The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-06
SOME OF THE NEW
BOOKS REVIEWED.
A Strong Novel Witten by a South
ern Woman.
ROMANCE OF COLONIAL VIRGINIA
Miss Ellen Giasgow's Last Novel
Phases Of an Inferior Planet"
Now Out-Tbe South in Recent
American Literature.

PpIe0Nrps or HOPE. by Mary John
sfon uourhtou. MMin g. Co, Boston.
No ora In the history Of the country
prcscnts moro temptations 20 the pros
scctlvo writer OF romance than Colonial
uavs I'm Virginia They were times which
ppDoal powerfully TO the imagination
,rbev were aaluout as well well as full Of
political incident which served 20 show
HE way the wind was blowing and that
a. loaca elimination must DO rcvolu-
slonary. Numbers Of romances have
aecn written with those ancient days
us thc background, but careful reading
al the latest one .y a. southern woman
hIaty slol-must certainly convince
1Cr public llat ia IL sho has accomplish
al work which entities her 70 very cN-
requ0ual distinction in The field she has
chosen. Nc have said "A careful read
ang" Ia our opinion The interest Of the
hook b. sl keen that Do viii never re-
ceits unr other kind. 10 couples care,
with ifs dominating. easy, pure strength,
uuI Ol..e nothing 10 tho cursOIy reader
leCal.l oi the involuuon OF the plot.
Hui o. movement and life. 10 IS perme-
gltod Ulla "a beautiful. sud motive. IL IS
200. refreshing TO perceive the note, IN II,
Ul the highest Jrutn-the clear, pure
sloto which has so seldom been percep-
yib'c Boz tho work or Southern women OF
Ullcrs There Is no perversiOn OK tai
suts 10 the abuse OF uC-nOuo OF inc
feeble ls0mcumcs called stougJ catering
40 tlo lowest in the public which has
been very unh8upiiy yIed realism u
would seem to imply that only the
lowest things are real Here. In Miss
J0unstons book. we have vivid, clear,
moving pictures. I'm which, beneath the
Sadness ls the beauty OF essential truth.
she takes 10 supply the basis or the plot
3n her story. an event OF which but little
s. known except 10 the comparatively
lew who are very thoroughly familiar
with what may De styled the side paths
al Colonial history This is the couspir-
ncy OF 1908 which originated in York
ccunty. 10 was conceived among CrOm-
Ayeiian soldiers. some OF whom were con-
NiCts FOR political and other reasons,
while others. as rcdcmptiOners, Were re-
uuocd 60 the condition Of common labor
MS. The on, eriaus Chafed under the
sense Of degradation which was iueyi-
table ana Hoped with the hope OF the
miserable for "a restoration of the Eng
ash Protectorate. ~ is probable that few
servants-Whitc or black-Were concern
I'd in tho proposed uprising but TO suit
the purposes OF her story Miss john
FtOn has given them share IN this the
1IlaL huusslo against tuc crown IN VIZ
gnia- To Warham LOndless tho Round
bead she gave q leading part, making
Slim q successor TO the plot TO raise the
banner OF the Commonwealth Both are
fictitious. but she introduces some his
Hor.c names. among them Sir William
berkeley, who. as a discriminating ex-
change remarks "is drawn With ecru-
glIous yet picturesque fidelity 20 the
pictures OF him wiiioh have been handed
down 20 us. Another character uncom-
rnon IN fiction. is that Of "a follower Of
ihe fanatic LodoWick Mugglcton. A
cavalier fresh from Whitehall IS a good
7iece Of character drawing. barring an
ureulsc Of the mincng court expletivcs
ol the age. The love interest is slight
until toward the end when IL becomes
tn ovcrshad0wing element and the story
tuds with most remarkable, tragical
situation.
Miss Johnston" proceeds our critic,
"has done much more than whip up a syl-
lahub of historical names and events
strung on slender thread Of story Her
Book naturally falls into comparison
with several recent novels having Colo
Aia Virginia for q background. but 10
will not suuer-for it is one of the best
of its Glass; TO that dictum we can
subscribe without qualification, ana con-
graduate Miss Johnston