New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-29
ELSMERE'S UNBELIEF.
REALISM ON A HIGH PLANE.

book That IL should have created strong SEN
sation in England was inevitable. for 1t is many
years since a work of fiction has appeared which
reflects with anything like the power and art of
Robert Elsmere" the leading issues and char
acteristics of the time, especially in the higher
planes of thought. At the first glance it may seem
strange that the subjects of this book, deeply
interesting as they are, and closely as they enter
into modern life, touching il. directly and in
directly at so many points, should not have been
more freely employed in fiction. Reflection, how
ever. will show that the equipment demanded for
such work must be exceptional, and that the
union of really fine literary art with the psy-
chologc experience which can alone supply the
informing spirit is as that happy admiXture
Of Realism and Romance illustrated in the case of
Goethe. For Bunyan never could have written
the Pilgrims Progress had he not borne the
heavy burden of Christian, struggled through the
Slough Of Despair, fought with Apollyon in the
Valley Of the Shadow of Death. visited the House
Beautiful and been guided by the shepherds to
the hill tops whence, through their glasses, he
obtained that ravishing view Of the Land Oh
Beulah. What has established the work of the
tinker genius as classic for all time is not the
quaintness OF its allegory nor the profundty OF
its wisdom, but its genuneness and force as the
experience Of q human soul.
In these closing years Of the stormy and change
full nineteenth century the material for psyche
logic fiction Of the most important kind is indeed
abundant, but the harvest needs laborers. Con-
troversy rings, il is true, in magazine articles and
solid octavos. between the leaders Of the con-
tending hosts. Faith on the one side, science on
the other, is upheld with energy and learning.
The abstract and the exegetica aspects of burning
questions are gravely discussed and argued over
Cancellations of the most sweeping character
ind red
Trajectory tenor venturcd by those whose i'm
patience will not permit them to await the gradual
changes of transitional period but who are
impelled to discount the future perpetually
no matter how obscure the horizon may be. with
all this din Of onset and clash Of dialcctical
weapons the intimate application Of the modern
streams of tendency to everyday human lie, 10
the domestic relations. to the work of the world,
his been scarcely attempted until now. The con
fct between Christianity of the old type and Ag-
Mysticism; the effect of modern eXegctcal research
upon religious beliefs the influence Of the adop-
ton of the new historical views upon characters
previously saturated with faith the consequences
of impact with the zcitgcist upon pure but narrow
minds: these and many other problems OF the deep
est and most general interest have been compare
lively untouched. 1t is indeed noteworthy CO.
incidence that an American novel John ward
Preacher, and Of the first to deal strongly
with any Of these disturbing influences, was pub
lishcd almost simultaneously with the appearance
Of Robert Elsmcre" But the latter Is lar
holder and more comprehensive book
To say that Mrs Wards story is psychologic
or a theological novel is not to define it at all
certainly not to convey even an approximately
correct idea of it, 1t is so full of power because
il is written with so much art Its characters are
not puppets put up to hang dry disQuisitons upon
It's theology is not professional Its hold upon the
reader consists in its pervadng naturalness, IN the
charm of style no less than in the fascination OF
the great problems handled, in the feeling for
Nature and the beauty and freshness of Imagination
and description which grace and illuminate 1t
throughout. Yet it is chronicle of soulgrowth
and change and suffering and as such mainly 10
will be Judged Robert Elsmere and Catherine
his wife, are the central figures and they are pro
foundly typical. In him we see the young cnthu-
siast. nerous-minded sltrusuc deeply relig.
ious full of the learning Of an English university
entering confidently, without mental reservation
of any kind, upon his cure Of souls But at very
early stage Of our acquaintance with Robert we arc
made TO perceive that the modern hunger for tan
gible facts, the modern tendency TO distrust the
testimony Of antiquity matters of fact are lat
ent in him. Let but the opportunity
. serve and these impelling forces may prove rev.
n dictionary. Catherine is quite another type.
n
implicit acceptance Of the whole Christian scheme,
void of intellectual curiosity, this pure-mnded,
lofty-soued girl is fortified against unbeiief
against even the smallest doubt, by creed which
excludes inquiry in denouncng it as sinful which
DESTROYS the value and significance of evidence
by putting il out Of court. So long as Robert
Elsmerc's faith remains simple and archalc-a
matter Of habit and sentiment, not one OF intel
lectual conviction-these two lead life oil ideal
happiness and nothing can be more charming or
svmpathetic than the authors description Of this
bright, useful high princpled benefcent existence
II is Paradise before the invasion Of the serpent.
Whether or not it is to be regarded as fools
Paradise will depend upon the bias Of the reader
But the fatal opportunity which is to arouse
the sleeping curiosity Of Robert comes at last in
the person Of the lord Of the manor, a learned
sceptic, with fine library, which he offers to
Robert in aid of historical work upon which
he is engaged. Then follows enthusiastic re-
search, gradual absorption Of new ideas concern
ing historical evidences, the slow development OF
suspicion, the birth of unmstakable doubt, and
finally the inevitable revelation Of the logical con-
clusion to which all these preparations lead up
All this is mastery, subtle, delicate, Informed by
n wonderful insight and expressed with as won
derful lucidity. The mind of this poor
struggling man is laid open before us. All
his quivering thoughts are eAposeu Inc an"S oio
finger traces each one, notes its genesis, follows ts
course scientifically, accurately, yet not ptlessly
but tender,y OF course the rcctos's agony is
doubled by the character of his wife. She is per
fectly lovely in the depth and constancy OF her
affection but the principles instlled into her as
protection TO her faith have become part OF her nat
IRE and she is incapable of the only course which
would enable her to understand, much more SYM
pathize with her husband The contest between
these two. so close together and yet so far apart
is among the noblest work in fiction. Nothing
is SO exceptional as observer capable OF seeing
with equal cloarness, and describing with absolute
impartiality the sides Of that symbolic shield
.-..1.i.h hnn hnnr ell sincn thu