The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-30

UsTIN HUNTLY MCARrHY's new
novel, The Dryad," just published
~ by the Harpers, well sustains the
high reputation of this author and play
wright. The whole conception of 'The
Dryad" is daring, but Mr.. Mccarthy has
so well mastered the elements of romance
and imagination, and clothed them with
strong human interest, that the illusion
of reality, upon which fanieful tale must
always depend for it's effect, is never for a
moment lost. Stories based in part upon
an impossible hypothesis, yet true in 9TH
er respects to the facts to human expert
ence, have always a certain charm Of
their own, If the author have the wit to
work out his conception plausibly, and it
is for the successful manner in which this
has been accomplished that The Dryad"
Is primarily to be recommended.
That Justin Huntly Mccarthy author
of IF | Were King" 1.-The Proud Prince"
and Others is frequently confused with
his father, Justin Mccarthy, is not sur
prising, since, besides being of the same
name. they are both historians, both
novelists, and both have been members of
Parliament 1t is. however. as an his
torian that the elder Mccarthy is best
known, as the author OF the famous His
tory of Our Own Times and though
Justin Huntly Mccarthy began his liter
airy work by writing verse and history, it
was through the historical romance and
drama. IF l Were King" that he sud-
denly leaped into popularity The essen
tial quality of Justin McCarthy's novels
has always been dramatic; his books pre-
sent swift dialogue, that requires but
little rewriting to fit 1t for the stage.
Mr. e. II. Sothern, in The Proud Prince"
and IF / Were King" will long be re-
membered by theatre-goers, for seldom
has this talented actor been fitted with
parts more suited to his versatile gifts.
Justin Huntly Mccarthy was born in
1860, and though yet young man he looks
even younger than he Is He was edu-
Gated at University College in England,
and afterwards became a journalist. He
has travelled extensively in Europe. Egypt,
the Holy Land, and the United States. In
1881 he began writing books. When but
twenty-four he was elected member OF
Parliament, and retained his seat until
1S99-a period of eight years. After the
defeat of Parne.l he left Parliament, and
devoted himself to literary work Besides
being an author. he is also we'll known
as a lecturer and dramatic critic. As a
public speaker he is extremely witty. Mr.
Mccarthy Is fond of athletics his favorite
recreations being hunting. cycling and
playing golf He Is a member of promi-
nent clubs on both sides of the Atlantic.
When at nome. Mr.. Mccarthy lives in
Westgate- on-Sea, a little seaside town in
Kent. England. The house Is on the crest
of hill, and is surrounded by spacious
cards Mr.. Mccarthy has given his home
the name of "Herdholt" which is the
name of the dwelling of the famous Scan
dinavian hero, Olaf the Peacock, in the
Icelandic Laxdaela Saga, one of his ia
Vorite books Olaf was the son of an
irish princess, and It was the association
CT his own country with a northern legend
that prompted Mr.. Mccarthy in the NAM
ing of his home. 1t was at Herdholt that
1.-THE Pr )ud Prince" and others novels
were written.
On first opening "The Dyrad' 1t strikes
one with a sense of pleasurabe surprise
to find a French soldier of fortune astray
in the woods of Eleusis, where the ancient
Grecian mysteries were wont to be cele
brated; and as one reads on he discovers.
If he does not know 1t already, that in
the beginning of the fourteenth Gentry the
land of Greece was held, In large part, by
French invaders, who styled themselves
dukes of the various cities which they
had taken by violence and lived in them,
without regard to classic tradition. after
the manner common to medieval harons
sill over Europe. The author has certain
" chosen a novel and picturesque setting
for his tale. and we may well believe his
asserveration that abe history of the
ages has no stranger. as 1t has no more
bravely PAINTED page than that which
records the rule of the French dukes In
Athens and Peloponnesus" Into this set
ting Of medievallzed Greece. Mr.. Nc
carthy has introduced number Of most
enjoyable characters. he one who first
captures the readers attention being the
aforesaid soldier of fortune. one Simon Of
Rouen. who is rascally fellow enough,
and vet preserves certain manliness
through his rascality which somehow wins
him the readers respect. Simon is an adj
mirable foil for the daintiY conceived