The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-14
NEW BOOKS.

NEW BOOKS.
MISS RAvENEL's CONVERSION FROM SECESSION TO 10y
LTY. By J: W. DeForest, author Of European Ac
quaintance," !" "SeacHf, etc., etc. New York: Harpe
Brothers, 1857. For sale by Messra. E j. Dawson
Co., Charleston.
From the title it will be inferred that this is one
Of the war novels which for the last two or three
years have been infestng the book shops. Such
upon reading, we found it to be; but yet not O.
| the ordinary class heretofore printed in Ha'per'
| Weekly and MontIly Magazines. MIR. DEFoREsTs
is not stupid book. On the contrary, it is mark
ed with considerable ability. The plot is 80 very
simple that we are almost tempted to assert that
there is entire absence Of all plot. 1t is nara
tive, unbroken almost from beginning to end, oi
the adventures Of DR.. RAvENEL, native Of South
Carolina, but long resident Of New Orleans, who,
at the beginning Of the war, fled to the North, be-
cause he was an abolitonist and Union man. His
daughter LILLE accompanied him. She is se'
cessionist 'so-called but in fact cannot be said to
have had any political principles, and but little
knowledge Of the questions at issue. She is gov.
erned by impulse, and easily led by those around
her; and could have been converted to Buddhism
or Islam perhaps quite as easily as to loyalty.
line 6116S W6uG VO Cn0 OCato VI Ddrduid, ouu i0-
sided at New Boston, the seat Of Winslow Uni
versity. Connecticut, New Haven and Yale, will
be readily recognized by the reader through this
thin disguise. There the RAvENELs, became
acquainted with two young men, Capt. CARTER
and Mr.. CoIBURNE. The former is Virginian, of
q good old family, . graduate Of Vest Point, and
what DR.. RGvENEL with holy horror deneminates
ga man about town" meaning drinking, swearing,
gambling, not paying his taior's bills, 90. Mr..
Co1suRNE is model Of q New Englander Of the
better class-we beg pardon-we scarcely know
how to express ourselves in view Of the intense
doctrines Of equality pervsding thst latitude,
where every man is as good as every other man, il
mot better. However, CoLBuRN was an excellent
young man ; he is the true hero Of the story the
pink Of perfection; model for all striving and
aspiring youths very much of milksop, however,
and right glad to be rewarded at last even with q
secondhand wife. Both young men were in love
with Miss RAvENEh at the same time she chose
CARTm, the gay and dashing Virginia,
West Point Colonel, who fought on the
loyal side, because, it is alleged, he deemed
it to his interest so to do. The Colonel made q
passable husband; for although he would some
times get very drunk, our author never charges
him with going to bed in his boots. But, like
ULYSSES, he went to sea in ship, and, like that
willy King Of Ithaca, he was ensnared by another
Calypso, in the charming form Of Mrs. LARuE, o
most fascinating New Orleans French Creole, the
cousin of Lille, and-PENELoPE was forgotten.
Alter their return TO Louisiana from Washington,
where ULYSSES has been seeking brigadiership,
but finding it not, one Of GALYpsos letters was
found by PEaKLopBs father, and ultimately fell into
the hands Of the virtuous neglected wife herself
Painting, Indignation, &c., separation, return to
New Boston. ULyssEs is conveniently killed in a
battle soon after; and then comes once more on
the stage, our spooney Barstrarian hero, Col
BURNE, behaving al through in the most ridicu-
iously absurd manner, and on the last page Of the
book marries the converted lsdy. -, 'eosgs5
So much for the plot and for the story. Now as
to the motive and the execution. Although our
suthor makes large parade Of goaliness, there is
total absence Of charity all through his volume
His pen is dipped in venom, and il bad blood can
be stirred up by . novel, he may fairly lay
claim to the honor of having done his best
to bring about such result. Uno's TOMS
Cabin, in its day, was considered q gross
nDel upon tne 6oubn, put Ii 'IuS 1eoPoo' ~
fell far short Of the work before US. Mrs. STOVES
novel isa work Of art, and with ell it's bitterness
presents here and there many redeeming feature
of Southern life and character; while hero we have
a mere party pamphlet written in the usual style
and violent invectiYs Of partizan literature. The
book, IN fact, judged BY the severer canors Of
criticism cannot be considered work OF art at all
Art is prostituted when it is attempted to press,
her into service as q party hack. A cotemporary,
summing up "notice'" Of this novel, remarks {:
eve will not do the author OF thsHbook tho In1us-
tce Of supposing that he was quite foolish enough
to publish 1t as his own expense. We infer there
fore that it has been brought ont under the
auspices of one Of those senliehtened and philan-
thropicA Tract Societies which abound In the
North li;Hi {i!ii,tfHii,!. ilii.
DR.. RAvKN1 is made the mouthpiece OF an the
against the South; and had the au-
thor really known what he was writing about, he
could not have conceived such character. In
fact to all intents and purposes, this model loyal
list exile is neither more nor less than cynical old
fool. We are criticised in our manners, our NOR
ais, our lapgIsge, M fsct contrasted IN everything
with New England, and such contrast, OF course
always results to our disadvantage. The author
hiRtse Isl however, not entirely farltess IN taste;
far from it; delcacy is not one Of his weaknesses.
Take, for instance, the following sentence: .'The
young lady listened TO the DOCTORS story OF nus
sef-imposed exile, and 10 ms saroasms upon .ne
people of her native cty with cerfan pretty little
starts and snias OF disapprooaaon wn'cn femihaT
ed CoLBuRM OF the oounteriet ap'stnes o. nv
ten playing angel. - r 'hAsENEI Z. VEN consHtansy
speaks of Louisiana as Ashantee, and styles their
language Ashantee English: Mr.. DEtoaEsT Is
either physician or professor, or both. He
makes frequent use OF technical terms OF medi-
cine chemistry etc., and the entire BOOK Is in'er-
larded with college campus and army phrases. AN
old lady is thus drawn: fhln-hppea' honoW,
checked, narroW-chested, Wltn only one iuns' anu
an intermittens dlgesaon' &c. Even her slhiie
was Woni phenomenon II seeniea " ~ iasnel :. .
Symptom Vi pau. tian en 'Ap.. ~ - e
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