The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-02
IAN Affair OF Dishonor.'
Z BY William De Morgan. Henry Holt

: f
BY William De Morgan. Henry Holt
q CO.. Of New York. SITS.
The appearances of Mr.. Dc Morgan's
new book has been looked forward to
FOR months and been heralded as an
important literary event OF the
autumn Now that the autumn and
interest Is: what about the book1
How does 1t compare with what Mr.
Do Morgan has already written?"
Perhaps Vt might be a juster way OF
Judging. to put IAN Affair OF Dishonor''
in class by itself. It has an eigh.
teenth century English setting, its
characters are few and each one that
is introduced bears directly on tho
story, is moro or less intimately asso-
c'ated with Its action.
There is running through tho series
OF tragedies and comedies which linked
together make up the novel in whole,
an clement that Is supernatural or
psychological. dream that. being In
terpreted by human agencies, brings
about the punishment deserved by a
man who is guilty. penalty desired
by the woman whom he has betrayed.
In all of De Morgan's books he has
been hard on women as class. His
hcGOinCb udSG, 6GVeIhl OL lugItp Uceu
attractive and captivating to the point
OF fascination, but their attractiveness
has been in almost every Instance the
outcome OF their beauty. their woman.
illness. their caprices and their charm.
ing inconsistencies. The intellectual
and spiritual type Of womankind
plays little part In the books. which.
nevertheless. have gained so Arm and
permanent hold upon the world OF
readers to whom De Morgan has adj
dressed them.
The period OF his new book is one
that OF all others possesses lest to fire
the imagination and captivate the
faucy-an age OF loose morals. when
the glare and ths dazzle OF London
and the delights OF the dice-box and
card-tabls are essential pleasures In
the bcguilement of man conscious
OF his wit, and OF note because OF his
proaigacy.
Such man is Sir oliver Raydon, OF
Croxley Hall, who begins his book adj
ventures by going out on June
morning at s o'clock to fight duel
with a father. OF whose innocent and
inexperienced daughter he has taken
base advantage. When the duel Is
over the father lies done to death in
Hall. and his murderer riding home.
ward. is busily devising ways and
means to keep the knowledge OF what
he has done from Lucinda Manleverer
whom he has injured quite enough
without bringins uch grief and re.
morse upon her as the work OF thi'
June morning must, when 1t comes tt
her ears.
so there is fitting from Croxle,
Hall to Kips Manor by the sea.
remote place where Sir Oliver feel.
himself safe for little while, ant
where he and Lucinda look down from
the manor eoof on a great naval bat
tie between the warships OF the Eng
fish and the Dutch, and the English
remain victurs. But the finger o.
Fate tina tpuraues Sir oliver is in thu
battle. When it's smoke dies away {
survivor clinging to raft lis rescued
and brought ashore. blinded and dis
figured by an explosion. but none tn
less Lucinda Manleverer's brother, i'm
pressed into the English service as h
liz returning from Virginia to the hom
pf5his fathers, near Croxley Hall Thu
brother had sailed away to America
eight years before. when Lucinda wa
a little maid. Because OF the injur!
to his eyes, he does not at first know
her. After while his vision clear
and recognition comes. He is all un
aware OF what has transpired In 81
far as his father and Sir Oliver ar
concerned. and SO, when he Is able. ~