The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-27
THE ABUSE OF ApJECrIvEs.
How the Heroine of the Modern Novel I!
Described.


How the Heroine Of the Modern Novel Is
Described.
Lippencott's Magazine. u
1t is great pity that the fairy willow whistle,
which blew everything into its proper place,
should have burst with its first note, for there
would be such ample opportunity nowadays for
the display of its peculiar functions. Why for
instance, should modern rovel writer's turn the
patient adjective into an overworked little
drudge, and compel it to do thrice the labor that
it can effectually performg Fifty years
ago it led al, life as,,.s of respected 'ssSa q
could be of some real use to the author; now it
knows no respite from its ever-increasing tasks,
and too often bears upon its weak shoulders the
real burden of the book. Formerly we were
told that Tilburna had golden hair and blue
eyes, or raven hair and black eyes, as the case
might be; and that matter being settled, we
heard little more upon the subject Now the
hair and eyes appear anew on every page, and
are apparently considered the most important
element in the story.
Who has not been struck with the sighting
manner in which Sir Walter describes his hero
ines charms? Edith Bellenden, we are asked to
believe, was fair, without insipidity. Julia Man
nering who is to Waverly what Rosaind is to
Shakespeare is hardly credited with being beau
full at ALL while. when it comes to his heroes, Sir
Walter is even more strikingly ineloquent. "A
slender young man, or "a young man of genteel
appearance, is sometimes all that is vouchsafed
to us, the rest being happily left to our magma
tion Among modern writers, Trollope alone
manifests this curious Indifference to the hair,
eyes, noses, and mouths of his dramatis
PERSONA. What was the color of Grace
Crawleys hair, or of Lily Dale's eyes! What
venture to describe the immortal Mrs. Proudie!
George Eliot, ON the contrary, inciines, especi-
ally in her later books, to a lavish OF ad-
jectives; and the aspiring authoress of to-day
may cite Gwendoen's 'long brown glance" as
being quite as strained as any effort of her own.
But then we can no more approach George
Eliot by copying few Of her mannersms than
we can become Napoeons by wearing an old
coat, or William the Thirds by cultiyating an
inordinate taste for green peas
TO all, however who wish to behold this ten
dency in its fullest and freest development, we
would recommend the perusal of a novel by
Rhoda Broughton, called Second Thoughts'-a
bright, vivacious, almost witty lutte book,
marred only by its neradicable defects of style.
The heroine Gillian Latimer, is described over
and over again, with as much emphasis on every
feature as if she were one of Madame Tussaud's
pet creations, and had nothing but her outward
aspires to be- On her eyes alone more
adiectives are brought to bear than would
have sufficed Scott for all the orbs in Waverley.
They are grey eyes," great greyeyes," 'angry
grey eyes" 'steel-grey eyes and ''displeased
grey eyes," also grave eyes, sparkling eyes,"
great eyes, 'aching eyes," large bright eyes"
dropped eyes" eager young eyes," ''angry
eyes" 'steel-colored eyes," 'sad leave taking
eyes," flashing eyes" and proud, dewy eyes"
grey eyes, into her lovers face on another, she
scorches him badly with grey eyes like
furious fires The hero himself, most quiet,
commonplace doctor, is not above little eye
serious eyes," ''cross eyes," ''quiet, shrewd
eyes, "cody just, bright eyes" steady eyes,
calm eyes," ''fiery eyes," town tired eyes,
which is quite novelty in the list-and 'eyes of
burning choler," to say nothing of eyes that
''burn like fire. while he grows pale as ashes"
which must have given him the effect of a con-
fagration, especially as he stands once 'all be-
famed with sunset"
Next to the supreme question of eyes we hear
most about Gillian's ''blonde head" and her
head, her tossed head, her "willful head her
'fair head" and her well poised head" while to
match these maidenly attributes she has a fair
Sphinx face" tragic pale face" serious
face" 'hotly flushed face" ''sweetly
apologize face" and a Glover textured
face" Moreover, being very remark
able gr,, she is endowed with a Severe
that may mean, while her lilly fair" and 'deli
cate cold" hands have ''satiny backs" and are
small and capable as we'll. She is never
merely pretty, like other women, but she has
ripe, June beauty" and robust yet delicate
beauty" If she loses her temper, which happens
rather often in the course of the story, she man
ifests the same by the ''red of her
look" or by her beautiful vexed eyes"
which resemble Sudden angry, gray arrow
imagine an angry, gray arrow-or by flaming
out into crimson anger" or with wreathed
neck and flaming cheek" or with enkindled eye
and vermeil cheek, both of which expressions
we would recommend to lovers of simplicity.
If she is sad, however, she lifts the drowned
OBJ NG
them with ''most Look" or she strays in con
fused red misery or in a passionate scarlet
hurry" which is as extraordinary in its way as
an angry grey arrow. When her father dies she
stands long and craped," with 'black elbow"
resting on the chimney place. while her various
methods of blushing take up half the volume.
Never, indeed there a heroine who
blushed so much about so little. Some
times it is merely matter of claiming
cheeks" or of the young roses of her cheeks"
or of the mortified carmine of her cheeks" or
of her shot bloom" or of her beautiful hot red
roses" Sometimes it is the deep color of min
gled shame and joy" while on more especial
occasions we are assured that her face is made
all of poppies," that it ''changes from poppy
color to milk, and back from milk to poppy
color" that it keeps shifting from frightened
white to mortified red, and back
again" and. better than all, that
cheek and chin and pearlfair throat
grow ali one rose red fame" with which tri.
umph of compound adjectives we will close our
quotations. only remarking that Gillian's blush
ing chin rivals the achievement of Ursula in
John Halifax" who, we are gravely told, col
ored over her throat neck and arms.
All honor to the Lady Olivia who has taught
us how to make rational inventory of wom-
ans charms! Item, two lips Indifferent red;
item two gray eyes with lids to them; item, one
neck one chin, and so FORTH To these let us
add. item, one blush Indifferent rosy, and then
have done with the subject forever.
Reprehensible Conduct of an Artists Model.
New York Mail and Express.