The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-30
LITER AT U r E..
CRITICISMS OF NEW BOOKS.

TIE ABONINATIoNs OF MODERN SOCIETY. by Rev.
7. De Witt ralmage. New YORK Adams, Victor
h GO. 1s72. ~ mo-, PIP. 200.
II the salvation OF souls were dependent upon the
intensity OF the Nominations Launched by those
the role OF Of society, the place
oil the Rev. 4. DE Witt Tamage In this special
hierarchy would not be for moment doubtful.
While we cannot justly pronounce MIN TO be the
father OF what may be termed the moral spasmodic
school OF writing there are few who will deny ms
claims to be regarded as one OF its chief apostles.
The sunday sermons OF the reverend gentleman
at the Brooklyn Tabernacle have become
familiar to large share OF the public
through the daily and weekly press. The volume
before us all the characteristic merits as well AZ
vices OF these pulpit uterances The pages bristle
with snort, sharp antitheses, and interjccOns and
exclamatons divide the sentences lmpartialy be-
tween them. In reading them we are pefpetually
reminded OF the meO.drama,ic style OF certain
modern penny -a-llncrs and nOvelsts who play on
their sentences one against another Ia that Jerky
style oil which Victor Hugo IS perhaps the first living
master. Here Is a mild example, which we cite from
tine last page IN Mr.. ralmage's DOCK, IN the artIcle
"A Good Time COmng:'-
But all these wrongs shall be rlghted. Our streets
shall hear tue tramp OF a regelerated multitude
Ten thousand bells Will strike the Jubilee Poverty
enriched. HUNGER fed. Disease cured. Crime
purified. Tn cities saved.
Now we mag be bind to tine peculiar rhetorical
exceences OF this ''dot and carry. one' style OF
writing. 1t may be a wonderful Improvement upon
the ordinary and accepted methods OF English ex.
preston The fact that find none OF 1t In Milton,
or Shakespeare, or King james, Bible, or Bacon, or
Hume, or Jeremy Taylor or Macauay. or IN any
of the great writers who have enriched the English
speech, Is, OF course no argument against It, That
q thing new Is evidence that 1t Is not merlt)
rlous. When Jeremy Taylor wrote sermons the
world was not ripe Tor a Taimage. what did such
old NUTS as TillotsOn and Barrow know OF the fast
ways OF modern society. which must needs be met
by corps OF "fast' rhetoricians and divinesf
The very titles OF Mr.. Talmage's chapters serve as
loud ad verilsement OF their quality. "The Curtain
Liftedn "After Midnight" ''rhe Natal Ten-Strke,"
s.Flask, Bottle ana Demijohn,n ..The Massacre by
Needle and Sewing Macnine,'' 'srne House OF Black
ness of DarKness'-such the narrowing titles at
which the gentle reader Is cordially invited to shul-
der And the contents OF the chapters are all in the
same VEN. We read OF "a lost soul that goes
shrieking toIhe Dottomless pit;'' Of a woman who
'swould dash out the spendOrs Of heaven to get
another trinKet;' Of ''despar colling around the
heart with vulnerable anguish" Of a "coach and
four, herald ana position, racketlng on the hot
pavements oil help Of dlssipations that "swing an
awful scythe of death;' OF GOODS anathemas"
that hash the chandelier and rattle In the swift
hOOfs OF his SILVER btted grays" Of "the froth OF
deaths lip bubbling up in the champagne" and OF
q 'pen plucked from the wing OF tile destroying
angel and dipped In bOOd.n Possibly these hyper
VIVID terms may help TO split the ears OF ground.
liugs make the unskiltul laugh, but we gravey
doubt whether they are of any permanent or SUBJ
stantial In enforcing moral truth or helping to
arrest ''the denominations OF modern society,"" EX-
travagance usually reacts and violence OF speech IS
very apt 10 defeat Its own OBJECTS The depravity
which Is proof against thunder, wind ana fire has
been known to yield to the stn, small voice. When
we hear preacher rafting at the top Of his lungs,
read discourse FULL to overlooking OF sound and
Jury, 1t reminds US Of nothing much as theatre
Cal performance, In which artificial emotions are
simulated Dy the potent aid OF sheet-iron thunder
and blue fire. We do not forget that In modern
pulpit mlnstratIOns they who pepper the highest
are the surest to please. Yet venture to appeal
to the calm judgment OF the years, and to believe
that even the devil may be more disconcertea 10y
the steady, silent, powerful influence OF one unob-
truslve womaD, constantly pursuing the
path OF duty, than by legion Of Famagcs bowling
| upon his track. These ''hornets OF divinity" may
for time shoot meteOrlke across the SKY, but the
miet stars shine on forever.