New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-16
GEORGE MOORE
A Clever Irishwoman's Study of
Her CompatriOt

Mr.. Maunsel. the Dublin publisher
has recently issued what rs probably
the first study Of George Moore's inter-
orv career and achievements as whole.
Il is the work Of Susan /. Mitchell wen
known in Dublin lterary circles. ana
is simply entitled George Moore so
far as the record shows, her book has
not vet been issued in an American edl-
tion. Pending that evidently very de-
sirable event. the London "Outlooks
review is given here:
We do not think that any one VINO
takes up the serious study OF George
Noore's books i'm the future can AFFORD
70 ignore what Miss Mitchell has writ
ten. The book is as chatty, witty per
sonal and frank as any Of Nj Moore s
later confessions. For once IN ms llle
he has received a. good, or bad, as ne
has given, and II he possessed hunoi
enough 10 enjoy II the book would pro
vide him with many q hearty laugh
He has shown that at times he can be
satirical and even ironical, but we arc
doubtful whether he has as much hu-
NOR or wit as his biographer. HumoI
and a sympathy for humanity uSualIF
20 hand in hand: one can hardly con
ceive any one possessing a sense o.
bumor writing "Parnell and Ills Ire
land" or "A Mummer's Wife There Is
nothing in Miss MitchelIs book 70
which Mr. Moore should reasonably Cd
iect. Since he first began 10 take the
world into his confidence IN ms Cot-
LESSONS of = Young Man. nearly thirty
wears ago. he has written GOOD deal
about himself, his relatives and ms
friends; he has apparently lett very
little unsaid, and that little chleny o.
a critical character with respect 20 rs
books Miss Mitchell has now said loF
him. ,-..:-....
lifc and began his career, as we all
know. as a writer of verse and stu
dent of art: he did not succeed at
either. and had the wisdom TO drop
tbem for prose literature. His student
life in Paris taught him, among other
things. that success in literature was
only possible TO one who, having some
Gift for writing. was prepared TO de-
Vote his davs to hard work. Mr.. Moore
decided 70 make the sacrifice, and his
early novels on realistic models were
evidently the result Of much patient
labor. which must also have been IN
cessant. as they followed one upon the
other in regular succession. ms early
work was popular and won Tor MS
author a wide reputation. VIC cannot
to-day regard it as the most successful
on the score of literature. But, as
Miss Mitchell observes. "it is not easy
for US now 10 realize what an upheaval
these early realistic novels represent
ed. and We are inclined TO DO them less
than Justice. Mr.. Moore struggled
bravely through the surf in these, they
devcloped his muscle as a writer. and
through them he learned TO handle his
boat. Esther Waters as master
mariner" This and the novels that
followed il displayed gifts that we're
Lot discernible in his early work. gifts
which were even still further developed
in some Of the stories contained IN his
volume entitled "The Untitled Field, y
where we think he is seen At his best
as writer of fiction.
Although Mr.. Moore's novels entitle
him to a place among the most inter
esting writers of modern fiction, his
work In other directions as an art and
as a literary critic and as a writer OF
memoirs calls for attention. His pro-
test against insincerity in English nc
ton was followed by protests against
English literary and art criticism. IN
his Impressions and Opinions he gave
expression to what 10 US then were
some original and refreshing views on
foreign writer's and painters. His essay
on Nerlaine, for instance, must have
been one Of the earliest on that poet
10 appear in an English book. This
stimulating volume prepared the way
for A collection Of essays on art no less
original than its predecessor. IN which
the work Of the French school, and es
pecially the work of Manet. was eN-
tolled. and our own school OF painting
most OF all the Royal Academy, was
derided. Some of his remarks may seem
a triAe obvious now, but at the time
OF the books appearance they must
have struck his readers as startling
and even perverse.
A word remains to be said about Mr.
Moore's confessions. For generation
/ he has been taking the world, or his
readers. rather, into his confidence. One
of his last books the ripest and IN
some respects his best Is the trilogy
ave. Saive. ct Vale" Here he not
only talks with the utmost freedom OF
4 his own life and opinions, but he dis
cusses his friends and acquaintance
I with the same frsnkness. The fact
that he has written so much about
himself will not deter others from