The sun., 1919-11-02
How the Pen of Galdos Has Inspired
as Well as Portrayed Life in Spain
Novelist Now Reported Held by Many
of the Spanish for of NewG Gener-
Tmeness the of Force 4

veloped carefully throughout one book,
he is only introduced in one that fol.
lows to be killed off in a page or a
paragraph.
Galdos followed his many volumed
series of political history with another
almost equally voluminous of moral
history. The latter series contains
twenty-seven volumes, where the au-
thor puts SO many various types in
action that literary history shows
nothing to equal it, unless It be Zola's
Rougon- Macquart series.
"Dona Perfects."
One of these volumes is "Dona Per-
fecta," the single book by which Gal
dos's name is widely known in this
country. Here. again. the author en-
cages in his favorite tilt against cler-
icism.
In this book the study of character,
OF country landscapes and of effects OF
soul" is made with care and a re-
markable delicacy. "Dona Perfecta" is
a classic of Spanish literature. 1t is
a proof tina. to liken Galdos in any
respect to Zola does the Spaniard
this book only or all his modern re-
mances Ia we'll nigh impossible task),
one rises with the conviction that
Galdos cannot justly be called an apos-
tie OF realism.
But that is what this modern Ger
vantes, who glories in being called
like his master, an awakener Of Spain.
would like to be known by. In 1885
he published a book which was to
clinch for him this kind of fame. So
Galdos thought, but he erred. The
book is "Realidad" or Reality" No
analysis could do justice to the pro-
found impression 1t makes Fred
erico Veera, described as an elegant
| Bohemian, Is the friend OF the hero of
the book. Orozco, and the lover of
Orozco's wife. This should but does
not picture him, for the creature has
concealed notions of honor that con-
fuse and battle the reader, who scarcely
knows whether to like or despise him.
Orozco, on the other hand. Is above
all human passion, and aims neither to
be liked nor disliked. He does good for
the good itself and is almost a super
human character, whose wife admires
without comprehending him. The
people amid whom they pass their
lives comprehend him no better but
think he Is either a hypocrlte or a
fool. Around these three principals
all Madrid society revolves, and It Is
in the description of this society that
Galdos lays claim to be called a real
istic author The minor people live
vividly before us, and we recognize
them best. because, perhaps, only the
observing side of their authors talent
Is turned toward them. In the crux Of
the story FREDERICK Is near moral ruin
and the loss OF his precarious place In
Madrid society. In a word, he must
have money to pay certain debts or
fall dishonored. Augusta, the wife,
who Is madly in love. offers to aid him.
She will obtain the money from Orozco
and at the same time gain the protec-
ton OF her husband for her lover.
FREDERICK rejects both offers with
scorn.
In this scene, which is powerfully
written, the reader has to sympathize
with FREDERICK, who displays a certain
grandeur of sentiment, but in the very
next scene he permits a chula one
Peri, an unfortunate who is infatuated
| with him, to go to the pawnshop with