The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-04

that he had an idea. But in the p.o,ess
of writing this hypothetical ides has be-
come so tangled with conversations re-
vamped from former novels. indefinite
psychological discussions, pieces OF the au-
thor's earlier guide-books TO Europe. and
scraps OF all sorts, that one gets the I'M
preston that the book was dictated 10 a
phonograph, and by mistake the machine
was furnished with cylinder already used
Certain it is, that this book contains abso-
lutely nothing that is new. It is simply a
hash of the least interesting Of the au-
thor's former works. il is not even a
plagiarism. unless a man may plagiarize
from himself, and the selection of mater ial
for this hash is very bad We had as much
of the Marches as we really wanted in "A
Hazard of New Fortunes" where their
interminable conjugal discussions formed
about third of the book and there seems
TO be no reason why this particular coup e
should have been taken by the ears AID
dragged out of their comfort able OBJ curity
into the glaring publicity of Europe by
means of an edition de luxe. with sill
rered covers and nearly 200 illustrations.
A possible reason for the goreeolsness Of
the edition, however. is the fact that the
Marches inflict themselves on several in
offensive European towns which afford
opportunity for good photographs.
II Mr.. Howells had reproduced some OF
his stronger work in the way of character
drawing It would not have been so bad;
but he seems TO have picked out the froth-
Test and least interesting of his types TO
figure in this two-volume extra illustrated
guide-Book. The people whom he introduc-
es are Of a kind that could very well be
spared from any OF his works and from
literature as well. and the same is true OF
the general principles underlying the de-
lineation of these characters. We have
here the domestic woman with a rampant
New England conscience of the exotic
type found only In fiction; a conscience
which leads her to punish herself and her
husband whenever anything goes wrong
and INDUCES in gloomy forebodngs when
all things seem serene. Mr.. Howells and
two or three other writers nave SO gloat-
ed over this phenomenon that the rest of
the world has been given the impression
that no New England woman is happy un-
less she is miserable. Again. Mr. How
ellis general idea OF the feminine charac-
Ter seems to be that no woman ever means
what she says, or il she does. she wishes
to be persuaded into a different opinion
and will blame her husband If he fails to
sort of psychological truth which grows
most exuberantly in the fields of fancy
So is the notion that women occupy them
selves exclusively with their neighbors'
affairs, especially their neighbors' court
ships.
We find Mrs. March, at the very outset
Of her journey, wearing a love-story about
the possible relations between Mr.. Burma
my and Miss Triseoe when they have not
g...-
her husband knows them. This is silly; ii
is also vulgar; and moreover it is unreal
istie in the highest degree. A woman such
Mrs. March is described 10 be would at
such time be occupied with her own feel
ings and the possible condition of the fami-
Iy left at home. rather than INDUCING in
subtle analyses of utter strangers.
The pettiness and uncertain will of Mrs. |
March is more or less repeated in her hus- |
hand. who seems never TO be quite sure |
what he wants TO dc. One is inclined to |
wonder whether he would know. if asked, |
whether he preferred to sweeten his after
noon tea with on lump of sugar two. |
Perhaps. in some future novel some such
episode may be introduced March being
senile guest of the hero and heroine Of this
book and 1t will read like this:
Miss Burnsmy poured March lis cup Of tea.
dropping her eyelids prettiy she did 50. with
. gesture which recalled involuntariiy to his i
mind the picture of her mother when She Miss
Triscoe, and went 10 Europe on the same steamer /
with March and Lis wife. IL seemed very long
ago. and he recalled 10 himself by the voice
Of the girl she eaquired with trace of hesita-
ton in her tone. ''one lump twof'
March was about 10 say. 1.-TWO. II you please"
when he caught warning look In his wiie's eye. |
as she stood talking with old General Triscoe on
the other side Of the room: Then he remembered
that the doctor had forbidden him undue indul- !
gence in sweets 1t occurred &c him-and he
felt q guilty thrill at the thought-that the
Youngest Burnamy child had insisted on his shar-
March say IL she knewf He knew that he was
doomed 10 hear all too true opinion Of his
conduct from her lips that night. If he INDUCED
in tea at all; and with a reckless impulse in
herited perhaps from some Puritan ancestor Of
uneodly tradition. he opened his lips to saw
1.-TWO. II you please" One might well die
for a sheep as a lamb. But as he raised his eyes
he saw that for moment the girls attention
was diverted to point behind him and 10 his left
and though still holding the sugar longs she
seemed TO have forgotten their use. happy
thought occurred TO him. lie would drink his
tea in the Russian style with slice OF lemon
some people, he believed. even added few drops
OF rum. but his Boston traditions had never
coun;enanced thst- No. he would take just the
lemon, please But in the meantime, the girl
had greeted young man who had come in and
approached the tea table. and March caught
glance from his wife that be knew mean; triumph.
lle looked AZ Miss Burnamy. She was dropping
the sugar into his cup with reckless libcralitv.
As the fourth lump dropped from the iongs she
exclaimed, with little start:
'ob, Mr.. March. did you say tireeg ] hog your
pardon. / was thinking Of something else
No, said March, meckly, Its all right"
He took the cup and began 10 sip the beverage
which now roscmbled syrup. He was watching
the tip OF a rosy ear as the girl bent thc
urn. "Ah, youth, youth" be thought with a
sigh, 'it comes but opce!'
OF course, this sort Of literature tsave
the mark!) can be spun out by the fur
long after little practice. and as row up
on row of red-coyered volumes testify.
Mr.. Howells has had the practice. But
though soda water is acceptable in small
quantities, there is point at which il
pals on the taste. and when 1t comes 20
a diiution Of the liquid. so that little more
than air and attenusted foam can be dis
covered, there seems TO be reason for a
protest.
In short, the public taste demands real
books. IN which live people are occupied
with actual problems-not the manufac-
tured tribulations of a morbid sentimen-
tally. OF course, freaks are interesting
now and then. but all human beings do
not belong to this class. Mr.. Howells' he
roines have too often been OF this type.
We have in Miss Triscoe another example
OF the everlasting Howells feminine OF ,
which Alice Pasmer wes perhaps the arch ,
etype. while Mrs. Willis Campbell. Clara
Mrs. Corey, Jessie Carver Mrs. ,
Sewell. Annie Kilburn. and Egeria Boyn- ,
ton were more or less marked variations
from Il. ;
The episode OF the book which comes the
nearest to being dramatic is one which &C.
ours near the end OF the second volume ,
and involves Miss Triscoe and her lover ,
young Burnamy. It appears that after the /
two have fallen In love with one another