New-York tribune., 1921-10-30
Spiritual Dramas Sketched
With Fmesse in Two Novels
Exquisite Beauty of Thought and Phrasing in
"Niels Lyhne"--A Clever Study of
Modern English Life

the story of dreamy Danish boy who
goes through life accomplishing little,
despite his, vague grandose ambitions,
falling into several sentimental ad-
ventures, which always end in sorrow
and disillusion, finally giving up al.
most gladly life that has brought
him little but unhappiness.
A simple story, but how beautifully
It is told! Jacobsen perhaps suggests
Turgeniev more than any other nov
elist--his style is SO exquisite, his art
is SO unfailing, his romanticism is so
fresh and convincing. There are pas
ssgcs of descriptive writing, such as
the picture of the coming of spring in
Switzerland, that can be read and re-
read with increasing delight for their
sheer sensuous beauty.
And while the authors magnificent
style, rendered with surprising ade-
quacy in the translation, is the pre-
eminent characteristic of the novel, it
would be mistake to regard Jacobsen
as mere word artist. He is a psv.
chologist as we'll as poet. He makes
the most Of his sparing allowance of
dramatic material. The few outstand-
ing soenes-Niels's last meeting with
Mrs Boye, his Remuneration by Feni
more, the death of his young wife and
his own last moments--zre portrayed
with superb xealism.
There is something of the quality Of
furgenicv's rugged nihilist, Bazarov,
about Niels Lynne or his deathbed. He
refuses to follow the example of his
wife and sweeten the end of life hv
yielding to what he regards as the IL
lusions Of religion. His doctor, who
was also his friend, found him at the
last "babbling of his armor and OF
how he must die standing
And Jacobsen sounds requiem for
his hero in the following sentence,
which brings the book to close:
"And st last he died the death--the
difficult death"
"Niels Lynne" is calculated to
strengthen the conviction that con-
ge1ies Of eccentricities and affectstions
and verbal bcynbast make a poor show
ing beside product of genuine literary
art, based upon the recognition Of Che
realities and luminous appreciation
of the beauties Of human life.
Quiet Interior displays more CON.
scious talent and native genius than
"Niels Lynne" The author belongs
to the school Of clever and sophisti-
Gated young English women writer's
which includes G. B. Stern. Kath.
crime Mansfield and Storm Jameson.
She has obviously sat at the feet of
George Meredith and Henry James.
The novel abounds in the most deli
cate character tints and shadings. The
author makes much Of the Significance
OF gesture, Of the implications Of a
tone. The result is that we get set
OF men and women who can be envis.
aged almost as easily as actors on q
stage and whose actions are subjected
to o constant play Of keen psycholoyi-
cal comment.
Judged by its own standards the novel
is almost perfect. However, it is liz
tie difficult to read through an entire
novel Of such minute and fine-spun
analysis without experiencing an occa-
slonal reaction of inpatience, crude
desire for more action and more direct
speaking. But this is only another way
OF saying that such novel must have
the defects Of its qualities. As the
work OF an experienced craftsman
quiet interior" would be noteworthy:
as first novel it may fairly be called
a masterpiece.