New-York tribune., 1908-04-18
JAIN PRIDE.
VI. Bourgeois Story of an Unhappy
NObleman.

get. Translated from the French by George
Brnnn BurshSR ~ Ives i2mo PIP. sis Boston: Little
THE sIENTMENTAk Fon4N l. ADDxENTUREs DII OF JIMMY M
trated by .,Alonzo KimbaI. l2mo PIP. 374.
Charles Scribner's Sons
THE E,,,, G,aEERFUL II, sMUGGLERs By I:Iiis Parker
16mo. pr- 272 The Century Company.
NJ Bourget. like many contemporary nov
elfsts. is an assduous reader of the signs Of the
times. He writes not man OF invention but
as an observer of French society. He is not
interested in the individual but in the type.
Though he has a story to tell in The Weight Of
the Name" it is told chiefly to illustrate the
difficulties encountered by man of the old
regime. living amid the changed conditions
Of the present day. His central figure is a
obleman whose character is founded
spect for the past. This distinguished Marquis
de Ciaviers- -Grandchan1p is nominally possessed
OF every source of happiness. but he has out
lived his time. and there is no real place for
him in the world wherein he seems TO be so
fortunately placed To begin with. his heir
insists upon falling in love with a widow who
has youth and beauty but in whose veins there
is no trace OF the sacred ichor of nobility. More
over. as soldier, this headstrong lover is
dered TO take part in one Of those episodes of
conflict between Church and State to which we
have lately had occasion TO refer in reviewing
NJ. Bazin's story Of THE Nun 1t is true that
young Landri has the courage to stand by the
convictions OF his family in this matter. and he
thereby gives some consolation to the unbending
aristocrat who has baked at his proposed mar
riage. But NJ. Bourget must exhibit his beated
noblernan a for whom the cup of sorrow
is filed TO overfowing. The dishonesty of
trusted servant threatens 10 strip the marquis
of all his wealth, and, as though this were not
enough. a sin committed by his wife in
her grave, is brought TO light. He learns that
Landri is not his son. but the of his nearest
friend who gives the final touch to his humlia-
ton by dying and leaving him a fortunei
Obviously, 1t is not pretty picture that NJ.
Bourget draws and in the drawing of it he is
sorely handicapped by that lack Of hunOr which
has always marked his work. The book suffers
too from the authors uncertainty of touch.
There is kind of vagueness about his attri
button Of the proud nobleman's discontinue to
social and political developments. AS matter
Of fact the troubles set forth in the tale would
appear to have sprung from his wife's crime.
and this might have been committed in any
epoch. On the other hand, by dint Of exhibiting
the marquis a sort of survival moving un-
guardedy amongst the periIs Of a new and un-
sympathetic order. he has considerably height
ened the pathos of the portrait. 1t is an inter
esting portrait, more interesting than any of
the mildly dramatic incidents which go to form
its frame
The hero of Mrs Van Vorst's sequence of
short stories is a man to delight the soul OF the
sentimentalist 10 whom the book is clearly
addressed. Jimmy Bulstrode is generous. i'm
pulsive and romantic. He is rich enough to
indulge the philanthropic whims which move
him. and he is, into the bargain, a handsome.
well hammered, clever Individual. He has eight
adventures. The first Of these is conventional
enough. A ragged OutCast rings his doorbell
and. though frowned upon by insolent but
ler. is presently put into comfortable clothes
and invited TO draw up TO good dinner.
few hours later this lucky tramp is involved
in situation with the butler aforesaid, from
which there flow altogether satisfying results
II is a pretty Christmas story Of the stereo-
typed sort. Thenceforth. however, Mr.. Bull
strode's adventures have nothing stereotyped
about them Mrs Van Worst devises them with
originality and with some skill. They all
sentimental and they the worse for
that in so far the new motive introduced
I'm each case is concerned. But the special
sentimentality that runs all through the col
lection j. not by any means so pleasing. For
some reason that Is quite incomprehenslole
the author seems to have thought it interesting
to represent her hero in love with another
mans wife and perpetually engaged in kind
of filtration with her. The ladys husband, we
are allowed 10 gather. is a brute. II is also
sbov-p that Mr. Bulstrode is every inch
gentleman running away from the siren when
he is tempted to throw prudence to the winds.
T3ut these circumstances scarcely excite SYM
,,a4bx for our philanthropist Indeed. they do
no,bing tc diminish the unpleasantness or the
atmosphere in which his transactions are en-
,-elo,,aa The tastelessness of this side OF the
hook ie perhaps the more noticeable because
II - so completely unnecessary Mr- Bul-
a,d all
l,,,,,Id have been celebrated quite well with
ut the morbid love affair that pushes its way
through the book
..r,To cheerful SmuggIers" is q decidedly
,taarr,,l hit of nonsense Other writer's OF
60. have no doubt found suggestions OF fun
=, -b.. behavior Of a young man and his "lre
,heorhad in contemplation of their BABY but l.
,,ar,sined for Mr Butler to think of such pair
as creating tariff system for the behent Oh
,beir infant The Fenelbys are resolved that
,ba;r child shall be sure of a college education
when he arrives at the proper age TheN begin
"a save for this purpose by putting all ther
,,ennies into little pottery pig but they soon
eae that this will not roll up large enough
fund and they decide to tax themselves TOT
,.,,arrtbing that comes into the house-10 per
cent for necessities and 30 per cent for uxuries.
II would seem impossible to pursue story
,e,,,r,. with SO absurd joke this but it
&c worth y hiIe TO perseyere. TWO friends come
IN stay with the Fenebys, this visit supern-
d,ces droil tariff complications, and besides, in
me BACKGROUND, make things the more pre-
r,os,eror,s there is always Bridget. The little
tale is almost too slight to have been put within
the covers of book but there is no denying
that il raises a laugh.
,r,, necessity of paying a compliment to