Taking rejuvenation as her theme, [Gertrude Atherton, in "Black Oxen," has written as powerful and as; interesting a book as could well be: made on the subject and she has treated it with artistic as well as: scientific directness, and an appreciation of all its complex phases Which marks her, once again, as a writer of distinction.
The story of Mary Ogden and of her return as a young girl to the country of her birth after an ab-nee that was practically a life time, is told with vigour combined with a fine restraint. In her exceedingly original treatment of her theme the author shows the irony of regained youth being denied the passion and abandon of youth; of a mature brain in-a young head; of an tly immature girl worldly wisdom and political and social strategy and experience; of a beauty that draws upon itself only the hared and. envy of those who once were old and trusted friends. These are the women. All these phases are dealt with in a. most unexpected and interesting. fashion. They composed the secret fof rejuvenation which Mary Ogden had to discover for herself after she had undergone the scientite
had not anticipated, or, perhaps had not thought of it, which is more likely, that rejuvenation of body did not bring with it rejuvenation of mind and brain and heart, 30 freeing them of their load of memory, erudition, past regrets and vain ambitions, giving in return the impulse of happy, careless youth. That was the tragedy of Mary Odgen, Countess Zattiany.
With her finger on the pulse of every whim and fancy, thought and deed of her characters, and there are many and every one' interesting, Gertrude Atherton has evolved a series of studies as clear cut asa glacier. And as fine and az hard and as scintillating. What these characters succeed in doing, or endeavour to do on "restored youth superimposed upon exhaustive knowledge," is at once traditional of a certain type of humanity, and symbolical of all human nature's fear of knowledge that deals with things beyond the average ken.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.