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，toreoneofourofficersapretty，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。
　　Iftheauthorhaddonedramaticallyandhisdoingismainlydramaticnomorethanthis，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。