William J. Locke doc The White Dove

"Beyond the average in conception, and much beyond the average in execution." -The Academy "Mr. Locke's English is always sound and pleasant to read and his matter not wanting in flavor....A love of the true Bohemian and a sympathy for the erring and unfortunate among the better classes is Mr. Locke's guiding motive in his novels. To the man who has come down in the world through his own folly or recklessness he is always partial, and he makes us feel that this man, on whom the more respectable members of society look askance, is not always such a bad fellow after all." -The Literary World "An ideal English country gentleman and his son, a noted physician, are the chief characters in a story written to enforce that it is well to let 'mercy temper justice.' Both men had noble wives who in their youth had yielded to temptation. How the father, mellowed by life, looks upon human weakness is strongly contrasted with the hard judgment of his virtuous and untempted son." -Publishers Weekly "It is an interesting story. The characters are strongly conceived and vividly presented, and the dramatic moments are powerfully realized." -Morning Post "Mr. Locke writes well....He has the seeing eye for character, the capacity for emotion. We have nothing but praise to give his able character-drawing, while the attitude of the Layons - father and son - to each other is singularly beautiful and touching." -Literature "The plot-intervention is extremely brilliant, not only in detail, but in the interweaving of incidents." -Star "Mr. William J. Locke's 'The White Dove' has a very exceptional claim to attention." -Graphic "The writing is good, showing fine descriptive power, and the quality of quiet patience in the working out of what is really a capital story." -Vanity Fair "An interesting story, full of dramatic scenes." -Times "A moving tale of human passion and a powerful study of conduct and motive." -Scotsman "A strong, tender and beautiful story." -Bookman "Mr. Locke has a happy gift for characterization, and writes in the easy, cultured style of the scholar." -Daily Telegraph