New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-27
VIEWS AND REVIEWS
OF CURRENT FICTION
Arnold Bennett Completes His 'Clayhanger lrlosy-
Richard Pryce's Noteworthy New Novel-Jefey
Farnol at His Romantic Best
establishment OF which ne has inner

establishment Of which he has inner
tied control. a.,
Among Edwin's reflections is the
startling discovery that he has brought
into his house, not a woman, but tri,
partite creature-woman, child and
sibyl. Before his marriage he mad
never in the least suspected that
woman might be tripartite creature:
He was married, certainly, legally and
"respectably" married, "but the mere
marriage seemed naught in comparison
with the enormous fact that he had got
this unexampled creature in his house
and was living with her-she at MS
mercy and he at hers. Enchanting es-
capadel Solemn DOOM" And so the
story is off, with its central theme the
crucial period of marriage. that called
the period of adjustment gathering
as it goes, as a rolling SNOWFALL ADDS
to its size. an elaborate background OF
a multitude Of small, curiously human
characters, flowers Of English provin-
cialism. -,
So we come to some consideration OF
Mr.. BENEFITS triiogy manner. his am,
bilious style. Mr. Bennett is well ana
favorably known in this community Gas
the obituaries say as the most sue
cessful writer going OF catchpenny
philosophy and as a prolific producer
Of some Of the cleverest journalistic
hot cakes of the day. In 1908 he put
across" what everybody agrees IS re,
markable book. "The Old Wives Tale"
will stand. As a sign, it is ALREADY
named as among the "ten best English
novels" in symposiums conducted by
newspapers. An eminent American
novelist, who 'is close personal friend
Of Mr.. Bennett has said that ne read
the book through, observing the au-
thor's name on the cover, but thought
the writer must be "some other man"
named Bennett. He did not think that
Enoch Arnold Bennett could do it, and
then he was sure he could never equal
il again--the mans great artistic bolt
had been shot. Mr. BENEFITS activity
has also caused an idea 70 get afoot
pretty generally that he is too much
ION the make" 10 90 in very heavily
for the production Of masterpieces: In
1910 appeared the first of the Clay
hanger stories.
Now, among Mr.. Benefits most CON
spicuous qualities as a writer Of "frol.
les" in fiction and pocket PHILOSOPHERS
is the faculty of making that person
called the Man In the Street sit up and
take notice. Mr.. Shaw can agitate the
blood of intellectuals; Mr.. Bennett can
re the minds even of boneheads. BY
gusto he does it. BY whooping up
continually doctrine Of old Carlyles
he has got, doubtless, countless people
suddenly to consider that, one Of the
most amazing spectacles III the world
Is that of man walking down the
street, that there is nothing dull about
the great humorists, that sewing
machine Is in every way remarkable.
The Clayhanger stories are very
probably the most pedestrian perform
ances in the language. The "Chroni-
cles of Barset" are skittish In COM
parison.
In "The Old Wives Tale" Mr.. Ben
nett adopted a style Of passionless
austerity. With never philosophical
observation, with never the use of
humorous word or pitiful word, he
produced an effect which is unassail-
able. The tale is wrought by NAM
moth succession of detached statements
of cold fact, as they seem. But every
statement rings the bell; and some are
quite perfect in their kind. The same
conception Of a work of realistic art is
brought to the construction OF the
Clayhanger books. This writer, who at
other times puts before you the char
acter of nose in a cracking line, sets
his face like flint against cleverness, as
Continued on page 9.