The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1884-01-10
Book Reviews.
A CASE OF UNEQUAL RETRIBUTION.

A tASt OF lNEQCAL RElRlBt1lON.
The Breadwinners," an anonymous
novel in the Century, and one which
seemed at first to promise something
original and graphic, has come to d
rather feeble and hurried end: and real
ly adds nothing of value to our literature
But it gives another illustration Of that
essential vulgarity of tone which per-
vades 50 many novels and applies espec-
tally to the relations Of the sexes. 1t is
apt to be especially marked in those
novels which undertake to paint society,
as this does, by drawing an imaginary
line across 1t, half way up and then at
tribuling all the cardinal virtues to those
who happen to be above this line, and
all the seven deadly sins to those below
it. Dickens temporarily made an end OF
that sort Of thing and indeed went too
far the other way-in the English novel.
Perhaps we have yet to take our turn at
1t in America ; and certainly ''The
Breadwnners" is a fair sample, to begin
with
The result is to be seen, as has been
said, in a certain vulgarity Of tone, not
so evident in the coarser characters as in
those announced and introduced as being
finer. The hero, who poses for us as a
type of all elevation and elegance, early
aWakens doubts as to his couture" by
saying 81 wonder if have mended mat
ters dny' Century, August, p. 5S3) and
he ends by establishing very serious
doubts as to his gentlemanlness, when
he kisses young girl of the poorer class
in his own conservatory, while he never
theless despises her and is very much in
love with somebody else The plot
finally turns upon the natural rage Of the
girl and the very we'll founded jealousy
OF her lover; and really, on the whole,
these humber personages command
quite as much of the readers respect as
the supertine and fastidious Arthur Farm
ham. This is not in the least what the
author intends; but he brings it about,
in spite of himself
But the most striking feature of the
whole, should say, is the immense inc
quality Of the retribution dealt out
Maud Matchin. the heroine, or at any
rate, the main feminine pertormer-is a
silly, half educated, ambitious, novel
reading girl, with beauty enough to spoil
a stronger head. Arthu" Farnham, the
hero, has had every adva1 tage Of society,
books and travel. Half charmed with
him and half with the surroundings, she
throws herself into his arms, to all in
tents and purposes tells him II love
you,' but has, with all her faults, the
selt-respect to say ''lt am not to be
your wife, must never see YOU again.
You know that, don't You ?" With this
accurate definition of her purpose she
lays her hand on his shoulder he trowns,
she turns pale and sinks and he puts his
arms round her. Her beautiful eyes
look into his like "the eyes of vigorous
intant" 49, very vigorous, | should say
and it ends in her putting up her lips to
his and his kissing her. "IIe was en-
tirely aware Of the Righteousness Of his
position, but he stopped and kissed her
with hearty good will" When she in
quires very naturally "Iou love me, do
you not ," he answers coolly Il certainly
do not"-and then they are fortunately
interrupted.
| must confess that, from this momcnt
OF the story, my sympathies, at least, are
with the young woman. She took him
for a gentleman, but had very vague
ideas as to what a gentleman was. He
took himself for a gentleman, but was
more mistaken than she was 4 little
while after he is gazing into the eyes OF
another young woman, and "enjoying
her eager Ingenious speech as much
as her superb beauty AT the end
OF the tale he marries the superb and
Ingenious young girl, who in the last
scene holds out her hand and offers her
self to him almost as unequivocally as
poor Maud Matchin had done and they
are dismissed to be happy ever after :;
while Maud and her true lover Sam
Sleeny are only assigned to a miserable
marriage ''where the woman brought
into partnership the wreck Of ignoble
ambitions and the man the memory OF
crime" This then is the Justice of
novelists be an ill-reguated school girl
and you will be justly punished for life.
BE il handsome young man Of fortune,
eNquisitely dressed, and your life shall be
made blisstul, though you may have act
ed like what our English cousins, in their
vigorous vernacular, denominate 'cad."
/. Wentworth Higginson ii Woman's
journal.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DIR. ENoCH POND"
The autobiographies of two New
England ministers, who were contempor-
aries, though not rivals, DE- Orville
Dewey and DR.. Enoch Pond. have Just
appeared, and present two very differ
ent types Of professional and religious
character. Both were brought up in the
hill-toWns of Massachusetts, both went
through the usual preparatory and col
lege course, and both brought the hardy
and stern discipline of sons of the soil to
the duties Of an active and successful
career. DIR. Dewey was educated at
Andover under Moses Stuart, Dr. Pond
under the famous DR.. Emmons at Frank
lin, but each struck out in coarse of his
own. Dewey, in calm and sober way.
began TO doubt the truth Of Orthodox
teachings, while Pond accepted them as
final, and became one Of their chief de
Tenders. Dewey sided with Cnanning
and became a polemical writer in the
Christian Examiner; Pond reached out
to the same public on the other side in
the Spirit Of the Pilgrims. Each stood
on the side opposite to the other in the
great controversies of that day, but here
the parallel ends. Dewey developed
into a great preacher, while Pond re
moved to Bangor, and became for tif y
years the leader of the Orthodox Semin-
ary in that city. 1t is not known that
these men ever met, but in their native
ability, in their integrity of character, in
the impression they made upon their
time, they found large room for them
selves, and their respective autobio
graphies are remarkable revelations Of
two distinct types Of the New England
character. The autobiography OF DR..
Enoch Pond" is written in that terse,
close, severely beautiful style, which be
trays the habitual spirit of the man, and
will take its place in American literature
as vivid illustration of the life of Il
great Puritan divine in the first half Of
the nineteenth century. DR.. Pond had
little imagination and great deal of
common sense. He was the ruling
spirit at the Bangor Seminary, and,
within limits, was always master of the
situation. He was the last of his kind.
His grandson, the Rev. Edwin Pond
Parker, d. d., in the preface to this
book, characterizes his teaching in few
pregnant words: Not caring to rise
munh ahoya litaral intarpratatinuc ON