New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-27
MRS. WARDS NEW NOVEL.
A SAD ROMANCE IN ITALIAN SUN
SHINE.

III TINS respect IouA dANnouBn lueIe Is no WASTE
matter there is comparatively little action; the
author has not in the common understanding
OF the words, long story to tell. The great
length OF the book comes, as usual, from her
fondness for deViations into religious and po-
litcal discussion, though we may recognize also,
with more gratitude. that the narrative was eX-
banded in order that some delightful word pict-
ures of Italian landscape might be introduced
Politics and scenery, the Papacy and modern
Italy, serve in Mrs. Wards hands double pur-
pose. They give her the opportunity to say
some interesting things, TO talk with that ele-
walton Of tone which in all her books has given
pleasure to thoughtful readers. even when it has
failed to convince them that she had any philo-
sophical or ethical lessons Of extraordinary
value to teach. Furthermore, and above all,
the conversations the descriptions, the para
phernalia of culture, of which practically
never allowed to lose sight provide exactly the
kind of background that is best calculated to set
of TO advantage the romance of Edward Man
isty and the two women who love him.
He is an English politician turned dilettante;
a handsome, fastidious and irritable man of lit
erary gifts whose dissatisfaction with his party,
Just at the moment when his future a public
man seems brightest. causes him to resign and
abandon the affairs Of his country for a period
Of reactionary tri1ing in the south He is re-
volted by the corruption and maladministra-
ton in Italian politics. the Pope attracts him as
a symbol of the religious force whose very en-
durance through the centuries seems to him 10
rebuke the materialistic sins of the Government.
and he plunges into the writing Of great book
on the problems and fate of the nation. Here
arises Mrs Wards chance to interpolate the
grave observations of which she is fond.
They spring from a stately ceremony at St
Peters. in which the Pope appears; from the
talk Of a priest communicated for writing too
advanced" book: from divers scenes in which
Italian affairs come up for polite discussion.
There is less that is polemical and more that is
simply candid statement than we have hitherto
been accustomed TO find in Mrs Wards writings
But we are glad of this. for it leaves the
book more artistic. more Of novel. 1t gives the
love story free play.
Manisty. living in a villa not far from Rome
with an elderly relative. Aunt Pattie. and his
young and beautiful widowed cousin Eleanor
Burgoyne is absorbed in his book. Eleanor
shares in his work and insensby drifts into
passion for the man. he remaining unconscious
OF what is going on in her heart. An American
girl is invited to visit the three. She is not
wanted The invitation is only intended to pay
a social debt. Lucy Fosters people at home hav
ing been kind to the Manistys when the great
man was in America The visitor is lovely but
crude, as shy and unimpressive Eleanor
is self-possessed and distinguished. OF course,
Manisty falls in love with the newcomer, and,
equally Of course, the friendship which the two
women form in happiness only develops into
rivalry that is the harder for both to endure
since neither can justly blame the other. There
is some intensity of emotion in this book, COM
ing out in very def and interesting touches.
Mrs. Ward introduces a mad woman upon the
scene for no very valid reason unless it is that
by making Lucy an object Of the poor creatures
fury and bringing Manisty to the rescue she
aims at providing that gentleman with a crisis
needed to tumble him from doubt into certainty.
The sight of Lucy in distress rouses his instincts
of tenderness and compassion and in one mo-
Tnent carries him far on the road toward the
conviction that he cannot live without her But
in the main there is no excitement in what the
three actors in this drama have to face. Their
troubles are silent and concealed; as Mrs Ward
brings their secret feelings to the surface, she
makes them the poignant through her
calm, natural mode of presenting them. The
story is one Of strong passion repressed Of three
human beings moving toward their destiny
through bitter paths but with outwardly un-
troubled demeanor
The prevailing tone is one of sadness. Italian
sunshine is constantly pouring down upon the
scene, but Manisty and both his companions are
inclined TO take life seriously, and when they
are not working out their own problems they
are talking about the troubles of Church and
State, so that the beauties of the land
scape. which Mrs. Ward so we'll describes. are
somehow tnged with melancholy None of the
characters is very powerfully drawn. For all
the strength Of character that is imputed to her
Eleanor is a little vague in outline little lack
ing in reality; Lucy may have moved Manisty
TO love her, but it is doubtful if she inspires
much affection among readers of the novel and
the hero himself is not modelled, as it We're in
the round; one sees him, one is conscious of his
picturesque head. his peculiar manners but one
does not altogether accept him as a genuine
man. With of her other personages Mrs
Ward is even less successful. She is still ad-
dicted TO the conventional exaggerations which
we can forgive in less thoughtful writer's. but
must deplore in her The British Ambassador
who enters her pages is not a human being but
just such impeccabIe image as would delight
the heart of Ouida. He was one of the en-
chanters of his day. known for such in half a
dozen courts and two hemispheres" That sort
Of thing long since ceased to be persuasive. 1t
has the air Of pattern. But Mrs Ward is
writer who never consciously triaes with her
work; she is strenuous, eager full of warm
sympathy, of earnest thought about lofty things.
Without humor, without creative genius she
labors always from the outside But insight is
not altogether denied to her. Manisty never
quite irresstibly attracts US, Eleanor never ire
sistby moves US. and Lucy fails to Justify her
self in imagination as Mrs Burgoyne's rival
But we go on reading. The book is long but We
skip no pages. and at the end we are not re-
gretful over our perseverance.
GOING AS YOU PLEASE IN FRENCH.
From The London Daily News.