THREE GOOD NOVELS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 511, 19 May 1909, Page 3

THREE GOOD NOVELS.

H : .^^lii;-' 'Idolatry,;;;:says ."The, Queen,". Mrs. ' ; : ;;-Perrin," : 'wh6. is' a most successful writer: of: ;-,'.Anglo-Indian;fiotibh, .has made quite a fresh .-;^,*; '■'■-. departure-,in;,selectirig.'the-household of an'. ; ; ft' ,Englisli;;raissiohary,';irj India as..the'scene of .'; P; : tho\more>itel:inbidents;of her, story. An.riq ,iCrivehor,\ ; a\well-bred; fashionable ,girl ;■':in. ■•''•■•''?;••;' London: 1 sbciety,'Uias'.her: own ends to 'servo ■'■■'."':'' 'when; upon tho death'of her grandmother, v- .' Bhe- goes out to ,pay a visit.: to v the 'mother '::'■ who ' left-her as an infant, to marry a nit - ' -sionary:' The life "in the Rev. ; Johu ■ Wil- ;, . -liams's household landiitß-eiiecs.upo.ti Anne, ■with;its':strenuous. atmosphere of apparently :' "■' 'iopeless- labour, 'its earnest, unquestiomng >.-:' belief:, in its' own purpose,' and the.. absence. : :,' of -physical luxury; and of hecessitibs; -'■'-': even 'to 'the .London girl, v is described: with : i'': ailriiirable.' triith and- .humour,;:ahdwith:'such '::.:' syrnpathy'ithat,the .picture, is. npt'anunpleaS- : '■'•;•' ' injg "one.' stepsister;' Sophia, 'clumsy, ' ; :-: : tactless/''and "endlessly:good-natured arid af- ' ,;: fectioriate, ;is,"indeed, ..a :mbs;t lovable, charac-,-■;-..-:'.;■'ter.'.'i:.Arine';S- spiritual, when, she ,", :'--,po'mosV'ihl»':B6ntact.Sfith';'.thcs6 realities;- and '"'"'; i the :influence..'on -Jier'.'life-'brought'..'.about by : V, : -her. relations, with Oliver.: Wray,. ,tho ,cn;,,:thusiastio young ascetic,.who is. hirnself ,such ;.';..' • a contrast'to .tßb.'older'' and more, stolid, mis- : : , BionaryJ is 'well. conceived, .and■ fits, her, .after much moral and mental suffering, to bo a ■ -.-' : far better wife..to 1 the simple-natured:soldier ' : she : came :out'. so: light-heartedly to.. marry for ' ■ :his ; money. ;vMrs.. Perrin's stylo-is' unforced; .'■'■; 'she , : has - studied.; Indian; life-, carefully,' - and ' '. . her characters are all natural,and life-like;-/ 4; -/-.'Miss: ; Eatheririe.Tynari,:says "The Queen,'! :> v.-■ inust:;bo ; thanked,. ; for,;a;gracefully-written -•''■;. story.:of Irish ..life: in- tho early days of the -: ■'■ nineteenth :centuryr .The book opens -with a ~-:. pretty .picture''.-.of' six-yearrpld Peggy. .' the ■'.: Daughter, /presiding: at.- her, .father, • tho ■ wild : ;V6ir Pierce -Rowan's dinner-table, where,'/how-' ■ /.' .'fever, his guests: even -.wilder ,than himself; ■: ■"■ - v ",'- take care to behave .very, courteously to -their ./little,.'hostess.:..The ; romanco, however; lies,' : .//iri tho first/place,vwith,Priscilla, Penil, tho : Quakeress/who":is;''abducted; for the- sake, of; ./''.: hef;,moii6y,by;Sir:Pierce, who - believes' her to ;,:;,be old.arid,.ugly.v./His;,discovery .that'she is ./;,-- young .arid,. f airj and : has :' always loved ,him ; ,- from a distance',' brings' out all the chivalry m -'Sir - Piercels: nature,. who,; iu spite of. his :; '/ .wildness; is.'a very, perfect l gentleman. TJn- ,'/.. happily, in his flight-.with Priscilla Sir-Pierpe / -./hasshot a-man;, and. the niwly-wedded couple /::...■ have .'immediately/•to faco long.-and tragic .. soparatioD,/for a ,heavy.'sentence ..is-'.passed ,:; /■■ : upon: him hy'/Judge • Butler./ The 'story, is -'./ /' largely /concerned:; with- :priscilla's; : wise arid ■ .careful .upbringing : of : ,the little girl confided / ;,te her,, and:thoughit' is ultimately'through !,/ -Peggy,-who, falling in: love with .the; judge's ..•;>: son;, obtains' 1 her father's .release.: Prisciila's •/.:'i' tender, /'gracious:personality may..■■woll.'vio" ////with'her / little stepdaughter-for the 'position/ .'■:".■'/ of h.erbine': , '"Miss;-.T.Vriiin's cultivated/,:pleasant. ./.-,/ stylo, 'does -ample justice to.'.her,' subject.//';./, ////,-'/ Mrs./'Croker's: new'' story-' is' 'of a young ,';'..> /lady; of:'good'..birth 'arid' position, who is left ,/ ; ; : pennilessiby/a; 1 charming/and popular father,/ arid who', insists upon her old friend; Lady ..:;. :, Wa.rbe.ck,' .engaging her. as/ maid-companion,: /.-Kathe'rine; the' Arrogant, -as /sho^iscalled.by. ,:'■.-.-. ..the/co-inmates' of a. cheap.-'boardinghouße, -.;-, which" : is/her ieriiporary 'ref ifge,: has many • strange arid-'some ''humiliating experiences '."/: in/this capacity in country house's and for/'eigri; hotels,/with ,':w'hich her. 'remarkable :// ;/rbhiaricß/with the/Unknown Man is ''cleverly ;-.',•'': ! .'''interwdyen.-"f-The- is bright/and'«ntor- / ///tainirig, Vbutit owes ite chief success.'to Lady .•;•'•..'■:..; Warbeck's' persp'nality..' /This -'witty, /,un- ;;,;:,',: Wushingi'rather' mean, '■' yet,: withal: good-, ..-■/■•■/;'. hearted old worldling,, clinging, to a loh'g-van-. : /,,.i .-ished'youth/aridliviriguponi.a-r'eputatioriof. '■/wealth .as false, 'las' 1 are /her/famous; jewels',' ;/•: /, describes . herself ./aptly, :to. Katheririo/ when -': /'she says -"thatthi's ancient .piece, of, crockery. 1 ' :-. ftlwai's liked 'to iswim/witli.-'thie" brass sots!" .';.