The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-26

mons from the shadowy past to live
anew ana each interviewer with the
rest until the whole complicated IA
brio OF the States early political his
tory may be pierced together. and one
may get TO know clearly what he now
assumes-that fear and favor and
chance and fraud and hate and love
We're quite ms potent mainsprings then
as now.
Our author avails himself OF Rit-
chie's Tappahannock birth to give
some sketch of the fine old way of
life in that typical community which
has been connected with so much of
Nirginian interest. and the long resi-
dence of sMr. Ritche in Richmond
opens tho way 10 some valuable and
entertaining reference to tho old days
here. In the reference to that partic-
ularly distinguished cotcric residing
in the nciEhborhood OF Tenth and
Marshall streets. Professor Amber Gu
riously oinits John Wickham. who was
the peer of any Richmouder of his time
and has in peculiar degree transmitted
his high qualities down TO the present
time
Mr.. Ritchie's real work in Richmond
began on May .. 1904, when the first
number of the Enquirer issued from
the press. Its predecessor, the Exam
liner, had expired for want of support
fi!N tI1t JticTSOUldn Republicans with
the President at the front We'd with
each other in support of the new party
organ and gave an initial prosperity
10 the Enquirer which no other news
paper in the state had up to that time
enjoyed. This support the manage
inent OF the paper abundantly justified
and II embarked on Il long and sue
cessful and much applaudcd career. AS
the history OF the Enquirer is virtual
ly the history OF Thomas Richie the
author gives n large part of his book
10 the examination of the policies OF
the paper and TO its large influence on
national politics and, on the whole.
draws the jus;inablc Inference that
Mr.. Ritchie. If not a great writer was
at least In the next lower class and
atoned by integrity Of purpose and By
Il native political ability for some lack
Of other qualities.
.rhc Way Of Ambition"
BY Robert Kitchens. Sl.35 net
In The Way OF Ambition" Robert
Kitchens has, in many respects, done
much finer work than in any OF his
other books. not even excepting The
Garden Of Allah" and IA il he has
succeeded in writing !, very fine novel,
normal whether OF sex. religion. love
and duty, or any other problem in
herently dramatic.
Music and music upon a large scale
is the theme upon which MIR Hichcns
has written this time, and with what
appears TO be very much more than
a mere superficial Knowledge of the
subject. Indeed no serious book In Il
number OF years has dealt with such
insight into the methods of music
makers the music which they have
made. and the moods that envelop them
a they make it as is shown in The
Way OF ambition"
10 drnaniV trmncrarncntal
elusive story of musical soul that the
authOr relates: on the contrary he tells
OF the practical everyday struggles
and trials that beset man of genius
with a too-ambitious wife. The way
upon which they set out Is tread by
both OF them. in the end. but the ambi
tion which leads them upon IL is hers.
CLAUDE Heath is a young Cornish
composer OF undoubtcd genius but his
forte lies in the composition Of music.
whose appeal is not at all to the
rrOundlin0s. lie has written won
derfuI 're Deum," and has set the
words Of the seven angels IN the six
teenth chapter OF Revelations to music
of amazing strength. originality and
beauty lie. too. is ambitious, but not
FOR popularity; he is retiring, almost
shrfnkirx ard desires to write great
music along his natural bent for the
sheer JOY OF making that which is
good without hearing or even caring
to hear the sound OF popular acclaim.
Ru, when he marries Chairman
Mansfield the current Of his life is
changed he has grown up in circle
Of wealthy. often witty and even Gull
tivatcd. amateur critics ana musicians,
who forming smart an! artistic
set. are constantly looking for ana "x-
plotting neW and corning musicians.
Chairman longs herself to be conSpicu
Dug. notable for some accomplishment.
some achievement in art. but she has
neither genius nor talent. Hence,
spUrrcd by the overwhelming success
OF AN opera By a Frenchman. whose
wife is said TO have made him." sue
detcrniu"s 20 drag, push. topple her
husband into the glare OF publicity and
Although he knows that he is going
tie wrong way. nc yields TO her wishes,
nrSt ~ smaller matters Of musical eX-
PRECISION He IL anxious to write Il set
ting 80 Francis Thoinpson's The
Hound ~ Heaven" but Chairman con-
s.dercd II "toO mystic, too religious.
She was sure many people could not
understand ~" and she was afraid
the might think he WAS initiating
hiEar' 80. instead. lie sets William
WaiAcus wild Heart"
Vhon ihpIgh in his soul he hates II,
10" Gpes 20 work on an opera. tho
librattp FOR which they buy from n
nan named Armand Giiicr another
frcnchman. VINO knows Africa AZ A1r
lh"h"hs himself docs. and has written
= powerful book Tor the opera. Claude
ana CHAIRMAN take ~ house In Algiers.
where the action or the opera Is laid.
nid ihcrc he works desperately, noting
. 'he music of the Arabs. the dasrc!ng