Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-19
A Novel by Mrs. Humphry Ward.

Lydia, the heroine OF MIS-. mum
phry Wards latest novel, is brill
liantly educated young woman with
artistic tastes. She considers mar
rage from the standpoint of phil
osophy and decides that its restraints
more than overbalance any pleasure
that may be found in it, sexually or
otherwise. Still, she deludes herseit
with the idea that she can satisfy sser
natural inclination for the society OF
men with few platonic liaisons with
male friends of a satisfactory per-
sonality. This idea has doubtless oc-
Cured to many other maidens of SEN
sitive nature and highly developed
mentality. 1t must be added that,
generally, it has proved disastrous
failure. Cupid, indeed, rebels at any
such attempt to cheat him In the pri-
mary rule of his court
Lydia paints pictures and sells
them. We soon find that the market
is not eager for her work. but that
purchaser always appears, no other
than her devoted lover. This admirer
is Lord latham, by no means con-
noisseur. Thus Lydia cannot escape
the fate of all women worthy of the
name-she is pursued. But Lydia dis
covers that Lord latham, with his
conversation devoted to country
sport and agriculture, is not suited to
fill her heart. In fact, she finds that
he is dull. Even the fact that he buys
her pictures does not weigh sufficient
ly to make her love him. For one
reason he is too chivalrous. 1t Is OBJ
served by those who study women
that .often the feminine heart revolts
at the humble courtesy which men
affect when they are deeply in love.
Often the woman unconsciously longs
for such a lover as Francois lie
Champi, a wild, untutored, desperate
wooer not slavish, highly-bred gen.
tleman who cringes In the mistaken
idea that he will win the fair one.
So Lydia feels that while Lord
Tatham's part in life is to uphold the
traditions of his family and his house,
she, as an Independent, high-spirited
woman cannot consent to be his wife
and have her portrait adorn his an
cestral home as another mere figure
in a long line of Tathams.
At this point there is introduced
the character Faversham, a man of
a far different type from Lord Tat
ham. He is cynical. Such a one
as often develops as the soldier of
fortune or the 'adventurer. Faver-
sham is adopted as heir and estate
manager by one Me1rose, the model
of all that a landlord should not be-
FaYersham Is soon a slave to the
influence of Lydia. Then following
and working out the theory of Mrs.
Ward he urges that those, like Mel
rose. in possession of wealth, shall do
their whole duty to their fellow men.
But Melrose, who spends on luxuries
a part of the money that comes from
his fever-ridden tenants, is not
amenable to such pleading or sug-
gestion as is possible to Faversham,
urged on by Lydia Finally he Is
killed by the half-witted son of an
evicted tenant and no one feels the
least regret. Faversham is mated
with Lydia after renouncing the
wealth which he and she feel can
only bring curse to both.
The art with which Lydia moulds
the character of her future husband
is described with great skill and the
truth of the picture must be patent
to any man who has had the good
fortune to be under the tutelage of a
woman of commanding will and
mind without in the least being de-
fcient in those qualities of the fe-
male which draw the male to her.
One feels in the story of Mrs. Ward
the truth of that theory of music
which calls the major chord the
male and the minor chord the female.
The first is suited to all grand eff
fects, the other is the power that
moves the heart, that stirs the mag
nation, that, with divine pity,
works and strives for the uplift of
humanity and in the end triumphs
and like the wondrous violet ray ex-
cites force against which resist
ance is vain. There are few who are
worthy to stand by the side of Mrs.
Ward as imaginative writer's, and
her genius shows unmistakable
signs of Improvement, of a more
gracious touch as time passes.
"THE MATING on LYDIA" BY
Mrs. Humphry Ward. Smith Elder. Lon
don, 1913.
Lady Clifford's Last Novel.
A new novel from the pen of Lady
Clifford is almost as much of an
event of literary significance as the
appearance of one by Mrs. Humphrey
Ward. Lady Clifford, as many re-
viewers have acknowledged, writes
with grace and dignity, her char
acters are well-drawn and she has
a strong sense of humor rare quail
ity in a woman. Hitherto she has
avoided the religious element in fic-
ton, but it has at last beguiled her
and in Michael Ferrys,' there is a
strong polemical tinge. The motive
of her novel is, indeed, distinctly re-
ligious. But Lady Clifford is too thor
oughly an artist to forget that the
main idea of her work is a story
which must be told and that a novel
is not a sermon.
But, primarily. Michael Ferrys is
a book which might well be accepted
nv the Catholic Churob g pa,f ~