Itisfarfromtheambientofanyoftheseimaginarylivestothatofthehalf-casteheroineof\"AJapaneseNightingale\"andtheyoungAmericanwhomshemarriesinoneofthosemarriageswhichneithertheOrientalnortheOccidentalexpectstolasttilldeathpartsthem。Itisfar，andallisverystrangeunderthatremotesky；butwhatistruetohumanityanywhereistrueeverywhere；andthestoryofYukiandBigelow，astheJapaneseauthortellsitinverychoiceEnglish，isofaspalpitantactualityasanywhichshouldtreatofloversnextdoor。IfI
haveeverreadanyrecordofyoungmarriedlovethatwassofrank，sosweet，sopure，Idonotrememberit。Yet，Yuki，thoughshelovesBigelow，doesnotmarryhimbecausesheloveshim，butbecauseshewisheswiththemoneyhegiveshertohelpherbrotherthroughcollegeinAmerica。WhenthisbrothercomesbacktoJapan——heisthetouchofmelodramaintheprettyidyl——heismaddenedbyanacquiredOccidentalsenseofhissister\'sdisgraceinhermarriage，andfallsintoafeveranddiesoutofthestory，whichcloseswiththelastinghappinessoftheyoungwifeandhusband。
Thereisenoughincident，butofthekindthatischaracterizedanddoesnotcharacterize。Thecharm，thedelight，thesupremeinterestisinthepersonalityofYuki。
HerfatherwasanEnglishmanwhohadmarriedhermotherinthesamesortofmarriageshemakesherself；butheistruetohiswifetillhedies，andpossiblysomethingoftheEnglishconstancywhichisnotalwayssoevidentasinhiscasequalifiesthedaughter\'snature。Hermotherwas，ofcourse，constant，andYuki，thoughanoutcastfromherownpeople——theconventionsseentobeasimperativeinTokyoasinPhiladelphia——becauseofherhalf-casteorigin，isjustlyJapaneseinwhatmakesherloveliest。Thereisaquiteindescribablefreshnessintheartofthisprettynovelette——itishardlyofthedimensionsofanovel——whichislikenootherartexceptinthesimplicitywhichisnativetothebestarteverywhere。Yukiherselfisofasurpassinglovableness。NothingbuttheirresistiblecharmoftheAmericangirlcould，IshouldthinkkeeptheyoungmenwhoreadMrs。Watana\'sbookfromgoingoutandmarryingJapanesegirls。Theyaresafefromthis，however，forthereasonsuggested，andthereforeitcanbesafelycommendedatleasttoyoungmenintendingfiction，assuchalessonintheartofimitatingnatureashasnotcomeundermyhandforalongwhile。
Ithasitslittledefects，butitsdirectness，andsincerity，anditsfelicitythroughthesparingtouchmakemeunwillingtonotethem。Infact，Ihaveforgottenthem。
VI。
IwishthatIcouldatalltimespraiseasmuchtheliteratureofanauthorwhospeaksforanothercoloredrace，notsofarfromusastheJapanese，butofasmuchclaimuponourconscience，ifnotourinterest。Mr。Chesnutt，itseemstome，haslostliteraryqualityinacquiringliteraryquantity，andthoughhisbook，\"TheMarrowofTradition，\"isofthesamestrongmaterialashisearlierbooks，itislesssimplethroughout，andthereforelessexcellentinmanner。Athisworst，heisnoworsethanthehigheraverageoftheordinarynovelist，butheoughtalwaystobeverymuchbetter，forhebeganbetter，andheisofthatracewhichhas，firstofall，togetridofthecakewalk，ifitwillnotsufferfromasmilefarmoreblightingthananyfrown。Heisfightingabattle，anditisnotforhimtopickupthecheapgracesandposesofthejouster。Hedoes，indeed，castthemallfromhimwhenhegetsdowntohiswork，andinthedramaticclimaxesandclosesofhisstoryheshortenshisweaponsanddealshisblowssoabsolutelywithoutflourishthat
Ihavenothingbutadmirationforhim。\"TheMarrowofTradition，\"likeeverythingelsehehaswritten，hastodowiththerelationsoftheblacksandwhites，andinthatrepublicofletterswhereallmenarefreeandequalhestandsupforhisownpeoplewithacouragewhichhasmorejusticethanmercyinit。Thebookis，infact，bitter，bitter。Thereisnoreasoninhistorywhyitshouldnotbeso，ifwrongistoberepaidwithhate，andyetitwouldbebetterifitwasnotsobitter。Iamnotsayingthatheissoinartisticastoplaytheadvocate；whateverhisminorfoiblesmaybe，heisanartistwhomhisstepbrotherAmericansmaywellbeproudof；butwhileherecognizesprettywellallthefactsinthecase，heistooclearlyofajudgmentthatismadeup。Onecannotblamehimforthat；whatwouldonebeone\'sself？
Ifthetablescouldoncebeturned，anditcouldbethatitwastheblackracewhichviolentlyandlastinglytriumphedinthebloodyrevolutionatWilmington，NorthCarolina，afewyearsago，whatwouldnotweexcusetothewhitemanwhomadetheatrocitytheargumentofhisfiction？
Mr。Chesnuttgoesfarbackofthehistoriceventinhisnovel，andshowsusthesourcesofthecataclysmwhichsweptawayalegalgovernmentandperpetuatedaninsurrection，buthedoesnotpainttheblacksallgood，orthewhitesallbad。Hepaintsthemasslaverymadethemonbothsides，andifintheveryendhegivesthemoralvictorytotheblacks——ifhesuffersthedaughteroftheblackwifetohavepityonherfather\'sdaughterbyhiswhitewife，andwhileherownchildliesdeadfromashotfiredintherevolt，givesherhusband\'sskilltosavethelifeofhersister\'schild——itcannotbesaidthateitherhisaestheticsorethicsarefalse。Thosewhowouldquestioneithermustallow，atleast，thatthenegroeshavehadthegreaterpracticeinforgiveness，andthattherearemanyprobabilitiestofavorhisinterpretationofthefact。Noonewhoreadsthebookcandenythatthecaseispresentedwithgreatpower，orfailtorecognizeinthewriteraportentofthesortofnegroequalityagainstwhichnoseriesofhangingsandburningswillfinallyavail。
VII。
InMr。Chesnutt\'snovelthepsychologismisofthatuniversalimplicationwhichwilldistinguishitselftotheobserverfromthepsychologismofthatmorepersonalsort——thewordsarenotasaptasIshouldlike——evidentinsomeoftheinterestingbooksundernoticehere。Ihavetriedtosaythatitisnonethelessaworkofartforthatreason，andIcanpraisetheartofanothernovel，inwhichthesamesortofpsychologismprevails，thoughImustconfessitafictionoftherankesttendenciousness。\"LayDownYourArms\"isthenameoftheEnglishversionoftheBaronessvonSuttner\'sstory，\"DieWaffenNieder，\"
whichhasbecomeawatchwordwiththepeacemakersonthecontinentofEurope。Itssuccesstherehasbeenverygreat，andIwishitssuccessonthecontinentofAmericacouldbesogreatthatitmightreplaceinthehandsofourmillionsthebalefulbookswhichhavelatelybeenglorifyingbloodshedintheprivateandpublicwarsofthepast，ifnotpresent。Thewarswhich\"LayDownYourArms\"dealswitharenotquiteimmediate，andyettheyarenotsofaroffhistorically，either。TheyaretheFranco-Austrianwarof1859，theAustro-Prussianwarof1866，andtheFranco-Germanwarof1870；andtheheroinewhosepersonalrelationmakesthemlivesocruellyagainisayoungAustrianladyofhighbirth。
Sheisthedaughterandthesisterofsoldiers，andwhenthehandsomeyoungofficer，ofequalrankwithherown，whomshefirstmarries，makeslovetoherjustbeforetheoutbreakofthewarfirstnamed，sheisasmuchinlovewithhissoldiershipaswithhimself。Butwhenthecalltoarmscomes，itstrikestoherheartsuchasenseofwarasshehasneverknownbefore。HeiskilledinoneofthebattlesofItaly，andafteratimeshemarriesanothersoldier，notsuchabeausabreurasthefirst，butamatureandthoughtfulman，whofightsthroughthatsecondwarfromasenseofdutyratherthanfromloveoffighting，andcomesoutofitwithsuchabhorrencethathequitsthearmyandgoeswithhisfamilytoliveinParis。
Therethethirdwarovertakeshim，andinthesiege，thisAustrian，whohasfoughtthePrussianstothedeath，isarrestedbythecommunardsasaPrussianspyandshot。
Thebareoutlineofthestorygives，ofcourse，nojustnotionoftheintensepassionofgriefwhichfillsit。Neitherdoesitconveyadueimpressionofthecharacterinthedifferentpersonswhich，amidsttheheartbreak，isascertainedwithsomesuchtruthandimpartialityaspervadetheeffectsof\"WarandPeace。”Idonotrankitwiththatwork，butinitssincerityandveracityiteasilyranksaboveanyothernoveltreatingofwarwhichIknow，anditoughttodofortheGermanpeopleswhatthenovelsofErckmann-ChatriandidfortheFrench，inatleastonegeneration。
WillitdoanythingfortheAnglo-Saxonpeoples？ProbablynottillwehavepacifiedthePhilippinesandSouthAfrica。WeAmericansarestillapparentlyinlovewithfighting，thoughtheEnglishareapparentlynotsomuchso；andasitisalwayswelltofacethefacts，Iwilltransfertomypagesomefactsoffightingfromthisgraphicbook，whichthereadmayapplytotheactualitiesinthePhilippines，withalittleimagination。TheyaretakenfromaletterwrittentotheheroinebyhersecondhusbandafteroneoftheAustriandefeats。\"ThepeoplepouredboilingwaterandoilonthePrussiansfromthewindowsofthehousesat……Thevillageisours——no，itistheenemy\'s，nowoursagain——andyetoncemoretheenemy\'s；butitisnolongeravillage，butasmokingmassofruinsofhouses……Onefamilyhasremainedbehind……anoldmarriedcoupleandtheirdaughter，thelatterinchildbed。Thehusbandisservinginourregiment……Poordevil!hegottherejustintimetoseethemotherandchilddie；ashellhadexplodedundertheirbed……I
sawabreastworktherewhichwasformedofcorpses。Thedefendershadheapedalltheslainwhowerelyingnear，inorder，fromthatrampart，tofireoverattheirassailants。Ishallsurelyneverforgetthatwallinmylife。Amanwhoformedoneofitsbrickswasstillalive，andwaswavinghisarm……Whatishappeningthere？Theexecutionpartyisdrawnout。Hasaspybeencaught？Seventeenthistime。Theretheycome，infourranks，eachoneoffourmen，surroundedbyasquareofsoldiers。
Thecondemnedmenstepout，withtheirheadsdown。Behindcomesacartwithacorpseinit，andboundtothecorpsethedeadman\'sson，aboyoftwelve，alsocondemned……Steep，rockyheights；Jaegers，nimbleascats，climbingupthem……Someofthem，whoarehitbytheenemy\'sshot，suddenlystretchoutboththeirarms，lettheirmusketsfall，and，withtheirheadsfallingbackwards，dropofftheheight，stepbystep，fromonerockypointtoanother，smashingtheirlimbstopieces。Isawahorsemanatsomedistance，obliquelybehindme，atwhosesideashellburst。Hishorseswervedasideandcameagainstthetailofmind，thenshotpastme。Themansatstillinthesaddle，butafragmentoftheshellhadrippedhisbellyopenandtornoutalltheintestines。Theupperpartofhisbodywasheldtotheloweronlybythespine。Fromtheribstothethighsnothingbutonegreat，bleedingcavity。
Ashortdistancefartherhefelltotheground，onefootstillclinginginthestirrup，andthegallopinghorsedragginghimonoverthestonysoil……AnotherstreetfightinthelittletownofSaar……InthemiddleofthesquarestandsahighpillaroftheVirgin。ThemotherofGodholdsherchildinonearm，andstretchestheotheroutinblessing……Herethefightwasprolonged，mantoman。Theywerehackingatme，Ilayingaboutmeonallsides……A
Prussiandragoon，strongasGoliath，toreoneofourofficers(apretty，dandifiedlieutenant——howmanygirlsare，perhaps，madafterhim？)outofhissaddleandsplithisskullatthefeetoftheVirgin\'spillar。Thegentlesaintlookedonunmoved。
Anotheroftheenemy\'sdragoons——aGoliath，too——seized，justbeforemealmost，myright-handman，andbenthimbackwardsinhissaddlesopowerfullythathebrokehisback——Imyselfhearditcrack。TothistheMadonnagaveherblessingalso。”
VIII。
Itcanbesaidthattheseincidentsofbattleareimagined，likethefactsofVereschagin\'spictures，butlikethesetheyareimaginedratherbelowthanabovetherealhorrorofwar，andrepresenttheminadequately。Theincidentsofanotherbook，thelastonmylist，areofthewarfarewhichgoesonintimesofpeace，andwhichwillgoonaslongastherearehumanpassions，andmankindaredividedintomenandwomen，andsaintsandsinners。Ofallthebooksonmylist，\"LetNotManPutAsunder\"
is，narrowingthewordtotherecognitionoftheauthor\'sintellectualalertnessandvividness，thecleverest。Thestoryisofpeoplewhoconstantlytalksowonderfullywellbeyondthewontevenofsocietypeoplethattheutmostskilloftheauthor，whocannotsubduetheirbrilliancy，isneededtomakeusfeeltheirreality。Buthedoesmakeusfeelthisinmostcases，theimportantcases，andintheothercaseshispowerofinterestingusissogreatthatwedonotstoptoexaminethegroundsofoursensation，ortoquestionthevalidityofouremotions。Theaction，whichispositivelyofto-day，oryesterdayatthefurthest，passesinBostonandEngland，amongpeopleofsuchgreatfortuneandhighrankandtranscendentfashionthattheproudestreadercannotcomplainoftheirsocialquality。Astotheirmoralquality，onemighthavethoughtthelesssaidthebetter，iftheauthorhadnotsaidsomuchthatispertinentandimpressive。
Itisfromfirsttolastabookwithaconscienceinit，anditshighestappealistotheconscience。Itissoverynearlyagreatbook，soverynearlyatruebook，thatitiswithakindofgriefonerecognizesitslimitations，akindofsurpriseatitsshortcomings，which，nevertheless，arenotshortcomingsthatimpairitssupremeeffect。This，Itakeit，istheintimationofamysticalauthorityinmarriageagainstwhichdivorcesinsinvain，whichnorecreancycansubvert，andbyvirtueofwhichitclaimseternallyitsowntheloversunitedinit；thoughtheyseemtobecomehaters，itcannotreleasethemtohappinessinanewunionthroughanyhumanlaw。
Iftheauthorhaddonedramatically(andhisdoingismainlydramatic)nomorethanthis，hewouldhaveestablishedhisrighttobetakenseriously，buthehasdoneverymuchmore，andhasmadeusacquaintedwithtypesandcharacterswhichwedonotreadilyforget，andwithcharactersmuchmorerealthantheirambient。Forinstance，theOldCambridgeinwhichtheVassallsliveisnottheOldCambridgeoffact，buttheVassallsaretheVassallsoffact，thoughtheancestralhallsinwhichtheydwellareofabaronialitydifficultofverification。Theirhonor，theirrighteousness，theirpurityareveracious，thoughtheirsocialstateismagnifiedbeyondanypost-revolutionaryexperience。ThesocialBostonofthenovelismorelike；itsdifferencefromanolderBostonissensitivelyfelt，andfinelysuggested，especiallyonthesideofthatgreater
lawlessnessinwhichitisnotthegreaterBoston。PetrinaFaneuil，theheroine，isderivativelyoftheolderBostonwhichhaspassedaway，andactuallyofthenewerBostonwhichwillnotbesomuchregrettedwhenitpasses，thefastBoston，thealmostrowdyBoston，thedecadentBoston。Itis，ofcourse，aBostonmuchworseinthereportthaninthefact，butitisnotunimaginablybadtothestudentwhonotesthatthelapsefromanyhighidealsistoalevellowerthanthatofpeoplewhohaveneverhadthem。
AsforPetrinaherself，whowasinBostonmorethanofit，sheissoadmirablyanalyzedinthechapterdevotedtothetaskthatI
amtemptedtoinstanceitasthebestpieceofworkinthebook，thoughitdoesnotmakeoneholdone\'sbreathlikesomeofthedramaticepisodes:\"Whateverreligiousinstincthadbeeninthefamilyhadspentitselfatleasttwogenerationsbeforehertime。
Shewasapagan——atolerant，indifferent，slightlyscornfulpagan……ButshewasnonethelessaPuritan。Certainofherwaysofthoughtandhabitsoflife，hadsurvivedthebeliefswhichhadgiventhembirth，asaneffectwilloftenoutliveitscause。Ifshewasapagan，shewasaseriousone，apaganwithaNewEnglandconscience。”
Thisismightywellsaid，andthelikethingsthataresaidofPetrina\'ssister-in-law，whohasmarriedanEnglishtitle，aremightywell，too。\"Shehadinheritedacountenancewhoseexpressionwaslikethelightwhichlingersintheskylongaftersunset——thelightofsomeancestralfiregoneout。Ifinherfacetherewereprayers，theyhadbeensaidbyPepperellsandVassallsnowsleepinginMassachusettschurchyards。Ifinhervoicethereweretears，theyhadbeenshedbythosewhowouldweepnomore。Shemirroredtheemotionsshehadneverfelt；andallthatwasleftofjoysandsorrowsandspiritualaspirationswhichhadoncethrilledhumanheartswasinthatplaintiveechotheyhadgiventothiswoman\'stone，andthelightofpetitiontheyhadleftburninginhereyes。”
Noonewhoreadssuchpassagescandenythattheauthorof\"LetNotManPutAsunder\"canthinksubtlyaswellassayclearly，andthebookaboundsinproofsofhisabilitytoportrayhumannatureinitslighteraspects。LadydeBohun，withherpatheticface，isamostamusingcreature，withallhertragedy，andsheisonthewholethemostperfectlycharacterizedpersonalityinthestory。Theauthorgivesyouarealsenseofherbeauty，hergrace，herbeingalwayscharminglyinahurryandalwayslate。
Thegreatestsceneishers:thesceneinwhichshemeetsherdivorcedhusbandwithhissecondwife。Onemaysuspectsomeoftheotherscenes，butonemustacceptthatsceneasoneofgenuinedramaticworth。
Toomuchofthedramainthebookistheatreratherthandrama，andyettheauthor\'sgiftisessentiallydramatic。Heknowshowtotellastoryonhisstagethatholdsyoutothefallofthecurtain，andmakesyoualmostpatientofthemutedviolinsandthelimelightoftheclosingscene。Suchthings，yousay，donothappeninBrookline，Mass。，whateverhappensinLondonorinEnglishcountryhouses；andyetthepeoplehaveatonetimeorotherconvincedyouoftheirverity。Ofthethingsthatarenotnatural，youfeellikesayingthattheyaresupernaturalratherthanunnatural，andyouownthatatitsworstthebookisworthwhileinatimewhenmostnovelsarenotworthwhile。
Footnotes\"TheRightofWay。”ANovel。ByGilbertParker。Harper&Brothers。
\"TheRulingPassion。Talesofnatureandhumannature。”ByHenryVanDyke。CharlesScribner\'sSons。
\"SpoilsandStratagemsStoriesofloveandpolitics。”ByWm。
AllenWhite。CharlesScribner\'sSons。
\"FomaGordyeeff。”ByMaximGorky。TranslatedfromtheRussianbyIsabelF。Hapgood。CharlesScribner\'sSons。
\"Circumstances。”ByS。WeirMitchell，M。D。TheCenturyCompany。
\"AJapaneseNightingale。”ByOnotoWatana。Harper&Brothers。
\"TheMarrowofTradition。”ByCharlesW。Chesnutt。Houghton，Mifflin&Co。
\"LayDownYourArms。TheautobiographyofMarthavonTilling。”
ByBerthavonSuttner。AuthorizedTranslation。ByT。Holmes。
Longmans，Green&Co。
\"LetNotManPutAsunder。”ByBasilKing。Harper&Brothers。