The sun., 1903-11-14
NEW BOOKS.
Dedicated to Mr.. Meredith.

Mr. George Meredith has received 30
much high and discriminating praise that
1t may be he has grown callous TO it and
will not take the trouble to -jump an illu-
mined half-about' (see Lord Ormont
and His Aminta~ in grateful response
to what Mr.. Haldane MacFall says about
him in his novel "The Masterfolk" Harper
Bros). In dedfcating his book to George
Meredith. ESQ.," Mr.. MaoFall says "To
give you the salute of sovereignty. sir,
can add no little to your stature; but there Is
the soldiers delight in saluting conqueror
and to your bays there is no pretenoe Of
pretender This is reassuring as well as
complimentary. OF course Mr.. MacFall
would not deprive Mr.. Meredith of his
bays willingly. But sometimes these things
befall without intention, Bays bestow
themselves without asking leave; and Mr.
MacFall might find himself in possession
even while cherishing the most generous
and loyal sentiments.
The story is as good as the dedication.
The reader will be impressed by the humor
OF the intercourse between Noll and Meth
erby CONNIE in the opening chapters.
1Noll sighed. He turned, leaped onto his
Office stool, swung round, set his feet on
the bar, his elbows on his knees, his chin
in his palms, and, peering at the other out
OF the shadow from under the brim Of his
hat, said, gloomily: oh. lori the little
typewriter girl! Why the dickens you
don't kiss Julia and have done with It,,
Netherby, can't make out. Hang it, I
have! 1t was very nice while 1t lasted and
all that, but there was nothing In it to write
poetry about! Netherby CONNIE flushed
OLIVER said he, with biting distinctness
we have not yet shown the resentment that
your vulgarity couEts but we would re-
mind you that we may be goaded into
finging the inkpot--' he stretched out
his long arm toward the large zinc we'll
OF ink before him. Noll slid off the STOOL
putting it between them with the swift and
calculated strategy Of experience, guard
ing his head with his raised elbow. Chuck
1t, Netherbyl he bawled dodging under
cover Of his desk warily: and he added
In hoarse aside, jerking his thumb toward
the editors door: Chuck It'll 1 withdraw
The yellow haired youth put down the heavy
inkpot. Noll saw out Of the corner Of his
alert eye that honor was satisfied
There are pages Of this-enough, even
though it Ia SO astonishingly good. Noll
says 4Chuck til" many times, and attacks
Netherby with peashooter; and Mr..
Ponsonby Wattles Folliott, who has fol-
lowed the typewriter home from luncheon,
Ia thrown downstairs by Netherby with cir
cunstance both brilliant and uncurtailed.
The story goes on to he story Of Bohemian
lie in Paris and London. The publishers
notice says that the life in question is here
written Of as no one he's written of it since
Du Marrier produced 'Trllby.'" We do
not know why it was thought necessary to
make the limitation; our own belief is that
nobody ever 50 wrote Of it.
In chapter which. the title tells us,
ESSAYS the high epic note,' we find an ao-
count Of the chastising Of Mr.. Quillian
O'Flaherty Macloughln Myre by femi-
nine hand This evidently comic gentle
man was declaiming in Paris cafe when
"a handsome young woman, sister to Gas
ton Latour, entered the place, walked
straight up to Mr.. Myre, and struck him
a sounding buffet on the ear that sent his
hat flying from his head. Quillian o'Fla-
herty STOPPING down in confusion to search
for the hat, she kicked him violently behind.
Then the girl fogged Quilllan with
a horsewhip thrice-once for France. once
for womanhood, and once because she
liked 1t. The whip whistled. 1t was said
that he had been seen to strike at her. but
she parried the blow with her left and coun-
tered between his eyes with the butt end
of the whip. which was loaded. He fell.
1t was Honeric.
1T was at this stage, 30 the scandal went,
that he scrambled under table; but abe
tugged at his collar to get him out; and as
he clung to the leg Of the table she gripped
him by the mustache 80 that she pulled
of one side of it. But abe herself owned
this to be as inartlstic as It was unntentional
stamping her foot with annoyance at the
mischance. Indeed, she apollo gized most
handsomely for, said she, pathetically
when she had got 1t she did not know what
to do with it. 1t was an anti-climax. She