The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-29

phrey Ward, author of Eleanor ana
Robert Elsmere.o with Illustrations by
Howard Chandler christy Harper
Brothers.
The storm of discussion which has gath
cred around Mrs. Wards novel; Lady
Roses Daughter" brings to mind the fact
that there is no surer proof Of the great
distinction of a novel than in the treat
ment 1t receives from critical reviewers.
There is scarcely a newspaper In the
country, large or small, which has not
approached this English novel in the at
titude of careful scrutiny and almost
hypercritcal attention. Points which in
lesser novels of English or American orr
gin are accounted of no Importance and
passed by without comment are raised to
prominence by the reviewers of book
of real consequence; and this fact has
never been more evident than in the case
of Lady Roses Daughter which In its
relation to the critics seems to repeat the
conditions once surrounding the appear
ance of a novel by Thackcray or by
George Eliot. The fact is noteworthy not
only on account of the interest in Mrs.
Wards story, but because it confirms the
respect In which American reviewers
English readers.
There is no doubt concerning the de-
mand for copies of famous novels TO
which the authors autograph is affixed.
The two-Volume edition of Lady Roses
Daughter which was autographed by
Mrs Humphrey Ward at the request of
the Harpers. and which was limited To
$50 numbered sets, was exhausted in ex-
actly two days.
Mademoiselle lie Breton-but let the au-
thor describe her as she appears first at
the head of the stair, to be stared at by
Sir Wifred
She was not handsome-that surely
was his first impression. The cheek bones
were too evident, the chin and mouth too
strong. And yet the fine pallor of the
skim the subtle black-and white, in
which, so to speak, the head and face
were drawn, the life, the animation of the
whole-were these not beauty or more
than beauty? As for the eyes the car
rage of the head, the rich magnifcence
of the hair, arranged with an artful
eighteenth century freedom as Madame
Vigee LIE Brun might have worn it-wlth
the second glance the effect of them was
such that Sir Wilfred could not cease
from looking at the lady they adorned.
1t was an effect as of something over
loving. over brilliant, an animation, an
intensity, so strong that at first beholding
a bystander could scarcely tell whether II
pleased him or no.
That Mrs, Wards brilliant novel of
which Julie lie Breton is the over-bril-
liant heroine is a masterpiece Of English
literature is the universal comment Of
both the English and American critics,
and it needed no intimation on the part
of those critics who attempted to dis
cover a plagiarism to create the present
keen interest In the book. 1t would have
achieved the same success without the
repeated criticism that Mrs. Ward Dor
rowed much of the story from the life,
letters and adventures of Mile julie de
Lespinasse, who was prominent In the
social life of France at the end of the
eighteenth century. The absurdity of
charging the author with plagiarism is
being vehemently condemned, both by
the readers of Lady Roses Daughter"
and of the Life and Letters of Mile de
Lespinasse,' but Mrs. Wards confession,
which follows does not lose in interest:
II have, of course, made 1t sufficiently
plain, both by calling my heroine Julie
and by several references and passages
In the book itself, which will have ap-
pealed al once to those acquainted with
that treasure house of human psychology,
the world of French memoirs Some years
ago when reading the French letters of
Mile de Iespinasse, | was struck with
the dramatic possibilities of the situation
between her and Mime. du Deffand. Ger
tain figures and incidents of modern En-
gllsh life rushed into my mind at the same
time. and modern Julie seemed to stand
and move before me. Alack, 1t was not
possible for me to follow the sad and, I
fear, shameful, story of the olu Julie very
far; not for me at any rate, who prefer
to believe in and paint the kindlier issues
and possibilities of human fate
and IL your readers had been able to
trace my sources acknowledgements
they had cared enough about the tale to
e%~~~~~~~<S-e-~-e
names of the royalty of Europe, Official
ly as members.
The history of the work in Paris is in
teresting, 1t having been started there
by one young woman. She felt in her
heart, as she saw her young sister grow
ing into womanhood, that there was an
influence she needed in her life; having
come from England and knowing of the
Young Women's Christian association
there, she felt that this was just what
was needed In Paris. She went to a num-
her of people in it's interest whose SYM
pathies were not enlisted, Finally, going
to a pastor with the work on her heart,
he was impressed that 1t was a needed
work. Striking emphatically on the ia
BILE, he said:
4 will help you"
Since that day the work has grown and
there are now over a dozen branches in
Paris alone: so large is the city, and so
much has there been to do, it has been
necessary to make this division.
Italy, Norway, Sweden, Russia-even
China. Japan and Australia have been or
ganized.
Coming to England, we see the work
at its zenith. Lady Kinnaird was the
founder of the Young Womens Chris
tian ASSOCIATION. Miss Emily Kinnaird,
n member of the worlds committee, and
Miss Edge of India are visiting a num-
Der of cities in the United States on be-
half of Zenana mission in India. which
was also founded by Lady Kinnaird.
In London, in 1892. was held the prelim-
mary conference of the worlds commit
tee, though the association individually
had started on their mission so many
years before this, this was the first con-
ference looking to a worlds committee.
In 1894 the organization was completed
having its headquarters in London.
Here, the chairman of the worlds COM
mittee, the gifted Mrs. Herbert Treitton,
has her town residence. her country home
being some miles out from London. She
is the mother of eight children, and has
many social responsibilities. The Treit-
tons are people of great wealth. giving
largely to London charities and to good
works.
1t was interesting to hear Miss Barnes,
while she was in Birmingham, recall the
visit of the princess at Windsor, at the
time of the first worlds convention held