New-York tribune., 1910-10-08
NEW NOVELS
Life in New England and Else
where on This Continent.

JOHN WINTERBoTRNE's FAMILY. By
The Houghton Miffiin Company.
THE IMPOsTOR- BY John Reed Scott Il
derwood 12mo, pp. 80. Philadelphia:
The !. B Lippincott Company.
THE STEERING WHEEL BY Robert
Alexander Wason illustrated by Paul
J. Meylan. 12mo, pp. 800. Indianapolis:
The Bobbs-Merrin Company.
THE STAR GAZERS. BY A Carter Good
ioe. Frontispiece. 12mo. pp o33. Charles
Scribners Sons
ter. Emo. pp. 2SS. The Fleming II. Re-
veil Company
It is difficult TO speak in decisive terms
of Miss Alice Browns new novel It
commands praise, it suggests qualifica-
tions Of that praise, and yet again the
qualifications demand delicate qualifca-
tions in their turn. in justice TO the au
thor and her work. The final impress
sion the book has made upon at least
one reader. and il is the impression left
by her novels generally, is perhaps best
expressed IN the paradox that the parts
are greater than the whole, or, in other
ords, that the short story writer does
rot succeed entirely in merging herself
in the novelist. The sojourn of John
Winterbourne's Family" in the New
England countryside is but an interlude
in their lives. a vitally important one.
to be sure. but yet a new point of de-
parture merely. They 70 longer fit in
il. they come to it all unknowing. TO re-
adjust themselves TO the wider life of the
world which has defeated them or
ceased TO interest them, but which yet
demands the performance Of new tasks
by their hands. They are all Of this day,
Of this very hour, not as il ticks off its
sornnolent minutes among lanes and
fields. but as II is lived in the centres Of
civilization. where men work till they
are busy about so many new tasks Of
varying value and Importance.
The present day problems are all here
even marital unrest, which in this case
is the mans. not the wornan's. but they
are individua lied and seen impartiallv
pf7ilosophica instead IF ternpera hneytt-
ally. for which praise without uualifica-
ton be given. There is much Of the srti-
f7cialitv Of modern existence here. and
Of the cross purposes Of life. but much
also IF its sanity and heslthfulness. and
the lesson Of the work laid upon each
cf US that never ends. Therefore Miss
Brown. while apparently finishing her
tale unto the lnottirg Of the last strand
of the r-oof, in reality ends II hy leaving
Us face 70 face with 4 nov situation
which : the best way of ending 2 novel
All this she suggests. even though the
parts are greater than the whole. for
John. Winterbourne's Family" stin1u-
lates reflection. profta BILE reflection.
Rufied and belaced. powdered and
patched. Mr.. SCOTS The Impostor''
may he sure Of a hearty reception from
all maidens romantically inclined. to
whom the Colonial period of our history
must he presented by preference as a
sort of fairy tale Of the American
county" families We are in Annapolis
this time in the days Of George III. but
before the Boston Tea Party. and We go
To the best houses only. fmprimis that
Of Lord Baltimore's governor Of the
province. Il goes without saving that
the Governor has a daughter. from
which the experienced reader will con-
clude at once that she is beautiful a
fiirt and the toast OF the town The ex-