The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-10-26
New Books.

=: view Books.
EIisRrE ATInER. 4 Novel, ,xby Christian
8 Reid. New. York ID. Appleton d 90; A .is'o'
pp. 22l. Price 81 irspaper; 81 so IN clota.
That portion of the reading public which
prefers to take it's opinions ready-made will
thank the Appletons for the announcement
that Valerie Aylmer is ''the first work OF q
..youug American novelist great promise
"aud very decided genius" and that ''the
.:style OF the work. is siugularlY animated
stand powerful, the characters well drawn
.the dialogue lively and natural, and the
s.story one of great and sustained interest"
Little, if anything, more than this could
be said OF George Eliot, and as much has
been written of Miss Augusta Evans. In
sober truth, however, American novels, ID
general, are 80 weak and turgid that they
are only shade more imposing, ii less
noxious, than the Dime Novel or New York
Weekly. They are treated with indulgence
by the sharpest Southern critic, because the
public insist that ''home productions pc
supported without regard to their intrinsic
value; but if the truth were told about them,
the American novel, and. especially the
Southern novel, would, in the large majority
of cases, attain Immortality through the
medium OF the kitchen fire, or be sold oy
weight as a last evidencei.of its monoto:
nous ponderosity.
Valerie Aylmer is an American novel, q
Southern novel; the scene is laid chiefly in
the Southern States, in the period immedi-
ately subsequent to the civil war; the
characters are all Sousherners. This, accord
ing to precedent, would condemn the book
unread. But for onceswe have before Us q
Southern novel, containing so many ele-
:ments Of good, and showing so much power,
that it needs no forbearance, and may be
judged squarely upon it's merits. The name
of the author-C Christian Reid-tells moth
ing, unless there be a double entendre justi-
fed by the reverent tone and catholic spirit
which pervade the. work. 1t is clear; at
least, that the author is Southerner, and
the little tricks of speech which, in the ear
lier pages, detract from the literary excel
lence of the book, wil.,ian pleasantly on
the ears Of an errant, Southerner, wander
ing, disheartened and despairing, in Mexico
or France Even these mannerisms are
overcome as the story proceeds, but woven
in with the devotion to the South expressed
In every line, and linked to the kindly feel
ing that allows no bitter word to be directed
at our victorious enemy, there is the mis-
taken idea common fise years ago-that
the coh1bered South cannot be the abiding
place OF the Confederate soldier. and that
they have done their whole duty who fought
with Beauregard aud Lee until the bitter
ending Of unsuccessful war: The writer
forgets, as toe many Of our people forgot,
that peace has it's responsibilities no less
than war. In the life OF Lee is found suf.
fcient answer to the bitter question, (page
l44:) ..g:ir.:.H ~,::.9,
"What. path, OF manly enterprise is there
which Iou do not need to.enter within lie on
your lip, and atthe door Of which you do not
leaEe all the.honor OF rectitude that is halt
religion to the men of onr (soutAern) race r
The Speakers no less person:tha6 the
heroine who is as, illogical and unreasol-
able, IN this instance, as q lovely; woman has
right to be. ..ad
The dialogue Of Valerie Aylmer2is <lively
rssand naturalp- almost J too natural, for
there are scraps of talk which aid in no wise
the development OF the plot and hinder the
progress of the story. These blemishes are
few andfar between. The plot, without be-
ing intricate or strikingly new, is compact
aud logical, carrying out the idea Of the aq
thor that the consequences Of folly are often
IS great as the consequences. of crime; that
no one is so insignificant but that his most.
!thoughtless derelictionse of duty may prove
fruitful of harm and suffering to many be-
sides himself; that one tiny pebble. Of wrong
doing, cast into the waters. OF: human life,
will widen into circle after circle, until hui
man eyesAosesighnof its farthest vibration.
There ; is no ':anti-climax; the ;du.erest,
deepens steadily, and when it reaches its
height the story comes curtly .toz,annend
The characters: are we'll drawn bnt both
Darcy, and Julian Romney:' are too near
physical perfection, after their kind, even
for Sostherners.' But they are not lay
figures. They live and move vigorously and
consistently, working out their destiny in o
way that satisfies every demand of poetical,
justice. The peerless Valerie La belle des
bellies, with her unconscious coquetry and
heroic soul is '.the Queen Of hundred loyal
'hearts, the toast of a hundred gallant lips,
"from the Potomac to the BIO Grande.'"' A
loYelier woman-the more womanly fol; her
faults never graced the pages of romance.
And where can be found sweeter Southern
flower than gentle Alix Riviere; type Of
the women whom pinching want has forced
to make market, as it were, OF the talent
which, in happier days, was the delight OF
luxurious homes-who yet retain their dig
nifty, their grace, and their proud humility;
who are strong for others and only weak for
themselves. or the other characters, strik-