The Washington times., 1903-03-22


latest book. a collection OIL
short stories. the appropriately !
enigmatic title. The Better Sort" 1T
may mean that these are the better sort
OF the work of this author. or it may,
and probably does. mean that the tales
concern people whom he considers to be
the better sort OF human kind. In any
case. the book is thoroughly character
istic and perfectly accomplished. and if
there be readers who do not yet know
Henry James as he is. they can have no
better opportunity TO study him than
this
The .YnTk OF, Mr. James iDysriably
possesses certain definite qualities, so
marked and individual that one could
no more mistake a page OF his writings
for a quotation from any other author
than one could be doubtful about the
perfume of. say. Roquefort cheese. OF
moth balls. There is something per-
vasive and unmistakable about the
aroma OF James. and once fairly inhaled.
IT cannot be forgotten.
His name has long been a synonym
for the sort of book which the exclu-
sive can read for the sake OF attaining
a culture impossible TO other people;
and the desire Of being considered ex-
elusive is probably the only motive
strong enough 10 bring even a consci-
entious reader to the end of one OF his
works. There are some things which
even religious faith cannot compass.
1t takes something very like religious
faith, however, to appreciate Mr.. James
lie is the exponent of a sort OF social
mysticism in which we are TO under
stand precisely that which is not said.
For instance, when we are informed that
a thing is beautiful. or wonderful. or
horrid. we are to infer that it is quite
an ordinary happening of society; and
IL Mr.. James were 70 discuss anything
so intense as real tragedy or humor-
which he never by any chance does--tho
strength of the situation. would probably
be disguised in adjectivos as mild as
milk.
For example. we have in the first of
the stories. Broken Wings" the hero
wondering through four or five pages
why he has not happened to meet, at a
house party. a woman who is OF the
party and whom he used 10 know. A
Kipling or even a Ouida hero would
have walked up and spoken to the lady,
all unconscious OF reason why not; but
fmng gine the despair OF Mr.. James were
his weII-trained hero TO break through
all the Lilliputian nleshes OF silken- soft
scruple and deIicacy which his careful
creator has woven about him. No. the
James hero muses. after this manner:
1T was beautiful. for instance. that If
their failure 10 meet amid so much meet
ing had been of Mrs. Harvey's own con
trivance. he couldn't be in the least vul-
carly sure of it
That is the keynote OF Mr.. James
world. One is never vulgarly sure o.
anything; there is nothing so improper
as to be sure. in that common. coars,
way which the melodramatic hero has
that one will come out all right and viii
the lady in spite OF the lady herself anc
all her surroundings. including fate Tn,
James hero is sure neither of himself no
of anything else, and he so wraps him
self in a mantle of shimmering doub
that he leaves the reader. unless tn
reader happens to ne OF the EXCLUSIVE
cult. in a similar condition OF upcom
mon uncertainty.
Possibly the charm of Mr.. James
books consists In this very quality. Tn
faithful student finds himself at the en-
in that condition of mind in which he I
doubtful of all things IN heaven or cart
except one; he is mentally planted o.
the rock of firm belief that he himsel
is a selected oyster. proved by the fac
that he has read and enjoyed Henr
S$mes. The conviction. contrastin
strongly with the fog OF conjecture en-