaps the best thing In the book The
thing most worthy Of the author u Tn" fris-
oner Of Zenda" The book az a whole" IN fact.
with the single point OF difference which we
have noticed is worthy Of that author. II may
not be flooded with the same golden romantic
light Nevertheless. IL is absorbing. and es-
peciay IL it an excellent sequel. which is
more than can be said Of most books u the
sort.
We cannot leave this book without a protest
against the inclusion Of Mr. G - Gibspn's Illus
trations which have naught # the spirit u 'hc
story in them One Of our genial contrmpo-
raries has limited at rescmblanccs between Mr..
GInsop's later work and n" "Buttcrick pat
terms" We suspect that Hut'erick pattern.
II prepared for one Of the personages In Rupert
OF Hentzau" would III him better than Mr..
Gibson's extraordinary designs The latter are
Inadequate enough in themselves Compared
with the brilliant illustrations made for the
same story by Mr.. Cow" and published in
"Thc Pail Mall magazine" they are positively
saddening
Miss Ilissetrs story Of Mrphis'ophclian
Jew "A namboyant prma donna. one or two
musical gcniuses. and good naturcd impr.safio.
is rather mechanically put together and AZ tines
is too theatrical. but even If II had worse
faults and still possessed It's romantic plot it
would continue to be readable. As II Is. one
reads t-and likes it. The style is fluent and
occasionally reveals a delicate sense of humor.
The Characterization is not very subtle but it
Is clear and convincing The tragic element ~
managed with ease. Al Il. toward the end. with
power It IS too. an original production. Miss
Blissett may have borrowed her method from
any one Of a score o, nOvelists. but she has used
n I'm her own way and has brought odd