New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS
FFLrx HOLT. TIE RADICAL

fcty finished specimen Of htcary work which betrays
in every page an elevated purpose and yet in form is not
ddsOiic which combines dramatic rapidly Of action
~ih msvelously close snalysis Of characters and
sbolnds 10 dialogues al quick witty philosophical
and absolutely faithful TO nature deserves such high
ed Of praise that hardly speak Of as itought 10
o. spoken Of without exposing ourselves 70 the suspicion
o. e1aegoraiion guch povel a. this Is Felix Holt"
a. cannot be appreciated the first reading. We too
nnrh interested in the fortunes Of the persons In the
drama too curious learn the dark haied at in
Us earlier chapters perceive the with
ouch one acton eduoed from another In perfectly
sequence 10 admire properly the and beautiful
thoughts the rich and grateful dcton and the felctous
t.'a ofePiuammato description which embeish every
PAGE Like 3 symphony Of Bcethovcns it must DO
perised again and again before It's beauty can DO fully
s9pisbended
Folk Holt is not the central figure in tho story tho
b'st drawn. Ho is brave, honest enthusiastic young
flos shaggy headed lnreecyed, strone-lmbed wearing
wascoat nor crsgat and nhenting wealth but an
education above his humble rank IN life and right Of
property certain Cahartc Lczenges aida RsStOra-
i've KSir patented by his deceased father and eagerly
consumed BY the country people IN general - the great
dstnment OF ther constitutions Felix ia ambitious 20
to,me what he calls "a demaeocue no, 90 excite
ignorant mob 20 oamor for privileges which thcy
d. no, know how - use, but by living with the
working people sud sharing their pnvstons TO ac-
guv an influence by which he may lead them to
bs.tef things "Wby should | want 10 get into the
miidleclass" lie asks. because ! have some learn
in'' The most Of the udilc-class as Ignorant
cas- ~orking people about everything thN doesn't belong
- their own Brlnmagem lfo. That's how the working
left 70 foolish devices and keep worsenng them
selves The best heads among them oTsake their bora
radesi and 90 10 for house with high doorstep and
brss knockor" d" want 20 be demagogue Of sort
honest one II possible who will tell the people they
ae blind and foolish, and neither datte them fatten
o. them. ! have my beritsgo-an order belong TO- i
have the blood Of line ofhandcnfismen in my veins and
want 10 stand up for the lot Of the Aandcrasman "a
good lot in which maa may be better trained to all the
best functions Of his than II he belonged to the
rmacing set who have visiting cards and proud to
b. thought richer than their neghbors IL is In the year
It tho Reform agitation 1882 that the action Of the novel
takes place and during the election for Parliament Folk
Holt has many opportunities Of eIpounding the principles
81 bis life, nwas with rude, hearty, Saxon eoquence,
but not always 1t us with much practical sig
ucance and cearness in the passages have cited
We are carried away by his words read them but
the serIeaeotion comes to US that there spccousneSs
IN our young Radicals philosophy which George Eliot
d,es not perceve that the lot of the handiorasman is
cot good lot for who is capable Of rising to bet
Ter nor are brass knockers and wascost 10 be despised
when they are honestly by. We cannot help feeling
that Felix Is often cropping in the dark after dmy
esen good which be does not fully understand and that
the chvay which mPels him to rush at abuses and to
eight for the unfortunate is not wholly free from the
QaiXotsm which tlts at winemills
However this may be- hee can be question tina; his
shAraoer whether altogether Ike it not is mar
vsouy well described; and in the frs action which he
performs when he is introduced to there is quite as
much practical common sense honest theory. From
-. Ha5 her rdvfu la rafrr
o. bis mothers home mp little back street
10 the country town Of Treby Magma, resolved
Go support himself by Matchmaking and school-eaeh
ing aad TO put a stop TO the sale Of the quack med
cnas by which old Mrs. Holt has hitherto supported her
ssG The poor woman, il her distress at her sons new
fsnglod IDEAS has TO d" the Rev. Rufus Lyon
Minister Of the Independent Chapel usually spoken of
"a Malthouse-Yard" The scene which follows IS ex-
qsisitely humorous Mrs Holt With her hghtbrown
front and black band her forehead, and
tbs bleak, ncrth-eastery expression in her eyes,
seating herself with emphasis and looking f1edy
at the opposite wall With hurt aud srgumentaTe coun-
tenAAce-how often have we not just such in ured
old vomenl 1t is good while before the of her
complaint is made clear She disposed to rost the
ets Of her medicines the moral character Of her late
basboad "He hsd wonderful gift in prayer, the old
snsm5ers well know, If anybody likes 70 ask EN- not be-
isving my words; and he believed himself that the re-
oept for the Cancer Cure which I've sent out in bottles
ell this very last April before September as now is, and
have bottles standing by mehe believed it was sent him
an answer TO prayer; and nobody can deny it, for he
PRAYED most Irregular, and read out Of the green oaiEe
G" "Isuppose Christian can understand the word o
Col without going to Glasgow, and there's texts upon
serta about ointment and medicine and there's one as
ixht have been made for receipt Of my husband sits
tast a. II it was riddle and Hollis Elixir the an
ever"
This good old woman IL rather sp. TO enlarge upon
mar own virtues;
We'll Mr. Lyon I've right to SPEAK to my own charac
Ter and I'm one Of your congregation though I'm not
ssd AZ r being saved without works, there's many
dare say can't do without that doctrines Dut tnunh VIC
Ia orzs I've done duty and anybody comes 10
eat. for I've gone without my OF Of rea 70 aAe III
stye done the sane them n they had the sinking az
tss stomach s hsyei for I've strove to do the right
1Sg ana se9 sen o respected By everybody should
40 he reproached By nv And my husband said
Is and be Cure will support you for they've great name
an all the county round and you'll pray for blessing on
GOOD medcnes when they've been taken for bty miles round
By high and low and rich and poor aud nobody speaking
Gscs OF Heaven for wrong 70 take the medicines
ooIldnt the pleased Lord have stopped itr
Mr. Lyon tries to comfort her by suggesting that Felix's
ptricities may be the disguised workings OF grace;
6any servants Of God have been led by ways as
.nge"
Taen, she replies I'm sOy for their mothers, that's
"a never wholly sorgives Felix FOR laying in the face
.sayen" by stopping her living respectable, more
,ulary by the pills which had sale, as you may be
,hev suited peoples insdes" "And what folks can
n have boxes enough TO swallow" she says, 81 should
you have right TO sell. And there's many and many
xvfth HINT aver thinking: