The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-08-25
~Fhe white Rose of Memphis"


Perhaps the two most serious Difficult
tie. with which an author has TO con-
tend are first, how TO begin, and
second hoY To conclude his work. OF
course il viii be understood that / re-
fer 70 those whose labOrs and tastes lead
them in the field of poetry and fiction.
Once his plans are laid an author meets with
httie or no difficulty after he gets fairly
/ started until the time approaches for a
graceful aud appropriate conclusion, that
shall be in entire harmony with all that
proceeds il, and, if possible, more intensely
interesting u the very end. This i one OF
the reasons that We often hear the first part
OF novels or poems condemned when con-
/ tinued perusal proves them 70 be highly IN
/ teresting-not to say thrilingly beautiful.
: These thoughts were suggested To my mind
! by the volume mentioned at the head of this
article The first few chapters do not fore
/ show the interest which succeeding ones are
to awaken, and the conclusion seems TO
leave the reader in a regretful state that
there is not another volume. In other
words, the first few chapters tall short Of
doing the authors powers justice, and the
conclusion-those powers having been fully
deyeloped-causes the reader to wish that
the story were longer. The scenes-for
there are many OF them-are laid in Mem
phiS princi pally, but they embrace portions
Of Mississippi, and an excursion on the great
Father of Waters" aud all are dovetaied
together with so much skill and taste that
if the authors name did not appear upon
the title page Of the volume as an unfamiliar
one in the fields of literature, the reader
would pronounce him an experienced and
a skilled writer of romance. To say that
the book IS entirely free from faults would
be more displeaSing to the author who - a
high-toned gentleman of marked intelli-
gence, than it would be to say that il Is
crowded with errors and totally devoid of
interest. The candid reviewer can say
neither, but he can say that for 4 hrst-0r
even second -productiOn it is slngularly
exempt from those faults and errors which
one almost invariably finds in the earlier
efforts of all authors, aud particularly
writers of fiction In other words, the
faults in Colonel Falkner's book are too few
to mar its beauty or TO detract from its in
terest One thing that struck me as
evincing a somewhat faulty taste the
letter (the first one, | think written by |
''Demar' to "Lottie." The writer was at
tending the Medical Lectures at Philadel- |
phia, and it occurred To me very bad |
taste in him to write his lady love long |
and narrowing description of the labors Of the /
dissecting room. But then | excuse that |
somewhat on the ground that "Lottie" was
an extraordinarily strong minded young
woman, aud so proved herself to be in the
subsequent trial of her friend "Niola." | /
doubt if young Knights of Esculapius would
act wisely in writing such letters to the fair
ones of Memphis or Mississippi as they are
now in flesh and blood. 1t is proper to say,
however, that | have even met with a lady
who saw nothing to disapproYe in this let
ter; "for,2 she said, lowing to the great
love for the writer, Lotte would naturally
feel deep interest in anything he might
write, and would be particularly interested
in all that interested him" That may be
So and as lady said So | am willing to adj
nit that it is, for it is never safe to contra
diet a lady. The book is full of thrilling
and exciting scenes and adventures, and
after one gets fairly into it, it cannot be laid
aside till finished, and | must, frankly admit
that, although L know the author WELL and
have known him long a gentleman of a
high order of intelligence, and leading and
prominent lawyer, did not think it posi-
BILE that from the dry and musty tones of
legal lore he could SO readily glide into the
blooming and poisoning fields of romance
and Gull the most beautiful flowers to be
found there 1t is well written, and .
barring an occasional blemish here and
there, which are doubtless faults of the prin- (
Lers and proof-readers-is worthy of high
rank in the literature of the day. The
book has been a success but not as much so,
perhaps as it deserved to be; hut the mis- l
fortune was the author lived in the wrong :
attitude. IS a general rule Southern peo-
Die do not give that encouragement to I
Southern authors which they ought, and
until they do, it cannot be expected that /
Northern people will do it for them, nor can t
We complain that they do not.