The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25
Minor Fiction.

Lord Linlittgow" is new novel by
Morley Roberts. author Of THE Colossus. I"
that remarkably clever story which bad
Cecil Rhodes for hero. 1t is somewhat
difficult to discover the reason for the
title OF this new tale. for the central
character OF 1t is not by any means the
one who plays the title role. Murray
Hartford, the private secretary of Lord
Linlithgow, is the hero, and the plot turns
on the struggle between this young mans
sense of duty to himself and his party
loyalty. 1t Is a psychological study of
great interest, and Is handled with re-
markable skill. Eustace Loder-the name
under which Rhodes figures in the former
books also a character in this. and it
is on letters written by him that the
whole plot hangs.
The character drawing is clever as only
the work of brilliant novelist familiar
with London society, can be. Ii is a
cleyerness quite distinct from that of the
French school; it is more frank. less sub
tie, but more epigrammatic. 1t depends
on the accurate perception and graphic
description of the unfolding of character
from the ethical rather than the emo
tional side. In the French novel the
worlds opinion often appears the prime
consideration; in the English society
novel 1t is more an accessory, one of the
forces which affect the development of
character, but not in itself the most i'm
portant thing Thus, in the pressn work,
the hero is torn by the struggle between
his desire to serve his party, loyalty to
which is ngrained in the very fibre of his
Young manhood and the knowledge that
the way in which he is called upon to do
it will render him dishonored in his own
eyes and that of his betrothed 1t Is hot
the worlds opinion which he fears-in
fact. it is shown that he need fear little
from that source-he Is simply tormented
by the knowledge that If he yields to the
demands of the politicians with whom he
is associated, and to what he believes
the interests of his country, he will not
he able to respect himself. There is no
French novel in which such n situation
can be found The French politician who
should hesitate to consummate stroke
of diplomacy because he knew that its
accomplishment would win him the dis
approval of the innocent and wholly in
experienced young girl who was to be his
wife would be impossible for the French
novelist to conceive. A French hero,
placed in this situation, would have
smiled and acted, and kept the knowledge
of 1t all from his betrothed. But Har-
ford cannot endure the thought that he
has done anything which Helen would
consider dishonOrabIe. 1t is a struggle
possible only, perhaps, to the races I'M
spoiled by the canker Of Latin civiliza-
ton: and no better example of it has
been given In recent literature than Mr..
Roberts has made of this episode.
There is not character in the whole
book who fails of being human, lifelike,
and interesting. Grace Roadway, the i'm
pulsive and warmhearted woman of the
world; Helen Lancaster, with her sweet
ignorance, her young narrowness and
hardness and her deep. womanly heart;
Pole, the morphine fiend, half-crazed and
wholly wretched; Linlithgow, the states
man; Berwick, the politician; Hugh Lam
caster, Helen's reprobate Of a brother;
Lady Cradock-all are wonderfully we'll