New-York tribune., 1918-01-26

have a cheerful confidence that there
Will be others, "far on, in summers that
we shall not sec" We know, too, that
many watcher Of the skies has mis-
taken a transtory meteor for new
planet, and many a would-bc Balboa
has stared in rapture at what proved
TO be mirage. SO we shall not abruptly
proclaim this volume to be the great
book of the year-thc year that is yet
young nor even pronounce it fawless
and lmpeccAble. Indeed, it has some
blemlshes which grieve US sorely. But
VIC do feel justified in saying that it is
a work of extraordinary power and
worth, ranking assurcdly among the
novels of our time which will make a
lasting mark upon literature and upon
human thought and life.
Our first impression on beginning
the book was that the author had car
ricd into it too much Of the philosophic
bent of her preceding "Defcncc of
ldcallsm,' and had made it too detailed
and metculous study in parental and
tilial psychology. The fear was soon
dlspelled, however, partly by the re-
lection that the philosophy of the DE
fence of ldealism" was so spirited and
fascinating that even Il large admixt-
ure of it could not mar work of fc-
ton. and partly by the fact that on
further pursuit the "Trec Of Heaven"
was found not to be at all slave to
its pervasive psychological analysis.
but masterfully to employ it as the
efficient servant of an inestimably loft
ier design.
There arc presented to US, then. four
children i'll one household, whom VIC
sec in their very innermost hearts Of
and particularly of their mother All
four have their lovable and also their
dctcstable traits. One boy makes an
unspeakable fool Of himself over a
creature who makes Kiplings Yam
pirc" seem adorable by contrast, and
another makes j prig Of himself over
vers libre, while their sister makes the
piteous blunder Of rcpressine real love
for 8 fancied cause" until it is all but
too late. There are other auxliar
figures, which also wander into bvways
Of folly. But at the last. apocalypse.
The blast of the great war sweeps away
the miasmatic vapors of sensual pas
slor, of artistic dreaming, of exagger-
atcd suffragism, Of deluded national
ism, and what not else. and reveals to
c'ci o'e NAV mas eyes, III HakeQ ana
crystal clarity, the one thing that is
worth living for and dying for. 1t is at
once apocalypse and TRANSPORTATION.
We have said that there are flaws
The chief Of them is in the sex prob
lem" which plays some part in the
drama. We do not object to the in
PRODUCTION Of this element, because it
is a perfectly legitimate feature Of the
work; it is employed as coherent and
essential means to an end and is not
as it is in most novels which contain Il
-pruriently exploited for its oWgr
sake; and it is in the main treated with
most commendablc discretion and good
taste. But here and there, in few
places, through some inexplicablc lapse.
the author permits phrases or brief
passages to appear in her pages which
are offensive to tastes which are far
from being prudish or puritanical, and
which are so at variance with the gen
eral tone of the book as to mar it's
artistic unity. Happily, these are few,
and while we regret them we can read
lily forgive them for the sake Of the
genius which ilumines every page of
one of the most impressive works of
fiction of our day