New-York tribune., 1910-04-23


Churchill. Illustrated by = II. Gardner
Soper I2-no, ID. N, 62i The M2cmilah
Company.
The young heroine % Mr.. Churchilrs
novel is a type 80 familiar that she may
fairly be taken as representative. She
ss beautiful aHd innocent clever after
fashion. and avid of al the things that
60 90 make a luxurious and amusing
life. Ifonora Doflngwell Is born abroad.
in the last quarter Of the nineteenth cen
turs-, TIE cauEhsr of r pai- of Arneri-
cans possessing Il gift for the GOOD
things cf this world. hut having no very
sterling traits 81 character 30 bequeath
60 their child When in her infancy she
loses them both and is brought 20 Amer
ica. Il is 10 be handed over TO her uncle.
Tom LefingweI- and his wife, child
less couple living in ST Louis on a mod
est income. II IS not precisely in pow
erty that Honora is brought Up. but GER
tainly IN conditions favorable 20 no
gorgeous developments whatever. and
though the little newcomer is tndUlged q
good deal. she has 10 real reason for ex-
pecting q future Of gilded ease. No real
reason. that Is. u we ignore her am
hilton. which IS inordinste, and. Of its
own force. promises 10 carry her Ear. IL
10 fn the scope and nature Of her strug-
Gle for personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that
aIr. Churchill finds the material for an
interesting study OF American character,
and for one OF the best stories he has
ever written.
u Is on tho excellence of "A Modern
Chronicle" considered merely as a story,
that the first emphasis is 10 be laid. The
book IS written in a vein Of sentimental
comedy. and Il is lightly touched, on the
whole. despite the fact that The senti-
nent every now and then threatens 10
iaelt into senumentality. Within its
s.grits-and it has very clearly defined
iinits-the book shows increased pow
ers OF observation and a strengthening
OF AEr. Churchill's faculty for writing a
homogeneous piece OF fiction Though
tie tale Us not absolutely "all Of a piece"
g. hangs together pretty well, and is
especially successful as regards the
keeping o. the heroine in the centre OF
the stage without any dislocation Of the
general balance. This is because stress
IS laid on character rather than Incl
dent The effect would have been even
more admirable n the author had mas
tered the art ~ making just the right
start with q given parsonage. As Il is.
sn more than one case. he suggests that
he has had 20 feel his way with type
before getting IL under full control.
Thus IN the earlier stages Of her career,
Eonora is portrayed as a girl possessing
. finer and a deeper cleverness than she
displays when she is once fairly
launched. and the same uncertainty is
shown in the introduction Of the young
man into whose arms she throws her
self FOR her FIRST matrimonial experiment.
~ is conceivable that Howard Spence
might have speciously commended him
self 10 Honora in her youthful ignorance.
but the truth about him is not suffi-
ciently revealed on his initial appearance
IN the book wherefore the reader. too. is
40 some extent taken in-an artistic er-
Tor The familiar plea Of the writer Of
fction that a character once conceived
presently gets out ~ hand may conclu-
Fively apply in = work of genius. but
nir Churchill. for al his talent. can
Scsroely make 1he same claim.
The truth is that while he has consid-
cradle insight he goes only far enough
below the surface 20 achieve an ordinary
measure Of reality. His is the interest
ing but still commonplace truth ~ the
tolerablv penetrating observer. rather
fhsn The truth of the creative artist. who
heightens the facts ~ everyday life with
his originality and produces p work not
|onlv convincing hut unforgettabie. Let
as be grateful, however. that this nov
elist has not attempted 20 puu himself
Up bv his boot straps, but has kept in
The safe path which We all know While
Dc may not illuminate n with sur
prising flashes. he dlls r. with suffi-
.ciently clear Light. Honora's marriage
proves a mistake Her husband is only
tnterested in money, and while she
fancies that her soul is set upon higher
shinsE she is not strong enough TO make
TIE best O. her bad bargain, follow the