The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-20

It will thus be seen that such a work is not
fitted 10 enter any decent household, and that
no father, brother, or respectable library should
allow it to be within reach. But more of that
sentiment anon.
Again. the wills of persons are all of them,
by strange fatality directly opposed to what
was universally expected. We have a record OF
four wills. Griffith Gaunt makes one, leaving
all his possessions to Kate Peyton-totally unex-
pected. Sir George Neville does the same thing
also surprising. Old Mr.. Bolton, after stating
that he had left all to Griffith leaves all to Miss
Peyton. And a Gaunt of somewhere, who ap.
pears at the eleventh hour, leaves all his wealth
to Griffith. 1t will thus be seen that in making
their wills, people are not so disinterested as we
suppose and ii Mr.. Reade is to be believed, are
governed by fckle likes or dislIkes, and never
by justice.
There is another noticeable omission in the
book. There are no mothers portrayed. When
ever we find an author leaving his characters
without mothers, without the effect of mothers
influence, we may feel pretty sure that the char
acteIs are not going to act rightly. And in
"Griffith Gaunt" we have no mothers given us,
and all the heroes and heroines do wrong.
The work opens peculiarly, and we must say
that we like its abrupt commencement:
Nov say once for ALL that priests shall
never darken my doors again."
''Then say they are my doors and not yours
and the holy man shall brighten them when.
ever he will"
The gentleman and lady who faced each other.
pale and furious, and interchanged the bitter
defiance, were man and wife, and had .'loyed
each other welln Then, without word of ex
PLANTATION, the story begins eight years before
and we find the clue to the first sentences on paoe
Y, when the work is half finished. The author
commences with climax and skilfully draws
hisreader with him. The words, however. are
not particularly well selected. They are not the
ending of an epoch. Griffith does not leave his
wife in despair when she says these cruel words.
If he did, the words would be we'll chosen: but
they do not mark an era in the story, and we
therefore deplore their selection.
Let us give the work all the praise we can.
1t is well written, and certain passages are re-
markable for their power. The conversations
are generally readable, and but once or twice
degenerate into the sickening twaddle of the
dime novel; The style is succinct and per-
spicuous, and deserves praise. When we sav
this, we say all we can in its favor. Mr.. Eao6o
has behaved most unfairly TO the public He
has acquired reputation by his novels for
brilliancy and force. He has gained an ontree
WV" every hons hon.suoiu, He secured
GOOD name and fair fame, and under
the mask of his previous works has
sought to foist upon the public tale which, if
II found It's true level, would be laid on no
table but that of a brothel. 1t is because
Messrs. Ticknor & Fields published it that it
has created the attention that it has, and their
""pnot keep it up long, If they
eooo name U'"--- '"am down to
seek to sustain it, it will drag nv--
its own level. 1t should be read by none who
love the pure and the good. 1t abounds in
Lassages at once most prurient and disgusting,
which we cannot with decency quote here.
But as its true character has been exposed, its
authors fangs are drawn, and hereafter Charles
Reade can enter only where the novels of
George Sand and Henry Fielding are admired.
PRACTICAL MnERALoGY, AssAYING, AND MINING.
By Frederick OVerman. Philadelphia: Lindsay
& Blakiston.