The San Francisco call., 1909-04-18
"ArmineI of the West"
BY John Trevcna. author OF

BY John Trevcns. anihor OF Furzc the
Cruel" Published by Moffat, ard Co.,
New York. Price sl.3o.
A year ago a hook entitled Furze the
Cruel" by a writer who was unknown
in America, John Trcvena. came 10 the
reviewer. Nothing but praise for the
book was heard on all sides, and some
thing more from the pen Of it's author
has been eagerly looked for.
''Arminel OF the West is the title of
the story he sends over this time. and
though his work was spoken of in the
superlative before something bigger
and better must be found to describe
this book. There is no room for doubt
and no chance of dispute when 1T is
said that "a new literary star has
arisen" in Mr.. Trevena. The scene of
this tale is Dartmoor. which the author
knows we'll There was promise of
sort OF epic of the hioors with his first
book. which was as grim a tragedy as
has appeared this century. The books
to follow "l'urze the Cruel TO make a
trilogy were 10 be called Heather and
Granite, but the author has sand
wiched in this splendid story while he
makes ready his trilogy.
''Arminelr is realism. just as Furze"
was realism. and it grips YOU with the
same strength, but it has none of the
.lorror of that book. though there is
Tragedy mere. 100. lie ignorance anu
superstition the passion and brutality
of the people of these moors are almost
beyond belief, but the beauty TO be
found in the lives of some of the char
scters OF this story compensates for all
the suffering.
The characters are strongly drawn
old John Zaple, the father of Arminel.
being one of the most interesting. He
was not q native Of the place and his
inability TO become acclimated is thus
described:
"Old John zaple knew just where to
look for Bron Gilla. however dense the
mists No clouds could hide those rocky
crags from him. For he was a true
Cornishman, and when such a man goes
from his native land he leaves his soul
there. Others may bark back to their
native place with love, reverence or
with happy memories. but it is paradise
lost to the Cornishman. The man of
Kent may long for his cherry orchards
and hop gardens. but his longing is
nothing 10 the desire of the Cornish
man for the deads' of Redruth or the
fshy smell of st. Ives or the desolate
blue slate hills of Pengelley. The man
of Kent is an Englishman, and so is the
Devonian. but the Cornish folk are not
English and never will be-"
The Wistman family-father mother
dltd QdnE ttt--dft so Hp1GiDiR tnat one
prays they may not come back in
dreams. The father is rector of a
church on tho moor. but so drearv and
OLD fashioned and narrow and bigoted is
he that he has driven every one OF his
congregation away He is bringing up
his daughter according TO his own theo.
RES. and she is at young womanhood
absolutely ignorant of life. She has
never been permitted to speak TO any
one but in her fathers presence and
consequently she knows only what he
desires she should know. His wife is
crushed 20 the earth and so completely
dominated by him that her reason tot
ters. and before the book closes il has
nearly fallen. Wistman is punished Sc
Verely for his obstinacy in regard to his
daughter, and all three lives are spoiled
The tragedy for a time threatens to
drag all the outsiders in, but they are
saved in time.
The Challacombes are Il typical fine
FAMILY OF the moors. They can trace
tneir ancestry back to protoplasmic
giobule and are properly proud of that
1act As consequence a marriage with
any commoner is a fearful mesaIIiance.
How Arminel, who is nothing but Just
nice, changed the minds and plans.
and. IN fact all the ideas of this
naughty tribe. is told with much detail
and q magnetic interest
The book is filled with Interesting
bits describing the people. the life and
the country. and deserves to be called
IKE It's predecessor, great