The New York herald., 1878-01-13
A MODERN MINISTER.
An Overrated Anonymous
TWO-VOlume Sensation.
TIE LAND OF THE "SPARHLlNG MOSELLE."
Mgr. Capel on the Protes-
tant Confessional.
MARRYIN A WIDOW Err.

"A Modern Min ister'' is the title of novel recently
issued by Harper Brothers We believe that this story
has created considerable OF sensation on the other
side OF the water whore has been pronounced very
clever 1t is written anopy nously, and great many
persons charged with It's authorship. IL is stated,
in some quarters, that was written by well known
writer who wishes to try hts success his merits.
We very much doubt II the pen that wrole "a Modern
Mnister wrote another novel. There Is nothing
clever about the story, aud IL Is overweghted with
plot and characters The villains the Lackest and
the the whest that could be conceived and the
incidents the probable that the brain OF man
could invent. The language OF the book Is exceeds
ngly common; one OF the heroincs calls her mother
''ma,' and elegant gentlemen speak OF their ''vests"
The principal villain is Noel Barnard who
also figures as Joel Ishmael, King of tho
Gypses. This man is everywhere at the
same time. II question whispered in the dark he
is there TO answer 1t; If letter is thrown over
wall he is on the other side 10 catch II. Ho reads
peoples thoughts ana holds every one IN his power
By his knowledge OF their secrets In manner he --as
courticrtbat is, In tho opinion OF the writer. This
is specimen OF his clegance:-" miss ST. Aubyn, may
/ pass you jeliy?' he wonderfully polite
not in The least strained" /, was that jolly that was
strained. The modern minister, Rev. Wesley Gar
land, was the OF saintliness. and he had
sccret which Noel Barnard knew. He was not
Wesley Garland at all, but young gentleman who
had attempted suicide and rescued. Instead Of
gong back his wife and child he went INTO the
ministry to enough money to pay his debts and
gave dramatic readings tor that purpose. There are
three children wandering through the book who arc
looking their parents whose parents looking
Tor them. One dressed boy is with circus COM
pany and another lives with supposed
father in seclusioa, never being allowed 10
the world until one fatal day when
wretch OF a housekceper exctes her curiosity
about the world and packs her oil alone Tor London
Her adventures worry amusing although it is not
tho thor's intention that they should be. Sho
rves iu London at night and asks the first person
che meets 'Wiil you tell me. sir, where may the
lords and ladies?n 1t was crazy man whom she ad-
dressed, aud be took her to his lodgings whore, he
said, lords and ladies' always 10 be found. She
at all arad of him, although one less inno-
would have been frightened out OF her Wits
Later III the evening she leaves the old man and goes
vile lodging house, where she Is alarmed by tho
noise, and from which she makes her escape She
gets into barroom, and the drunken men try to en-
brace her, she hits out from tho shoulders and
thay fall back While she away Finally she finds
a soft stone Covent Garden, where she passes the
night Zach of the night is described tolled
iorIi frou The church steeples Tho author in this
description adds eth" 10 great many OF his word 8
and leaves 1t off OF many more We think that the
author is pleased with this chapter, and readers
will be- have doubt, but OF that
number.
There 100 characters in this book, of which this
Is only tho first volume Thore is arrangement of
characters before the story begins, like IN play.
They are divided under such heads .In the mis-
try' .In the Blue Book, "ln tho Proessions" s'In
.'Prvato Life" '1u Boyhood." ''In Girlhood, "Mar.
RED Ladies' NI.adeg abcut Whom there is n Doubt
''Spinsters, - 'W idows," sin Trade" "In Bohemia"
sIn Rsscahty" and "ln Service" There is Major
Howard anu his birds. taken from Dickens Boythorn
In 'Blcak House." The nvc-ycar-od children i'm
possible creatures who talk ike women OF fashion
and girls oil the period. Altogether, we think
"rhe Modern Minister" a sensational anu
very poor story, and do not blamo
the author for concealing his name We cannot close
this notice without quoting the following a spcci-
men oi tho authors style. woman in deserted
house at night has tainted from fright, and her child
Is leaning IT. terror her while The writer indugcs
In this rhapsody Beat against tho panes, yc bats;
coil, obscene shades, within the corners; shrek,
ravenous winds in the outer courts CLEAN her
lovely head, coward lightning OF the summer ight;
hoot, owls, on the funeral pines; fail, rain drops,
like taps upon coffin iids peal above her. thunders
darkness; stretch forth lank taons, spootres and
foblins dart grizzly iangs, glide on her, phnntoms
hound forth yo ali, Tor tis delicate giri-chd whose
mother lieth low, and there Is none Of human
kind heip" Don't tell that this author did not
write that under the influence of a nightmare.
"a YOUNG wIFE's STORY"
Very different from the foregoing is the "Young
Wifo's Story" Harper Brothcrsl. The, young wife
was girl who had been brought up in n country
town. from the world and OF the world mes
vis, relative near by, stays day and goes away
In course OF few weeks he writes to tho girls
uncle asking II he may pay his addresses He is an
swered In the Affirmative, so ho comes and woos. The
wooing lasts some six weeks of and on and they
married. The girl does not seem 10 understand ex-
Acty what she has donc.-.she married because she
was asked and because she thought she loved tho
man who asked hor He was widower, and 1t seems
that he only married her that his uncle might have
companion and his children mothery care. The first
years of the young we's life are very unhappy, but
at last by her sterling worth wins her husbands
love and all goes merry marriage bell The story
is written a very simple style will be profitable
reading those young ladies' who are looking Wild
owerward.
'TnE NORWAY"
II "The Maid OF Norway" (scribner, Wexford h
ougl had been translated from It's orig.
insl Norwegian the English speaking world would
have lost little The story is historical one, founded
on the life OF tho Princess Margaret the only child
OF KING Eric, OF Norway, VINO roigned In tho thir.
tcenih century. stories OF the thirteenth century
have got to be unusually interesting or beautifully
written 10 attract us of the nineteenth century.
There very little BODY to this story, and the charac
ters are but lightly drawn. The book is full OF lc-
gcnds has the atmosphere OF the north about 1t.
IL is not badly written and not particularly we'll
writton--a gentle mcdocrity pcrvadcs tho whole.
THE BRIDE BuISg.
Colonel George f. waring, Jr's papers on the
noseI, which wcro first published IN Scr,bner's
Monthly, have been reprinted In book form by James
X. Osgo,d Co., with additions, and q paper on tho
Intin poet Anson us his poem 'Mosc," by Charles
r. Bfookes Colonel waring, who Is a practica! TAR
uer as well rs an observing traveller, gives great
deal OF information In ihis little volume He travelled
pou miles up this pretty river In rowboat stopping
.ro oc felt ike stopping and staying as long as ho