Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-23

j Introduction to the writings of this
foremost of the novelists that make up
the modern literary school of young
Belgium.
THE ETERNAL HUSBAND: And Other
Stories. By Fyodor Dostoevsky,
author of The Brothers Karama-
zoy," etc. From the Russian by Con-
stance Garnett. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
novels for which English readers are
indebted to Constance Garnett's trans
lations THE Eternal Husband" the
longest and most important story of
this volume. presents a novel literary
outlook upon the marriage relation.
In books. as well as in common report.
the urge toward matrimony is ascribed
to the woman; the fundamental instinct
toward mating is, scientifically. lodged
in the female Here Dostoevsky turns
the matter clearly around. The princl-
pal character here is man who is
possessed. even obsessed. to continue
in an unbroken role of husband, how
ever many breaks in this role fate may
from time to time impose upon him.
Curiously, this creates somewhat
farcicai character, or would, If Do
stoevsky had not made of this uxorious
male so consistent portrayal. he
story is Enthusiastically penetrat-
ing study. psychological revelation.
of one of the human strains that lies.
conspicuously. outside the realm of
conventional human feeling and con-
duct.
PLAYS. BY Alexander Ostrovsky.
Translated from the Russian by
George Rapall Noyes New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons
This volume presents four represen-
tative plays of the realistic dramatic
writer, Ostrovsky. Ostrovsky's field is
| that of the Russian merchant class, a
materiaIistic class, as remote from the
! idealism of much of the educated no
| bility on the one hand as 1t is from the
! simple outlook OF the peasants on the
! other. Realism is the method here, a
| big loose handling of actual life, with
! little or no effort toward technical
| neatness of construction. The plays
/ therefore. correspond to life itself-a
series of commonplace happenings, with
! occasional points of stress and urge
| and, more often than otherwise with an
| open and inconclusive ending, such as
! life itself presents in the affairs of the
[ individual. or of a group of individuals
| The four plays of this volume are "A
| Protege of the Mistress" Poverty Is
mon to All" and IT'S a Family AZ
| fair-We1l Settle It Ourselves" "a
| ProteRe OF the Mistress" works in the
medium of the great liberal movement
I that eliminated in the emancipation OF
/ the serfs. Poverty is No Crime" de.
yeiops under the influence of the Sla-
| vophile movement, which contrasts the
| kindness and depth of the Russian
character with the selfish superfcialit,
of western civilization. "Sin and Scr
| row are Common to All" is a tragic
| story OF contrast between two socia
| classes. the petty tradesman and tn.
| nobility. IT'S Family Affair is Z
cial morals. An Introduction by the
/ and work of Ostrovsky, with slight
| critical summary of his place among
Russian dramatists.
TOWARDS THE GOAL. BY Mrs
Humphrey Ward. author of Eng
| lands Effort" etc. New York
Charles Scribner's Sons. Washing
ton: Brentano's.
| A second series of letters by Mrs
Ward, that stands as a continuation o.
those making up the earlier book
"Engiands Effort Like that earlier
book, this one is also q record of wha1
the English are doing to meet the war
1t is. in effect, study by way of bodie,
i of concrete example of the growth OF
the English to the stature of full man.
hood and womanhood through the ex
j ercisa of the most exalted patriotic
S1ost These letters are haseG OF, tours