New-York tribune., 1908-08-16
,rERIC4N M4RRL4GES.
Pobert Herrck's NoUeI on a
Familiar Problem.

r. Fohert Fe--ick. 12mo, PIP. 595-
l. Cr =. Vsc-aiila1 Company
| Bo.e-+ Ferrick has found the material
- novel IL certain phases Of Ameri-
..,nia- 10 every one and 10 every one
t.nv interesting. His object in To
= 1tf-.lNRs I - - show what some average men
bands = make Of marriage. The first couple
L. 8g - :, his pases dominate them down TO
L0ng19s1 =. he brings several Others upon the
+bat We may look al his subject at
began = angles He gives Us, as il Were
| itory .,5o- q American matrinony. It is
2 ucgs1 - things American. Here are all Of the
2rob=f . conditions which belong to this coun-
lt iaydr =. = - other, here are the types which
g-aT- a-s n nur ve-v soil The author knows
which . .--ae vel and his method is Photographic
book us--irk certainly makes good the claim of
accog asrr novelist to be contributor to social
Of eva
oblen = --inciIal heroine Is the daughter Of a
alton, "A A- rnarutacturer IL z Western town The
ne estsb - a--ies il the first chapter is already
And tisl- .,--e5 upon his career in the railroad
rate In -urx Their friends, who make the other
negro r ,es deal; with il the book all belong in
fh Cad =. cane social environment Some are
rs Wit ~ thar others but all are interested in
2st IN Il ustional problem Of getting or" Il is
Es-7cks ain 70 exhibit the development
1titude As-arter II the solution Of this problem
ave popu he reaction Of character upon the process
|lleck 71not undertake even the briefest outline
81 iSus handful Of Iiee histories told by the
! al tug{ ne tale would l,e toe complicated and
foloEis ,,c T. &c str,ule- and more profitable TO
the vi :. ~ me great merit which DISTINGUISHES
ersed book throughout Il has the merit Of close
owing Il e77npa:hetic rendering Of those innumer-
me Esz title flashes Of thought and emotion by
All jan krA human beings reveal their inner char
." Ne- -r Er Herrick is not IL any sense con-
n sprn= kzaTe artist BIS almost internnable
II up @ hangs together as though IL spite of it
! shod H. We follow ii Until this that marriage
u .srss -re has been disposed OF, but are never
Lr fghtFk kza aware Of any dramatic design. The
p tine that the author the art of the
les }-y-teIer IL the st-lct sense is at the end
we're ne " be lifts John Lane and his wife 70 plane
1esh to zual understanding and purpose: and then
IL little disappointed for the truth Of life
the h+ cs Il be sacrificed to the novelist's conven
6Ho IL desire for happy ending But can
x! frgEe the absence Of coherent organic
tuE the sake Of that accurate observation
f11un1ng a. times e positive clairvoyance
=at marks the authors various portraits
= as got under the skins OF his types, and,
= - T. more, though he has No clear
- F-1Ft purpose. he Is possessed Of a warmth
aE1gs kind O grave sincerity, which
coHtad 'A-'''' i''''-@
- Sc have called his method Photographic
|2k not &c say that he Is satisfied with crisp
-. t1s and AZ Una--lospheric fnpersonal no
| 49, F. q things seen. He IS genuinely moved
- .r ne shailoWness and selfshness which he
9 hs draws from the bitterness and futility
= ~ E1 family life q he describes a lesson
- te = between The lines and often explicitly he
80 2Sca-led to enforce He has no illusions
- dds II man who Is content to absorb him
s-s5 Z business and leave his wife TO work out
oEn Spiritual destiny. Neither is he
=. s,sras t~A y the frequent beauty and social
:. 70 ne f q The woman who gladly adjusts her
l. Il per- = Sr2'e o. affairs to her essential Vui-
Loa5s 4 - 4 soul He exposes the shortcomings of
=, Pr ~ and wife alike IL words that make
|hoglv IN sery page Of his book genuinely nlumi-
-a-sanaI f-s Il is Z book TO provoke thought
* then -SS serious readers, and for this reason
- ars-z 'Rfst The more certain defects which are
- 7otnt q . ot1calt to Understand in view of Mr..
/ ooIn Es* ms general good sense
. Fe!aiIoas between Cornelia Woodyard
|Eess vis