New-York tribune., 1903-04-05
FICTION.
Il Romance of Roman Times by DIR.
Haggard.

PEARLHAPEM AR M 7 R, Tale Of the Fall ., JeTgsa 1g,o
lem .e, by d. Rloer Haggar6 Illustrated Iziho
PIP. 46S. LongmanS Green & Co.
ness. By G. Hanford Henderson, limo. pp 3S2
Houghton Miffn Co.
LORD LEONARD THE LUCKLEss,. By W. E.
Norris LIMO PIP. 2s-. Henry Holt Co.
THE STUMBLING BLOCK By Edwin Pugh- IL
lustrated by R. NJ Crosby. limo, pp 313 A s.
Some years ago it the fashion to talk of
Mr. Haggard writer who knew how to do
only one thing: to produce fiction Of an ex-
tremely fantastic and sensational sort AS
matter OF fact, he is of the most versatile
Of modern authors He has shown this not only
In writing, outside the sphere of the romancer
such admirable books as "a Farmers Year"
"a Winter Pilgrimage" and Rural England"
but in his proper field. 1t is not so very long
since he gave In "Lysbeth," romance of
the days Of Spanish persecution among the
Dutch work in striking contrast to his African
tales, and now with perfect ease he has treated
another and very different motive. Pearl
Maiden" is a story Of the conflict between the
Romans and the Jews in Judea, eliminating
in the fall of Jerusalem The author has made
good use of Josephus, and, indeed, this is as
elaborate historical romance the lover
OF that sort Of thing could ask Herod Agrippa
is introduced in the very first page, and in due
course meet Vespasan. Titus and Domitian,
with sundry other familiar figures But while
MT Haggard is true to history, and makes much
Of the struggle between Paganism and Chris
tianity he does not forget that it is his first
business to tell good story. He tells it, and
he tells it SO well that "Pearl-Maiden'' must be
ranked among his best books.
It is full of adventure, of terrible dangers met
on the battlefield and elsewhere. At the out
set the herone's mother and her old nurse are
presented listening to the roars OF the lions to
whom they to be thrown. Yet this
tive moves with a curious dignity. The style
is measured suiting perfectly the atmosphere
belonging to the theme, and the author man
ages at the time to avoid those rhetorical
affectatiOns into which novels of the kind so
often slip. The heroine, born under tragic cir
cumstances after her mothers escape from
the amphitheatre at Caesarea, is of course
Christian, and equally of course the hero il
noble Roman soldier who follows the faith of his
masters. This story of an historical war Is also
the story of the love OF these two. They have
more than differences of religion to cause them
trouble. The Roman has deadly rival in
Caleb, who is as honestly devoted in his love of
Miriam as he Is fierce in his hatred Of Marcus.
All three pass through extraordinary experiences
IN the course of the narrative That narrative
IS from beginning to end absorbing. Never has
Mr.. Haggard been more inventive or more skill
full His plot Is well constructed. and he con-
trolls the evolution OF the story with the art that
leaves impression Of absolute naturalness
We must add good word for the numerous
illustrations BY Mr.. Byam Shaw. They are
clevery drawn with the pen but they even
more to be praised for the freshness and variety
with which they have been designed
MI Henderson's -Jo!ln Percyield" is not so
much q novel as 1t is book Of discursive talk.