The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-04-25
BOOK NOTICE.

SPIRITUAL WIVES. BY william Hepworth Dixon,
author or New America" 1.-THE Holy Land"
civilian PENN" &c. Philadelphia Lippincott h
That this work has already secured an immense
circulation Is proof OF its supplying an actual de-
mand Its success refutcs ut least one OF the many
severe criticisms hurled at it-that 1t is superuous
The author begins his preface by saying:-"The sub
ject opened in these pages is far new that scarcely
any OF the facts to be found In books. Man in his
higher phase has hardly come within the grasp Of
SCIENCE and the histories which shall illustrate his
spiritual passions have yet to be compiled. One
chapter In one such history Is dldently offered In
the present work. He adds:-'I have collected my
facts in distant places in the Baltic provinces, in
the west OF England, the shores Of Lake Ontario
In the New England cities" This indication
Of the sources from which his material has been
derived should silence those superficial critics who
have imagined that special motive Of Mr.. Dixon ia
to inure America by exposing as something peculiar
to American society what we see In all our Gothic
capitals, from Stockholm to London. from Berlin to
New York; rapid slackening and unwindng OF the
old fashioned nuptial ties to the great relief and
delight Of pupils In the schools Of Milton and
Goethe; TO the very great scandal and amazement OF
men who look on marriage and divorce from the
point OF view held by men OF the Latin race. The
sxtyfour chapters in which, with all the skill OF
nist Glass reporter, MT. DlxOn se's or'n TIC isct
scattered over the wide field Of reading and travel
explored by him suggestive as well as entertain
ing. That the glowing style In which some OF these
chapters have been written By the editor OF the
London AthenGum has been gravey censured can
be accounted for only by presuming that some
critics are capable OF condemning book solely
because 1t il not dun.
The objection that this book Is not profoundly SCI
entinc aud philosophical is equally idle, for the au
thor manifesty neither intended nor tried TO make
So lie has merely aimed to collect and put into con-
densed form mass of curious facts Illustrative or
hts subject" Spiritual wifehood.n With this pur
pose his researches extend from st. Paul and the
holy sister who accompanies the apostle on his trav.
els and from the Agape love feasts OF the early
Christians 10 the PRONUNCIATION In the middle ages by
the great fraternity OF the free spirit of the old Gothic
doctrine OF spiritual and natural aiinitics, doctrine
which startled mankind in the conduct OF John Of Ley
den which appeared the sermons and the practices
Of Ann Lee; which took special form In the specula
tons OF Emanuel Swedenborg which found
voice ~ ihe artistic work OF Wollgang Won onn
OF Ost Preussen the Lampeter Brethren OF England
| the Perfcctiousts and the Morm0ns. and the free
lovers OF every school In America. -.
Ia this country the great revival OF 1882 mas bcen
| followed by the strangcst results. which are clearly
| exhibited 10y Mr.. Dixon, who claims to be- perhaps,
| the nrst writer by wnom the fact has been notlced
tlht three Of the most singular movements IN inc
churcnes Of our generation seem 10 nave oeen con
neclcd more ess closely. with the state OF ininu
| produced 10y rcyivas--One In Germany one IN Eng
land and one In the United states: movements when
nave resulted, among other Things, ia the ESTABLISH
meDt VI three singular socctiesthe congregation OF