The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-29
OOKS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW AND COMMENT


Of San Francisco before the earthquake
and to its eating houses and places OF
entertainment. In spite Of excessive
detail and much superfiuous matter the
story holds the attention and the
woman's point Of view is shown with
unusual fTankntcs.
There Is a Gallo lightness Of touch
very unusual in English in the humor-
Gus flight of fancy called THE King OF
Alsander" by James Elroy Flicker 90.
=. Putnam's Sons), a tale with az little
moral purpose and as topsyturvy a
sequence Of adventures as Alice in
Wonderland" An energetic young
British grocer spurred on by a mad
poet, takes TO the open road After
wandering about the world for a while
he is drawn to a mythical land In which
he has astonishing experiences with
young women and medieval politics
The town may be any dead but once
glorious town of Italy or Spain or the
Da,matian coast of which the author
has definite and poetic memories. The
political intrigues are such az may pre-
vail in the Balkans and are funny
enough. The author has his say on
owe and literature and art and many
other things, but never breaches. he
IS always bright and amusing. The
isht for the kingdom is out of keeping
with the tone Of the rest OF the book.
which IL otherwise an excellent piece of
artistic work
\ honeymoon passed on raft fitted
mp as houseboat. drifting down the
lrrawaddy River Is described by II.
t'ielding-Ha in Loves Legend
Henry Holt and Company. The story
Is told in turn by the man, the woman
and some onlookers, with many pocti-
al descriptions and bright CONVERSE
tons. The man Is an Englishman long
in the Indian service, with n high ap-
probation " Burmese character and in
stitutions; the woman. charming
English girl amazingly ignorant of
what marriage means. II is difficult to
understand the attitude Of the two to-
ward each other after they have been
engaged lovers. From the embarrass-
-, ments and discoveries OF the first days
| OF married life. which are told delNcately
| enough, the author turns 20 general
discussion OF marriage. including the
| question as TO whether the mans
standard OF morality should be the
| same as the womans, and then drifts
| into the field of religion. His story Is
| merely a cloak for the expression OF
| IDEAS that are by no means novel
| though advanced with vigor and elo.
qu.nce. The superiority Of the Bur
mese ideal Of marriage to that OF Chris.
tan IC Sres Is striking. Thus GOOD
and artistic story is spoiled, not only
ny the digrcssions, which may IN
skipped hut by forcing the people in 4
90 act so as 10 introduce the homille.
instead OF behaving az they would nat
urally. Several Of them, English anC
Burmese, are very interesting.
Memories Of Mr. Hardy's Tess" OBJ.
sess Tickner Edwardes in telling the
story OF '"Tansy" (E. p Button and
Company. She Is an energetic peas.
ant girl. a skilled tender OF sheep. pos.
sesses great beauty which has led bel
into trouble and which causes her I,
be sought by two middle aged farme
brothers She prefers the weaker one
because he loves her TO the stronger
one, who only wishes to buy her. For
tunately she is watched over by Z
,ovable pair, n poetic taxidermist am
the wears daughter; they watch he
doings, interfere nj critical moments
reconcile every one and finally discover
that they care for each other. As ma
ture and the country life and the vii
lage people are seen through their eyes
the story II very pleasant and restful
IL would have been better without tn
mclodramatic element the author ha
chosen TO Introduce. Some reader
might prefer 10 have the heroine less o
, an Amazon.
Curiously enough the heroine NJ VIII
lam L. Cribs "Greylake ~ Malerby
NHenry Holt and Company also tend
sheep, this time in the Lincolnshlr
fcnland She has character a. well a
good looks and has sense enough I
refuse various offers 81 marriage afte
she has tested the men and the III
che would have 10 lead. The story
told indirectly in the maddening forr
Of realism that consists in descrihin
infnaterial details and reporting In fu
unimportant conversations. 4 youn
London tradesman Of Contemplativ
3 mind withdraws To his native villag
? for the sake OF his health. Conccalin
his financial condition and living tn
= life Of the poor people about him.
few OF these are quaint, most of then
. however, are dull the we'll TO do
l the village and the neighborinG marks
: town are grasping, tyrannical and di'
= honest They seem like portraits
= people against whom the author ha
z some grudge. The clergymen are nal
= row minded time servers. The pictuI
r Of life reads like the depressing In
n preston English village life must MAX
| on the town visitor who thinks