The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-25
LITERATURE.
REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS.


with much interest by large number of people
independently of its merits or demerits. Being
thus sure of her audience Miss Dickinson comes
before the public under more favorable auspices
shan most beginners in the field OF nction; and
whatever may be the critical opinions expressed
about her work, its success as mercantile
speculation is pretty well assured beforehand,
The ideas of this lady on the political and social
questions of the day are well known; and think
ing and feeling strongly on the subjects which
have engaged her attention as an orator. it was
to be expected that they would predominant in
her novel. To use an extremely vulgar but ex-
pressive phrase, Miss Dickinson goes the
''whoe hog" with regard to negro equality,
socially, morally, mentally, and politically,
although 1t must be confessed that she
does draw it little mild in making her heroine
quadroon who cannot be distinguished from
white woman, instead of full-blooded negro
In making her hero marry woman OF negro
blood Miss Dickinson seems to think that such
a consummaton is necessary in order to insure
the African race the political equality which
they are entitled to as men and tax-paying
citizens. To the Shareholders and Copper
heads sneering question, "Would you marry
black woman W the answer of all sensible advo-
Gates of negro equality has been that such
matters as that we're TO be determined by each
individual according to his taste and inclna-
tions, and that they had no proper connection
with the main issue. Miss Dickinson therefore
has made blunder not only as an artist, but
as a social and political reformer; and she has
allowed her enthusiasm and her bias in favor of
the EXTREMIST justice towards the black race to
lead her beyond the bounds OF discretion, and
to put weapon in the hands of the enemy.
We hnli rn1v in
works of art the moral should be subordinate to
the artistic idea aud, if introduced at all, that
the moral purpose of poem or novel should be
only incidental, and deducible from the plot and
incidents, and not override them. We candidly
confess that polemical and religious novels are
our especial aversion; they jar upon the MUD,
and leave an impression Of want of fitness,
which makes it cause for congratulatlon that
30 few OF them ever obtain a permanent success.
Mrs. Stoves "Uncle Toms Cabin" was one of
the exceptions which only prove the rule. This
book was written at time when it was neces-
sary to arouse the people, not only of the United
States, but of the world, to realizing sense of
all the horrors of slavery. And this object it
accomplished efectually. But Mrs. Stowe is a
woman of genius to begin with, and as pre-
paration for her work she collected mass of
facts which had the strongest bearing upon the
subject she wished to illustrate. These she
worked up into a story of thrilling interest,
which is worthy OF all the praise it received,
without regard TO the main object which the
author had in view in writing it. "Unclc Toms
Cabin" is q remarkable book independently of its
merits as a vehement and eloquent protest
against the crime of slavery, and the author
brought all the resources of her art to her aid,
setting forth her views on the subject in the
most emphatic manner. Miss Dickinson has
none of the qualifications of Mrs. Stowe. She
is a woman of talent, but the divine quality Of
genius has been denied her, or, at least she has
not yet made it apparent that she possesses it.
Slavery has been annihilated, and forever, in
spite of all that negro-haters can say or do; aud
earnestly as we may labor for the political
equality of the black race, it is impossible to
invest the present subjects of controversy with
the same dramgtic interest as that which natu
rally belonged to the slave system Of the South
as practced before the strong arm of the loyal
North struck the fetters from the limbs of the
oppressed race. Miss Dickinson is, therefore, at
disadvantage both ss to her natural quali6ea.
hons and as to the subject which she has under
taken to make attractive by dressing it up in
the guise of fiction, and it is impossible tha
"What Answer" will ever create the same sensa'
TOMS Cabin"
That Miss Dickinson's story will make many
converts to her opinions about the "eternal
fitness of things" we scarcely believe. Con-
sidered apart from the subject which the author
wishes more particularly to set before her
readers, the story under consideration is not
one that would be likely to advance her very
far on the road to fame; and if it was the werk
of an unknown writer, with its miscegenation
Ideas eliminated, 1t would scarcely excite more
than passing comment. There is some vigorous
writing in it, and some good descriptions. Miss
Dickinson, however, has shown no skill at all in
drawing characters, and the personages intro
duced do not rise above the conventional style
OF the ordinary story-Writer. The plot is vague
and somewhat disjonted and the style is, with
occasional exceptions, extremely crude and
school-girlish. To tell the truth, we expected
something better and stronger than this from
the pen of a woman of Miss Dckinson's expert
ence and reputation, and to her query, "What
Is the answerW we reply-hat and Improbable
in the extreme.
A Book ABOUT Boys. ByA. r. Hope. Published
by Roberts Brothers, Boston. Phiadelp lphia
agents: Smith, English & Co.
The author of this pleasant little work is an
English schoolmaster, and one who knows how
TO manage boys, we fancy, if he practices as well
as he breaches. Mr.. Hope understands and
sympathizes with the strong as we'll as the weak
points OF boyish nature; and while his heart
goes with all boys, he believes in
thoroughly boyish boys, and has no
special admiration for "young eentlemen ),