The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-14
Heart of Steel" q work Of Art
not of Religion.

Allusions. both III praise. and in crit
i ism. have been made N various quar-
ter. concerning the supposed ''rcll1iou-
teachings OF Christian Reds latest
book .-.Heort of Steel" An intelli-
gent correspondent in last weeks FIR
mcr and Nechonjc, amid high praise o.
the work, gave expression to the some
what prevalent impression; and has
perhaps d ne good service in calling
forth the gifted authors note deprecatng
any such view, for reasons plainly
stated by her. As another correspon-
dent, herself an accomplished author.
remarks i'll a different connection
Sometimes the perfection Of Art lies
in that vividmess which seems so like
real experience that the uninitatvd take
the poets fancy for the poets liz y
story laid III Rome must make frequent
mention OF the main element of Roman
life.
To Me Editor IF tie Farmer AMI hse-
! chdnic:
SIK:-It is not the part of an author
to answer any criticism on his OF hog
work, and during my literary life / have
never thought Of doing 50. however
much misapprehension of the spirit and
intention o. the work such criticism
might display. BIT | am tempted to
depart from my usual rule and send a
few lines To you in reply To 4 letter IN
your last issue. signed Farmers
| Wife" | am the more inclined 10 This
because tie letter III question is written
with kindness which | appreciate. and
| have no idea that the writer intended
to be offensive in the closing paragraph
which, however, contains "A very
serious misapprehension
The writer remarks: 1t seems to me
the story of Irene Lescar Is a sad COM
ment OH the Romish taitl. She seems
to he an exemplary churchwoman. per-
forms devoutly the rites of the church,
vet she hates her father to tie last and
withholds forgiveness Notwithstanding
the entfeaties of friends. Of lover. ot
father, of a dying mother and OF con-
science" Now. the story of Irene
Lescar, instead of being comment
)n the Catholic faith. Cor | presume
|
.'Romsh'' is a discourteOus nickname
is. if it be anything al all. an attempt to
paint the struggle of human nature to
submit itself to the requirements OF
that faith. And not simply of human
mature in general, hut Of Il special ma
ture strong with inherited passion and
lembittered by wrong so great that it
is difficult to estimate it fully, and the
forgiveness of which would require
moth ng less than an heroic act Of virtue
II the story does not make it plain that
Irene was cons antly engaged in a
struggle with her conscience and was
perfectly aware that she was resisting
what her faith demanded, | can only
say tl.at ! failed entirely in my nten-
ton. Certainly neither she. nor any
Catholic who reads the book. could in
dulge ior a moment Ill the delu>i1n that
she was an ''eXemplary" Catholic, be-
cause she went to church and said her
prayers! To be devout Catholic
much more than that is necessary. She
undoubtedly believed the truths OF
faith. but if it were easy for people. even
with ordinary passions, to practice what
: they believe, there would be no struggle
in the spiritual life, no battle to he m-
ceasingiy wagcd with the natural incli-
nations.
This poor Girl at lelst fought that bat
tie. but i'll proportion to the siren tn OF a
will is the resStanc which it makes to
submission to the supernatural law. 1t
would have been far easier. in a literary
point of river, to draw a perfect charac-
ter. submitting at once and forgiyng the
father who had wrought such inetIacca-
BILE wrong, than 20 lave endeavored to
draw the mortal struggle Of the soul.
when on one side was arrayed tie force
! of nature. on the other the imperative
command of faith. Irene knew thai
compromise was impossible. Size cou.o
= not be an ''eNemp ary' Catholic with
outei0rgiving her iather-and hence TIE
story mt all? 1t was. however. Il Stru--
Gle finally crowned with victory. for i
is Il mistake to say lat she ''hatcs hel
father to the last Her own vows Cor
page 540) answer: ~ the moment
:, heard of his death, | iol gave him all lh,
past.
e This failure 10 perceive the truc mean
of the story is not iiattering - I-o rs ~
II artist. but L should not have eutertane,
for an instant the idea OF noticing it oi
that account | only do so because
should be sorry for any one to remain
under the impression that in Irene Les
car intended to present the type OF
good Catholic. Madame Lc~car VA
II one. but she had long fought the GOO
lg fight" in which her daughter was but Al
untried soldier may add that althoug
- the Catholic Church says 10 all b,
children. in tie vows of her Divn
Founder. BE ye perfect she know
the weakness of human nature too We
to expect that perfection to be game
in day or at a bound. Let US, tAel
Judge one another with charity, an
be slow to think that tie creation
.. very fallible novelist is a type ct II
moral character produced by the tcacl
Ing of the great Mother Of Saint.
CHRISTIAN REID.