New-York tribune., 1922-07-23
uay lr1bunes News and Reviews of Books and Authors
An Entomologist of Society
BY Burton Rasco.

BY Burton Rascoe
ssls.~s s ras of THE s MOON BY Faith wharton Appleton
rr- Of the triumph of true love over ~,
evil. Mrs. Wharton, doubtless, expire of sboc 80 ~
cheap and description her novel: hu bat " - @
csely what from one point Of view, perhaps little
suan moral in book by novelist who is conspcou @
g fevor and yet by observing moral quality %
story hit strangely enough upon Mrs Wharton hefest quality as
werher detachment No Flaubert has ever with
awn himself completely pages Of his book and ~ h
toms proceed through happy and mora, end
ing the sort of inevtaby is when set
motion arrives eyentalv a ;a
terminus Mrs Wharton that the th buners stocked
the engine oed but we are no conscious personal
uon the ory than the engineers
the fitting bv at dis
evening There something and neat and
graceful the NAV specao aho
the covers of her b
nay stars bound Pittsburgh suy Pullman
Fontainebeau by the debased
ponging think would be TO he ooino
M % he going But the odd THING abon IL ~ 49, w. ~ ss
as little personally wharon characters as she 10
herself likely think vague distant pepe gonc
tragedies of their emotions
That wharton's method Flaubert We know
felt very strongly Bovary; Mrs Wharton emotions ave-
not engaged by Nick Lansing vrtab Henri Fabr
- the social apiary she watches the movements - +h . s
records minue accurately dpassionay with sort o
sifc interest There record irony is method
comments Ut as much mistake
Wharton her sarist both esipn
implying Interpretation things sen is about her work
rather chill factuaty which, in essence opv m
yo reporting drones says in effect do so and so
such and
certain day this that place. once or at least
almost does she take say, "Now jolly
little bug have real fondnss for scamp Something observed
him doing the other day endeared him wild little
foolish raggar and ego and entirely sense
heart of gold make him very human and
He Indeed Mrs Wharton toward her insects
Fabre had toward his Fabres qualities we
recognize human because of his sympathy
Wharton human beings seldom sugs parasites
moths and butterflies.
And when she takes Nick
Su Lansing with well polarized love
conclusion the bapnv end
the adjustment Of dcuiesaN and not factious
You know that loving such would inevitably the
Of their weaknesses dnegrang about
~ whether they do weather not you rather
w would in the interest Of drama
a"h on the nigh seas OF real tragedy if only that might
save them in burst Of herom that
s cared enough for them human beings artsc
-
AS it is the only can work p
any conceivable regard the ab bounde
wink and we love her for For
usy and Nick after Wharton
bgoing contre find on the
Europe After of many
ar1ce Of supes in the expedency manv a
OF material favors return for dbag story
ightfuy repetious Only the gives as it is
d among the sured sophisticated
@ ory oWaro th end That picture is neither
but neither it particularly Implications II h
u the same sort OF picture of human hates banaes dupc
ties and weaknesses camera study Of anv
stratum of " ~ N' O-
The story briefly that of wbred popular young couple ia
v Of society and living their their only Thew
sponge through remarkable sacrifices
honor with each acceptance Of
conou might Lead but they especially Susvunwn
m the life Of leisure comfort luxury readily thrust
~ nen by wives who their assistance
bands and such drab little They get fed up on this in ~
% having been brought their their mutual need ~
each other forswear propius opportnt or 49, e
ncn has CALLED them all possibly to some ser
nav IN Mrs Whartons conclusion that begun to b
ne ghbrow magazines literary with some travel
'ce on Crete the hard live which thew have
been accustomed the checks The earnings from %
-i'e Tor would not buy Suy single season