The New York herald., 1922-03-26

actual tooth-and-nan encounter; and
this is exactly the point that Mr..
Harrison fails to make clear. Leav-
ing out those readers who will SIM
ply be shocked and disgusted and
can be made to understand nothing,
there is an important body OF read
ers whe viii read the nineteenth
chapter and fail to grasp its utter
ineyitability: and to have so handled
his story as to have convinced these
readers would have been distinctly
worth the authors while. They can
fal back, TO be sure. upon Teresa's
previous record of physical violence
and they can take duly into account
her unbearable preyocation-and
stil these readers are too likely to
hesitate, feeling that the chapter
was not. deeply down. the inexorable
working OF fate and physiology; and
as soon as they leave that crack the
wedge win enter and widen it. They
are likely to end by feeling that Mr..
Harrison indulged in sheer sensa-
tionaliSm for sensationalism's sake.
In that conclusion, curiously enough.
they might be wholly right and yet
as to the truth be seriously wrong.
No matter what Mr.. Harrison's in
tention was when he inserted that
chapter. the ineyitabllity is there:
the only grounded criticism possible
would be that he had,failed to subtly
establish it.
Respecting those matters which.
in the case OF the ordinary novel.
consideration has TO confine itself to
for lack OF anything deeper to con-
template, saint Teresa" calls for
little comment In fertility of Incl
dent. in the casual exhibition Of an
unforced and observant sense of
humor. in the disposition OF back
ground and the economy Of means
10 achieve a technical end. Mr.. Har-
rison is pleasingly adept. Occasion
ally the conversations leave one
mildly dubious; people cannot quite
speak with the nice articulation Of
thought that Mr.. Harrison can write
out within quotation marks. Re
garding the story itself, il does not
seem permissible to divulge more
than has already been given; aud on
the critical side praise IS deserved
for soundness and sure strength All
happens IN the space of about seven
weeks. the principals are few. the
settings are unobtrusive and con-
vincing. And then?
The doubt as to Mr.. Harrison's
popular accomplishment is no seri-
ous. As we have seen, he appears
likely to ALLEVIATE a section Of his
former audience. but requirements
viii arrive with no great delay
shock troops, possibly. lie appears
likely TO arouse skepticism IN an
other section Of his readers: but
skepticisn is not mutiny ana they
will not neglect his next novel. In
brief. his saint Teresa" is pretty
certain 10 interest as many readers
as he has ever interested before.
But his precise artistic accom-
piiShment seems. though certain.
less assessable. lie has not done the
supreme thing, which would have
been to give as Teresa from within.
He has not even made 'clear that
he fully understands her himself
an admiration. an embracing sym
pathy is not quite the same thing.
When all IS said and done. ne rather
commends her to our mercies and
points 70 God for the explanation OF
her. We but dimly surmise her re-
lenuess energy. her mystical dreams
and visions. her selfless passion. OF
her tortures. Of her hidden ecstasy.
We get scarcely a glimpse. When
she filings herself on Masury. ready
to kill him and well nigh able to.
we do not necessarily understand,
all or Us. that this comes because she
loves him (in the ordinary scnse) or
because she has physical need Of
him Gn another). Useless 10 say
that All this is shrouded from her
own consciousness by her daily life
and hourly preocoupatior ): that is