The San Francisco call., 1905-04-30
.(IW II ECLA SANDwITH.' the
first serious attempt by
a very capable young
writer to produce an
III important novel. has

received such high
praise from that accomplished author,
James Lane Allen, and such. notable
use by him as an illustration and
example in a general discussion Of
American fiction, present and anticipa-
tive, that the book seems close TO the
high importance that would be at
tacheo 10 a new one by the author of
The Mettle OF the Pasture" and The
Choir Invisible" himself. The young
and serious purposed novelist is Ed
ward Ufhngton Valentine and the book
a IS dedicated TO James Lane Allen in
friendship. Some allowance then must
be made for a possible friendship
caused favorable prejudice on the part
OF the critic complimented by the
dedication, but that such favoritism
= could 10 any considerable extent domi-
nate and sweFve a mind like Aliens is
not 10 be feared. So the emphasized
favorable judgment upon the work of
novelist seeking success by one who
has fully achieved fl makes "Hecla
Sandwith" worth some casual study if
for no other reason than to discover
something Of the quality which makes
e. this praise place il close TO being a
model of American novel-writing.
Setting aside the praise and consid-
3 ering the story just as an example in
the analysis OF the art of fiction as
prac5iced by American writers, it is
seen through this popular novelist's
eyes TO combine in itself two contend
ing tendencies in our national fiction.
One Of these is the trend toward be-
coming so short and SO light that it
viii be worth no able mans time 10
write one. The other is TO go back to
the old classic proportions Of such
models as were given us in the greater
English no-els of Thackeray. Fielding
81 and George Eliot.
In "Hecla Sandwith" Valentine laid
the foundations well for a novel of
the longer and more elaborate and
serious type, but he built upon this
broad foundation the superstructure
Of the light, short type OF American
novel and cut short the dramatic pre-
q sentarion Of the characters he had Sc
lected TO portray. Although there were
some three o. four love stories to de-
velOp. he does it all in about four
hundred pages.
For praise Of the book it is said
that from end TO end the reader en-
counters only rational psychology Of
thought and emotion; that its choice
OF theme was e great American one;
that the writer based the worth Of his
work upon the dramatic portrayal of
human character; that when he turns
from human life to descriptions of Ma
ture that environs IL his pages are of
surprising beauty; that when it comes
TO the art OF delivering his vision to
others he shows extraordinary liter
sry quality and that he combines
with the selection of a great story to
tell sufficient reverence for his art
70 let us hear the story in language
nodded after the standards ofo the
highest English style. This praise is
qualified. though, by saying that the
book is unevenly written, the flneness
is not omnipreseat through the pages
The scene Of the novel is laid in
Pennsylvania, in 1856 and among pio-
neers who are developing the mineral
wealth Of the mountains. The people
are Scotch-Irish and the principal
characters are Quakers. Hecla Sand
with is the daughter Of a Quaker
ironmaster. Joshua Sandwith. a
strong, stern man, who has retired
from active business because he is in
vaHded by an internal tumor. He has
named Hecla after his favorite fur
mace. She is devoted TO him Out of
this devotion comes the passionate
pain Of the chief OF the several love
stories.
The girl when but fifteen had a ter
rible impression made upon her mind
by witnessing the death Of her mother
from premature childbirth, caused by
fright in q lightning storm. From
this came, later in womanhood, an alb
normal feekng about wifehood. She
has two lovers. One is her cousin,
whom she will not marry because her
father has the Quaker prejudice
against such unions. The other is a
strong purposed English mining ex-
pert. whom she marries from a sense
of duty, but without loving. She has
q brother Of ignoble character
who is managing their mining prop
.rty and for him she suffers much be-
cause of wounded family pride and
ruin OF property. There is an estrange-
raent between her and her husband
which puts both characters to a severe
test. There are interesting minor char
scter studies surrounding these FIVE.
such is the story in bare outline
HecIa's character IS early developed
into feeling Of responsibility because
her father leaned upon her affection
after her mothers death. and because
she had the care of the little mother
less child born at the time of the
mothers tragedy. She is beautiful. but
has no strong attachment to the
Quaker or any religion. She discovers
early in herself a desire for control.
She had a face full Of melancholy
thoughtfulness. Her eyes were wide
set under a smooth brow. and the in
heritsnce of her fathers firmness show
ed in the mold Of her mouth. At the
time she attracted her English lover.
HaIlett. she is described as follows:
The girls voice, of an exquisite
quality and modulation. affected him as
no voice had done before. The ewes
eAded 70 she snell she exercised over