New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-15

nghtfui Mr. Jenkinson Neeld, the quiet diff
ds:it old gentleman who plays with trenulous
1,rxiety a part which he never wants to play.
Is = positive boon: Nina ZabTiska-known as
the Imp" in her childhood and still deserving,
{ a widow. the same epithet-is one of the most
cp:erly painted portraits Anthony Hope has
ever produced and thee is much to hold the
readers attention in her amiabe uncle, Major
Dupay; in Mr. Disney-the Prime Minister of
the hour-and in the half dozen other indi-
v.duas who are drawn into the action
Very rarely the authors observations take
i.saprointiug turn. Lord Southend.' he says.
was devoted to his wife-a state OF feeling
natural often. creditahe always" That is the
lind Of saying which might do very we'll on
the lips Of young man trying to win reputa-
ton for cpieram at pink tea; it is hardly
the kind of thing that expect from Anthony
Hope But il is only a slip. What inpresses
Us most in 'Tristram of Bent'' is the maturity
of the writer. Despite the little misstep we
have just noticed despite occasional redundant
cics in the analysis Of the hero's frame of mind
despite defects in the plot. it is Obvious that
h. has himself we'll in hand; the style is smooth
and easy; feel 4 kind of repoSe in the nara
tive The book does than anluse. 1t has
repeat, pleasant gravity, and altogether we
r.ust gard il as marking an important step
in the Development of a novelist who is far
from great. but possesses induhitable gifts and
Is bound to be heard from to better and better
eject as time goes on.
Readers of The Tribune are already familiar
with the name of Maxim Gorky. his personality
and his checkered career The book selected 10
serve a means of introducing the work of the
Young Russian novelist to this country turns
out to be exactly the kind of book which would
lie expected of the kind of man he is said to be.
He is one of Sheey's most wretched men,"
Who learn in suffering what they teach in
song" He has lived hard life and "Foma
Gordyeen" is painful book. 1t deals with the
development OF a typical Russian of the lower
middle class from the cradle very nearly to the
grave We have no hesitation in accepting
Foma as representative. because he has many
prototypes in the best Slavic fiction: he is the
Young Russian, crude barbaric, materialistic
with smoldering impulse in his heart toward
better things The whole nation is stirring
easily with a vague sense of its backwardness
and OF its higher needs. with results that can
not help but touch the imagination of the lit
eTary artist. delighted to find the richest pos
sible material at his very door. Nothing could
be more inspiring than the spectacle OF people
shaking off the inertia of centuries and sub
hitting themselves. with the half timd half
reckless emotion of children. to the influence of
new and wonderful ideas. Gorky subtIy makes
US feel the stress of this national awakening in
his portrayal OF Foma, and first are in
cned to recognize the artists hand in his work
But as the narrative moves on il is unmistak-
able that a burning passion for humanity and
very little passion at all for art is at the bot
tom of the writer's power.
He has power. of that there be no ques-
ton. but it is the power Of the man who sees
and feels with intensity and throws his thoughts
on paper just they come to him. leaving form
to take Of itself. He has not learncd-or
at any rate. he had not learned when he wrote
this book-how to select to achieve right pro-
portion and a true perspective. "FOma Cor
dyeeif" is Therefore unnecessarily squad in at
mosphere. the tale is overloaded with details
that none the less superiuOus because they
happen to be SCI forth with extraordinary vivid
enough for sparrow" says Foma upon one
occasion. Il don't know how to live-I don't
understand myself. What sort of a fellow am
To- we read on another page There have
his problem, and the legitimate object of the
author is to show how the circumstances of his
his nature to keep him from working it to
a satisfactory conclusion But the analysis of
the long struggle becomes WcariSome at times
through the excess of detail. WEAKNESS almost
disappears. however, Fomd's impotence to
get anywhere in his self sea rchings, to catch
darkness, takes on more and more tragical