, 1889-03-07
ROBERT ELSMERE.
Entertaining Review Of the
Celebrated Romance.
BY Rev. T. G.. Watson of the
Presbyterian Church.
xntsylined with Scholarly Obser vations
Concerning Literature and Author
ship In General.


Written for the Ministers Union ant
published in the REVIEW by their re
0uest.1
- :,
All literature, even when recording tn
actions of men In by'gone ages, mas NOR @
or less to do with the living present. Int
author. even the mere compiler ano editor
can hardly separate himself or MS worl
from the ideas most active IN the though,
Of his day, nor entirely conceal his OWE
bias. Some critics used TO speak OF ma
saulay's great history as Ibis story II
would certainly apply to many other his
tories. The novelist doos not escape the
charge, even when he tries 70. And
q has nov become quite fashion for
writer's OF fiction, especially OF the relie-
1ous novel, to create story on purpose TO
advocate or oppose more ehectually, and
with larger audience, some prevailing
doctrine or custom.
Robert Elsmere." by Mrs, HUNG phrey
Ward. 10 probably the finest literary pro.
ductioL OF this kind in this generation,
not reckoning here, OF course, Uncle
Tom q Cabin"
Ii Is an effort to present FAIR picture
OF two different phases OF PROTESTANT
Ohristianity, as seen ut this day In
the Church OF England, over against
ouoouCt pASeuiVt VI
illustrating the most modern form OF the
intellectual revolt against Christianity as
presented in the new testament; u revolt,
however, which insists upon writing
under it's picture: This Is Christianlty;
perhaps from the same timid modesty as
that which induced the school6oy to write
under the crude drawing on his slate,
This 10 an elephant" The writer OF the
religious novel supports his position In
krur u,ay NO. Al
the necessary arguments into the mouths
Of his leading characters, taking
good care to have the stronger ones
on his side; the other, the lndi.
rect way OF weaving 1t into the lives or
his separate characters so AZ to nave the
general trend of these move toward the
desired and predetermined conclusion.
Robert Elsmere' Is not great novel so
Ear as plot is concerned; butin clear'drawn
delineations OF character; in natural and
deeply interesting domestic ana social
scenes; in pure and delicate and glowing
pictures of youthful love and and love-ma.
king; in picturesque descriptions of rural
the poor--in all these, it is par excellence.
OF the characters thrown in to relieve the
main picture, the untamed colt OF the
heyburn family-the beautiful Rose, self
willed. proud; musical artist, 2 born
Delle, WIUu rear oh wv VhA'S eA
derneath--will not easily be forgotten.
Chief among those chosen to work out
the religious problem, three-'Richard
ley burn and his daughter Catherine, and
Reginald Newcome-represent the evan
yelical and orthodox side; Iutor Lang
ham, Professor Grey and Squire Wend0v-
er, the liberal revolt; while, Robert Els
mere travels the hard road which leads
FROM the one faith to the other.
Richard Leyburn was y clergyman OF
the church OF England 9. uu the ia~chuIEn
attached to the state church, he had great
charity for and sympathy with the Evan,
gelical dissenters. Indeed he had adopted
some of the severest aspects OF the Puritan
faith. His self-e1aminations were fiRtd
and self-tormenting in the extreme. HIS
humiliation was self-abasement run mad
his self-denials were httle short
of medieval self'tortnre. W such man
we might expect 1t to be said, as another
~ remember furious article OF his In
the Record against admitting unitarians
to the universities, or allowing them to
sit in parliament hiehard Ley,
burn was fanatic Now, every well
informed reader will acknowledge that
some such characters have existed In the
English low part party during
the past generation; out that
Richard Leyburn fairly represents the
evaugelicals, so.called everyone acquainted
with the character, spirit and work OF such
men as Bishop Ryle-and there are thous-
ands of them-will emphatically deny
WhileRicbard Leyburn was dead when
the story begins, his eldest daughter,
Catherine, inherits his Puritanicai spirit
to its FULL extent. As said by the clerical
character above referred to, He made her
trained her; he poured all his ideas into
her" And this is the lady who. after a
hard struggle as to whether 1t was con: