Evening star., 1909-06-19

Woodward d Lothrop.
- - ODERN investigation is throw
IN ing such continuous light on
IN" ancient conditions that many
students will doubtless take
Or. Ferrero's word for it that
Rome from Caesar TO Nero was not 50
corrupt as history has made, rs believe
BY personal study Of the ground and
from careful review of authoritative
manuscripts, maps and coins. he has de-
duced that Rome, even in her time Of
greatest spendor, was poor in comparison
with the modern world. Artificial lights
were crude, wines were few and tobacco
unknown. Tie banquets which have
served the world examples Of slutton-
Gus license were. by decree of Augustus,
limited from $40 to S!n-the sliding scale
depending on the Importance Of the feast
The moral life sof Rome would shine #
contrasted with nations that have con-
demned il. and the women of that day
would cut but poor fgure for elegant
ostentation in comparison with modern
DANES of fashion. What we consider
progress the Latin writer's. notably Iivy
and Horace. called corruption. and the
author cites instances to show that there
were chroniclers in old Rome who knew
the value of sensational stories for pO-
litical uses. and that history in perpetu
ating them has handed down many false
impressions. The 'storiettes of Caesar 5
galantry were recolynted and spread
abroad to demonstrate his inability to
lead the Roman armies and the romance
OF Antony and Cleopatra was created to
show how dangerous it may be TO leave
10 women the government of public
affairs follow their counsei in politi
cal business. DIR. Ferrero. with what
seems to the reader to be uncontrovertibe
evidence, proves that Antony wanted
Egypt and married Cleopatra for political
reasons. She, in turn, had thought to
snatch from Rome the oriental empire
by the of Antony. And when An
tony .'succumbed in the famous not
because mad with love he abandoned his
command in the midst of battle, but be-
cause his armies revolted when they un-
derstood what lie had not dared TO tell
them openly" the victorious party origi-
mated the romance to magnify the vic
tory of Augustus, and Horace immortal
lied it in verse.
The Development Of Gaul' makes a
chapter of exciting interest. and in
another devoted to Nero the author. after
careful study OF his subject, doubts that
the emperor ordered Rome to be burned.
He considers the accusation absurd and
backs IL with substantial reasons. Nero
had murdered his mother and robbed his
subjects. but he was not a fool to the
point OF provoking the wrath of the
whole people for so light a motive. es-
ing his responsibility for many actual
crimes and finding himself accused of
an imaginary one. the emperor freed
himself of suspicion by placing the blame
'on small religious sect whose name
most people then learned of for the first
time. the Christians" These innocent
people were put to death to appease the
populace. and the author considers that
ST. Paul, who had come to Rome to teach
men to love and help each other. may
have been one of the victims of this
persecution. In summing up these two
men, Nero the emperor and Paul of Tar
sus. DIR. Ferrero says: Nero and st.
Paul, the man that wished to enjoy all
and the man that suffered all. are in
their time two extreme antitheSes: with
the passing of centuries they become two
colaborators. Both disappeared, cut off
by the violent current of their epoch;
centuries went by: the name of the en-
peror grew infamous. while that of the
tent-maker radiated glory
THE THIRD CIRCLE. BY Frank Nor
ris. author of The Pit" etc. Intro
duction by Will Irwin. New York:
John Lane Company.
When Frank Norris died few years
ago. shortly after he had completed the
second volume of his projected trilogy
of the wheat, he rated as the most
promising of American fiction writer's.
He had just come into his full power as
a dramatic story teller. He left little Of
finished work, his longer stories having
been about one half dozen in number.
But he had. never, heless. been a prolific
producer In the early days in San Fran
cisco. where he served his literary APP
premiership on the Wave an ephemeral
publication. Will Irwin. who writes the
introduction 10 this present collection of
short stories and fragments, and to whose
enterprise is due the publication, tells
how Norris was appreciated by Cosgrave.
artis hfrt-. hsa.,
Wave. who was more an artist than d
man of business. He Immensely appre
ciated Norris. who was given free nand
to write whatever he thought for the day
or whatever he had Seen. His produce
tions were often mere outlines. sketches
and silhouettes. Again there We're fin
ished stories in perfect literary form, all
of them virile and dramatic.
These sixteen tales are distinctly the
product of writer for men The love
theme enters only incidentally and but
slightly into the narratives. Norris was
an impressionist TO whom a crime Of
fered as convincing theme as a ro-
nance. A subtle vein of humor runs
through the pages, displaying itself most
broadly in THE Dis-Associated Char
tiles" but in the main the stories have
grim realism that is sometimes close
to the sensational. These tales will be
liked by all who appreciated Norris lit
erary art
MAHRIaGE n la Mode. By Mrs.
Humphry Ward. Illustrated. New
York: Doubleday. Page & co. Wash
ington: Woodward & Lothrop.
Mrs. Wards chief purpose in this novel
OF matrimonial problems seems to- have
been 20 cast aspersion upon the American
system of marriage and divorce, a system
which many Americans have unreserved
ly criticised themselves. But il is hardly
typical case which she presents GER
tainly not more illustrative of the Ameri-
can system than of the English condi-
tionS, save the greater facility with
which divorce is accomplished in this
country than in England is set forth.
Constantly Mrs Ward is rather obviously
striking the note of contrast between the
two countries and the two peoples. She
is unable TO successfully detach herself
from the English point of view. with the
result that the narrative suffers in con-
vincing qualities. As story il makes no
particular appeal to the novel reader, and
the characters run duh range from
Sapidity 10 utter unlika bleEess Mar
riaEe la Mode is hardly worthy of
Mrs. Ward. who has done far more at
tractive work.
THE LADY WITHOUT JEWELS. By
s,nce of Power, etc. Illustrated.
New York: ID. Appleton & Co.
The reader opening this book for the
exceedingly well drawn frontispiece
which depicts a good-lookng young man
saying 10 pretty girl on shipboard Il
should like very much to know you If
you'll let me Such exhibition Of