The Portland daily press., 1901-01-22

- uot JUL uof ~tuPiA fo~- - -
therefore, Il s. not true 60 nature" II
ons prefers that sort Of thing it is not
difiiouit TO lind novelIsts who write qultn
chnrmineIy about 6ell-boys, mattresses
and good women who take summer
boarders Undoubtedly one has right
to choose ones own associates, ana yet
most persons would contifer the Duchess.
Prof Point. Broaer, Margaret, Allegro,
the Prime Minister and Fizzy an inter
estiDg ooterie. (Harpsr n Brothers;
Portland: Loring, short s. HARMONY
The volume entitled An English
woman's Love-Letters, lie published ty
Messrs. DOuhlsday, Page & Co.; port
land: Loring, short & Harmony After
all the praise that has been given this
WORK finu It rather disappointing, Its
most engaging quality being the little
mystery connected with 1t. Not that
think the book Is anything more than q
very clever literary venture, for on the
face Of 10 one sees that such l,tters could
not by any possibility have been con-
ceived or written by young girl, nor is
q boy Of twenty-one likely to inspire such
an Intense and overpowering passion.
There is, nevertheless, certain fascina-
tion about the letters, and those con.
tained In the latter half Of the volume.
are appealing and pathetic. white the
earlier ones do not ring so true. They
are literature, not life. Fancy how
firing II would be 20 tine young fellow
Of twenty-one. only just beginning to
taste the experiences of manhood. to have
his sweetheart writing to him daily, page
after page. and in every variety Of form
and phrase, thst he is adored, and that
the woman he loves Is PROSTATE ct his
feet every hour OF the day and night,
waking or sleeping. Could anything be
more wearing or depressing to a mani
And can one wonder II his affection did
not stand the strainY IL Is not fresh
young gush OF love and enshusiasm-it Ia
the morbid analysis of the heart OF
woman VINO constantly dwelis upon one
theme; perfect Niagars of vows and
protestattons, enough to oyerwhelm and
drown even an ardent love.
IL 10 usually supposed that In love max
ing the man takes the lead, and the
woman responds-mora or less. but in
this case the writer Of love-letters goes
farthsr than any practical man can fol-
low, and when be finally gives mp trying
to do so, one feels quite as much sym-
pathy for him as for her.
The preface, or ''expianation, is evil
IDENTIFY intended TO give an air of reality
to the sad history which follows, for 1t 10
SAD, pathetic and gloomy, and l fancy
nobody will be the better for dwelling
upon 1t.
am setting aside now the literary
value OF much that the writer has to say,
the charming bits of description, of ortiz
clsm, the occasional touch Of humor,
and, judging the love-letters simply .as
such. they seem to me painfully Intense,
morbidly strained, and full of weari-
some unrest, In spite Of certain para
graphs that are both sweet and strong.
Ones sympathies are aroused for the
letters written when her lover lie hsr lover
no longer, and quote what seems to
me more touching than ali the rest:
"Some dav, dream, We shall come
suddenly together. and you Will see. he
fore a word, before have time to gather
my mind back to the bodily comfort Of
your presence, face filled with thoughts
OF you that have never left 1t, and never
bsen bitter:-I believe never once bitter.
For even when think, and convince my
self that you have wronged yourself--and
so, me also, then. no, then most of
all, my heart seems to break with tender
ness, and my spirit grow more famishtd
than ever for the want OF you'll For II
you have done right. wisely, then you
have no longer any need OF me; but II
you have done wrong. then you must need
me. Oh, dear heart, let that need over
whelm you like sea, ana hiring you
towards me on its strong tidel And
come when You WILL shall be waiting"
Lessons in Love. by Katrina TIask