The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-01
MIR. cRAwFoRD's NEW NOVEL.
DIR. Claudius Not disappointment to the
Readers of MIR. Isaacs.

New York World.
Few recent novels have created such a
sensation as Mr.. Crawford's new story,
Or Claudius," which will be published
this morning, will be sure to create in liter
airy circles. The readers of Mr.. Isaacs"
will be eager to determine whether it was
the strangeness of the scenes or the power
of the novel which so held attention.
In his new novel Mr.. Crawford shifts the
scene from the mysticism of an Oriental
country to the practical Western old town OF
Heidelberg and his hero is now Dr. Claudius,
a worthy defendant of the old Vikings of
the North. He is colossal in statue and most
royal hearted, privat-docent at the uniYer-
sity, and by no means a wealthy man.
One day letter from New York tells him
that his mothers brother in America is
dead, and that he is the heir to several mil
lions. But our philosopher determines he
will not desert his studies for money. He
does desert them, however, the very next
day, all for a beautiful face, a pair OF dark
eyes and thrilling voice, these being part
of the attractions of the Countess Margaret"
the widow of a Russian nobleman DIR.
Claudius and the Countess Margaret take a
pleasure trip across the Atlantic to New
York in an English Dukes yacht.
One night on deck Claudius declares his
love to the Countess and she leaves HIM, and
at the next meeting they agree to let the
matter drop and be friends.
While the party are staying in New York
the Countess's brosher-iu-law made his APP
pearance, and told her that be was accused OF
being a Nihilist, and all his estates had been
confscated. As they we're subject to her
| jointure, she would lose all her property.
When this became known DIR. Claudius
Immediately determined to go to st. Peters
burg and lay the matter before the Gar, and
| he was supplied with letters to influential
people in St. Petersburg.
But his ostensible reason for going to
| Europe was to get papers from his university
| to prove that he was Dr. Clandius, and not
an impostor, as the executor of his uncle's
will had accused him of being. He had re-
| fused to give the lawyer the certificate OF
baptism that would have removed all doubts
| but he showed it to the Duke, together with
some other papers, which caused that gentle
mad to eXclaim:
MY dear Claudius, shall all my life re-
member that you have honored me with
! your confidence. / accepted it as token Of
| friendship, but l am now able to look Oh il
as very great distinction" And the reader
| is left to imagine that Claudius is heir to the
| Scandinavian throne at least
The day before Claudius is to sail the lover:
come to an understanding down on the sand.
| at Newport, where the ocean witnesses theil
| VOWS of fidelity, and when his mission ha.
| been successfully done he comes back to hel
and in these words still leaves the mystery o.
his birth unexplained:
And now have told you, say let us &C
to my fathers house and make it ours. LIE
me welcome my dear ladv where her match
was never welcomed before"
This bare outline of the story does no
really give an idea of its cleverness.
There are dainty discussions of love. o
| friendship, of woman's work and kindred
subjects between the Countess and. DR.
Claudius, and effective bits of description O
places and people. All the details are at
tended to in an artistic way. Though Their
is no evident attempt at analysis of charac
and every stroke tells. The grouping, too, i
effectively done.
"Dr. Claudius" is not disappointment /,
those who expected Mr.. Crawford to follow
''Mr. Isaacs" with nothing but good work
and it will be read eagerly by the thousand
of readers whom he can command at hi
will, at least until he becomes more prolih
than interesting,