Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13

1.-The Death of the Gods Exclusively author
lied Translation from the Russian Of The
Resurrection of the Gods" by Herbert Trench
New York: e. p. Putnam's Sons. Washing.
ton: Woodward & Lothrop.
Merejkowski is regarded as one of the
strongest forces in modern continental lit
erature. A Russian, he does not contine
himself to Russian themes as does Tolstoy,
or Tolstoy's younger disciple, Gorky, but
utilizes the rich materials of all Europe for
his historical romances. His present work
is the second of a great trilogy, which be-
gan with THE Death of the Gods dealing
with the times of the Emperor Julian and
describing the collapse of pagan worship
under the influence of Christianity. This
work supplements the first by dealing
with the reaction stimulated by the ar
tistic impulse which surged throughout
southern Italy in the latter part of the M
teenth century. The conflict between the
church and reviving paganism the one
hand and the church and its jealous critics
within the faith, led by Savonarola, on the
other forms the background for vivid pic
ture of Da Vinci, appropriately styled 1.-The
Forerunner." The portrait is realistic, the
approach to the man close and intimate.
He is shown in his feverish haste OF Work
at the long-finishing Cenacolo or Last
Supper in his distracted mathematical
calculations; in his enthusiasm and later
his despair over his flying machine; in his
love for Lisa Gioconda; in his activity as
court engineer, menUlUS pipes VI
devising gorgeous entertainments; In MS
anxiety for his students welfare; in short,
in scores of his remarkably varied phases.
There is no story in the book as novel
goes but there is no lack of romance. The
work shows the results of deep research
and is valuable in throwing a strong IiSht
upon the character and career of one of the
worlds most remarkable men, as Wen as
upon the moral and spiritual turmoil which
marked the close of the fifteenth and the
beginning of the sixteenth centuries.
THoROUGHBREDS By W. A. Fraser, author Of
.srhe Eye of Cod etc. Illustrated: New
YORK: Mcclure, Phillips & Co. Washington:
Woodward & Lothrop
1t is impossible to read this well planned
and briskly written novel without respond
ing in some degree to the appeal OF the
sporting instinct which exists in a measure
in every nature. The book is frankly de-
voted to turf matters. 1t is an exposition
OF the villainies that are practiced for the
sake Of winning-and losing-races. 1t does
not indict those who manage the great
game Of completely in crooked business,
but rather acquits them. Its charge is d.
rected against individual owners, trainers
and Jockeys, who do not hesitate to resort
to bribery, theft or even worse crimes to
gain their ends. There is much talk OF
dope" and 'breathers, and killings,
and the like vernacular of stable, paddock,
&,
entirely unfamiliar with the turf may at
times be seriously confused, though not
more so than in the maZes of Scotch dla-
lect story. The writer of 'Thoroughbreds
is beyond a question familiar with all
phases of the great game, from the finer
points of horse breeding and training to
the wonderful mazes of bookmaking. His
story is replete with plot, even to the
point of melodrama. 1t is deity woven
around a romance which adds a sentiment
tai interest to the readers concern for the
final undoing of the malefactors who so
nearly cause the complete wreck OF Hon
est john Porters racing stable. The novel
is distinctly one of the successes of the
year 1t will be remembered by readers of
The Star through having been published
serially in this paper several months ago.
THE DEEPs OF DELIvERANCE. By Frederick
Van Eeden Translated from the Dutch by
Margaret Robinson: Introduction by WIN H.
Washington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Van Eeden leads the list of living Dutch
novelists, standing in that school for the
same methods as those employed by lola
in France and Gorky in Russia. He is a
realist, but with finer psychological power
than Gorky, a cleaner touch than lola.
His realism is never gross to the point of
exciting disgust, even though he deals with
what are generally styled delicate themes.
In THE Deeps of Deliverance' he tells the
story of a woman's degradation in conse-
ouence of her own impulses, and of her
final publication by faith. The story is I'M
pleasant 1t deals with a theme which can
never be made attractive. Whether it has
a moral value or must be regarded merely
as a misguided effort to wiring uplifting
truth out of the murk of life remains for
the reader to determine for himself. There
are in it some remarkable passages, in
dicatng close study of human nature and
alSrti
story, is woman of emotions, morbid as
child and Maynard as woman. She can be
rated only as an exceptional character, yet
her faults are not unusual only their Gull
mination is, fortunately for society, out of
the ordinary. Still her case may be that Of
a majority of those who have fallen. If so
the problem of social publication is indeed
difficult of solution. for the evil results
spring in that case from temperamentai
unbalances and not from accident.
ley Lee author of The Shadow Christ,
etc. New York: G. p Putnams Sons. Wash
ington: Woodward Lothrop.
Mr.. Lee devoutly believes that reading is
a lost art, and looks upon the literary field
of today with a pessimism which seems
hopeless 1t is to be feared that he has
overrated the evils of the present stua-
ton, or rather moderated the capacity Of
the people today to read much and profit
thereby. His own works are not calculated
to cause many converts to his view or to
correct the bad reading habits of the null
titude. His appeal is in fact to the COM
paratiye few, for it is couched in obscure
terms, and, therefore, is aimed-almost
deliberately, it would appear-over the heads
of those who read voraciously and without
a maximum of profit Naturally Mr.. Lee
charges the daily newspaper with large
share of responsibility for the state Of
things which he regards as bad. He in
diets the world of trivial skimming, of
failure to select with discrimination, of an
indsposition to research and a general
falling off in taste. 1t is not to be readily
agreed that this is the case. There are
assuredly more readers than ever before,
because there is vastly more reading mat
ter within reach of the multitude. and per-
haps a larger number of readers of the
class which Mr.. Lee holds in such thiniy
yelled contempt. But there are more who
are able to read, and the proportion or IN
different to studious readers need not be
the greater in consequence. II all readers
were of the dilletante class. such as Mr..
Lee must be. particular to the point of
being fnical, and reveling IN symbolism
and anegory. there would be no use what