New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-04

/ $500 --'S' the mellow sunlight and the fresh
!, 't''1e 81 the English wildwood there came
the no less brilliant but far more SOPHISTICATED
atmosphere Of the Renaissance courts In
Richard Yea-and-N Nav Mr. pau-latt ra,,ar,s -
The ruder scenes and more spacious horizons Of
MS carrier book But if in choosing his hero
nom amongst the historic figures of the twelfth
century ne chooses theme and a time per-
hHtIlhS d broader and simpler treatment than
the subjects of the Little Novels allowed ne
is also on hrmer ground than when he wrote Of
1soult the DESTROYS, and gives altogether a NOR.
compact more realistic character to his TO-
nance. In The Forest Lovers" he was all for
adventure, for love. for changing scenes. and, in
short, the unroIling Of a varied pageant There
is adventure in Richard Yea-and- Nay" there
are changing scenes. there are many characters.
ana there is love on nearly every page. ceIe-
prated Tor Its own sake or acting as d con
trolling force in the destiny of the hero Bat
there is more serious business afoot. This novel
is first and last a portrait a study Of character.
a veritahie history-with notifications suit
a noveIists purDose-of the life and death If
Richard Co-ur De Lion
The historical novel IL Mr. HewIett's hands Is
thing aoart. II is dramatic as an, other aj.-
thor would have it. The action is incessau-
Their IS blood, too-enough Of it to satisfy tn
most sensational Of romancers Costume az
cessoTies. background the things grubbed up
out II old authorities TO lend verisnilituI- 10 a
tale Of the past. all here. making the
period unmistakabe. But th-s- clements
mast necessarily he subordinate 70 a higher
ambition when a writer Of creative rifts is IT
work, and that Mr.. Hewlett puts them in tn
right place is shown by The fact that after the
first few pages his reader TAX, them for granted
and looks solely to the working out # that
conception Of 9 great mans soul and character
which, for the author, is al that really counts.
Witness his first detailed sketch of Richard in
which, with swift perception Of traits lying
beneath the surface. he paints you not merely
presence. but much that it implies:
OF him. of a king heir of a king if you
wish some bodily sign | will say shortly that he
was very tall young man, high-coIoured and
calm in the face. straight nosed. blue eyed. spare
Of flesh. 1.-the. swift of movement H was at
once bold and sleek. eager and cold ice-an
coo conbinatloh but not more odd than the
blend Of Norman dog and Angevin cat which
mad made him 50. Furtive he not, yet seem
Ing 10 crouch for a spring: not savage. Yet
primed for savagery, not cruel. yet quick On
the affront and on the watch for it. He was
neither rogue nor mailman; and VT he was
cunning as the one and as Needless as the
other, if that is possible thing He vas AFRO
CANT, but his smile yelled the fault: you saw II
best in a sleepy look he had His blemishes
We're many, his weaknesses two. He trusted 20
his own force too much, and despsed everybody
else in the world. Not that he thought them
knaves; he was certain they were fools. And
most of them were. no doubt, but not all! The
first flush of him moved your admiration. great
height, great colour. the red and the yellow. his
beard which ran jutting to a point and gave
his jaw the dubbed look of a big cats. his shut
mouth and cold, considering eyes: the eager
set Of his head his soft. padding motiOns-a
leopard, a hunting leopard, quick to strike. but
quick 10 change purpose. This. then Rich
ard Yea and Nay, whom all women loved, AMI
very few men. These require TO be trusted be-
fore they love; and full trust Richard gave 70
man, because he could not believe him
worth it
1t is a wonderfully eloquent portrait Alone
1t would help realize what manner Of man
in its fidelity throughout to the idea OF the great
king that is here set forth. In every deed re-
ported Identifies the man III the briefest
colloquy his voice is recognized. The best proof
Of M. Hewletts success in painting him IS that
as with all the best creations of fiction, you
know exactly what the king will do. exactly
what he Will say, rather, what he does and
says is exactly what you expect OF hirn-he IS
in character" from beginning 10 end. II is a
forhddng character The times Were fierce.
Richard did more than his share in making
them So. He fought and hanged. ne taxed and
burned. he swept down upon his English lands
or went marauIjng through his French pos
sessions like roaring brsom As has been in
dicatrd above. the reader # this novel sups IN
horrors M. Hewlett gives fire. play To his
faculty for telling Of primitive things with all
TN force = absolute caudor H lljuk~ no ie-
tails. When IL desires that you shall s-e
the full extent II hat the Tower of Flies. m
AcI-. and its surroundings ue~- lik-. he aba:es
no i,r ,f l- ~Itk-uEI- STORY Yeu he. star