New-York tribune., 1901-02-03
FICTION.
\ ROMANCE OF SAN FRANCISCAN LIFE

fort Moore l2mo, pp. i66. Herbert 5 Stone "
THE INFIDEI.. \ Romance. by VI. F. Braddon
-1mp PIP al Harper Eros
Miss Bonner is to he praised for the inven
ton of an interesting situation in "Hard-Pan.
bst sh,. wins even more approval through com
nAlnicating almost every page in the book an
sNmusphere OF wholesome reality. lapse
Comes when she is delineating the impecunious
oil gentleman who is the father of the heroine
hs excursions in the art Of borrowing. though
Indispensable to the unfolding Of the plot. are
not wholly credible. There is dubious touch.
,oe in the bestowal upon subsidiary but at
tractira figure in The book Of the very last sort
AZ matrimonial fate which she deserves. and at
tho dose Of the story the introduction Of a
policeman is in peculiarly bad taste. He is
lltugrth her Irrelevant and very nearly spoils a
petty scene. But these are the only defects IN
To-. book. II is otherwise a charming piece of
work Colonel Ramsay Reed the fallen mill
l,Iair. is lovabe soul when he is not en-
Iag.,i in the transactions which the exigencies
a. the plot put upon his shoulders Viola. his
daughter. is a heroine Of the clinginG. endearinS
sort without being mawkish. ana though the
h-ro is past his youth his personality and fort
uurS are handled with much sympathy that
il Is Impossible not tn become absorbed in the
account If them. The whole Gault family. To
which he belongs. is skiIfully drawn. Letitit.
the III rewarded maiden. is 50 we'll portrayed
that her lamcntable destiny leaves with I
genuine pang Of regret II IS n very simple
story. without much incident. with no single
passage Of really thrilling import IT is "A pcne
tratinS study Of human nature however. and
while it deals with familiar life in straight
forward manner il is sufficiently touched with
the spirit of true romance. the romance living
III the hearts of all properly constituted men
ami women. to possess charm beyond the
reach of most realistic writer's Of the day.
The author of The Conscience of Coralie"
has his own notion of what goes 10 make i
realistic story When he describes Miss Coralie
Randals father the pioneer Of cold pack
ing he thinks he has hit the nail the head.
We fancy his chuckle as he gives. in paren-
tLesis the maiden Of his Princess Zout-
spanskL He tells that she was = Miss
Scooter. Of Scootersville Colorado. Mr. Moore
doubtless thinks that these sublime flashes II
insight cover the case. and H. makes Corllie
such an American girl never Was en-
ccunt"rcd anywhere outside Of book IN this
world W are tactly asked to admire her. bul
she -haIes like a stupid little prig 80 must
d:saPpont the author. We confess being;
sorry when she promises To marry "A Socialis.
Who Is also a boor and scamp. but then MIR
bernard Mott is such \ prcposterOus individual
that the sllliest puppct might be piti-i for
raining INTO ms clutches MI Moor" mas the !
narrative gift ANA is Just clever enough To be !
guile the reader into going with the tale. 80 I,
that the manner of Coralie's rescue may be |
learned. But this Is sadly mediocre ana trivial I,
stuff
The daughter Of "A recalcitrant clergyman an /
literary hack dwelling in Grub-st in the
days when the second George Was King. An /
tonia Thornton. thu heroine Of Miss Braddon's /
now novel seems at the outset destined To any !
thing but gay life. When a pron;.itc peer |
begins To pay court to her the outlook grows /
even 6Oomier. But Lord kITush is really IN /
love. when on his deathbcd he sends for An |
tonia. and they married just before ne
bTeathes his last Miss fraddou then proceeds /
L" describe the life of fashionable beauty OF /
that time. Her glimpses OF "A brilliant social /
not profoundly Illuminating but they /
Will pass. and Lady kirush. good hearted biit I
iTreligious. holds the attention. John Wesley /
figures personally in the book. His intluen..,.
plays larger part How il is brought to bear /
upon the heroine we leave the reader to find out
for himself. though ne may be warned that il /
requires some patience 10 get To- the climax |
The Iniidel" eXcites IN the whole but a Ian
guild interest.