New-York tribune., 1902-07-20

iiE E rckiINCE OF THE CAPTIVITY. BY sydney
Ni'er' LIMO, PIP. S46 l.. c. Page & Co.
Nth WSiI2NS TuitCttILY FotLY By Richard Harding Davis.
E NJ MHpbieton Rtn Clark. Howard Chandler Christy.
$40. Charles Scribner's Sons.
beautiful and tender idyI is the story of the
glrl Sheila, an idyl flooded with sunshine sweet
WIN the undertOne of mountain winds of buzz
ing honeybees and softly ripping waters
contrasting with it's charm OF wild grace and
innocence is the mystery and tragedy that
haunt Celtic romance with inevitable gloom
sorrow and hate and cruelty blend with the
sprlngllke beauty and freshness of the tale and
the transitions are managed with praiseworthy
sklll. There is one chapter, 1.-THE Hunt Din
ner founded, we imagine on truth, wherein
is set forth with thrilling power and sim
plicity unusual in a womans work terrible
episode of sporting life. The whole story in
deed, shows true talent and conscientious effort
The Catholic" leads us away from the ele-
mental tragedies OF a wild countryside to the
equally grievous but pettier tragedies of society
In great modern city. The heroine, Lady Eva
Is particularly well drawn. She is a girl Of
strong character of domneering will. one whose
generosity is as great as her love of power.
whose very follies have in them something Of
nobility. All the fine qualities which in a man
would have moved to the judicious government
OF his kind she turns to the service Of her
Churcn; but Jealous, despotc. undisciplined and
conceited as she is, she is more of an embarr1ss-
ment than a help. In the end she retreats,
wounded and defeated, before individual ana
social forces which resent the unconventional
and fly from too lofty and uncomfortable ideals.
Eva Is an anomaly, a high minded and clever
goose, who, lacking common sense comes to
grief in the earnest exercise of all that is best
n int ie
Cardinal Grimsby, in whom is portrayed, no
doubt a real parsonage of the past. one of the
greatest princes of the Roman Church known
to English life.
A prodigiously long and highly absurd novel
is that in which the lady known as sydney
c. Grer' works anew the Zenda mill In vari-
GUS preceding volumes she has traced the ad-
ventures Of queens. courtiers. diplomatists ana
romantic British travellers in regions round
''the Balkans and thereabout. Here she
again takes up the threads Of her previous
story. involves old characters in fresh difficult
ties, and brings new characters into the fore
ground. Perhaps she is justified in using ma
terial based the actual histories OF divers
royalties-at any rate, this she does. one Of
the characters Of her novel. for example is an
archduke who discardng his rank. disappears
into the void, and is supposed to have been lost
in the wreck Of mis- yacht. The necessities OF
her tale oblige him. Of course, to turn up again
and We find him masqueradng as J. Bertram
Steinherz American Of many millions We
do not need 70 80 further than the romance Of
Johann Orth' TO find the foundation OF this
/ portion Of the Story.
1t would be interesting 10 know where the
author found the original Of the extraordinary
creature introduced as the beautiful dauchter
Of steinherz Born and brought up in the
/ United States It must be supposed that she rep
r"ssnts To Miss Mrs. Grier the perfect type Of
/ tn American hciress OF to-day. She is de-
scribcd as having had every advantage Of edu-
cation. training and association that enormous
/ wealth could give-and she has only rudimen-
/ tdry traces OF refinement. he talks like the
I'ow"ry tough gal" Of the stage and her ideas
"f social functions seem 70 be those extant In
tn backwoods OF 1910 Say, Maimie" I'm
/ on ana real elegant are phrases continually
on her lips; she observes at frequent intervals
that she would admire to- do this that or the
other; and she exclaims at appropriate moments
Il want To know She is in truth u comic be
ing, and offers the only reason for hasty
perusa of a very stupid and far-fetched story.
The stories collected in Mr.. Daviss new vol
umr some il not all Of them already made
familiar 10 the public through the magazines,
are uneven in quality. The first and the last Of
the five are capital The others cannot be said
~ fl.f 4N tot