New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-28
enius and the Tragedy of
Fate.

Company.
II may be a mere coincidence, some
90 Of intense mental application ana
action may be involved, but II is
ct that apologize prefaces often IN
roduce us TO books that are pre-
.ninentlv we'll worth while. 1t is thus
i'm Miss Sinclairs foreword TO her
,preciation OF the Brontes. Inc
predatory note is sounded but Tor
,oment. IL is true. since, having
tered It, the author was seized ane"
~ the enthusiasm and the wonder that
mad sustained her to the end OF her
ask. but there II is: ITO come out
ike this" she says, with still dnothef
Bronta book seems not only a DANGER
GUS but a futile and fatuous al
venture"
AS 10 the danger. there can be no
doubt of that. Miss Sinclair bravery
clears the ground. and, above ALL the
atmosphere, Of the mass of legend con-
lecture and scandal that has turned
the story Of the Brontes into night
marc of hidden curiosities, expert
enoss and forbidden loves, and IN
the process attacks many reputa-
tion-Mrs. ELEPHANTS and Nine Du-
claux's Swinburnes and M. DIM
nets chief among them Fuule her
work certainly is not. since the de-
struction Of theories handed down ana
credulously elaborated is accompanies
by the construction Of simpler, more
impressive story. And the sen
suggested charge Of faulty Is as
nroved by every line Of the study itself.
Miss Sinclair starts with oil the
scientific apparatus Of the nouelh
observation-disclosures first ana theii
beredity, with an implied glimpse even
al eugenics in the puzzle Of the an
cestry that produced Charlotte ana
Emily as well as the degenerate Bran
well. But ever she simplifies her plet-
IRE eliminating the unessential, the
clutter OF the problematic and the |
,rovedly untrue, until she ends with
but two mysteries, which are all that
count in the matter-the mystery Oh
genius. doing what il must, none KNOWS
,oyy or why, and the mystery Oh
rate. inexorably. silently working us
arbitrary will--the fate Of Greek
raeedv. There is no need in THIS
ragedv as she has written IT OF the
lder Bronte of tradition; indeed, she
makes him out to have been quite
-ood specimen of the Victorian
ather who even sought to make his
.hiidren his companions, but never
fought of making himself theirs There
no need in this drama Of curates
<perimented upon, Of NJ. Heger as a
.nder experience upon which 10 draw;
need Of a prototype of Rochester.
asst of all Of a first-hand knowledge
passion-of woman's spiritual con-
option OF tin Emily's "Wuthering
Ieights." The mystery Of genius is
efficient explanation.
Emily and Anne Bronte have escaped
ne spying and surmising, the inven-
ons and suggestions that have dis
cured Charlotte's memory. But as
or her:
Her genius was the thing that irritated,
the enigmatic. inexplicable thlng laieht
in a woman you can understand, there's
formula for it-tott talent de femme est
an bonheur ntdnQtte SO when woman .
talent battles you your course is pIdiin,
cherchex Phomme. Charlottes crlucs
argued that If you could put your niger
on the man you would have the key to
the mystery. This, of course, YVES argu-
ing that her genius was, after all, only
superior kind Of talent; but some or them
had already begun to ask themselves;
Was II, after all, anything more| 80
they began TO look for the man. They
were certain by this time that there was
one
Enytronmen t-Haworth-plays a COM
pelIing and sinister part in this book.
In Miss Sinclair's conception 1t was
the all-suff1cient tool in the hand or
fate II made the sisters its own until
they carried It with them wherever
they went in their earlier years, and
later 10 Brussels, TO London, horrible
Inconsistencies that lured them back to
the scene Of earlier depression and
sickness and death. to their ultimate
own undoing. Both Charlotte and
Emily were abnormally sensitive 70
environment, Miss Sinclair points out,
TO things seen and heard, 70 earth and
sky and weather, to the aspect or
houses and rooms. 1t was with them
not q matter Of mere faithful observa-
ton, but an almost supernatural in
tentness, sensation raised to the nth
power" Before Jane Eyre" with
the one exception Of "Wuthering ,
Heights" says the author. there is no
novel written by a woman that con-
veys SO poignant an impression OF
surroundings. She herself borrows this
Gift Of supersensitive observation. to
bestow 1t upon her descriptions OF
Haworth. Of the house Of genius and
suffering and death.
There are new theories here. since
theories are needed more than ever In
the approach TO an Interpretation OF
he two great mysteries to which Miss
sinclair has reduced llfe's cruel game
With the Brontes But her theories are
simpler far than those which she dis
cards with impatient scorn. the lame,
often dishonoring explanations and
origins Of events and works
hat moved on the wings Of darkness
n Of inspired light AS biographer
she has made rarely tudicious and