The Republican journal., 1885-01-22
Literature.

WITHIN THE SHADOW. BY Dorothy Hol
| royd. This volume is the latest addition to the
famous ''N. |. F." series, and is a story of suct
bri!iancy and power as to at once entitle its
author to recognition of high ability. She pos
sesses strong originality, a keen eye for charac-
ter, and vigorous style three qualities which
are essential to success in the construction of a
| work of fiction. The plot she here sets herself
| to work out is ingenious, and yet not complcat.
| ed or improbable, and the events happen so
naturally that the reader is never called upon
to exercise his imagination or to manufacture
| reasons for the action of the narrative. The
| heroine is Cecil Chester, IA Young girl who mas
| been tendery and carefully nurtured and
| whose unusually fine natural gifts have been de-
veioped by judiciou> culture. By the death of
both her parents she is suddenly left alone in
the world, without relatives aud without
money. OF an independent spirit she rejects ali
| offers of help from friends. choosing rather to
| avail herself of her accomplis hments to support
herself She enters the home of a wealthy Wild
oW as Il companon, and while there, by an eX-
traordinary combination of circumstances, is
made to appear as having committeda Il criminal
offence, for which she is arrested and brought
to trial. The story of her sufftrings is yiyidly
told, and the chapter in which the climax is
reached is strongly dramatic. The book cannot
help making a sensation. T. mo-, 81 -. ID.
Lothrop 4 Co., publishers Boston.
AN EDIIoE's STORIES. Every one remem-
bers the strange history of +. W. Howe's re-
cent romance, The Story of Country Town,
written in night hours by hard-worktd
Kansas editor printed in an AtchiSon office
discovered and praised by Howells and Mark
Twain, by tlc O,goods of Bos-
ton, land then meeting with immense sales and
applause of the best American and English
critics. Ii was marvellous picture of life ON
the prairies. instinct with pathos, and overflow
ing with intense feeling. The My, terry of the
Locks" Mr. Howe's second novel. is ON the
eve of publication bv James Il. Osgood & Co.,
and will br welcomed by many thousands of
| readers in all parts of the country. 1t is fully
equal to The Story of Country Town" in it-
properie, of enthralling interest and exciting
climaXes; and, like that book, also, it contains
many chapters which will repay frequent IT.
readings, 50 brilliant, clear-cut, and purely
original are the thoughts brought out Tie
scene of the story is Western riVeI-town,
from which ''the boom has long since died
out leaving picturesqueIy dreary decadence,
amidst which move grote>queiy deightfui
characters concerned in The Mystery" The To-
caity and the situation are full of the best pos
,bilitieS. and the author, rare narrative skill
and subtle character-analysi> have made from
these capital materials most entertaining
story
EDWARD ARNOLD AS PoETIzEE AND As
PAGANIZEK; OF The Light Of Asia" cXamin-
ed for its literature and for it, Buddhism. BY
William Cleale, Wilkinson. This i much
more than mere critiqup: II is a valuable eN-
position of the main facts in the life of Buddha,
and the claims which bis religion can justi!
make upon mankinl. Mr.. Wilkinson believes
that Mr.. Arnold'> poem has had Il weakening
effect on the faith and conscience of America.
ana IN a most trenchant yet courty fashion he
lays bare the discrepancies between The facts
and the fiction, in rnlcloacr to Buddhism. His
dealing with the literary qualities Of "The
Light of Asia startles one at the very outset
with the boldne>- and calinne~> of his drnuucj-
alton. He recognizes the strength OF thy pop
ular sentiment, and literary sentiment H. well.
with which he hy> to contend. but he is apr1g-
entity too sure of hi, footing to be lutJrrd
thereby Whct ler one agree, Or not with lis
conclusions, one cannot help reading with ad-
miration; for thi conscience Of tn critic i felt
On every page, and tie Skill " the diuectician
revealed in every sentence The spirit display
ed is at once generous and severe the points
mad. are Sharp ana singing. and The good-na-
.ured rtllery al Mr.. Arnold aud at some Of his
ehio4lZtFs becomes ~ 'lnieN very ahl>lh@' II
Is work OF permanent F"le Tor tue student
81 literature 'nH inc Slu''ehl Oh comparative