Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.
AN ANGEL OF CLAY: by William ordway Part,
ridge author Of The Song Life of sculptor"
etc, lecturer on the Fine Arts in Columbian
University. Washington. Illustrated by A. Il.
Wenzell. New York: Il. T. Iutnans Sons.
The natural compelling instinct of the
artist nature is for expression. This,
though met in a measure by the peculiar
phase of art commonly used by the in
dividual artist in the form Of that one of
the fine arts to which he is specially de-
voted, whether painting. sculpture, music
or the literary arts of poetry, eloquence
and the drama, still may not always seem
commensurate; and he essays for the oc-
caSion some other of the kindred arts. So
Browning instances Dante making pen
drawing of Beatrice. Raphael sonnet
writing to La Fornosina, and longs more
to look upon the penciled picture and to
read the written sonnet than to possess
other of the masterpieces left by poet and
painter In AN Angel of Clay" that dis
nguished American sculptor Partridge
has. for the once. abandoned the modelling
stick and the chisel for the pen of the
rator. and IN place of the charming sculp-
lures he gives a study in black and white.
y story. it purports to be a romance:
but. like Longfe!lows Hyperion" 1t is
far other, The one the analysis of the
youthful poet soul drawn out and de-
veloped by the student life of Germany;
The present is the unfolding Of the soul
life of a sculptor. Neither Hyperion"
nor this latest experiment has any special
dramatic value as a romance or story.
But as portrayals of the conscious waken-
ing of the art life in the human soul they
are noteworthy.
The SLAVE; A Romance. BY Robert IIichcns.
author of ''Flamcs,'' etc. Chicago: Herbert :.
Stone II Co. Washington: Woodward Il 10th
roI.
Mr.. Kitchens affects the mysterious in his
literary conceptions. His FLAMES was
study in soul transfer. THE Slave" is
suggestion of the occult power of gems over
a soul to the end of obliterating all the
natural passions. The story affords oppor-
tunity for an occasional sketch of London
life viewed as "a panorama. a trick of the
pen in which Mr.. HichenS excels- His
thumb-nail sketches of street scenes and
characters are vivid and realistic The ro-
nance ends unhappily. as do most or THIS
writer's works. in accordance with his
somewhat ultra pose of high art in litera-
ture.
DARTNEIL. a Bizarre Incident BY BENJAMIN
Swift Chicago: Herbert s Stone & Company
Washington: Woodward LDtlrop.
This story of Illicit love is told in a set
ting of unique personalities. A husband
who is unlike any other man ever depicted
in literature conceives violent jealousy,
40
own house in London while announcing an
eastern trip. This enables him to watch
the course of an amour which offers few
pleasant incidents. The story IS unnatural
and strained. 1t presents a portrait of
temporarily successful English statesman,
whose fall is fastened by the scandal in
which he so prominently figures.
TIE JOY OF CAPTAIN RIBOr: authorized trans-
laton from the original of A. Paacio Eaides:
BY Minna Caroline Smith. New York ard
Washington: BrentaEo's
Spanish letters have been studied by
American critics more eagerly during re-
cent years than previously, perhaps because
an occasional insight into their beauties has
attracted the fancies Of those capable Of
translating them satisfactorily. The war
with Spain did not blunt the artistic appre-
citation of Americans. but rather served to
sharpen a sense of sympathy for those pur-
suits in the old country which tend toward
the elevating of the people from their some
what debased state. This story is well
chosen, not only for it's literary worth, but
because it AFFORDS a chance to see reflec-
ton of the domestic life of the SpaniardS
of the middle classes 1t offers pure love
story. Its naive method of narration al
most childishy simple in places. is appar-
emily feature of the authors native style
rather than the mode of the translator.
HIS LoRDsHIP's LEOPARD; Truthful Nara
tion of Some Impossible Facts BY David
plant" New York: Henry Holt & Company.
Washington: VIM. Ballantyne & Sons.
Even considering the demurrer of the
author in his semi-apologetic preface, in
which he dsclaims the purpose of making
literature, it is impossible to consider that
this story has any claim upon the respect
of the reader, however prejudiced he may
be in favor of nonsense romancing. The
incidents are not only atrociously 'impossi-
ble' but they are inartistically worked up
in detail. An attempt to portray American
verge of preposterous failure in a forced
effort at satire, while the denouement is
weak and unsatisfactory. Taken alto
gether, it is good example of the differ
ence between artistic and inartistic tom
foolery.
A MASTER OF CRAFT. BY W. ". Jacobs. author
etc New York: Frederick A. Stokes Com
pany Washington: Brentanos.
Mr. Jacobs has attained style which
smacks of the sea and is greatly admired
by those who love the salt smell and the
clangor of deck orders. "a Master of
Craft does not carry his seafarers far
afioat upon the ocean of commerce, but it
casts a lovemaking skipper into bewildering
matrimonial currents. Capt. Flowers di-
lemmas are woven into of the most
amusing narratives which this master of
craft" has yet devised.
FEC; a Romance. By Max Pemberton, author of
New York: Dodd, Mead Company.
rTbora ic coyor of VII hac cov,a 70 1,a