New-York tribune., 1906-08-16
=. crsre- Writings of the Late
~Iohn OIiUer Hobbies"

..,.t ~ Mrs. Craigie terminated brief
l' ---,r,onlv productive career. Her first
= -.-.-,a Emotions and q Moral was pub
-, Sco1 and she brought out thereafter at
- s,,.n volumes Of fiction, six or seven
- .,olr ef travel and a number os essays.
- -, bv her is now fn press, and doubt
~. v-stings that she left Will be put into
g ---sIlz-. It IS TO be noted that she was a
Fl,s veil as an author. In all that she did
- -. 70 play the part OF an artist. and,
g he- work was uneven IN quality. especial
f-.-a the end. It always contained artistic
-, Her temperament was her richest re-
r she attracted immediate attention
-. made her first appearance as an au-
s de the pseudonyme OF John Oliver
:. vas because her readers recognized in
,,.eresting personality. a writer with an
..-vsntionsI outlook upon life ana faculty
N-l,usnt expression. These were the merits
,r for her a cordial welcome in The
-. II the very outset OF her career, and.
- hack over the fifteen years during which
- developed. We vividly recall the pleasure
-.s apt 10 come with book from her
"a. fortunate IN the moment OF her. en-
. rnon the scene. Mrs. Humphry Ward
-, che most conspicuous OF the popular
,.-.s oF her sex, the vogue OF Robert Els
- had not yet subsided. and people who
-, taste for theological fiction were prepared
...,vs with gratitude a writer capable OF
- them on serious, but not too serious
- Mrs. Craigie seized her opportunity
=, nth hands She could be serious-in fact
s-s vent on. she showed that she. in her
:. could be too serious-but at the moment
IS ready 10 subordinate her matter TO her
-..,sy and 10 I'll her pages with sheer clever
and vii How witty and how clever were
-, ssrly books OF hers, They made it plain
--,5rh that she loved e problem loved TO in
- q Few odd characters IN a situation diff
!, almost 70 the point OF fantasticaIity, and to
,-r,rsfe them with q bIithe disregard for the
~. rules OF the old three-volume novel But
!. has toe much sincerity. as she had too much
| = 4, be merely audacious and bizarre. Some
u. hy the time she had dismissed her people
! i. .hs end OF the book she had succeeded In
-,s,pg them very human ana plausible, and
"a iuto the bargain. provoked her reader TO re-
81 o. this or that phase OF modern life. Best
e,H she knew how to be brief. There was a
.EEaiful terseness and finish about her first
rass They had their huitations-a faint smell
Gs lamp. One surTnised that she had satu-
-ss herself II the work OF George Meredith.
Do noticed that she was as keen as Henry
s-ss n her search after names for her per-
r-sgss, and perhaps altogether too keen in her
arch after titles for her books. To call a clever
-.ss The Gods. Some MortaIs and Lord Wick
ztsn" seemed 20 be carrying originality just
rras 100 Car. She was always disposed 10 be
-as precious" IN her work. a little superior.
SI Il did not matter. She knew how TO write
nly brisk dialogue, and she took a consider
ne ssction Of the reading public by storm.
I'm came signs OF a change. The Herb
Ea." one OF the most brilliant things she ever
Tsa and one OF the briefest, was succeeded by
Ia School for Saints and, while that had its
-Ltnce II also had its J0n0ueUrs. Registering
aEihor's high water mark as a student of
nEzE and morals, IL re1oiced the hearts OF
Rtfhful and al the same time troubled them