SOME RECENT FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1925, 6 December 1913, Page 9

SOME RECENT FICTION.

the dream ship. Two recently .published novels, Cynthia Stockloy's '"Dioam S!.ip"6 (C<mf table and Co.; per Wliitcombe and tombs), and Mrs. Humphrey Ward's 'The Coryston Family" (Macmillsn; per AVJiitcombe and Tombs), well deserve, more extended notice than I am able 10-dav to give. Mrs. Stockley's novel marks a distinct advance upon her earlier stories, such as "Poppy," and "The Claw." She liar, got away at last, from South Africa — save for one incident —and now takes her readers in turn to New York, to Jersey, and Brittany, the final scons in the drama of the heroine's chequered, almost tragic, but, fortunately, happily ending career, being laid in Paris. The leading liguro is a timer ladv journalist, Mrs. Vnl V.ildana, whose- husband, a- worthless , rascal, has, so his wife bclio\»s, when iho story opens, met his death, in South Africa, under circumstances which make his memory revered as that of a heroin New York lives a doctor, Garret Wcstcnra, specially famous for his brilliant research work, who has often dreamed of a certain woman's face. That lace he now meets on the "Bavaric," the. worn, but still lovely, face, of the lady journalist, tho much experienced of life, Mrs. Valdnna. They inert, thoy mutually love, they marry. Then, after an all-too-hrief spell of happiness, after a child is born to thein, the resurrected Horaco Valdana appears ou tho scene. So far from having met t-lvc death of a, hero, lie is the ono nuQi who saved his own skin in the Sojjth African blockhouso by basely deserting his comrades. And to this man, tho heroine, the mother of Garrett AYestenra's son, is still legally bound. How bravely, in what a gallant spirit of self-sacrifice, the woman meets and copes with the situation; how sho leaves her husband, and, taking her child with her, goes to live, first in Jersey, and then, in Brittany ; how the doctor-husband misunderstands tho situation, how he cruelly misjudges the woman; how Valdana, tho villain, plays a last card in his old evil game and fails, and dies, and how, after all, peace and happiness carao to the poor persecuted, but over brave-hearted, woman, I must not toil in detail. "Tho Dream Ship" ,is a novel which should make Mrs. Stoeklcy a host of admirers, and deservedly so, for in many ways it is a very line story.

MRS. HUMPHREY WARD'S LATEST. "The Coryston Family," Mrs. Humphrey Ward's latest novel (Jiacinillans; per Whitcombo find Tombs) is very largely a study of tho presentday British political world, its leading character, Lady Coryston, being a lady of high degree, great strength of mhid, and possessing a special penchant- for trying to mould all around her to the carrying out of her own particular dictates. Unfortunately for her peace of mind, two of her sons do not too readily adapt their course, of life, and particularly their political and social ideas, and preferences, to her ladyship's requirements,. regardless, to a certain extent, of tho fact that Lord Coryston has left his vast- fortune and landed possessions almost entirely at tho disposal of his autocratic widow. Specially irritating to Lady Coryston docs the attitude of tho eldest .son, who dabbles in Socialism, is ' "all for taxing land and landlords into the Bankruptcy Court,." who "speaks for Radical candidates in our very own county," who comcs to his mother's dinner party in a shabby greenish-grey suit, and a flannel shirt, cxcito her ladyship with wrath. Then, too, there is the daughter, Marcia, who marries into a high Ritualistic family,, and James, a weak" creaturo who simply won't bo goaded into taking an interest' in politics "on tho right side" — no wonder L.ulv Coryston thinks tho world is all awry, thinks indeed,- when her second sou wants to marry tho penniless daughter of a Radical Chancellor, that the Croyston world in particular has gone mad. Mrs. Ward is astonishingly' clevor in getting the very atmosphere of latter-day politics, and her politicians ar<> tho leal thing. Bui, as usual, she seems to largely disregard tho Labour party as a factor in the, political present and future, and as usual, too, the majority of her characters arc in possession of remarkably snug incomes, and cheerfully ignore tho fact that there are so many tons of thousands of equally clever and industrious and able men and women who are dogged by poverty almost: from their very birth. "Tho Coryston Family" gives many clever and entertaining pictures of one or two sides of English life. To tho lact, however, that there exist many other sides, tho author is quite curiously blind, whether deliberation or otherwise, I am unable to say. Shorter Notices, As a mixture of "motorin' " and lovemaking and boiled down Baedeker. Raymond Ncedham's story, "Love on a

Moloe' Car" (Andrew Melrose; per ■Hobcrtson and Co.), (s rather cie\ er.y com poundf-d. A jollv but i obio old colonel, ins wife, a pretty nie-ce, and ;in elegant and i 1! voting man, «? 011 motoring trip tlirouisli' Tonramo. I hero arc descriptions of Tours and Chmon, and Choiionceaux, aim u:o Joiiraiim generally, and iho p.ui.mr acts some- good i'mi out. of ilm motor mishaps and tlio stolid English cnaiifleitr Also, as n K «idc> to llioVst I ?"n 11 iicl Iho you 11:7 man A\,K) tells the story are as keen on an attractive mo mi as thev aro oh "oil—the .siorv has its merits. The Wi!li«ms o "s in ini'ir "J.ijrhtiiinjr Conductor" ami jij l'rieiui th? Chauffeur," did the sarnn tiling years ago, hut Mr. Xced-liam-s yarn is worth reading if only lor the ssko ol couiujinson.

Ihoro is a strong hut not unpleasant siittraLCist and feminist nolo in Mar- (??«* L{ W! r novc1 ' "A iSemi-Dotached ;Y«»ago (Alston ]{ivors; jkt Oeonio Lobertson and Co.). The heroine. Jniiefc. .hi vomer, is several vears vouneor than ior husband, Dick Hadow.' She"resents being Lioatud us a child, leaves him. and goes up to Loudon to lead the life of the ■■emancipated," taking part in various woman's progress "movements," and eventually becoming llto editor of a periodical of advanced feminist tendencies. '1 no husband, a good follow in his way, teUles down to a hermit-like existonec, with his hooks and his dogs, and alter awhile blossoms forth, under iho noni do plume of "The Dreamer," as a popular essayist. Von can guess the; rest: how Janet is attracted "by "Tho Dreamer's" productions; how, wlieii wearying of London life, women's clubs women's movements, and so forth, slui finds comfort in "The Dreamer's" writings. And then, of course, a meeting, a reconciliation, and two foolish people who have misunderstood each other come together again, and one dream at least becomes a reality. 'J'lie Loudon scenes aro lively enough in their way, and n certain over-enterprising widow who lays herself out to capture honest Dick --imagining him to have got a divorce from a very "innghty" wife—is quito an amusing character.

•'Growing Pains, 1 ' by lv.v Low (lieinemnnn, per George liobertson), is the. story of a morbid-minded iind unpleas-ant-mannered girl, who would probably have been muck happier in her youth and earlier womanhood had she been forced to earn her own Jiving. She dallies with love and philanders with more than one man, but her neurotic, morbidly emotional nature is fatally tinctuioJ by a weak indecision. She is everlastingly analysing her own feelings, just as poor Maru Baskkirtzelf did in that oueo famous, but now well-nigh-forgotten ".Journal" of hers, and, to tell liuV truth, 1 am very muck afraid that tiio middle-aged man, whom she eventually marries, has long ore this, if lie lias' an original in real life, bitterly regretted his.part in the wedding.