New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-01-11

We are not quite sure that we like Novels with
Purpose A half-dozen helpless characters founder
ing about uneasily in a moral essay Is rarely all
entertaining spectacle. The piOus novel is too often
all tender mushiness; the social reform novel; Is
usually combination of ferocious yagaries and
plated coarseness; and political novel ever quite
touches the tone and temper of the time But when
an author scatters little neat earnest Purposes all
along the course of a vivid and vivacious story,
the result is certainly agreeable Witness Reade's
"Simpeton" tale of most slight and simple plot,
but full of humor sunshine, and small reforma-
tory pills and potions. Not the least pleasant and
useful of these is the halfgay halfserous warfare
which Rosa's husband wages against tight-lacing
and pearl powder-a warfare which in the hands of
any other writer would probably have been made
precious absurdity. Mr.. Reade is so witty and
chivalric preacher that the most squeezed and
dusty of his feminine readers can't complain of him.
Art criticism is usually sufficiently amusing even
to those who know nothing about art, as it is
times sufficiently so to, those who do. The London
Standard describes marble statue of DR.. Whewell
which has just been completed by Woolner for
Trim. Coll. Cam. We are told that the Doctor
rests one hand a large folio, while he points
with the other if to add force to his words while
addressing his audience" Exactly so. Indeed. one
is at loss to conjecture why even a marble Doctor
should point in that way for any other purpose But
the best is to come. "The sage man is calmly
seated we are told, with one leg crossing tho
other, indicative of happy ease, such only con-
summate master can command" 1t is good to
know that only consummste master can cross his
legs properly, and that one leg the other
artistic indication of happy ease.
Mr.. Gladstone in the course of recent speech on
Education, declared, that Englishmen are spoiled
by the very facilities and abundance of their oppor-
tunties and that they do not stand well as COM
pared with the men of the Middle Ages nor with
the Scotch who have far more selfdenying labor
and unsparing energy in the pursuit of knowledge
than the descendants of their ancient conquerors.
Furthermore he deprecated the system of education
which makes Gradgrinds of its tender youth.
We find the following paragraph meandering
through Che Western newspapers: a man named
Page asked hotel keeper what time it was, and be-
ing told that O'Clock. shot himself through
the head" Did the poor man thus do tor himself be-
cause it was later than he supposed OF because it
was earlier than he supposedl or because he had
determined to leave at just IL o'clock sharpi 1t Is
rather odd that one about TO plunge into eternity
should have been so particular about time.
There is q man in Waukesha Wis. who always
celebrates O rather remarkable anniversary. Thir-
teen years ago he buried in a we'll where he re-
manned for hours. when he was dug out alive
lie now fails to observe the day of his delv-
erance in festive manner and all persons who are
buried for seven hours and then ug out ought 10
follow his example.
A small paper. II seems, may the very largest
of words. The Boston -. which Is supposed 10
be printed specially for the benefit of httlemouthed
ladies, says: 1T is not needfu that we advert TO
the growth whether exogenous or indigenous OF
She city of homo and hope" OF course, no
other PLACE can grow in such truly scientific way
whether exog or endoe.