The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-06-23
Gen. w. C. Falkner's Book.
HE WHITE ROSE OF MEMPHIS

memphis Appeal
We have received from the respected All
thor q copy Of The WHIT Rose Of Memphis,
novel, by ". c. Falkner; New York. Garlic
ton & Co., publishers; ;. London, Low & Co
for sale by Wills 4 Wildberger, 317 MaiI
street, below Monroe. The scene of the stor.
being laid in this city, and the writer resi-
dent OF Ripley, Mississippi, naturally attracts
local attention To The book Intelligent read
ers will ask whether this local attraction j
tie principal point in the heavy sale thai
has already set in Tor the work or whether il
ha, claim TO attention ou it, own merits
+ We have 40 hesitation ia saying that its in
trins.c claims fully entitle it to the favor
with which It l. received, and that in spite,
or bec4use-4s the case may be-of some de
p4rture by the author from what has come
to be considered almost customary in fiction
The writer refuses to avail himself of the or
binary mauipulations of the plot 50 as to
sustain an artificially arrangned suspense
and q sort Of machinery of mystery, ofteuer
than not readily penetrated by experienced
readers. He relies for the success of his
book on itself, on what it has to tell, not in
a mauipuIatory and artificial arrangement
of the way of telling. The conseq Is
that the construction of the book is simple
and natural; telling what transpires easily
aud clearly, main ouperte To pursue this
simplicity of plan is a trial to the ability of
a writer of fiction. The story being left to
its mere merits, must have merits or it sinks
This test Is successfully encount tered in The
White Rose Of Memphis The plot interests
from its inherent naturalness. Although
there Is little direct characterizatons of the
individuals engaged in the busy drama that
move on before the reader, they are so life
like in conduct and conversation shat from
the beginning Of the main story the reader
finds himself powerfully interesed in their
fate. and smiles or signs as good or ill-for-
tune betides them, and they become as real
% temporary personal acquaintauces ordina-
rily are The narrative is, in great meas
ure, in the first person, and come fresh and
vivid impeEled by natural impulses that are
well displayed As the book advances. There
is more epIstolary correspondence given than
is usual in this class of books, but the
author is an accomplished letter-writer,
adds to the interest felt in the
fate Of the supposed writer's. 'The
White Rose Of Memphis Is the name of
Mississippi steamboat, on board which the
narrative opens with liveliness rare in the
Introductory part Of a novel. Here We
learn how and why the main personages
came to Memphis-some of them putting
up at the Worsham house-and of the
Journey from Nashville to Memphis, partly
tb oh 4 IF al
thirteen. is related in a style that shows
Mr. Falkner to have somthing of the gift
of the Scandinavian writer, Christian An
dersen, in telling story about the young.
The two boys and the sister, with three
dollars to bear their expenses, start, after
the death oil their last remaining parent, TO
walk to Memphis, eating and sleeping with
the sky for covering" They compassion
ately accept the aid Of a one-eyed tai!less
dog, who biunderingly leads them on the
road to better DAYS. The young do not
read Robinson Crusoe with more intense
eagerness than they will read this pleasing
opening of the story. The fertility of incl
dents shown in the plot, and the natural
simplicity with which they fall into their
places in the narrative, are astonishing.
A hackneyed novel manufacturer would
have spread over half dozen books what IS
so freely Iavished on this one This keeps
of sensationalsm but through its winning
realism and conformity to the manners Of
society as we see them around US, and to
events occurring within the readers cogni-
zance. The story Is free of politics and OF
advocacy of sectional opinions. Once for
all the author washes his hands of "burn-
ing questions" by declaring: Let us
teach forgiveness and patriotism, aud look
forward to the time when the cruel war
Ii 10 h,v- 4
glorious nation, of which we are very proud,
and we will make it greater by our love
aud support. 1t was family quarrel and
the family has settled it, and woe be to the
outsider who shall interfere" This utter
auce Is noble both in word and sentiment.
Turning from the matter to the expression,
we cannot but admire the limpid ease and
simplicity of the style it is as easy as that
of Dafoe but il does not retain Defoe's
pure English. While preferring, with good
taste, plain Saxon words, the writer has
conceded too much in adopting in Difference
evidently, to popular practice, terms that are
properly only SLANG" Commence" for
"begin, green for inexperienced, posted"
for informed, document for any written
paper, "hated" Is for disliked, would for
should, and 4 few more, are instances. A
very slight decree of care, or the oversight
of a friendly eye, viii in future works from
the same skilltul hand remove these specks
from what is SO good and pleasing, and also
incidents about rattlesnakes and dissections
which shock a certain and numerous class
of readers. We trust our suggestions will
not be considered out of the line ofjust crit
cism, but the sense of imperfection natural
Iy becomes strong in proportion to the ex
celence of the work in which it occurs
The White Rose Of Memphis will make its
author famous, and no more thorough ad-
miration can be lavished on the writer than
is well deserved by the man. Mr.. Falkner
has had checkered career, and he writes
from wide and unusual personal experience.
In all the changes of life he has been the
same upright, honrable, kindly man. The
pure moral sentiment shown in this book,
the appreciation of what is good, and Iowa
BILE, and kindly in human nature there man
ifested, reveals the admirable qualities that
make the writer a revered, honored and es-
teemed parsonage to all whohave the privilege
of his acq uaintance. The dedication of the
book to the senior editor of the Appeal,
Colonel Ii c. Galloway, is another revela-
ton of the noble qualities OF the man, of the
integrity of his friendship, and of the over
flowing generosity of his heart.