New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-24
,.rv rR1BrNE SUNDAY 1885, -EIGHTEEN PAGEs

AZ. hook of a spiritual side oil luo.
EVERY desire, every thought expressed, IS soeV anu
grossly material Mrs. Atherton has prei1eu an ca
tract from Herbert Spencer TO her story, Dut ~ u"s
,h only phosophy developed IN 1t IS thar OF Sstuan
anals and the beasts of the field reach as hgh as '
Az saltus IS a preentious writer and proiessed
,r. had almost written o ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ue affects style which no appears
tbInl, modelled upon that Of Bsl1ac-a HARNESS
illusion growing out Of an honoraole 9"iDi"
uo has. however, shown himself decideag
extravagant I'm his last tale Transaction III le~'s
HIS descriptions abound in afectatlons whloh arc
fatIsuing when not laughterproyokins He SPEAKS
90 nan whose eyes were OF that grecn-black which IS
Noticeable IN dysodlle COAL girl has eyes OF por
ceIa,n.blues She was worse than pretty In her
skin was the hue Of that white rose which mas
s,lpbur heart.5 OF another woman IL is sad her
SKIN was eburnean in its clarity, her eyes Oh lSorhe
We hear OF people with shy and vibrant natures, ana
so forth, and so forth, TO WEAKNESS TINS priggsh
ness and Enthusiastically OF style. OF course ado hoths
TO the interest or impressivcness OF the story MT.
salus. however does not depend overmuch upon such
neretricious aids He evidently relies on the erotc
scnsatonalism Of his motive for popularity An author
VIM has no belief I'm future life who regards all re-
Irons as equally false. and who, therefore, of ne
cossity regards all ministers Of religion as fools or
knayes could not be expected to create truly spirit
ual pastor, but he might have held his hand from
work for tho execution OF which he was so manifesuy
unified Instead, he has made his deesabe hero the
spiritual head Of fashionable NcwYork congregation
and has described him as a hypocrite who having
ceased to believe Christianity found IT easy to per-
srade himself that he was justified in continuing to
draw large salary for preaching what he held to DO
lies and fables This dclectae gentleman. who is well
into nlddlc-agc, and married 10 noble womhh'
punges headlong, and with scarcely an attempt 10 re
tlst the temptation, into gross passion for his sser
in.law beautiful girl Of the most ambiguous ehar-
actor.
Christopher Gonfalon the ministerial satyr, is for-
bidding character beyond question but Claire Buchoh'
his slsterln-aw Is In some respects stu more 90.
She is represented as young whose continental
education has completely dsilusonized her, while
leaving her tho external appearance Of complete and
perfect innocence The hot advances Of her brother
in-law neither surprise confuse her she pre-
serves her sang-frod and her slang indeed through
every yclsstude and there Is moment OF her history
during which she could by any possibility. be mistaken
for a lady-and few in which the natural presumption
would not be that she something entirely dlherent'
That the end this girl should marry notorious hDer
tine because on one occasion be showed himself better
than his reputation is perhaps the only thoroughly
natural episode in the story and It is OF piece with
the rest that Mr. saltus should appear to regard her
ection as heroic II may be that we have no right TO
EXPECT any other or better fiction from profc5eo
nosslst but after all there obligation laid upon
nesssts 10 write novels and IL IS even possible that
the world would DO better without this KIND OF ilter
.hy, We shall not follow A Transaction IN Hearts
further II must suffice TO that It Is story when
leaves n bad taste IN the mouth which makes the
rader feel that he wants to wash his hands after put
ting IL down II is no defence Of such DOCKS 10 SAY
that they deal with social problems the reality Oh NH0"
s indlsputable The arena OF literature IS not cihic'
and studies in morbid pathology arc OF interest anu
value to men OF science alone.
Iut this is not the chief mischief and ohence OF sum
fiction A. We have here examined. What MAKES u CIV"
Is not alone the character and suggestveness oi uo
subjects treated but the fact that IN the novel they as
sumo prominence not given them in real hfe' ana
bocome tho leading motive OF the composition. No
matter how conscientious the writer may De ne ceoio'
avoid exaggeraton IN such case. In both tue DooS
we have been considering II Is the sensua queS"oh
which dominates the situation. This means nu0h'
narrower IL means that sensualism and inquiry aEo
,t-,.. 10 the front IN all such alleged studies III
means tina, the higher elements forced out Of sight
n means that the lesson cOnveyed-wheher or not any
dldaeuc purpose be present to the aulhor-
,,,r, loVerlng and unwholesomey exciting In hho'
t,,y "a not nor can therc be any excuse or luSt0S
ton for the writing publication OF sneh houoh aNu
neither can honorable reputation be won upon tneso
,rs Tho soulrninded are, perhaps. numerous enough
20 make Il pccunialy worth the while OF
writer's or publishers to pu; forth such dirS war; ous
no amount OF sales can lift the class OF writings ""
sneak OF out OF the moral kennel which Is their O'n'
place and their heritage.