NOVEL S.
DIANA MALLORY.*
IT was, we think, a sound instinct that prompted Mrs. Humphry Ward in her new book to discard the ingenious formula adopted by her in her last three novels. The method in question, that of transplanting an episode in real life to a later period and altered environment, is comparable to that of the composer who writes variations on a borrowed theme, and when dexterously handled undoubtedly tends to widen the borders of the field of historical romance. But precisely because of its- extra latitude it increases the difficulties and drawbacks inherent in that genre, and, to any reader with a knowledge of the facts, renders the process of comparison more disconcerting and distracting. Above all, it is incon- sistent with the display of the highest creative powers. For these reasons we congratulate Mrs. Ward on her resolve to tread a more arduous path, a resolve, let us add at once, that is fully justified by the results before us. The scheme of Diana Mallory, though intimately related to certain phases of contemporary social and political life, forces her to rely to a greater extent on her own invention, and the distracting element, though not wholly eliminated, is far less prominent. In short, judged by the test of originality, the book stands on a much higher plane than any of its three predecessors, while the story, regarded merely as a story, is at least as engrossing, as well furnished with incident, and as strong in dramatic interest.
Diana Mallory when we first make her acquaintance has just returned to England and taken a place in the country. She is young, attractive, accomplished, and an heiress in a small way. But she is wholly ignorant of the terrible domestic tragedy which shattered her father's life, induced him to change his name, and drove him into exile on the Continent. Technically, her mother was a murderess. As a matter of fact., Juliet Sparling had been entangled by ber passion for gambling, in the absence of her husband, in a compromising friendship with a bad man and his evil wife. Afraid to tell her husband of her debts, confronted with the alternatives of ruin or immunity purchased by dis- honour, she stabs the jealous wife of her tempter in circum- stances which practically render the act one of self-defence. Defended by the greatest advocate of the time, she is con- demned to death, but her sentence is commuted, and she is released only to die within a month of her crime. Diana grows up in absolute ignorance of her mother's history. Her father dies without revealing it, and on her return to England her beauty, her generosity, and her cleverness win her universal popularity. The only person to guess the secret, Sir James Chide, who had defended her mother, keeps his counsel, and it is not until Diana has become engaged to Oliver Marsham, a brilliant young Liberal politician, that the blow falls. Her • Diana Mallory. By Mrs. liurnphry Ward. London: BmItb, Elder, and Co. [Ga.] mother's sister, Mrs. Merton, an impecunious widow in the West Indies, despatches her daughter on what is virtually a blackmailing expedition to England. Fanny Merton, jealous of her cousin's success, and embittered by the consciousness of her own inferiority, resolves to use her knowledge as a weapon to extort heavier subsidies, and Diana learns the truth within a few hours of promising to marry Marsham. Oliver, though genuinely in love with Diana, is placed in a. difficult position by his complete financial dependence on his. mother ; and when she declares uneompromisingly against. the engagement, in spite of the advice of her oldest friends,. he makes no serious effort to resist Diana's magnanimity, and accepts his freedom. He is extremely ambitious, and cannot. resign himself to the sacrifice of his political prospects at a crucial stage in his career,—which is the price he would have to pay for his fidelity to Diana. Their paths diverge, and Marsham, to still the pickings of his conscience, plunges into- the turbid waters of party intrigue. Vauvenargues' acute- maxim—Ceuz qui manquent de probitg dans lea plaisirs ont qu'une feints dans lea afaires—is illustrated in the sequel. Marsham is disloyal to his chief, and only achieves political influence at the loss of respect and esteem. The prospect of marrying Alicia Drake, a beautiful woman, but a more ruthless= egotist than himself, brings him no-real consolation. The plain person cannot help deriving a certain grim satisfaction from- the recital of his well-earned unhappiness when a sudden, and, to our thinking, somewhat artificially contrived, denoiimene interferes with the march of Nemesis, and gives the much— injured Diana a further and final opportunity for the display of her amazing magnanimity. Yet, viewing their relations iff the light of experience, we cannot wholly blame Mrs. Ward for outraging poetic justice. Diana ought to have married the strong, chivalrous soldier, Hugh Roughsedge, and not- the brilliant, unstable opportunist, Oliver Marsham. But the best women have the greatest genius for self-sacrifice„. and it is a rare experience to find the balance of character well maintained between husband and wife.
As readers of Mrs. Ward's novels may readily imagine, and as we have already indicated, the romantic element is by no- means allowed to monopolise the interest of the reader. The- atmosphere of the novel is largely political ; Diana herself is an ardent Imperialist thrown by force of circumstances and propinquity into contact with Liberal politicians of all
shades, and this fact adds piquancy to the scenes in which, with all the intrepidity of youth, she enters the lists against Radical and humanitarian controversialists. The- inevitable cleavage between official Liberalism and the- extreme Left wing is also picturesquely illustrated, not, only in the incidents of party conflict, but by half-a-dozen elaborate portraits of leading politicians. Some of these, like Ferrier and Lord Philip Darcy, remind us of composite- photographs, but Sir James Chide, the great advocate, is a direct though idealised study of one of the foremost figures in‘ the forensic arena. The non-political figures are drawn with equal care and discrimination. Of these, the best, in our- opinion, is Lady Lucy Marsham, whose inflexible attitude- towards Diana is rendered not only plausible but natural. Mrs. Ward has the valuable gift of doing justice to unpopular- characters and putting their case with the utmost fairness, and it must be admitted that Lady Lucy had a very strong- case indeed. To Oliver Mrs. Ward is perhaps unduly lenient, and hardly succeeds in bringing home his personal fascination.
In conclusion, one cannot leave the book without contrast- ing the wealth of thought and study and observation which it . reveals with the slighter texture of most modern novels. One feels, it is true, a certain want of relief in the uniformly high level of intellectuality maintained in the dialogue. The- presence of a really stupid politician would have greatly enlightened certain scenes. But it is captious to insist on the limitations of a talent which touches life on so many sides, and with so rich an equipment of knowledge, sympathy,.. and literary skill.
At the risk of being thought meticulous, we may be allowed to express surprise that so accurate a writer as Mrs. Ward should have gone out of her way to say that Sir James Chide was "as innocent of books as Lord Palmerston." Lord Palmerston was not a devourer of books like Mr. Gladstone, but- it is incorrect to say that he was " innocent" of them. Inno- cence, whether of books or anything else, was not his forte.-
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