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as they realise the sense of danger and provoke the sympathy of
fear。 To add more traits； to be too clever； to start the hare of
moral or intellectual interest while we are running the fox of
material interest； is not to enrich but to stultify your tale。 The
stupid reader will only be offended； and the clever reader lose the
scent。
The novel of character has this difference from all others： that it
requires no coherency of plot； and for this reason； as in the case
of GIL BLAS； it is sometimes called the novel of adventure。 It
turns on the humours of the persons represented； these are； to be
sure； embodied in incidents； but the incidents themselves； being
tributary； need not march in a progression； and the characters may
be statically shown。 As they enter； so they may go out； they must
be consistent； but they need not grow。 Here Mr。 James will
recognise the note of much of his own work： he treats； for the most
part； the statics of character； studying it at rest or only gently
moved； and； with his usual delicate and just artistic instinct； he
avoids those stronger passions which would deform the attitudes he
loves to study； and change his sitters from the humorists of
ordinary life to the brute forces and bare types of more emotional
moments。 In his recent AUTHOR OF BELTRAFFIO； so just in
conception； so nimble and neat in workmanship； strong passion is
indeed employed； but observe that it is not displayed。 Even in the
heroine the working of the passion is suppressed； and the great
struggle； the true tragedy； the SCENE…A…FAIRE passes unseen behind
the panels of a locked door。 The delectable invention of the young
visitor is introduced； consciously or not； to this end： that Mr。
James； true to his method； might avoid the scene of passion。 I
trust no reader will suppose me guilty of undervaluing this little
masterpiece。 I mean merely that it belongs to one marked class of
novel； and that it would have been very differently conceived and
treated had it belonged to that other marked class； of which I now
proceed to speak。
I take pleasure in calling the dramatic novel by that name； because
it enables me to point out by the way a strange and peculiarly
English misconception。 It is sometimes supposed that the drama
consists of incident。 It consists of passion； which gives the
actor his opportunity； and that passion must progressively
increase； or the actor； as the piece proceeded； would be unable to
carry the audience from a lower to a higher pitch of interest and
emotion。 A good serious play must therefore be founded on one of
the passionate CRUCES of life； where duty and inclination come
nobly to the grapple； and the same is true of what I call； for that
reason； the dramatic novel。 I will instance a few worthy
specimens； all of our own day and language； Meredith's RHODA
FLEMING； that wonderful and painful book； long out of print； （13）
and hunted for at bookstalls like an Aldine； Hardy's PAIR OF BLUE
EYES； and two of Charles Reade's； GRIFFITH GAUNT and the DOUBLE
MARRIAGE； originally called WHITE LIES； and founded （by an accident
quaintly favourable to my nomenclature） on a play by Maquet； the
partner of the great Dumas。 In this kind of novel the closed door
of THE AUTHOR OF BELTRAFFIO must be broken open； passion must
appear upon the scene and utter its last word； passion is the be…
all and the end…all； the plot and the solution； the protagonist and
the DEUS EX MACHINA in one。 The characters may come anyhow upon
the stage： we do not care； the point is； that； before they leave
it； they shall become transfigured and raised out of themselves by
passion。 It may be part of the design to draw them with detail； to
depict a full…length character； and then behold it melt and change
in the furnace of emotion。
But there is no obligation of the sort； nice portraiture is not
required； and we are content to accept mere abstract types； so they
be strongly and sincerely moved。 A novel of this class may be even
great； and yet contain no individual figure； it may be great；
because it displays the workings of the perturbed heart and the
impersonal utterance of passion； and with an artist of the second
class it is； indeed； even more likely to be great； when the issue
has thus been narrowed and the whole force of the writer's mind
directed to passion alone。 Cleverness again； which has its fair
field in the novel of character； is debarred all entry upon this
more solemn theatre。 A far…fetched motive； an ingenious evasion of
the issue； a witty instead of a passionate turn； offend us like an
insincerity。 All should be plain； all straightforward to the end。
Hence it is that； in RHODA FLEMING； Mrs。 Lovell raises such
resentment in the reader； her motives are too flimsy； her ways are
too equivocal； for the weight and strength of her surroundings。
Hence the hot indignation of the reader when Balzac； after having
begun the DUCHESSE DE LANGEAIS in terms of strong if somewhat
swollen passion； cuts the knot by the derangement of the hero's
clock。 Such personages and incidents belong to the novel of
character； they are out of place in the high society of the
passions； when the passions are introduced in art at their full
height； we look to see them； not baffled and impotently striving；
as in life； but towering above circumstance and acting substitutes
for fate。
And here I can imagine Mr。 James； with his lucid sense； to
intervene。 To much of what I have said he would apparently demur；
in much he would； somewhat impatiently； acquiesce。 It may be true；
but it is not what he desired to say or to hear said。 He spoke of
the finished picture and its worth when done； I； of the brushes；
the palette； and the north light。 He uttered his views in the tone
and for the ear of good society； I； with the emphasis and
technicalities of the obtrusive student。 But the point； I may
reply； is not merely to amuse the public； but to offer helpful
advice to the young writer。 And the young writer will not so much
be helped by genial pictures of what an art may aspire to at its
highest； as by a true idea of what it must be on the lowest terms。
The best that we can say to him is this： Let him choose a motive；
whether of character or passion； carefully construct his plot so
that every incident is an illustration of the motive； and every
property employed shall bear to it a near relation of congruity or
contrast； avoid a sub…plot； unless； as sometimes in Shakespeare；
the sub…plot be a reversion or complement of the main intrigue；
suffer not his style to flag below the level of the argument； pitch
the key of conversation； not with any thought of how men talk in
parlours； but with a single eye to the degree of passion he may be
called on to express； and allow neither himself in the narrative
nor any character in the course of the dialogue；