The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-24

all enQS happily. Line sSlOEy IS FeiS SeAi
tolJ, though the preservation of the
Scotch idioms in the narrative, while ar
tistic becomes tiresome at times. The
character of Father Hamilton the priest
above spoken OF, is. very well drawn,
though, perhaps, it is not always quite
consistent Charles Edward is introduced
into the narrative, but not as the dashlns
young. prince vino is so familiar to us IN
story. He is described at the time when
he had begun that downward path which
ended in total degradation. Miss Waikiki
shaw, who plays an unenviable, part in
the history Of the Young Pretender, is
one Of the chief personages of Mr.. Mum
ro's story, and is we'll portrayed. The
book is altogether above the average of
recent romance, though it is hardly to be
classed among the foremost. c. S.
A CHILD OF NATuRE. BY Hamilton
Wright Mabie. Dodd, Mead, & Compa-
ny, New York.
Mr.. Mabie has a touch of exceeding
delicacy, and in none of his works has
it appeared to greater advantage than
in "A Child of Nature 1t is a story
the story Of John Foster, a-poet by nature
but not by power Of expression; but 1t is
cast rather in the form of an essay than
a chronicle, and Is full of a subtle and
high poetry of 6icton as well as of a
clear purity of thought that compels at
tention and sympathy. These things are
characteristic of Mr.. Mable's work, and
are the qualities for which we have be-
come accustomed to look when we open
a book bearing his name on the title
page: but they seem to us to have reach
ed their highest in "a Child of Nature.
There is a grave tenderness, too that
springs from unity with his conceptions
as we'll as with the heart of nature, and
which finds quick response of sympathy
in those spirits which are attuned to
catch the sounds which are audible to
him. The book is beautiful in its quiet
and reverent simplicity, and all readers
of the story of John Foster as told by
Mr. Mabe will be bettered thereby, II
they be susceptible of betterment. NO
more tasteful and worthy gift-book for
the coming festal season has yet fallen
under our notice.
L. S. X.
THE PRICE OF A WIFE. BY John
Strange Winter j. B. Lippincott Com
pany, Philadelphia.
THE Price of a Wife will neither sur
prise nor dsappoint the regular readers
of the works by John Strange Winter
(AIrs. Stannard). It is interesting in
way, it is conventional in both plot and
the selection of characters and, 1t must
be confessed. it is very much like the
other works of this writer in that it is.
extremely slight. In THE Price OF
Wife" we have English as it appears in
English fiction, more especially IN the
fiction of women authors. I he rich. gr.ht,
old father; the WISE gentle family law
yer: the cowardly and evil minded son;
the loving and heroic brother; and the
poor but noble sweetheart and Wlfe-each
does his little turn as he has done 1t 50
many times before: each with a Slight
change of phraseology delivers the now
historical speeches suited to his part, anei
each arrives at the same end ne mas
reached so many times before. the
story made its first appearance IN 1897;
it's reappearance seems to indicate that
there are those who did not read it then
who now wish to read it. or, at least, that
the publishers think such to be the case.
c. A. e.
OLD JED PROUDLY. By Richard Golden
and Mary C. Francis. q. w. Dilling-
ham Company, New York.
1t was more. then ten years ago,
think in about 1889. that Mr.. Richard
Golden made his first appearance in "Old
Jed Prouty" The play was a success,
as is evidenced by more than 5000 FER
formances now standing to its credit Al
though originality was one of the char
acteristics of both the playing and play
writing of Mr.. Golden. he has now sue.
cumbe6 to the temptation of mfmicking
others-he has worked the material Of his
play into a novel. Not nearly SO in
teresting nor laugh-provoking as IS the,
play, this noveliZation, nevertheless, is
sufficient Justification for its present ap-
nearance. The story-but then, the play
is too well known to need any detall
concerning the plot; suffice it to say the
book is readable. The story itself is a
pleasing character-sketch of 'Old jed"
The principal characters Of the play APP
pear in the book. The principal Incl
dents of the play. too. are again set
forth. Whether as new acquaintance.
or the renewal of an old friendship, the
book will receive equal welcome.
ii. e. X.