The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-02-14
Mr.. IsAAcs.
For the CITIZEN.


This is the title of book by +
Marion Crawford, given to th,
reading public during the past year
and which we deem decidedly char
acterized by acute perception ano
strong thought. Classed purely a!
romance, we would not award it (
place in the foremost ranks, but We
look beneath the cloak in which the
author has enwrapped his thoughts
and regard his work as we believe
he meant it should be regarded
Not only do the graphic descrip
tions of eastern life show a perfect
connaissance of the country and its
people, its politics and religions,
but the undercurTent OF thought
undeniably bespeaks careful, de
liberAte reasoning and proclaims
the author wise ethnologist as
well as philosopher. He represents
himself as simply relating the his
tory of a Persian of learning,
wealth and power, of whose life he
had intimate knowledge and show
ing the possibility of morality and
merit attaining to riches and dis
tinction even in India. Calling
himself Paul Griggs, he assumes
the role of cynic and So
phist, and ostensibly. defends his
ground bravely; while in fact the
recognition and admiration of the
good and true in those with whom
he comes in contact belle the cynic
as entirely as does the accurate
knowledge and philosophic reason
ing on which all his arguments are
based belle the sophist. He al
lows the suspicion of skeptic to
rest upon him, and yet uncon-
sciously makes you feel his faith.
We have only to recall his conver-
sations with Isaacs on the subject
of woman, the Immortality of the
soul, at which idea the Persian be-
gins by scofflng and ends, by being
not only q convert, but most de-
.vout and jealous convert. Mr.
Isaacs, the hero, bears the closest
scrutiny, and though the author
gives US a portrait more beautiful
nearer to perfection than any we
ever remember to have seen
still we do not cry impossible. Mr..
Crawford has so interviewer simple
humanity with all the fascinating
lights and shades of this picture,
chat we cannot doubt its genuine
ness. Mr.. Isaacs, whose real name
was Abdul Hafz, was kidnapped
when twelve years old and carried
off to ROum or Turkey and sold in
the slave market at Istamboul-Con-
stantinople. Here he was fortu-
nate enough to become student in
stead of slave to the old man who
purchased him, and whose learning
even exceeded his wealth, and here
Abdul Hafiz remained till he was
twenty-one years of age, when his
old master and teacher died, and he
made his escape. In Istambonl he
that mastery of language
and science and the varied knoWl-
edge that was to stand him in such
good stead in the future. After
his escape and journeying
to Mecca with a band of pilgrims
he shipped on board an Arabian
craft, and worked his passage to
Bombay. Of this he says though
[ had no experience of vessel save
in the caiques of the Golden Horn,
still as the educated man is always
superior to the common laborer, so
in a few days l could haul in rope,
or reef a great latteen sail as any
of them, for one who is in the habit
of applying his powers in the right
way will carry his system into any
occupation, and it will help him as
much to handle a rope as to write
a poem He arrived in Bombay
ragged, half-starved and with
three pence in his pocket. Through
the kindness Of an English officer
and an old ''moolah" or coreligiOn-
ist, he is saved from arrest and Sc
cured a position which pays him
six rupees or twelves shillings a
month. He devotes his leisure to
the study of the English language,
and in q few more years has be-
come through knowledge and thrift
an independent, prosperous man.
He removes to Delhi and is deal
er in gold and precious stones, and
at the time of his introduction to
us, is man Of un bounded wealth
and consequent power. The author
gives him to us, ''pungent, ready,
Impressive and thoroughly enter
tanning" In his dark eyes "there
was aidepth of life and vital light,
thst told of the pentup forces of a
hundred generations of Persian
magic" We can see him as he re-
clines on his silken cushions in his
apartment, where boundless wealth
has outlined and impressed splen
did and artistic luxury, the refine
ment OF which appeals to the more
sensitive mind and fills it with q
dreamy satisfaction. We are lifted,
as the author tells Isaacs, ,'out of the
hum drum into land peopled with
all the effulgent phantasms and
priceless realities of the magical
east" Yet despite this brilliant,
alluring picture, the author leads us
quickly on, without pause, to the
more brilliant, more fascinating
man whose creation it is. 1t is but
a luminous powder thrown for a
moment at the foot of some great
mans statue. Abdul Hafix changed
his name to Isaacs, simply as mat
ter of convenience in his business
transactions, yet remained as de
vout a Musselman as one would
wish to see, and we are startled as
he is startled, when we realize a
character so grand and true and
noble, holds the tenets of creed
sacred that allows such indulgence
and latitude and so utterly degrad
ing woman as to deny her immor-
tality. And yet there is consis-
tent morality is his whole life and