The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-08-15

as heretofore she had writ
ten under an assumed name. Great
was the establishment Of the literary
world when the author was found to be
an obscure country girl, whose name
was known to but few. This book fully
deserves the fame 1t received; for, be-
side the story being one Of intense inter-
est, there Is an undercurrent of phil
osophic thought all the way through,
giving the most profound views on SUBJ
Jects Of the greatest interest. The story
is that of little orphan girl going
through life nearly alone; struggling
for truth and right, aud the highest at
tsinment Of all, beautiful, perfect char
acter.
In her heroine, "Jane Eyre" We find,
as 1t were, minor Of herself, clear and
truthful. Here are pictured her own
thoughts, feelings and purposes; her
struggle for knowledge; her experience
and sufferings at school.
From this book we may judge better
Of the character Of the author than we
could from volumes of history Of her
life. First In the character OF the
orphan, her own strong love for the
beautiful, the wierd, the romantic; her
hungering for human love, especially a
mothers. Her genius also appears in
early life, just as she represents in "Jane
Eyre" in relating stories to her school
mates; such ghastly, wierd, marvellous
stories, that her listeners sit scarce dar-
ing to breathe. Right here We may see
what an influence ones surroundings In
early life may have upon their charac-
ter. Her home was in a desolate place,
within or near an old churchyard. Her
window overlooked the old church with
its gloomy surroundings; its moulder-
ing slabs of marble; the old moscow
cred monuments, partly fallen away;
then away In the background the bleak
mOors, and high, barren bills. Imagine
the white moonlight playing over such a
scene, throwing its distorted shadows
around over the graves, and the old
monuments standing out like great,
white spectres. What wonder, being
accustomed 10 such scenes as this, that
her mind should have been filled with
strange, wild fancies manifesting them
selves n-her writings In after years. In
this book she expresses her religious
views so simply and clearly, yet with
such depth OF wisdom and extent oI
the narrow-minded fanaticism, which
she portrays well In her "St. John
Rivers" 1t seems strange that, with
all her clearness of perception and
strong faith In religion, she should have
always felt a lack of assurance and even
doubted at times az TO whether she wal
Christian. There Is no strong mind
however, but that hesitates and ex'
amines before accepting great truths
AS Tennyson says of some one:
"Perplext in faith, but pure in deeds,
At last, he beat his music out.
There lives more faith in honest doubt,
Believe me, than In half the creeds."
underlying all her pure, sweet nature
manifesting itself throughout all of hel
writings, softening the most brilliant
passages; felt through all like some low
sweet minor chord in music, making
the whole more beautiful. She hai
been eensured by some for a tendency
to what Is known as modern Spiritual.
ism; but any one carefully reading hel
writings, will find this to be false. Thil
misapprehension only rises from hel
superior refinement of mind, her clear
ness in defining sensations and power o.
expressing nice distinctions, fine shades
Of thought, which so few possess. This
is shown well in passage where she
speaks of calm evening, and wher,
some sudden noise breaks in upon tn,
silence. She says: "a sudden nois,
broke In on these fine rippllngs anC
whisperiDgs at once so far away, anC
yet so clear; which effaced the soft wav,
wanderlngs, as in a picture, the soliC
mass Of crsg or the rough bole Of ,
great oak, drawn in colors dark anC
strong, on the foreground, efface tn,
@rial distance, the azure hills, sunny
horizon and soft clouds where tint melt
into tint"
Her skill In reading and portrayinI
characters Is equal to that Of Shsk
speare. There Is nothing unnatural II
the story as one often finds In Dicken
and Thackeray, no incongruities, bu
harmonious throughout. This Is bool
designed to accomplish good In tn
world. None can read it without ex
perIencing feeling of moral elevation
Of desire for purity and strength such a
she pictures In her heroine. 1t is, a
come one says, IA book that sets heart
beating pure as well as fast" Abou
the time Of the publication Of this bool
the author was called to pass through
severe trials; the disgrace Of her onl,
brother aud the death Of her two sister
trsnsplring within the same year. Fo
q while she WAS almost overcome b,
these troubles 30 cruel, so unexpected
But seeing her fathers grief, sh
restrained when in his presence trylnI
to comfort him, the night and darkness
only witnessing her sorrows. 1t seem
sad that just when her Joy at the success
Of her work might have been so great
1t should have been marred by so grea
sorrow. But thus 1t is with us all, II
the midst Of light cometh darkness
Just as in calm summer day, We hea
the roar Of the distant thunder. and a