New-York tribune., 1922-08-06
lr1bune,s News and Reviews of Books and Authors
Note ON James Branch Cabell
By Burton Rascoe

BY Burton Rascoe
s. .srrI LIN or Iovn o r.
4 ghn hepnaa 50 Co. y A0AfSlD Published by
IF the more have appraised the work Of
Ii James cabel have failed cali extraord
- cohesion which very latest novel further Aower;ne
8 the scheme each dovetail the scheme Of the
m ~ be whole Of his writing take ON the character Of an ;t
IA discourse this phenomenon, which fact and an
80 If continuity himself consciously contributed not
@n q hv elaborate use Of conjunctions bv eneti a M n
characters books but by actually setting
geneaogy to the genial task of devng family tree
= heroes and heroines
This were continuity tangible than that fluid alb
aa call the life force II 1t were merely treess reeration
ne Of Mr. Cabes unbearable
oay bottom this apparent continuity more material
nce has the thread of nea descent To insist
- has obscred the epic Mr. Cabels creative
Ink It that in his many books
m handspring human action and chat his themes the
impulses which Qualities
e volume unity harmony complete and separate
life excellent reason tha with the consumrnate skill
concerned exclusively in each book with impulse
nd its Illustrations.
II true that like the fruit e Mr. cabels
st progeny sprang from first germn the beginning
es Word snimatng idea assumption that life NAV
aim must be aim success and
@ pouaes the high fine excess the choice or
S overwhelming impulse life and dedica-
Ion energies to its fullest realization quality
intensity only which the bogcal norm
and fidelity the dream which direntiates exceptional figure
heroic the muddng mediocties about
him a-i NAV be drea ne sa;nt
knghp love- art asceicism pasureso long as it
fully expressed resources SELF 1t is this sort of co
ton has elected to denict in oil
the senua complete phrase maker
Felix Kennaston complete poet Marw the conneto o
complete sefexpression
achieved at the of all other possible selves that herein lies
of the ideal Perfection and cultured
my by strict husbandry.
All this is the ideaonal gnfalon which surge the
nmansts but from The evidence hand to which life
p bears allegiance 1t humans records that has reserved it's
for romantic figures Caesar its great saints
n its great sinners 1t appuds with complete suspension
It's erones and its heroes who achieve greatest sereaiza
ion And from the splendid rumph tragic hunantys
Individual strivngs have heritage of poetry
Once understand the fundamentals Cabels artistic aims
It's not the fact Figures Earth he undertook
the staggering and almost rewriting humantv
ed books and that when he Manuel he speaks Of be
ad FOR we must accept the truth that Mr. Cabe
aah IN the common acceptance of the the human
SOUL Ills books neither documentary represenatonal his
ss of human desires and motives BY the not simple
process Of recording faithfully projections of his rich and
he has written thirteen books he accurately terms
ssphS' wherein is the bltter-sweet truth about
AMONG the vouchafed us Is that ~ m
It's special cahwords. Whether rebellion against the k;ro
Oy Of its inherited compulsons generated b m
own each age develops its Illusions which
ceeDraton IN dlenmas of postulating an m
cleavage between the right wrong
WORKS until men tire of it challenge cleavage or until conditions
@ the code obsolete 1t has it, happily certain poetic merit
% presents ideal up to; it gives direction 70 the
uncertain stray impulses of life ~ ~
The Chvarc code is and certainly is nre
a some code or at least forisba bos+
wherein sentiment and the stuff are easily transabe
@ action Its requirements the intellect than Of tho b
puts 1o honor and mistress and if stimulates +b+
~ snail serve these three without reservation It roires o ts
secular practitioners the holy of an active pev mod6ed
h unqualified obedience to the cateporicsl
OF poverty omit arose at time pbe A
[ n0Dnery OF the meek and owy pressing the smile
ana the eye OF the needle 1t leads charming
m 70 decate amenities 1t opposite of the code of aant
u he mind and +be coda 80
ehn with seriousness the Gaantrv takes
CbivaIr ;dal ~k one should soop to pick with the
-ce 60 would be to point out certain prggishness and ino
i, ~ ~ 10 uncomfortable conclusions, illusion of Gods
enerr results IN the too jealous business in
h late w spanish Inquisitors the Salem witch hunters and
te,s ~ D. oomtock The code Gaantry has it's logical de-
met + Inc career of Landrau But Cabell has made rcb
splendid tendency of man to make his most
view ol conduct Indeed is Of Mr. Cabeu
actual the discrepancy between professed bee nd
uct which gives work the toucb 80 ;ron ~ W
- @-~c SAT- OF his wit with the of things '' 'DssD