New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-16

Arthur Kennard, limo. PIP. S2S. J. B. Hppin-
colt Company.
THE SEEKERS. By Stanley Waterloo. 12mo, PIP.
257 Herbert S. Stone & Co.
Illustrated 12mo, pp. 42& Charles scribners
Sons.
! The author of THE Princess Sophia is one of
the few novelists of the day whose work cannot
be described In advance OF it's appearance in
print. Each new story he brings out is apt not
! only to differ from its predecessor n general
character, but marks a stage in the writer's
development. He is always learning. 1t IS al
ways made plain that his literary method has
life in it, that he will have nothing to do with
the easy formula which seem to serve so many
purveyors of fiction in these commercial days.
! THE Princess Sophia is unlike anything else
Mr.. Benson has produced. and it is better than
any of his other books. The pivot on which the
action revolves is original enough Given
princess of ilIimitable witchery who happens to
cherish also an inordinate passion for cards. and
the reader is captured at the very beginning.
He fances for a moment that Mr.. Benson is
going to have a very hard time in sustaining
his aUdacious idea through the many pages of
novel. and this fear is by and by justified. The
tenth chapter, in which, according to the slangy
title, THE Princess Is Very Much There" has
dramatic intensity which makes the succeeding
chapters down to the very close. seem almost
I
into the question OF whether The Princess
Sophia" is uniformly exciting and artistic.
There is enough that is good in the book to
make it eminentIy worth reading and to add
substantially to Mr.. Benson's reputation. He
has never been easily persuasive in his draw
ing of character; his dialogue-barring one or
two slips of taste-is uncommonIy piquant, and,
best Of all he has made his gambling princess
an Enthusiastically loyablc human being
Mrs Kennard tells with much feminine
yivacity the story of international marriage.
Little Miss Rita Philadelphia Frost an Amer
lean heiress and granddaughter Of a laborer. is
the heroine. Lord Delcombe, fastidious, indif-
ferent and pleasure loving Englishman who has
divorced an unfaithfu English wife, is the hero.
Reckless extravaganza has carried Decombe to
the verge Of ruin, and he nerves himsclf-partly
for the sake Of his little son-to take the bitter
dose of marrying for money girl he doesn't
love. He has the grace 20 tell Rita the truth
and her in measure against the bar
gain She takes him with open eyes. but the
author deftly suggests that the young Amer
leans heart is touched, that although her frigld
, sutton does not realize it. il is not for position
only that she accepts him. The larger part of
the book is devoted describing the conse-
quences Of this matrimonial bargain. Rita is
beautiful, thoroughly good rather given TO sup
posedly American slang. creature whose stores
| of ignorance are matched by surprising streaks
! Of cleverness She has above all, a warm heart
and a generosity OF nature which the author
| very shrewdly reveals Dclcomhe with a large
share Of the faults OF his period and his class, is
still capable of nobleness in himself and Of APP
preciatine il in others. The reader will no doubt
guess how the story ends The complications
which lead up to happiness are ingenious and
some Of them quecr-as, for example. the
meetings Of the two wives.
The Seekers is Il vigorous and acute study
of life in the West-of that life as il is affected
/ by the so-called religious fads which from
! time to time overwhcm weak minds and puzzle
/ inQuiring ones in these United States. There Is
genuine power in the presentation of the coarse.
hard grasping but magnetic preacher of a new
I faith who shows how the business side of a
/ religious movement can be worked 10y an adroit
! man There is even greater power in the draw
ing OF the base Zadsli, the teacher of a mys-
ticsm which was only moral anarchy at bot
/ tom. The snakelike quality of this animal is
| remarkably well portrayed The spiritual poy-
erty of another new school" of religion is
/ neatly shown III the course Of one Of the tragic
episodes Of the story. The heroine in a fever of
! mental agony and anxiety seeks comfort from
che of the priestasses of the cult. How does
this lady respond? There is no evil except one"
she says. mot to Rum Truth. Say that after
me" Alas for the poor heroine whose practical
woes are not healed by this placid formula,