Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-02-07
REFRESHMENTS BEST
SELLER "CYTHEREA"
Legend OF Love Brought Up To
Date And Summarized In
Latest Novel
BOOK is UNCONVINCING

Last week Brentanos list gave JOS
eph Hergesheimer's "Cytherea, tAl-
fred a. KnopD among the haif-doZen
works OF fiction most IN demand for
that period II is hard 10 say just
what that quality is which makes for
popularity what particular virtue a
took must possess above others in or
der 10 become a best seller but il is
fairly safe 10 state that one OF the
mos; popular themes is Love what
ordinarily passes for it.
Cytherea. the cover tells ~, is actu-
ally legend of the Goddess OF Love
brought up 10 date. And il deals quite
extensively In affection. love and pas
sion. Mr. Hergesheimer does II well
SO well that one wonders why the
book leaves its reader unsatisfied and
uncohvinced. unless that. indeed. is
by-prOduct of its theme
Lee Random Is forty-seven. wealthy
happily married--though II is possible
], that his efficient and rather self-saiis-
fed Fanny might be a bit trying at
times His life Is running smoothly.
until he happens. bv chance, To see. in
confectioner's window. a beautifully
dressed doll. the charm of whose face
fascinates him
He buys the doll ostensbly as a
present for his youRg daughter. bur
keeps il where he can frequently look
IL st. and names II Cytherea-"t the Cy-
theranian name OF the mysterious
goddess OF love. Venus. OF the prin-
cple the passion, of life stirring in
plants and men" II begins 10 repre-
sent 10 him something which he misses
in Fanny. The idea creates vague
unrest The reader can plainly see
that he is in a dangerous state Of sus
OeptibIlity to the charms of the first
woman he may meet. who in any way
approaches his ideal.
She comes Mrs William Loyf
Grove Savina A rich New York wo
man OF truly remarkable determine
ton. Lee meets her for the first tim,
on three-day visit to the city. and. by
the endAof the visit they have hat
principally owing 10 Savina's tenn
pprameus and determination) a nriel
but Intense "love" affair And she
has become. 20 him. the embodiment o,
Cytheres.
Lee goes back TO his wife with ne
remorsc Fanny has become some
hing remote I'm his lie. towards
which he has no feeling save indif-
ference. He plans 10 do his best by
her, but she suspects him of having
had more than the usual. trivial, mod
ern Irritation, and accuses him in ar
unpleasant scene, which sends him di-
rectly back TO New York and Savina
Savina promptly leaves her luXuri
Gus hnuse TN the best part of town.
and her respectable William. and
taking small amount of hand lug
gage. from which she is afterwards
able to produce an astonishing mum
her of becoming costumes) they go to
Cuba-n nothing less than tropical
background seeming suitable for their
state of feeling.
After two weeks Savina dies, quite
suddenly. Acute dlatation of the
heart" the doctor says. and mentions
the word excuses" though plainly at
loss 10 account for her illness.
Lee is left at his brothers. in Cuba
inusing. TO him. on the meaning of il
all
81 can explain IL best by saying tina
Cytherea had Away represented some
thing unknown that | wanted that al
ways disturbed me and made me dis
satisfied. She was more fascinating
than any living woman; and hel
charm. what she seemed 10 hint at. L
promise. filled ne with the need L
find it and have ii for my own
"'It was a principle all the while,
Ia principle that would fiji the sky
as vast as space; and ignorant. care
less OF me. ii was moving TO its own
end. And thaI-do you see. Daniel?-
had grown destructive. Ii had begun
differently. naturally. i'm the healthy
fertility OF animals and simple lives;
but the conceit OF men. men like me,
had opposed and antagonized it,
Soon Cytherea will go into the at
tic. have her nose broken. and the rats
viii eat the clothes from her indifIer-
cnt body. Cytherea on a pearl she'll in
the Ionic Sea. 4 was one of her train.
Daniel He leaned sharply forward
Daniel Random was asleep