SOURCE: "Old and New," in The Nation, New York, Vol. 122, No. 3181, June 23, 1926, p. 701.

In the following review, Fadiman admits Butts's talent, but dismisses Ashe of Rings as a contrived and outdated romance.

One of the many discoveries we owe to English romanticism is the sentiment of place. Somehow it was revealed in the early 1800's that localities, like persons, have active and sensible souls. It is such an adumbration of locale that should have formed the backbone of this very arresting novel [Ashe of Rings] by a writer of indubitable talent. As a matter of fact, there are two backbones—and the result is that we are faced with a museum curiosity, not an integrated work of art.

The earlier and more powerful section of the book is devoted to an evocation of the estate of Rings in England. From the arrogant lips of Anthony Ashe, master of...