New-York tribune., 1901-01-06
FICTION.
A CLEVER PORTRAIT OF AN INGENIOUS
SCAMP

ONE OF OURSELVES. By L. b Walford 12mO
PIP AS. Longmans, Green & Co.
THE FOURTH GENERATION. BY Sir Walter
Besant 12mo, PIP. S57 Frederick a. Stokes
PETERSBURG TALES By Olive Garne,t 12mo,
pp S6. HoughtOn, Mifiin Co.
Mrs. Walford does not repeat in her latest
novel the notable success of MIR. Smith and
of "The Baby's Grandmother" but she has
nevertheless told an entertaining story with
characteristic piquancy. shrewdness and sensi-
bility. She has ever had a special gift for the
description of what may be called tasteful love-
making-if this element is little less effective
in this book she makes up for the loss by the
presentation of highly competent rascal The
ingenuity with which she has indicated the
villany of this apparently amiable and excel
lent young man is to be highly commended
OF an easy temper and a kindly nature
matched to quick brains and an educated taste
William Farrell is hero of whom feminine
novelist may be justly proud. Somewhat
startling therefore, is the sudden revelation of
his baseness and brutal selfishness. He is a
mean cur and the sweetest girl in the book
loves him TO distraction, and from these two
facts rises the dramatic interest of the story
an interest which holds the reader To a too
hurried conclusion. There is a highly praise
worthy vigor and there is deft satire in the
The opening scene of Sir Walter Besant's new
novel is picturesque and we'll calculated to rouse
the interest of the reader We are introduced
to ancient English mansion round which
hang innumerable signs of decay. The master
Of the property is stately gentleman who has
not opened his lips for seventy years. though ne
Is and always has been in full possession of his
faculties. The story proceeds on this suggestive
plane. and for some time 1t is effective. But
then the author makes a serious blunder 1t is
made plain that the who committed the
murder which carries sorrow down to the
fourth generation is the silent solitary of the
crumbling house. but the members OF the family
are kept I'm ignorance of the fact. though the
truth practically stares then: in the face The
defect is palpable Sir Walters invention
seems To have tagged in lamentable fashion.
He keeps the story going by dint of his mar
ratve gift and through investing several Of his
characters with amusing traits. The gentleman
who poses as a prosperous lawyer. hut really
earns good living by secretly supplying after
dinner orators with their eloquence and humor
Is n droll individual and there is something 10
smile over in the poor solicitor who tries to col
lect bill of IL $3.50 for the maintenance, of his
grandmother. But there was a first rate story
to be made out of the chief situation of The
Fourth Generation and, regret L. say Sir
Walter Besant has not made IT,
Miss Garnetts best stories are less interesting
as stories than sketches Of Russian types and
social characteristics. The promise of dramatic
power that is held out by the first pages in her
Petersburg Tales remains only a promise and
the reader Is thrown back upon a consideration
Of the curious traits and ways which the author
studies BE it said to her credit that these
studies appear TO have been made at close
quarters; they have an air of truth of human
Uatu no iS
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