FICTION:
THE SEVEN AGES OF WOMAN.* TIM plan of Mr. Compton Mackenzie's novel, as stated in the table of contents, is to write one chapter as to the development of his heroine at intervals of ten years. Allowing for the necessary change of sex, he keeps strictly to the seven ages as described by Monsieur Jacques and conducts his heroine from infancy in 1860 to elderly life in 1920. Unfortunately, however, all through the recital Mr. Mackenzie seems to be ten years behind the date which he is describing. It is difficult to express an opinion as to the first chapter as in the copy , before us the printer has mostly represented it by blank pages. The girl in 1870 is fairly true to date, but Chapter Three, "` The Maiden," which takes place in 1880, has already begun to be rather behind the times. Still worse is the wife of 1890. There were, of course, at that date, just as there arc now, a few young married women of thirty who had assumed the garment of middle age on passing that particular birthday. On the other hand, they already could not be considered typical. In the 'nineties the ordinary young married woman was a very much more go-ahead person. Dances were given for her, at which girls were hardly allowed to appear, and alto- gether she was a very striking and notable feature of London fin de siècle life. Indeed, it may almost be said that that fortunately defunct phrase was invented for her benefit. Certainly, both as wife, mother, and widow the heroine, Mary Alison, makes very little of her life ; but one has only to read the more indiscreet of the Memoirs which have lately been published to observe that this was not the fault of the date, but rather that of the individual depicted. It may, indeed, be said that it is the unmarried woman who has so greatly changed in modern times. The married woman of the present day is very little more emancipated than her sister who lived in the 'nineties and in the first years of the present century. Indeed, so far as can be observed, there is to-day a slight reaction in favour of domesticity. However this may be, Mr. Compton Mackenzie contrives to interest his readers in Mary Alison, although in spite of her seven appearances she is not quite a living figure. We leave her with her, little • The Seven Ages of Woman. By Compton Mackenzie. London : Martin Seeker. cis. 641 b.ita,i
grand-daughter on the threshold of the door, hoping, though not believing, that she will make a good thing of her relations with this little girl. But the reader will close the book with gloomy prognostications as to the way in which the grand- mother will endeavour to supplement her own failing powers by preying on the youth and vitality of the child, such a proceeding having been formerly thought quite legitimate. The little girl, fortunately, is described as having a slight Cockney accent, and a youthful Cockney may perhaps be counted upon to take care of herself.
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