JAMES, IIENIVi An American nov elist and essayist, horn in New York 111 y , April 15. Is4:3. the -.on of the eminent theologian. Henry dames. and the younger brother of William James. the psychologist. Ile was educated privately in New York. in Switzerland. in England, and in France, and in 1Stl2 he entered the liarvard Law Scioto!. lle preferred, however. the lectures of James Russell Lowell to the regular work of his courses. Ear several years be had been perfeet ing, his literary style. and after env or two short stories of his had been published he turned his attention definitely to literature. Between 1571 and 1903 he produced more than forty books, scone of them books of essays. lint the major part of them works of fiction. Ili: essays are dk tinguished for gracefulness of expression ;Ind for delicacy of perception on the part of the author; and these characteristics are even more apparent in his novels. Lt his earliest work he showed an unusual mastery of language and a sense of proportion; his style was simple and pleas ing, and the 1110VOIllent of his stories was steady, though not Tapid. The substance of his plots was the development of elmra•ter rather than dramatic incident. The persons whom he chose to portray were selected from the classes that are subject to subtle impressions, and the evanescent emotion: of such elmrrieters are expressed accurately in 11r. .Tames's work. In his early books. for example Poderirk 11 adson. Tyre .1 ta erica .Hiller. and Thr Port in it of a Lady. he chase as subject the eoutrast between the vigorous and kindly but simple Arnerieans when abroad and the polished arrooanee of the member: of older races with Avliorn they came in contact. These are comparatively simple stories told in simple manner; and they attracted to the author a number of enthusiastic adherents, who found in him the creator of the international novel. ills popularity increased with 7Vic Bos ton ions and The Princess cosoiaassihm, in both of wnieh the subtlety of ...NH.. James's exposition of character was apparent. In later with in creased insight into the complexities of society and in the effort to render these complexities, there elute a development of complexity in the style of the author which reached its height. per
haps. in 7'he Fount—a book in which the phrases expressing the half-spoken or unspoken thought of the characters are so elusive as to be, to the reader who 110 lacks the most highly de veloped intuition. almost unintelligible. In Mr. Jam•s's later works the theme also has changed: the author apparently became interested in the rapid trend toward unconventionality which look place in the last part of the nineteenth century in London, and many of his books dealt with phases of that change. Perhatis the most strik ing PNample,.; of his works which deal with sub jects that, treated in a less delicate manner, would be too brutal to seem appropriate for dis cussion in literature, are What Maisie Knew, and The Wing, of a Dory but the exito,it• of the rapid change in maniwrs and customs in London is treated most comprehensively in The .1 wk ward .1 ye. Among Ids works are: Watch and Word ( I S71 ) ; Roderick 11 udson ( 1S75 ) ; Tra asa Ilan I ie Nket s ( I S75) ; .1 Passion,' to Pilgrim (1815 ) : 7 he America n (1S7; 1 : Daisy .11i I ler (1878) ; The Europ«Ins (1S781; French Ports and .Cord isle (1S7S1 : .1 a I al( r iota,/ Episode (1879) ; ( 157:11; .1 Bund/e of Letters (1879) ; Confidcne• (18791; The Diary of fi .lion of Fifty ( ism): Wash ing t on Ng mire (1SS 1 ) ; 7'hc Por of a Lady (188l) Thr Sirge of London ( ltiti3) : The Point of I w ( : Portraits of Places (ISS41: .1 little Tour in France (1:-N-1) ruhR of Three Ci t (1Sg1) _1 New Enyinfot (1SS5) : The .1a of Belt raffia (1S851 The Dos t o» in as ( ISS(1) : The Princes.<; Casa In ssi m a ( 1SSO) ; Pa rt al Por ra s ( 'SS:4) ; The .1s pent rapers (1.SS5) 7'he lie rerbera tor (1S8S) : London Life ( 1SS9) ; Tra g ir .11 se (1890) ; 711c Pupil ( 1S91) : Term ina ions (1ti95) ; The Other Ilonse (18971: Spoils of Pay?' ( IS961 . Ens barn/Rs/nen ( 189(1) : What ilaisic ( lti97) ; The 1/ogies (1SOS) ; The Th7I Th ny a ad (It her Tales; Ire the Cage (I898) : The .1irkirard .I ye ; The Soft Side (1900) ; The Retered Tonal ( 1901): The Tri arts of a Dare ( 19021 ; 7'hr tierer Sort (190:3).