The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-02
The AMERICAN GIrI.

Il IL gratifying TO find in the first i'm
portant novel OF the season. Mr. Winston
Churchill's A Modern Chronicle Mac
millans'. the most thorough and arts
tic work that the author has vet turned
out. Mr. Churchill IL will Ire noticed.
retains the G brand for his books. In
this story he drops politics and history
and other side ISSUES and studies care
fully a single character. an American girl
81 a not unusual tyre. the kind thar
>tartles us by stepping from the quietest
surroundings into an eNacting social sta
ton and manages to hold it. own. Incl
dentally h" touches on society and divorce
and ottcr matters he introduces inter
est.ng people. but the girl Is the book.
An extremely attractive young person
- NT. Churchill'S Honora thorou ghout
her childhood and her years 81 expert
ence. and the reader will like her IN spite
Of everything until she et.res. II 10 not
the authors fault II she reminds us of
Becky sharp. much softenei to be sure
that comes from what che 10 and what she
wants. From her babyhood she draws
To herself the love Of all about her. but
she IL not content; she IL constantly wish
ing for something better always Chafng
az the restrictions 10 which she IL sub
iected. All that In done for her she takes
uncnnsciously - her due; what she do
sires she usually gotta by her masterful
ways This 10 attributed to her having
temperament. which il not however.
that which French writer's mean by the
word. The emanAtions 81 that ternpera-
ment. nevertheless. lead Staid house
wives 70 drcAs and trcat the child az
,istically and make her plsymates follow
her guidance
Tho diplomacy 9th which she achieves
h~r ends when ono" she .Sts about climb
ing the social ladder "a dsiig htful. She l.
utterly selfish In making everything
bend TO her will. but an" - not conscious
~ u. Sophisticated rcoplc watch her
manFuyros with amusement. hut a.
one adn,ire- who has played her rame
for her explains. ~ her II - natur7i
instinct and not deliberate ART that works
Women no doubt will s,ay that she fiTt-
outrageously. hut there - an innoccnce IN
the way shs leads mon on and lack Of
pasS.on Or even % emotion on h"r par
such az hewildcrs Foreigners when they
try - understand American Eri- who
accspt ,hc.r attentions
VIZ Churrnill ~ unspa-in. That he
Keeps nor wholly lovAbi~ SHOWS the gen
tlenes.s ard the arr of NJ handling Her
firsi gra q fIr'a'ion - mara gsd 20 'r.i
th" r.ad.r cc7 sympa'hlZe with her and
with the man who SPACES her. and Ne
could Almost wish that her story hai
stopped Their" In describing the Steps
~ he- social ascent. the rhiiistir" suburban
life. the equally duh coirg' 81 m" fast So
Mr. Churchill tr-ad4 on veil worn ground
and - no worsc than others There are
sketches u amusing people. mite Al pre-
vailing fo!p'"s and a rE'n"r entertaining
way Of treating yesterday - though II
were a remote past.
Socisty. oven New YORK ami Newport
society. naturally does not satisfy her
after sns has made her way into o. NJ
Churchill releases her by the unpleasant
axps.dient 81 making her fall in love with
a mAsferful man who despisss the conven-
lions. She gets "A Western divorce from
her husband ard marries her lover when
the two discover that decent people viii
have ao,hing 20 do With thew. The moral
10 admirable. but IL somehow seems oTt Of
character for the HonoTa whom We hav"
followed for co pages to fall in love IN that
way and to free herself in that manner
Even less satisfactory IL il for the new rela
ton to he broken OF abruptly by death and
for a subdusd HonorA TO seek shelter with
he faithful Dobbin. who could have given
her all she asked for. II she had only known
IN her ancestral St Louis. We feel just
az sorry for him when he mArries Becky as
We did when he married Amelia.
10 al F.Fs -
,uI p;c,ure Of character that Mr. Churchill
mas given us this time. one that will give
rise to much discussion IL ~ written
soherly IN spite ot the temptation tn he
smart. and il holds tho attention to the
end II 10 $50 pages. for Mr.. Churchill. ~
usual. gives full measure.