New-York tribune., 1902-01-05


PIP. vi 993. Mcclure, Phillips & Co.
THE SEVEN HOUSES. \ Romance. By Hamil- /
Drummond. With Frontispece by a. For
restier. Emo, PIP. 300 Frederick A Stokes
Company.
Marriott not watson i2mo. pp sl2 Harper &
Brothers
Mrs. Woods has written in her Sons of the
Sword" a Napoleonic romance which has the
virtue of substituting for the magnoquence
and tinse in which so many noveIists have pre-
sumed to wrap their portraits" of the great
Emperor a tissue of incidents and strokes of
Characterization which have at least a certain
human crediblity, Especially has she taken
pains to avoid too serious conception of her
task. Now and then that task has obviously
been 4 little difficult. After ALL the author who
attempts to make tremendous historical figure
and remarkable historical war part and parcel
of a love story is bound to strike occasional
note calculated to make the reader smile where
he ought to preserve his gravity. But there are
comparatively few passages of this sort in the
present story, which is written indeed, with a
sincerity and a natural liveness to which we
can pay cordial tribute The heroine is clever
and charming Irish girl. practically a prisoner
in France. but free enough to come within
Napoeon's circle and treat him to unprece-
dented defiance. AS she finds her lover in that
circle and thereby incurs the wrath of the En-
peror, the result may be imagined Poor Hector
Vidal. the favored mortal aforesaid, is led
pretty dance. He gains reward which ought
not to be any the less gratifying to the reader
because it is not precisely the reward that is
bestowed as a rule. upon the hero of a novel
in these days.
The author of The Seven Houses" rather
tries our patience in his Introductory chapters
through burdenng them with details of
hi.
cient astrooger than seems at all necessary to
the case But with a little good nature this
defect in the book is soon put in its proper place.
and no one who has once begun the story of
Denise de Lhoeac is likely to leave any part OF
it unread This lovely French maiden is left
practically alone with great property. and ac-
cOrdingly with great responsibilities. The horo-
scope to which reference has been made en-
bodies a warning against family encroach-
ments and priestly craft.
When priest kin hath aught to win.
Then trust thou least both kin and priest
so runs the message of the stars" and Denise
is not long in discovering that the mysterious
Jacopo RavelIi knew what he talking about.
If she gains stout friends she also gains per-
sistent enemies and though happiness is ulti-
mately her portion, she reaches it only through
many a dark and thrilling hour. The story is
smoothly and vivaciously told the style being
adapted with admirable discretion to the spirit /
of the old time in which Mr.. Drummond has
found his material
We wish that Mr.. Watson had used little
restraint in fixing the style Of The House
Divided" no doubt the noble folk Of Georgian
times used many Of the words which scat .
tered through these pages, but are quite
sure that they did not sound on their lips as
they sound in this romance There is too much |
Of Wardpur Street in the speech Of Mr.. Wat /
sons personages, just there is too much
fustian in the texture of the story a whole. !
Happily there is just enough of honest romance, /
also. to keep from tossing the book aside /
before the end is reached. The efforts Of Mr.. /
Gerard Mallory. Of Vermont TO get possession /
Of the estate in England upon which he has /.
some claim are attended 10y Interesting adyen- /
lures. and while some of the things that hap
pen to him are rather conventional have to /
congratulate the author upon. at any rate. man /
aging a good climax Tn" last chapter. Mr. /
Watson has. indeed, so much capacity that We /
wish he would be more careful. Perhaps little /
more time spent in the production Of his writ /
ings would but strengthen the gallant spirit .
which he puts into them and enable him to
prune away the trivialitics of dctiou which .
threaten to counterbalance his irdubitabIe
merits.