Mrs. Ward’s latest novel is based upon the story of the painter George Romney, whose thirty years’ separation from his wife for the sake of his art is reduced to twelve in the present story. The hero, John Fenwick, from the Westmorland hills, possesses a great uncouth, untrained genius for painting which longs for expression. In satisfying his ambition to go to London he subordinates wife, child, all heart things to his one great art passion. Out of his hesitation to admit the existence of a wife to his uncertain London friends and patrons grows an estrangement which is unconsciously aided by Eugenie de Pastourelles, the Eleanor of the story, a woman of great strength, but unfortunate in her marriage. As Mrs. Ward’s art demands the shifting of moral and ethical values to the right focus, with sure steady touch she extricates and arrays in order the confused forces.
“The criticism that one is almost compelled to pass upon the book is that the characters are somewhat wanting in life and full-bloodedness.”
+ – Acad. 70: 422. My. 5, ’06. 1470w.
“As to Fenwick himself the portrait lacks outline. It is thoroughly enjoyable, with charm as well as an idea of its own.”
+ + – Ath. 1906, 1: 572. My. 11. 1330w.
“You read her latest volume with a wish that, having conceived so vital and typical a character as Fenwick, she might have been inspired to treat him less conventionally.” Mary Moss.
+ + – Bookm. 23: 533. Jl. ’06. 2890w.
“Mrs. Ward has certainly forgotten for the moment one of the prime principles of literary artistry—that sympathy can hardly be excited in the reader’s mind for unsympathetic characters.”
+ – Critic. 49: 50. Jl. ’06. 580w.