New-York tribune., 1920-10-31

the year that find all or a por-
tion Of their settings in New
York, one seeks. naturally, for an
Introductory book that gives a back
ground in the city's past.
The required novel is at hand, fresh
from the Offices Of the Appleton Com
pAny-Edith Whartons The Age of In
nocence. It has been in the bookstalls
only 4 few days, yet Is has received
the unqualified praise Of critics and
reviewers, and stands without question,
among the big half dozen Of the Amer
lean novels of 1920. AS a cool. dis
passionate study of group of people
that London can present for contrasts
CT similarities.
There is a bond Of sympathy between
tho two great cities, established in
the opening chapter Of Hugh Wal
poles The Duchess of Wrexe and the
initial pages of The Age of Innocence.
Pecall, if you have read the former,
the dramatic way in which Walpole in
PRODUCES US to the portrait Of the
domineerirg old duchess, flashing on
our vision q picture that goes with Us
to his hnis, and then turn tc Edith
Wharton's pages and see how vividly
she envisaaes the aged, corpulent Cath
crime Mingott, pumped down IN her
great chair, q sage commentator on
the movements and the motives Of
New York's uppertendom In the 70s Of
the last century. There is in each
novelist the same ability to etch in
words the salient pecularities of q
character, always craving with a tool,
that neve errs by creating too vigor-
Gus bas ief or too vague a shadow.
Vovel's Setting
And, now, for the setting. With
dclicate skill, the author Of The Age
Of innocence stakes out the terrain Of
her novel As one reads the story he
comes upon q remark here, refer
cnce there, clevcrly introduced side
lights that are really the section posts
in this stalking. Draw line across
Manhattan at Forty-second Street, and
another at about Fourteenth Street.
you have fixed bounds for the major
part of the action of The Age Of In
rocence We are reminded that it took
two hours to go from Jersey City to
old Mrs. Mingott's home, way up town
then, about 1870, in the borcal regions
q "hoardlings, quarries and one-story
saloons" The ease with which Mrs.
Wharton brings in the turning up Of E
wick Of futtering lamp, the use Of
a strange new pen, the stylographlc,
the introduction of that strange game
--tennis-and discussions Of the wild
IDEAS held by some harebrained per
sons as to talking over wire and fly
ing through the air, are not the least
evidences Of her power to drift back
over the years and live again In the
sensual and the physical atmospheres
of g decade fully half century away.
But it is the theme of The Age Of
Innocence that must receive our at
tcnton. The opening chapter projects
he dominant figures OF the novel on
the curtain Of the readers mind at
once You feel that the romantic and
rather mysterious Ellen Olcnska-she
has left the profgate Count Olenska
n Europe and returned to New York
and the young Newland Archer, who
watches her In The box at the opera
ure to be at the tense center Of the
plot, not to be switched aside and dis
carded in the march Of tho novel;
advance.
Ahead of His Age
Archer is engaged to May Welland
the cousin Of Ellen, but he, we per-
ceive this Immediately is a sort
of twentieth century spirit dwelling
back in q period before his time, ant
his views and decision as to the cabinec
lives OF his peculiar social corps are
f-equently caustic or refreshingly like
ciean winds alive in musty rooms.
Edith Wharton has done q big bi
Of constructive work In her develop
ment of the character Of Newland Arch
er. He is as one at the heart Of
compass, attracted in turn, and at times
simultaneously, by four temperamenta
opposites In the living entities Of Ellel
Olenska, May Welland, old Catherin
Mlngott and his own immediate famil,
group.
The high peaks of The Age OF In
nocence are to be found in the moment
OF the growth, the revelation and tn
resolution of the love Of Archer an
Ellen Olenska. II would have bee
eLsy for Mrs. Wharton to give thes
nodes In the trend OF the novel a pulls
Of fervor and yet hold them with
the restraint Of good taste These mc
ments werc her accidents Of test. Sh
has wrought them, as we think, pei
fcctly, with q refinement Of comprs
hension Of the heritage Of family an
tradition Of 8 definite era in Ne
Nork's history, and with pen eve
moving along ths balance that weigh
lsgical pathos against hysteria Th
yNsy Of it all. the pure tragedy Of tn
is Of Ellan. grows into an image {
reality. OF concrete values, shaped (
a fullness Of detachment through tn
compulsion Of the alteration of Archie
A great novel
Tho Foolish Matrons
X7HEN W. ar. once in tn. It'd