The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-05-30
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The Oldest novel in existence Is probably
the Book Of JOB. We presume there may
be some men left who still read the Book
Of Job as n veritable hi. tory, but those who
are capable Of judging will simply place 1t
at the head of the realm OF fiction That
1t is divinely inspired we do not dispute.
Indeed the establishment of its divine in
spiration as a fact, rather than the accept
ance of it as q matter OF faith, would only
strengthen the position we have always
held, viz that tho highest fiction Is that
which most competently carries the most
valuable burden of truth The writer Of
the Book Of Job is q man who, In the dawn,
Us It were. Of human history, revolved In o
catholic, cultured and reverent mind the
unequal dealings of God with men. Why
did the good man have troublef Job was
an excellent a perfect and upright"
stripped OF every g. cd, and b art BY
which the writer presents him as. one after
another, his possessions are taken from him.
and his friends discuss with him the great
problem that vexes hun, with all the ma
chinery of dialogues between the Almighty
and Satan, and the Almighty and Job him
self, surpasses all the art Of later times
Such imaginations and such descriptions,
u conversations and arguments, such
marvellous charaeterizations rs are TO be
AouAu ~ us DOoh@ S8a ~ AS4< ~
where else In the whole range OF literature.
IL is a book that has comm aided the ad-
u.iration as well rs the profound reverence
Of the greatest men b have ever lived,
and it Is a novel In all its essential features,
even though we call 1t q poem.
The Book OF Revelations Is q novel, so
far rs t - an attempt to convey theotruth
through typical forms and scenes and
events. 1t Is no record of facts, but q pan.
Dram c representation Of conceptions born
of it, and addressed to the imagination. In
short. 1t Is q creation Of art-wnatever may
be its origin. whether divine or humanity
which certain great, shadowy thoughts and
ideas aro attempted to be represented 70
the mental a-pprehensions or the faith OF
men. There are many devout believer In
the Inspiration Of the ancient Scriptures
who regard the story OF the creation and
the fall Of Adam. rehearsed in the Book OF
Genesis. as anything but a literal represon.
tation Of historic facts. The essential truth
II in the narrative, but 1t IL represented In
such q way lint the simplest mind can APP
prehend and make use OF it The Song OF
solomon Is q very exquisite essay In the art
Of fiction. II the Books Of Esther and Ruth
are historical, they ARE certainly nothing TO
us but stores with morals, AMI very strong
and beaut.fu stories they are. The names
Of Ahasuerus and Mordecai, and Hamau
and Esther are nothing but names to the
present reading world, which mean no
more than Daniel Deronda aud Ralph
Nickleby and Clarissa Harlowe. Boar and
Ruth might be Abelard and Heloise, or any
other lovers. The two stories are to ua
simply stories, having no significance par.
ticularly as history, and no use, save as In
IN exquisite form of art they convey to rs
the moral lessons with which they are
charged. DR.. HolaHds Editorial in Serb
ner,s J0r .horch.