New-York tribune., 1908-06-20
GENIUS.
Il Norelists Idea of Its Manner OF
Grorth.

NJ
John Lane Company.
DIANA OF DoBsoN's. BY Ceciiy Hamilton
THE ISLAND PHARISEES. BY John Galsworthy.
Revised edition. l2rno, PIP. Z, BIZ e. p Put
nam's Sons.
The novelist who would make his hero out TO
be a genius faces difficult a task as when he
tries TO dover his heroine not only with beauty
but with charm and wit. In fiction. at any rate.
YOU cannot take genius on faith He must
prove the stuff that is in him. The author must
show you character In action, he must not
merely talk about il. The conventional mooe
In the romantic portrayal of genius is to take
his powers for granted, exhibit them as over
borne bv fell circumstance and then bring in the
heroine 10 set all things straight with her love
But We are nothing if not psychological to-day,
and SO Miss WilIcocks tries to go to the root
Of the matter, seeking to lay bare the springs OF
her heros development. He is a farmers son.
born in obscurfty, but with strain OF good old
Devon blood IN his veins. His surroundings are
not precisely encouraging. Though his mother.
who adores him. has some strength Of charac-
fer she is narrow minded and looks askance at
his ambitions even while she devotedly strives
to forward them. His father is a drunkard In
the neighborhood there two men Of educa-
-io- who are kind to him, a cynical but wise
old doctor and a clergyman possessed of lovely
daughter Ambrose Vellys life is therefore not
wholly without sympathetic contacts. What is
he to make of il? How is he to rise above MS
home influences and profit by those which lie
lust outside? How, finally, is he to discipline
and exploit to the best purpose his own tempera-
rnent2 Miss Willcocks. proceeding to answer
these questions as well she may, tells fairly
interesting story.
Two women love Ambrose Velly. One is the
clersynan's daughter already mentioned-high-
o1NSt tir,ovc
that her fathers protege may make the best of
all that is in him and express the genius that
she knows he possesses in great architectural
monuments. Thyrza, her rival, is pretty lit
t1a r7,stic incapable of understanding the intel
lecrusI side of her lover, but passionately
enan1orred of him that for his welfare she
would lay down her life. Which Of the two does
Ambrose marry. and which renders him the
greater service-Thyrza, the unthlnklng, or
Princess Damaris, the grave fdealist? That the
reader must he left 10 find out for himself. The
aim of the author is. indeed, not so much to
show her hero as simply a man in love with TWO
women but as genius struggling through MS
relations with those two to realize himself. AS
they stir his soul they contribute to the evoiu-
.ton If his character. In other words. genius.
while implanted in mans soul at his brth' Is
warped or nourished by his experience Of life
ment in work Of fiction. and. remembering
tho adn7ira bile qualities of Miss Willcocks pre-
,-iors hook The Wingless Victory, we were
nrenared to find some Illuminating touches in the
present volume. They are there, but hardly IN
the ANTICIPATED number. The story sofneho"
lacks substance. 1t is long drawn out Win
trifing incidents, too many of these reiatlng 10
q pbase of feminine. character which is oeter
touched briefly. Thyrza's emotions get altef d
while. on ones nerves. and Damaris Is little less
tiresone Worst of all, young Ambrose laAs u
touch the imagination. He is one OF those men
.. genius whom we have to take on faith. Yet
~ ,1o,Id not be possible to consider this mover
So seriously if the author had not streak OF
een,ine ability She is tedious this occa-
sion. as we had never thought it possible mat
,be author Of THE wingless Victory could be.
b,t even So she holds Family felt through
mn, is the instinct of the writer who deals not
IN ruppets but in human nature. We relnquish
the book regretful Of its inferiorty TO It's pred
ecessor. but hopeful that in her next novel
Miss willcocks will regain lost ground
..1,iana of Dobson's' is a romance to warm
the heart Of the sentimental school girl The
heroine is a. downtrodden servitor In London
sbop bitterly unhappy and burning to taste the
Tow Of life if only for an hour WrathfuiIy ex-
claiming over her sad lot in the company OF
some of her fellow victims, she recklessiy ex-
claims. Il sometimes feel feel to-nisht-as
If would give my immortal soul 10 live-)ust
uva-for a week. AS pat as the figure OF
Menhistopheles in the play the god from the
machine answers Diana's appeal letter ar
;ves apprising her Of the fact tfat the death OF
. distant cousin has placed three hunoreo
pounds AT her disposal. She is advised TO put
the money in the bank The ldea strikes her aS
merely humorous In the hrst place she pfo-
noses to chuck Dobsons with every ,'i'ui,i-
pc :. aaiebt and scorn The next step she