The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-12-14
Daniel DerOnda.

Perhaps no book has ever been given to
the world that has been so universally
read and so generally praised as George
Elliotts last novel, Daniel Deronda. The
press has been loud in its praise both in
this country and England, even the pro-
fessional critics who are generally disap-
pointed authors and are paid SO much per
line to abuse their superiors have been
compelled to admit it as very clever
book. The moral of the work is above
criticism and the clergy who are the &C.
knowledged cOnservators of the public
morals have, we are pleased to say, gener-
ally approved of it. Much speculation
has been excited as to the authors aim in
choosing the subject. 1t has been sug-
gested that she. had been hired by the
Rothchilds and other leading Jews to
write book showing the feasibility and
reasonableness of finally restoring their
countrymen to the land of their future
This we do not believe because the Jews
as a class are people of extraor binary
intelligence and are too closely and entire
~ identified with the countries in which
they live to desire a separation. But we
do believe that the author of Daniel
Deronda desired to remove the vulgar
prejudice that many ignorant people en-
terrain for the Jews. That it will have
such an effect there can be no doubt. It
is in character portraiture that lies George
Elliott's greatest gift 1t is here she rises
to the place of Dickens and approaches
Shakespeare. But in the plot of the story
she fails and fails signally. Her stories
can never please the average novel reader
of the principle character two are real, two
ideal and one anomalous. Gwendolen and
Grandcourt are pure flesh and blood and
admirably portray the short coming and
selfishness of the vast majority of people,
Poor Gwen who can read her story and
not pity her, surely she will hold warm
place in the hearts of all girls whom want
is driving into loveless wedlock and in
the hearts of every neglected wife, and
Grandcourt are there many such? We be-
lieve there are in all humility, let it be
said, we think he was an average husband,
husband ask yourselves, wives let your
own hearts answer
Daniel and Mirah are not good charac-
tiers, they are too ideal, too unreal. No one
doubts the propriety of writers of fiction
in producing and holding up for our emu
lation ideal character. But SO over
wrought character as Deronda or Mirah
cannot be appreciated, some ignorant
schoolgirl who has placed her childish
affections on scape grace boy will no
doubt think him Daniel, but she will
neversthink herself Mirah and oice persa.
The Anomalous character is Ezra, the
only junction of this theological lunatic
appears to have fun, that of proving the
gulability of Deronda. The latter like
many people who are virtuous from lack
of passion are weak intellectually and
readily fall, prey to the visionary scheme
Of lunatics or what is far worse of knaves,
suppose all these persons were real, let us
see how different the history. Mirah
would have drowned, for most men are too
cowardly to risk their own life for an
other, but admitting the reasonableness of
that part of the story she would have as
cribed her delivery to providence as
religious girl should, she would not have
fallen in love with her delivsrer, no woman
ever did. Then such worldly and rel
wish course is not compatible with the
character of Mirah. The idea of Mirah
marrying man and becoming mother
tits preposterous. No this angelic crea-
ture would have welded the church and
spent her days distributing religious
tracts, her nights knitting socks for little
heather in far off lands, where people
never wear socks. And Daniel finding
himself lsved by 30 beautiful woman, q
Gwsndolen would have fallen In love with
her for what natural man would have re-
risted such temptation. And Grand-
court would have divorced her and Dam
lei have married her. And poor Ezra
the Cohens, would have had him before
the commission of lunacy years before
and he would have spent his days among
kindred spirits in lunatic asylum.