The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15

from broodin' on bcin' a dog" But while the
reputed Shylock Is real philanthropst, he opines
that business Is business, and that there Is no
fun in bargaining II one can't get the best OF
IT, AS a banker, his integrity Is hawlcss: never
theless being no saint, but human being sub
jcc TO the law OF the survival Of the fittest. he
acknowledges that. in a horse trade. he Is guided
by a comical distortion Of the golden rule do
unto the other Teller the way he'd like to do unto
you an do II fust" We would not take leave
of book which has contributed a and strik
ing personality to American literature without
expressing the regret which. sure, is
shared by it's multitudinous readers that no
second novel can be looked for from the authors
hand. He was not destined TO know Of his works
success. for he died while its proofsheets were
undergoing revision.
We should class with American novels the
volumes respectively entitled Friends IN EIile
and Lady Bidnche'S Salon. both of which
published by +. Tennyson Nelly. because their
author Mr.. Lloyd Bryce il an American, and
because the former story deals with theme upon
which Mr. Henry James loves To discourse. that
Of Americans in Europe. while, in the latter tale.
a certain phase Of London society is studied from
an American point OF view. II by Friends in
Exile" are meant travelling Americans it is well
would not be accepted. even as acquantances.
on this side OF the Atlantic. Especially exposed
to undesirable entanglements is he who occupies
the post OF Ambassador or Minister at a foreign
capital, especially II he has been more familiar
hitherto with politics than with diplomacy. and
II his experience has lain in legislative chambers
rather than in drawng-roo We have sent
since the Civil War least Minister to France
and one Minister to Italy who might have served
the original of the able and interesting. but
unconventional and, where women concerned.
somewhat gullible person, who in Mr. Bryces novel.
represents the United States at Paris. His own
would find Judge jackson quite keensightcd
enough for self-dofence, but he is easily deluded
by fascinating compatriot who, without having
taken the trouble to secure divorce from an I'M
appreciated husband. has visited Europe in quest
of adventures. There is humor in the description
OF the skill with which the net of coquery is thrown
around the amateur diplomatist and OF the in
stinctive uneasiness with which his middle aged
and commonplace wife surveys the manGuvres
Of which her lord and master is the object Mrs.
Asher is the name OF the somewhat mysterious
and too captivating Arnerfeaine. and the impress
sion which she made at an early stag upon the
American Ambassador and his wife is neatly
indicated in the following bit Of dialogue: 81 wish
we could go home to Dianapolis. Samuel" ex-
claimed Mrs. Jackson to her husband they
were returning from ball. why SO. mother"
| 1T is difficult to explain. Samuel. do not wish
| to set myself up on pedestal, OF assume a mon
opoly OF all the virtues; but do you know II some
times seems TO me" said the lady earnestly that
Paris is immoral city" 1t shocks her, she
| says to see married women dancing with other
womens husbands She also opines that people
preserve their individuality more distinctly. and
| are more to each other in smaller places than in
o,it ;l,o De- lob 10 INT r,,th
that has often occurred TO me. also" replied the
| Ambassador; Crowds destroy friendship as well
| as true domesticity. "But.we at any rate will
| always be all in all TO each other will not,
| Samuel? You will never let these crowds draw
| us asunder, or any one come between u.s." Judge
jackson put his arm affectionately about his
wifes waist I'm not the kind, Martha. to let
| any one como between us, am T." But Mrs.
Asher Samuel; II does seem, at times, il
you took heap Of interest in her" Mrs Asher?
| Why, she's countrywoman Of ours. I'm here
| TO protect her. A mere chit Of a woman scarcely
more than a child" True, Samuel, but you
know it sometimes seems TO me il she were
quite capable of protecting herself II should
| not be inferred from this quotation that Friends
| in Exile" is a comedy: on the contrary, it has a
tragic close and the writer's power OF character
izaon is signally attested by the fact that can
not witness without sympathy the fate Of the weak
and perverse. but, nevertheless, attractive woman
who is the heroine Of the story
The subject OF Lady Blanche's Salon is sug
gested by the subtitle ~ Story OF Some Souls
The coterie of which Lady Blanche is the s,al
is alphabetically described composed exclu
sively of souls" bodies are supposed tc
be eliminated. but their theoretical alb
sence does not seem to impair lady's tast,
In dress. Whether there Is. or is not
a presumption that souls" would be successful
In this mundane sphere. We know not 1t is Ger
tain that the frequenters Of Lady Blanchos sa
Ion were failures, selected by her for that very
reason. Her husband explains that "she car
play the leading part so much more easily will
the derelicts Of life than with really successful
people" A pack OF incapabes offers her effective
background. These failures, each Of whom i
brought upon the stage and made to talk afte
his kind, include "positivist with sallow com
plexion, an incisive manner and general tend
ency TO pessmistic commentan unfrocked prizes
who had left tho Church for the study Of baC
teriology, and, IL said, in company wit
a layman's wife, Parsee who wore purpl
turban and brought with him the atmos
phere Of faraway lands and religions; JEWS
rabbi with dark beard and habit OF sittn
I uneasily on the edge of a chair; an inventor /
search Of capital that proved Elusive; dramatis
\ | VINO ndd nhu SIX plays odmnou a Dccddent poe
responsible for the failure OF his publisher; and tw
o artists, ono Of whom could paint but not tall
= while the other could talk but not paint" T
A sum up. in the words OF Lady Blanche's hui
T band. tho damndest mixture a respectable hous
d in London could produce" may occur to Ii
Q reader that, to label these gentlemen in advanC
as failures is an uncommonly astute proceedin
on the authors part, because, II any OF their col
- yersaional pyrotechnics should miss FIRE, nobod
!, would be disappointed. In point Of fact howeve
8 tho souls" talk we'll. and. as for Lady Bancl
T herself. she is an extremely winsome person. tt
8. love affair which runs through the story Is T
n counted with singular refinement The her
l. ines fastidious purity puts the normal BRITAIN
O. denouement out Of the question. The tale en-,
Ie sadly: how could II end otherwise. when a spir
n ual minded womnn is beloved by two men, al
m he whom she loves Is not her husband.
= Tho Prince de LiRne's Memoirs.
n We had occasion. not long ago, to refer to
al Infringement of the memoirs Of the Due de SaiI
Oh 4