New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-09-24
une's News and Reviews Of Books and Authors
Some Recent Fiction
BY Isabel Paterson

10y AoAbCA
PLAYING WITH SOULS. BY the Countess
de chambrun Charles scrtbners sons,
TOURSQuARE. BY Grace 8. Richmond.
Doubleday, Page e Co.
THE BREATH or SCANDAL. BY Edwin
Balnfer Little, Brown &c Co
THE CAVE WOMAN. BY Norval Rich
ardscn Charles Scribners Sons.
TREMENDOUS ADVENTURES BY Dion
Clayton Calthrop. Frederick A. Stokes.
MY LADY APRIL BY John overton.
Frederick A. Stokes,
THE GREEN GODDESS. BY Louise Jor-
dan Min, Frederick A. Stokes
" f ANY ONE believes-and the inn
n plication has been discoverable at
times in reviews that, Edith
Wharton's social position, her in
innate acquaintance with the elect
of two continents, has been decisive
factor either in forming her art or max
ing her success, that person should care
fully read the Countess de Chambrun's
novel, "Playing With Souls" 1t might
also prove an object lesson to those
who believe Shakespeare needed for
NAL education to write as well as he
did The jacket of Nine. de Cham
bruins book explains that she is not
only lady of title but member Of
one of Americas leading families, and
that her scholarship has been crowned
by degree from the Sorbonne. Thus
qualified, she has written a novel so
poor and amateurish as to be interest
ing, if only in that respect.
The title is taken from one of
Browning.'s poems, which is msquoted
in the body of the book. The hero, Mat
Dale, is an insufferable pup, the only
son and presumptive heir of an Ameri-
can millionaire. Young Dale has been
reared in Paris by his fool of mother,
divorce. Paris was, however, his
fathers choice for the boys educa-
tional environment. Somehow Dale
senior had got the idea that little
French thought" would make a man
of his son, 1t never seemed to occur
to him that a spoiled boy supplied with
unlimited funds would be very likely
to turn to the cutters and coulisses,
whether of Paris or New York, for the
subjects of his youthful meditations, in
which case his mode of thought would
matter very little.
So it proved. The boy grew up
bounder, rotter, without principles,
manners or morals; yet we are .ex-
pected to believe he still som chow was
able TO charm any one he had mind
to, and in particular was irresistible to
women. We don't believe it, but no
matter. The boys father, finding what
kind of son he has got, decides to re-
form him, and chooses q method as
novel as his educational theories He
makes the boys acquaintance under an
assumed maine, continues to supply him
with money, assists him to commit
what the Young man believes to be
forgery, and encourages him to marry
a decent and charming girl. Then, at
the church dooc, he sends an ultimatum
torbldding the marriage (Which has al
ready taken place. on pain of disin-
heritance, with immediate stoppage of
his allowance.
=, Out of this painful situation young
Mat sees no exit other than q leap into
the Seine. 1t strikes tho reader as a
good idea too; unfortunately, the youth
Is fisked out and resuscitated, and sup
posedly cleansed morally by the i'm
mersion. All the characters in the
book, except the heroine, are entirely
poisonous; and she is colorless. Foot
notes imply that three of young Mats
companions got killed in the war, some
time later; which would indicate that
even war has its uses.
F. P. A, please note that at GER
tain crisis in the life of the elder
Dale the sudden reaction from his elo-
quence left him prone and supine' A
case of the worm turning, no doubt.
Further evidence that literal
knowledge of ones subject does not
necessarily mean sophstication is fur
nished by Grace S. Richmonds -Four
square" 1t shows also that the alb
sence of sophistication has its own ad-
vantages. 10 the naive all things are
possible Mrs, Richmond is very
popular author, a staple of the leading
women,s magazines, And "Foursquare"
Is her best story, in that it is a super
latlve OF all that she has hitherto done
Her assumptions are fascinating and
fancy-free Her heroine, Mary Flet-
cher, is lady novelist who, while we'll
under thirty, has achieved national
celebrity and lucrative sales. Her viii
lam, John Kirkwood, is a still grander
flight. of imagination. He is a "prom-
ment" magazine editor brilliant and
mastertul cuss, who supplies his tame
authors with ideas for stories. which
they receive rapturously. Writers are
puppets of his iron will. He makes or
breaks them with nod. And how he
knows life--life in the raw or with
paprika dressing. Once, when he
thought Mary needed material. he took
her to party where every man and
woman she met was genius" and
climax was supplied by a guest shoot
ing the host. Mary had led sheltered
HE, having been three years in France
with the A. E. F.; after the party she
went went home and had nervous collapse
Inns gave the nero his innings. He