The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-11-23
Written for tie Pioneer and pemocre
PRAIRIE PAPERS.
NUMBER ONE.

have just laid aside the second volume
of the Marble Faun and while I am in
competent to criticise, with any degree Of
satisfaction, either to myself or others, I
may nevertheless give suggestion as to
the prominent source of the disappointment,
which every admirer of Hawthorne must
have felt, ION finishing this production of
seven or eight years. silence. Tread every
thing by this accomplished writer with low
ing interest, and 1 am proud to know the
while, that he belongs to US. l never
walked the streets of Boston, without
strong feeling of gratitude for the man who
had invested one spot in America with
romance, and from the grim, Puritan past,
had evoked shapes and scenes of memorable
beauty and interest.
It would seem as if his mind found con-
genial themes in those cruel, gloomy years
of early history. No one excels him in the
analysis Of nature, and the gradual effect Of
its action on the character. The punish
ment of Hester Pryme is the very pathol.
ogy of penance, and the bewildered remorse
of Donatello is an additional proof of his
strange genius, in the complete mastery of
mental processes. The Scarlet Letter will
be the lasting memorial Of bis varied powers.
1t has not only perfect plot, with fine
combination of its exigencies, but rare
characters moving on, in their destinies OF
sin and innocence to the final climax. Then
the elegant language is harmonious
blending of all the requisites, and gives the
final, artistic sense of completeness.
Washington Irving has written the only
legend (sleepy Hollow Of these later days,
and Hawthorne has produced the only per-
feet American novel, which will be read in
the future. II don't believe in Uncle Tom.
In the Marble Faun there is the same beau
tiful style, rendering the deeper thought OF
experience and travel, and giving US noble
description of classic scenes. But where is
the plot? There is none, to speak of-and
however perfect in diction and delineation Of
art life in Rome, it must fail as nouel. The
style Of SCOTS later works, is as charming
as in Ivanhoe and the Heart of Mid. Lothian,
but they are deficient in the plot-full Of
exciting interest, and hence they were, and
are disappointment. The perfection OF
the Scarlet Letter, and Blithedale Romance,
has made us exacting. The similarity of
the characters in the Marble Faun to those
in Blithedale Romance, oonstan tly intrudes
on the mind in readipg. Miriam is Zenobia,
and Hilda, Priscilla-with the same strong
contrasts in the natures of both, amounting
almost to antipathy, and withal strange
sympathy uniting them. The spiritipg away
Of Hilda, or rather the mysterious dis
appearance" is similar to Priscillas, only in
the latter case, the motive is more scrutable.
Kenyon is Miles Coverdale, with change
of business, and l don't know but the
"model" is sort of Professor Westervelt.
A matter-of-fact-friend used to ask the
somewhat intricate question "what allied Mrs.
Dombey Z" and with how much more rea-
son would he now demand an explanation
about Miriam. If Charlotte Bronte received
letters OF inquiry a. TO the certain fate Of
Paul Emanuel in Villette, perhaps Haw>
thorne is undergoing the same species OF
Interrogation. / for one do not pity him.
Hereafter let rs not blame Robert Brown
ing for "Sordello's story" not told, nor re-
quire of the poet anything like rigid ad.
herence to the "Unities."
Plot is certainly essential to the lasting
success Of novel; it is the frame upon
which the "full symmetric impression" must
rest, and to my mind the Marble Faun will
take It's place beside Corinne, not as novel,
hutaea delightful book on Italy such, in
k1nlAin, as Addison might have written if
his brain had not been vexed with politics.
Are the first works Of authors to be their
best efforts? Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Let
ter, Vanity Fair, and several others would
seem to attest such an opinion. Many pre-
fer Zanoni and the Last Days of Pompeii
a. prlwor,o 1afor yroductiona m full of cvn.