New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-06
YOUNG EARNEST.

Young EARNEST By Glb.r. Canaan i2mo
pp 800. u. Appleton & Co.
Mr. Canaan is curously interested in
the line of least resistance in the con-
duct of life. In Round the Corner"
that sterling novel with which his
wider career may be said to have be-
gun, he followed IL TO the disintegrat-
ing end in the case OF an incompetent,
drifting clergyman and his family; in
"Old Mole" he accompanied an English
educator from the drab monotony OF
the line OF least resistance of obscure
responsibility into the sordid olsen
chantment of that of low Bohemian
ism; and now, in the case of Young
Earnest" he once more returns to the
subject from still a different point of
view. In all three of these stories it is
character, or, rather. the lack of it, that
points the inevitable way.
The hero of Young Esrnest"-if the
word can be applied to hints purely
negative character. The boy has
brains; so his teachers and relatives
decide upon his career, and, following
the line of least resistance, he begins
his studies. He has no intellectual
curiosity, he is merely an apt pupil;
and what little temperament he has is
totally quiescent. He is, in fact, one
of those defective cases for which,
being negative, there is no cure except
the chances in life. He never asserts
himself. The melancholy of Adde'S
L hi,
He does not know what he wants, but
he is certain, in wavering, self-com-
mserating way, that he does not want
whatever he happens to have. That is
his line Of least resistance vague
discomfort. II is easier for him to run
away from his wife and his work than
to face BOTH he becomes a taxicab
driver in London, where he is captured
by a woman who works in factory;
he deserts her when she is about TO
become a mother because he still does
not know what he wants, but again
feels vaguely that he does not want
what he has. He ends as the owner Of
a garage in suburb, living with the
love OF mis- boyhood days. She, at
least, does not take him; ne goes to
find her-a step forward in his develop
ment. Mr.. Canaan assures US that he
is contented at last, cured -but one
doubts it.
This study Of the negatively sbnor-
NAL, of the defective. which is grsdu-
ally cured 10 some degree by contact
with life, impresses one as true. Mr.
Canaan calls il "the story Of bad
start in life," but the description ap-
plies of course only in a strictly deter
as he was. had no choice; for him
there was no avenue but whatever
line OF least resistance presented
itself to him. His capable wife
could not help him; neither could
the no less capable cos'er girl,
whose social and educational limita.
tions he could have removed so well
had he been able to try. Instead he
accepted her level and then ran away
from il. He was doomed 10 founder;
his story had to come to an end, but
in this day of sequels in English fiction
II is more than likely that Mr. Canaan
will have still fourth and perhaps
fifth episode 70 narrste OF the cropping
life of John Rene Fourmy.
This young man is surrounded by
some interesting characters. His broth
er. first of all, "l'homme moyen SEN
suel"; his wife, an ultra-modern wom-
an who irritates him most OF all by
her ultra-modern trick OF generalizing
about their own individual case, and
who does not want divorce because.
though still married no longer bound,
"she can afford to lose her head with
out danger of getting married again;
by an artist, who. with the best esthet-
ic and idealistic intentions, unsettles
him still further; by the young work
ing woman. to whom tribute has al
ready been paid, and, last but not least,
by Mr.. Martin. who has converted his