The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-01
nv Cow Hill. BY George Nv. Cable. Ill
ustrated by T. c. Tohn. Charles
Charles Scribnor's sons. New Yoris,

nv Cow Hill. BY George ~. Cable. Ill
ustrated by T. c. fohn. Charles
Charles scribnor's sons. New 3orss,
s.25.
cables New England novel, as was to
hive been expected, does not coInpare
With his work done In Southern SET"
ting Tho absorbing quality OF Inc
Grandisimmcs," and the unm1stakable
atmosphere of THE Cavalier' are az.
sent from ..Bylow Eiil." Tho new book
rs betrayed from end to end as de-
1ibernte piece OF laid out work, the
product Of professionalism rather than
the outpouring OF genius. ByloW ILL.,
Is not a failure, however. for 1t IS.
novel superior to the current deluge OF
trash: but it is disappointment
Cable should not abandon his South
ern field. He may go. like the tate Bret
1aarte, to live in a foreign place, OUT
AXE Bret Harte did, he should SUCK 70
the scenes in which his genus a"aheiieu
and gathered Ats first and deepest ana
most lasting Impressions Mr. Harte
wrote early California sketches and stor-
he's to the end of his life. Doubtless MT.
Gable will profit by this experiment In
the alien atmosphere wherein he now
resides. He mus. know, as rudiment
of his art, that authority is one or the
cardinal principles Of style rms mas
been proclaimed by the rhetor1clans
from Brintilian to Genung. II IS 10
KNOW what one Is talking about Doubt
less NJ. Cable has informed himself
rery well about the New Enghnders;
doubtless he can in q measure speak
with authority from his observation OF
their characteristics and manner Of Nv
5ns. but he can never pretend to write
6. true New Engand story, any more
Nan Miss Wilkins could write true
Southern story, for the very reason that
however long Miss Wilkins might hve
in Virginia she would still be known as
. Northern woman: and that however
long Mr.. Cable lives in Massachusetts
he will still be known as Southern
man It was only in the atmosphere
of the old West, when it was any mans
icountry, that any one who happened
;along could write it up In the new
West of to-day the man who did not
live in the old days. or who was not TO
the manor born. can no more convey
ats essential spirit into his pages than
che .kid.. writer's Of to-day can depict
,maturity. or the mature writer's Of to-
day can more than bluff at sensa.e
description of the life and times of
Jesus Christ or of the Roman Emperors,
or of Queen Elizabeth, or OF Henry OF
Navarro, or 70 Lief Erickson or of even
the -Four Georges and our own Revolu-
ton. The average historical novel Is a
travesty upon both history and the art
of literature; it might be called a bound
representation Of some amateur theatr1-
Gals. Take the absuruity of Mrs. Ather-
tons 1.-THE Conqueror'' for instance, in
which Alexander Hami..un is made a
fool Of, instead of hero. by the hys-
terical and unbridled imagination OF the
author Mr. Cable is prophet that
has honor in his own country; let MN
bask in the very attractive literary at
of Boston he likes, bul III
he cares to go any higher in letters he
should not essay to write any more New
England stories.
The story itself is simple one, or 1T
would be if the reader could only dis
ISOLATE the various characters and have
them recognizable from each other by
the time he reaches the end of the book.
They are nearly all Of them introduced
In the first few pages, and really 1t is
about all one mind can do to keep track
Of them as the story progresses. This
is O distraction for which an author is
culpable Also Cables old trick of |
merest allusion and leaving yards and
Yards to the ina gination is carried here
to excess. 1t tapers off at times into |
vagueness that is positively annoying |
The aristocratic Byingtons and Wins
lows in their old houses, planted gene |
rations since by Bylow Hill, and the |
southern Mrs. Morris and her daughter
Isabel, with few domestics and so on, |
are the dramatic personnel. Leonard
Byington, a succeeding lawyer and poll
tician, is in love with Isabel Morris, al |
though they are not declared lovers, they |
have tiff: Arthur Winslow. young |
steps in and nlarries Isabel.
The three little groups agonize over this
through many silent pages. Arthur,
rotten at heart in 1lendish and ground
less jealousy of Leonard, makes life
frightful for his wife and all those to
whom he is dear. One night, possessed
with this madress. he walks in his sleep, /
attacks his vito and fright
ms her from the house Tie awakens In
he belief that the bcdclothes he has
thrown in:o the pond are her lifeless
oody. She is in hiding on pretended
risi:. but after q time returns unawares
% hcr husband and child. and at the
sight OF her ha now practically a mad
nan. rushes away to his death.
Thc story Is a ,nasterls study OF Ger
ain salient New England Characters
icspitchcd upon n high-bred plain. It
. G pity that Mr.. Cable has presented
{ so obscure!y. As it Is 1t is doubtful
( any but those Rl,o have 6welt among
.ka New Englarders will grasp the fun |
dgniHcance Of 1t. The excessive studied, /
nheritod and conventional Puritan re.
preston OF those people. particularly in
he passions OF the heart, is slow breed
ne the inevitable misery of mistaken
'ilence. mental anguish. desolation and
despair. Its morbid products are pitt
nj order CT tho New England nun"
md Jealous monsters such as Arthur
became under its baneful in
iuencs. On the other hand. 1t flowers
neo such beautiful silent understand
nE between two people es that which
xistsd between Leonard 1>d Ruth By