BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12551, 3 January 1903, Page 4

BOOK NOTICES.

"IFlood'Tid?." By Sarah P. M'L. Greene! Sydney and r Melbourne: Angus and Robertson. (Cloth, 3s 6d.) This is the latest novel from the pen of tie author of "Vesty of the Basins." It is a stronp. dramatic story of "primitive .life in a- hamlet- coast town in Maine." The chief interest centres round two powerfully drawn female characters. . One', who bears the singular name of Infra, is a type of the noblest and purest ideal: she has " a way of looking far into the great universal and optimistic design," and drawing thenco,such love and strength as enables her, not so much to sacrifice herself, as to feel that perfect love casts aside the very idea of sacrifice and finds its own purest happiness in absolute, renunciation. The other woman—Dr Margaret Langthorne—represents the pride of intellect, tho woman of culture, and of the world, who has made a name and a fine position for herself, and yet has somehow failed to reach the highest, and to satisfy the inner cravings of the soul. Through' the story Infra gives—love, sympathy, service,—and grows stronger in giving; while Margaret, for ever demanding the best for' herself, bemoaning her sad fate, and wishing she could die because she is too cowardly to live, spends most of her strength in weak arguments and weaker deeds. Tie one woman makes ter lovers heroes; the other drives men to madness, folly, and crime, and then asks witl flashing "eyes, "'ls it impossible for a sane being to love me and lie true to me?'" :'And receives for

' answer tße cutting statement:'"' You are not yourself jr sane, you are not yourself true.'" The tragedy of the book centres round/these-two women and the men ■who love, them, and-the story, though slight; is original.arid gives opportunity for many telling situations, in which the skill of the author fully justifies all the promise of her previous work, and shows her to be possessed of knowledge and intuition and the power of stating her.case. "Flood Tide" is both a character novel and a novel with a purpose. The characters, as already pointed out, are strongly drawn, and include, not only Infra, and Margaret, but Alpena, a bright unsophisticated child of nature, who has teen picked up after a wreck, and proves to be the daughter of a very charming and. refined woman, who having visited the hamlet in search of .rest remains there fascinated by the many interesting types around, and is rewarded by the recovery of her lost ohild. Then we have the village worthies, each touched in with a clever, . sympathetic hand; Captain Abram. Shale, whose racy and original conversation would, redeem a much stupider bookv Aunt Sylphy,- and many others. Indee* the whole book is full of pathos and humour and a sense of life's little comedies as well as of the deeper Bote of her tragedies; but through the whole there breathes a strong ' optimistic train of thoueht, and the noble teaching that one should "love well enough to work outside one's self, in spite of pain, in spite of despair; and that so loving one can' never be cheated. That it is all clear climbing and gaining. That if some soul cries to you, 'Love me, trust me,' and you lavish the best of your, nature on it without measure or stint, however unworthy it may be, you are only in the sublime purpose and largess of God" • that cannot be tricked or depleted'for all its sweet, crand giving." j This is fine teaching, and the writer who lms the power to (rive it to us in attractive convincing form merits our cordial esteem and gratitude. We have too little fiction that- is ■ wholesome' without being mawkish, and we are delighted to welcome Mrs Greene's efforts iii ii worthier direction,

"The Empty Hotel." By Archibald C. ' finnter....'London.: Ward. Lock, and On. Dunedinj'Stark and Co. (Boards, 356 d.) A lively, spirited story in the well-known stylo of the author of " Mr Barnes of Not York" and "Mr Potter of Texas." Full of amusing adventure i'and serio-coinic incidents, the narrative'of the two solitary boarders in the great empty hotel on Narraganset pier carries, the reader along in. breathless excitement until he reaches the hanpy (denouement, and places the ulti-mrllinnaircss in tho arms of her dis interested wooer.:' This story is in every respect up to (late, motor cars, electric lights, ste/ini yachts, and other devices for making the dollars fly give it a quite distinctly American twang. The wealth is perhaps a little vulgarly obtrusive, but the result iB distinctly amusing.

"Robert Miner. Anarchist." By H. BarJ ton Baker. London: Ward, Lock, and i, Co. Dunedin: Stark and Co. (Boards, 3s 6d.) A gainful 'but interesting story of the making of nn Anarchist, and a study of the mixturo of sincerity and humbug, truth and' falsehood, the passion for humnaity and the greed of self-interest, which alike go by the name of Anarchy. Mr Baker strikes the right note when he exposes.the rottenness of much that goes under the name of Socialism and. the mixture..of "dilettantism and ruffianism "that sickens and astounds the true patriot." Kobert Miner is true to his convictions, and r desires to give, not'take. For such a man much suffering and a slow and cruel awakening are inevitable, when he discovers the true nature and'aspirations of the majority of his fellow conspirators, who spend their days "lounging about the bars of the clubs, guzzling beer and sour wines; smoking execrable cigars and foul pipes, playing, cards and dominoes, and denouncing the pampered nristocrates and great capitalists who revel in idleness and luxury while ' the down-trodden' workman is toiling for them." Xiko all Idealists who are not also practical, Robert Miner lias a bad. time, more with his so-called friends than from his enemies, and his awakening comes too late to be of any service. There are some pleasant characters and good situations in this book, and one 1 of the best sketches is that of Mr Lamington, "the sharp, shrewd, clever, agreeable man of the world, who. was (i. very Proteus in : h:s many-sidedness, and could offer, suggestions on favmins, drainage, pictures, books, upholstery, "building, dogs,' horses,.'hunting,' shooting, Sshing, cattle-breeding, gleaned from all. nations," and who, as an amateur detective, plays no small part in the'working out of the p10t.;:., "The Wings of a Dove." By Henry James. London': Constable ■■•'imd«- Co. (Colonial Library, 3s6d, 25;6d,) Those- who' * appreciate Mr James's peculiar style, his minute and scrupulous analysis, ■ tie' vivisection of every act and every motive refined, to a point 'which, often leaves the reader,in doubt as..to what.the. author intends.'to say,,and still more often forces -him to the,conclusion that the thing when said is. not'worth the telling: those who like this kind of thing will welcome Mr James's last novel; and wads with pleasure .through the ,576 closely .printed pages to the very unsatisfactory, conclusion. The plot, snch"as"it is,', is slight, and the pains and cave expended on the unpleasant characters of the hero, and heroine serve only to render them more inhuman and stilted. It is a-story of low intrigue in high places; of unworthy scheming for money, and position, of a woman who urges her lover to make love to a dying heiress in order that they may share the ill-gotjen spoil. Xo skill in treatment can redeem such a- miserable motive, and, the. charm and simplicity of the deceived woman renders it only the more revolting. To follow every lonthesome. iiitricacv of such a mental labyrinthiis like'.'a nightmare visit to'the slums of the 'City, of Dreadful Night,' only permissible, when the end justifies the means, when some great purpose of help or warning is thereby attained;, but for mere /curiosity, as a mere tour do' force, it is not worth while. It is a caso of " much ado about nothing." "A Man of Sentiment." By Thomas Cobb. London: Grant Riebnrtls. Dunedin: Stark and Co. (3s 6d. 2s6d.)' Comedy of the lightest' and brightest meets .us in Mr Cobb's sprightly tale of the impecunious Irishman who makes love to an heiress as " a matter of course." The process of Camilla's awakening is very well told, anal the story of "the second-hand engagement ring", is-one of the funniest, we have ever read. Altogether the "Man of Sentiment" is a good example of light; social comedy, neither vulgar nor snobhish, but bristling with smart sayings like the. libretto of a Sullivan opera.' '■'"■'■■'• "Chambers's Recitntlions for the Children.'Selected and edited by R. C. H. Morisnn. London and Edinburgh: W; and R. Chambers. (Boards, Is.) The editor, of this capital little collection understands' children and their requirements. Here grave and gay, lively and serene, are duly mixed; and some of our best living authors, such as Mr Austen Dobson and Miss Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler, as well as tho-ny older favourites, are laid under contribution, the result being all that could be desired. None of the selections are too..long, and most of them have "the true lyric' swing ;■ they are simple and child-like, without being childish; and they avoid the doleful overdrawn pathos which is so painfully conspicuous in many, school recitations., The little volume is well . printed ■on excellent paper and strongly bound.