New-York tribune., 1912-01-13
Mrs. de SeIinCourt'S New Novel
and Some Others.
PIE Apr,s7lc TEMPERAMENT.
rAvTF Rv Anne Douglas Sedgwick (Ars.
a 1aci de csiincourD l2mO, pp. 43l,

TANTE. BY Anne Doug a. o0uS - tq@
Basil de SelincourD. Emo pp' 4o''
Mrs. de Selincourt is an accomplsheu
artist. Whatever the subject she may
select--and she has ranged far 10 'he
discontinue of at least part OF her au-
,,irers-one can always be certain oil the
delight and the interest Of her capital
workmanship. This delight and lhis III
terest are the readers in fullest measui {
in "Tante." a study of woman ol
genius that is a veritable techhlcdl
"tour de force" 1t is not pleasant
story. but IT is an absorbing one ana
convincing. not only in its analysis Oh
tempcrament and character but also IN
the unfolding of its plot.
The author lays her foundations wioe
and deep. What in the drama is caileu
the exposition" may at first appear
oyerela borate, but as one progresses Ihe
necessity of 1t all becomes increasingly
apparent. We approach Nine. OkrasNa'
the worlds greatest pianiste, as we
would approach her in real life-1roh
without. From the mass of her ad-
mirrors AT a distance, the lovers of music
who know her only through her ART VINO
whisper mysterious tales of her mlsau-
ventures, her unhappiness, her heIah-
choly. we proceed to the circle OF heT aC-
ouaintances-her social court, at her
heck and call--to be ultimately intro
duced 10 her ward, of whom, too, the
world without tells many legends. Ana
in this Young woman is concentrated ana
intensified all the worship the worlu
gives her. The girl calls her "Tante'
which IS Scandinavian for aunt" and
knows her least of all. Only one living
being has no illusions about NINE
Okraska, about the romantic aureole that
shines around her person as around her
genius-the shrewd old Yankee woman
who has been her companion from child
hood.
There is here no attempt at psycho-
logical analysis Of the genius the magic
gift It is taken for granted. 1t Is the
woman herself who is the SUBJECT
Whatever discriminating alteration
and indulgence may have done to spoil
her. the faults of character, the selfish
ness. the self-indulgence, the attacks OF
remorse that are but another form OF
selfishness. were there from the begin
ming. As the woman from Maine terseIy
saws at the moment of exposure;
perhaps we've all got only so much VIII
power. and when most of II IS laCItI o., o.,
into one thing there's nothing lell 10 ldule
ont into the others. Mercedes GkT2Skd mas
a-fu cirrlI Will DOW pl. bNl
look al all she's got to use up In her pidiu
playing There she is, working up 10 Iis
last notch all the, time. taking II L,.go9mi g9mi 90 %
herself getting all wrought up. Wen TO
live so as YOU won't be spelling things i0I
other people needs about as much VIII
power as piano playing, guess "nSl
want as many things. And If you ain
got any will power left you Just 40 lh'
easiest thing; YOU just take Whdt you We q
mind to. You Just let yourseli go In eyeIH
other way TO make up for the one way
you've held yourself in. That's how IL Is
perhaps,
Nine. Okraska must dominate her en-
vironmont. She will brook no rivals
Thus begins the struggle between hel
and a young Englishman for the contro
and the allegiance Of her ward. All The
resources of pretty pose, appealing
hypocrisy and tender deceit are hers
yet she loses in the end. The author
pictures of the puzzling social position
of the great artist are clever and sug
gestive-the best socially, on the on'
hand. the social undesirables, great
through their art, like herself, on the
other. There is no traditional condem
: nation Of "Phlistinism,' no laudatior
N of Bohemia and its ways. The view.
y point is impartial, sensible and soundly
English The pianiste dominates the
book. yet its minor characters are no
mere puppets. On a smaller scale they
too, are we'll drawn. The background,
are always we'll filed in and we'll com
posed, ever leading up to the centra
figure, and there is constant change OF
scene. The book is eminently wei
worth while