New-York tribune., 1909-10-20
The Storu of Helen Retold By Mr..
Maurice HeScIett.

addressed himself. IN a Meredithian way, to
more modern themes. In the novel and the col
lection of verses which he put forth only a
fiffle while ago there also disclosed GER
tain classical enthusiasm. Ideas of Artemis
have greatly stirred him. New. in The Ruin
Gus Face" q brief tale. he puts into hts charac-
teristie prose that version Of the career OF
Helen which brings her. at the end OF all her
adventures. 20 q self-inhicted death in a grove
~ trees Very chaFmingly does he set forth
The process BY which she is driven 20 this way
out from an intolerahe posture OF affairs. He
shows Us Helen fairly happy in her subsection
20 Paris. but revivfng in her bosom e love for
Menslens strong enough 70 make her his ser
want IN the last iagenious campaign against
Troy. The King gets her hack. because she has
come 20 be more than willing. but IN the very
instant of their reunion she realizes that his
passlon Is no nobleF than was that OF Paris
Mr Hewiett's aim is to bring out the spiritual
element in her nature. 10 portray . Helen whose
bodily beauty betrayed her when her soul was
Eet upon lofty things. To escape from the deg
radiation cf a purely material thraldom she
slsys .enelaus as ne sleeps, but when Eutyehes,
who has put the sword IN her hand. comes TO
take her away, she sees that she has ended one
misery only 10 assume another. Thus Mr.. Hew-
aett closes his narrative
she said % him: 7 win go now if thou wilt help
he sas q VIM help thee when can an
was horribly sfraid She said, 7 knew not whether
Have not proved that 5o tbees Did not give
the the sword with which 10 free thyselt. =,
yea. she said 'hut have treed lnyseit IN
fe stretched eut his arms TO her. saying: "Free?
TOO. am free 10 love thee'
sosd Sih wicked bload STAY thou here, Euyches
and ] viii purify myself and be as thou Wouldst
And 6e let her 90 with a kiss, saving: BE quick
Then Helen sFess and wen. eut Of the ehamber
s.a ont eI me hense laeo 1he garSfn Au and llS
Shsiks indeed 4 Thai az nos know the Way Of peace
AND then she went further into the grove Of leg
trees where the altar and The IMAGE stood, ang
T aeek Ana ss eloms the srsS snd tied "a ths f end
ward sasI herself down, and hung there quite sun
And the cord which she used vac SILK, and had gi-t
her ralmsnt about her, below her iaiF breasts
The grave but sufficiently swift movement Of
this elinsx is typical Of the piece. Mr.. Hew
lett contrives 10 pack a good deal ef drama
snte his short narrative. without the loss of at
mosphsFs or Of any OF that poetic beauty which
IS. indeed, tnseparable from his motive. Admir-
ably dees he elueidate the line from Pausanias
pTenKed TO his book, Hence there Is in Rhodes
3 sanctuary Of Helen OF the Tree" We hope he
viii continue 70 develop this vein
AIr. J. L. Powell. whose interesting reeollee-
Sunday. Contributes 10 "The Manchester Guar
dian" some further notes on the Master of Bal
liol. On one occasion essayist possessing
a noFid style took him a manuscript Shake
Epesre in which the remark occurred. Shake
Speare IS the colossus OF literature. and stands
a pedestal by himself" IF he We're a colossus
said JoWett he would require two pedestals."
Three of his young Inen. Mr. Powell among
them, assembled in his dining room one even
y ing md in had
u tcn WheR the reading finished he said
WOW D aHn going 10 ask you questions, and you
must answer them Then you shall ask me
quesuons-but ] viii not promise TO answer
them.'
Among the writer's Of popular biographies of
picturesque court favoTites Mr. H. Noel Will
SANS takes honorable rank. He is painstaking
in his search for facts. he is discreet and he
has light entertaining touch When some of
hiE books have appeared in rather sumptuous
1erm we have expressed the wish that they
might be brought cut later in less expensive edi-
tions His Madame de Pompadour" has been
shus reissued by the Scribners. and they have
1uEt made similar volume out Of his Madame
du Barry" ohly one illustration is given in this
instance, but that is q good reproduction from
the lovely miniature by Cosway. The amusing
next is here intact and so is the useful index
Altogether n is most welcome reprint
Another edition 10 be cordially hailed is
shat Of the Life Letters and Journals Of
George Ticlznor." which the Houghten AIifiin
Company has brought out in Two volumes. with
portraits and other Illustrations and brief in
iToduetion By NF. Ferris Greenslet The jealous
histeFiaR ef Spanish literature was an easy and
volumibcus writer who left ample records of
his Intercourse with the celebrities of his time
ana the late George :. Hillsrd. in framing the
memoirs which he asked 70 put together
frpln them, fixed upon an excellent scheme Of
selection and arrangement The chapters which
he Was able 10 fiRish before illness compelled
him 10 abandon the task supplied model to
sahleh Mrs TieInor and her daughter were at
tentiVe as they completed the work. and the re-
suit extremely diverting chronicle of
the experiences at home and abroad of a man
Of intellect and sympathy. Tfcknor always took
himself with certain seriousness, but the soph-
omOricai tone which marks the earlier pages in
llis jsuEnal and correspondence soon disappears
travel and association with distinguished
nen snd women giye him more OF the elasticity
Of a man Of the world
Ie was Rst particularly rich in humor. and
his judgments ca the people ne meets are hard
~ notable for penetration. There is neither in
dividualty nor charm about his souvenirs. His
Familiar style is even clear and sufficiently ami
mated but IN no wise memorable. Yet he makes
capital reading, FOR DE knew all manner Of inter
Fsiing people they talked freely with him, and
since he Was d careful il somewhat superficial
observer the reports OF mis- meetings with Byron
or chateaubTiand, Princess Borghese or~any
niher - iic great ladies who received him are
amusing and sometimes Illuminating We miss.
"s has boon Indicated, the grasp upon charac-
'er. thc lroad Kew and tie trcnclant ANALYSIS
N''iei "iil tiun gossip into history, but Ticknor