The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-15
SOME OF THE NEW
BOOKS REVIEWED.
High Praise from Mr.. Conner, the
Eminent Critic,
FOR A RICHMOND AUTHORIZES.
Miss Glasgow the Lady-"Poems or
Love and War" 10y DR.. Ciarkson.
Romance OF the House Of savoy.
fCulture-NOtes.
FOR A RICHMOND AUTHORIZES.


AZ connor the eminent British critic
and scholar, has recently puDllsheu :"
lengthy review Of Miss Ellen Glasso"
I,fesf novel. Phases Of an Inferior
planet" In IL, while concedlng certain
faults he has such high ana oisciihll
Mating praise for II as must De Hlo9l
gratifying TO all friends Of the youhs
author. whose strong incisive touch mas
been SO generally recognized on TINS slu"
OF the ocean as that OF master.
A recent issue OF the "B0okman' now
ever has the following:
4 novel without a central idea Is ike
wheel without a hub, its direction Is uh-
certain and IL hardly arrives. Inc author
of The Descendant apparently iecos-
nized this all-important fact, since mat
story lis bound 10 its motive with IRON
hands So firmly. indeed, is Il rivetted
d, evolution. that semi-scientihc lmpor-
tauce increases the grim power OF tho
work. IL Is, therefore, win surprise -
well as disappointment mat her ne"
book IS found lacking in concentration
and even in distinctness Of purpose II Is
hardly more than an inarilculate moan
~ the main OF living, the old groan over
old miseries and sins that mas been Ut
tered since the beginning Of the world
and that will be heard TO the end or time.
This new moan over the old misery does
nothing TO make IL less. Such Dlach
books. inveighing bopelessly against de-
snalr can only increase the wOrld-paln
II ia hard to find any excuse for their
making They are not literature IN It's
higher sense.
They are too bitter and gloomy 10 IN
terest the young. who hardly understand
they ropel the mature. who already I'M
derstard too well. And yet aside from its
4. -. nffl nook
can scarcely be characterized as actually
harmful. except in two respects. The
wifi. who deserts her husband solely
because OF the poverty for which ne IS
NOT 10 blame cannot be accepted as the
adorable creature the author believes
her to be without bunting the moral
sense. The deserted husband VINO turns
IN the church as a means OF nVeNhood'
ord who noses as a saint because II pays,
cannot be admired. as tho author admires
him without proclamation OF holy Things
The only resemblance between THIS ne"
book and the earlier work or the authoi'
which gave such brilliant promise may
be found in the epigrammatical character
OF the style and the detacneu DIS Which
fash from many pages.
ON all sides. from thoughtful people
comes the earnest expression OF the hope
tbqt This Young woman, whose native
,orce ia so unusual. may in her next
nook which Is expected with interest,"
sound a clear. fresh note
II.
cones OF LOVE AND WAR. BY
I,e,r,, Nfazvck Clarkson. A. M. M. ID.
Manassas Journal Press, Manassas
mo au,bor OF these poems Is a South
c.roIi,tsn bv birth, but since 1870 ne mas
80 In this state, where he IS greauy
a-,,o,,od both as a poet and as a tyPe
~ me Southern gentleman OF the oio
,ho little volume there Is mum 10
-, a,d interest DR.. Clarkson mas
Sslt..,,e ,ouch and the true eyes OF the
80 10 see books In the running
brooks sermons I'm stones ana soou III
everything" However, not sooo AZ qu'.e
everything. Like loyal eN-Ooni $3.50 ~
he makes his own reservations go .'.'''
OF the poems have an hlstorlSa - ~,
as. for instance, that entitled me TIT
,oral Commissfon. IST." with It's inscrlp-
tom TO "The Invincible in Peace ana III,
visible i'm War" Virginia DeJecla'
..rhis Way, F'reemen" and an mos
in the division OF the book under tho
general subject War"
In this are the gems OF the collec'loh
and a chord Is sounded 10 winch 'n0
true Southern heart will Instantly re-
spond Throughout the little pooh u
worth much more than the cursory
glance which is all that the average
publication OF so-cailed poetry merits.
Or. Clark IS TO be congratulated not less
on the loyalty which moved him TO lend
n,s poetic talent to do honor 10 the men,
cries OF the South than upon the gifts
!. sinselves. and his Songs OF Love and
war" will be read, no doubt, By many
southern people.
| THE ROMANCE OF THE HOUSE OF
| SAVOY. BY Alethea wiel. @. p. Put
| ram's Sons. New York London. Fol