New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-19
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

..n ,,o,,,y, r,oxs or MODERN SOCIETY; By the Rev.
'" T Dr. WITT T.Is.ex l2mo. PP. 20" Adams, 'e,C' ="
Tho methods which have proved efficient IN
opular defamation from the pulpit can rarely DC III
t,odnced TO advantage into the walks VI h'eI"'ui''
.oouuonie by the magic Of the living voice, and IN
,o hv an intense religious enthusiasm, they may cast
s,on over rromiscuous audience. while their pres
once In book produces strong SAVIOR of GUARDIANSHIP
making the udicious greve and ahordnc triumph 10
the authors enemies This is the case with the present
volume 1t appears TO have been written with the most
landabe intentions Glowing with mpaSsioned fervor'
Il wages a deadly against the vices OF the day IN
their most enticing forms. In spite OF its gaudy ana
meretrcious rhetoric. the author is clearly in earnest
fred with righteous INDIGNATION against sin and an
ardent Glove OF souls" But literary production
II exhibits almost every fault which can grow out OF
untcnpered faneies bad taste. and the absence OF all
sound intellectual discipline. The style Is spasmouc'
incolereut eiaculaory consisting largely OF sentences
which can only be shricked. Int cannot be read
AMI which sound more Ike the rawlings Of de-
irium than the sane GRANTEES OF Christian
exhortaton. Let q single example suffice ior
specimen II is the description OF masquerade p"'i'
"Across the floor they trip merriy. The lights sparNe
along the wall. or drop from the ceng-a very conor'
Of FIRE The music charms. The diamonds Sl'eI' Inv
feet hound Gemmed hands, stretched ont clasp
geInmcd hands Dancing feet respond TO dancing Ice'
Cleaning brow bends low TO cleaning Dro"' oh WIN
the dance Flash and rustic, and laughter ana III
measurable merry-Inaking. But the hnguor "i oea'h
comes over the limbs. and blurs the sight L'ghS io"
Floor hollow with sopulchral echo Music saddehS lho
a wall Limits tOlccr! The masquers can aru4! lo" "'
seen Flowers exchange their fragrance Tor scRehhS
odor such as comes from carlands that have IAN III
vaults OF cemeteries Lights l0rc! MiSS Ill the roou'
Glasses rattle as though shaken by suiien thuhdCr'
sighs seem caught among the curtains sciri aiS lroi
Tho sboul6cr of beauty-a STROUD Lights l0rcr! over
The slnpcry boards dance Of death, glide J'aoues'
disappointncnis. lust. despair. Torn leaves ana
whered garlands only half hide the ucered feet Inc
stencil of smoking lamQwicks almost quenched Chok'
ing daInpS Chi!linc>s. Feet still HANDS lo'eu'
Ewes shut Voices hustled. LIGHTS OFT. lEe
volume abOunds with passages ot an eQo'hy IC-
pulsive character. The most ludcrouS and OFTEN the
most iircverent, images suggested 10y the strange
figures OF speech which the authors Imagination ruus
riot Thus the A,mclt- is represented as driving the
waters OF the Red sea like wild horses. "The pillows
reared a. Gods hand pulled back upon their crystal
hits" Acn. the sinner is urged to &" take of the
taudage of lis soul, aad put 1t tho salVc OF the
s.vio1s compassion" Indeed the authors fav0nte
imagery is derived from the accumulation Of physical
horrors which are depicted with much JUNCTION a.
If he were Gcscaun- the spicy Odors of ATaby the
BEST ut such hideouS pictures, although they may
hep 10 scare men from their vices, as much ont of
place I'm literature AS the porralure OF unclean and
Ioathsopc reptiles Art. If they be of use il
tho pulpit 50 much the worse for the audience but lei
mot the cnasn robes Of literature be dced by theiI
uBsecEly presence.