The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-09-09
SEATTLE PosT-NrEILIGENcER SEPTEMBER 1880

journals of our oriental dependency,
and were part of his regular news
paper work. The largest COLLECTIONS,
Plain Tales ffom the Hills" IN
the dignity OF . cloth cover, can occasion
ally De purchased from a bookseller OF IN
usual intelligence. But. as the books came
out in India, it has hitherto been difficult
to get them; they have been very rare
Doubtless these difficulties are being re-
moved, and perhaps all Mr.. kipling's
works will become as accessible as those OF
other British authors. Ii is not my pur-
pose to write biography of Mr.. kipling,
nor to describe him lat home He is fond
of horses and of fishing: he is not fond OF
psychology nor of II. Paul Bourget. His
political opinions are Of the kind which
were English in old days before Mr.. Glad
stone, and | am not aware that he has ever
attempted TO overthrow the Christian re.
iigion nor to supply his own mixture, at
Ieasonaoie charges, as substitute. he Is
thus. though young and popular, little
beiated in our intelligent and advanced
generation.
Enough. or more than enough. OF per-
sonal description. As to mis- writing, Mr..
hlpiing appears to myself to possess very
original genius. nor Is this an original
opinion. His "Plain Tales" have been
called The best book ever written on
India. by an authority OF very great ex-
perience in life, in government. and in lit
erature. For the first time ne has shown
English readers what India is like; how
full OF Infinitely various life and romance.
he seems to have seen and known, and
been able 70 make real and vivid, the ex-
lstencc OF all classes in that continent. For
my own part. least like his tales about
official life. about fiirtations and jobs, zap
polntments" of all kinds at Simla. The
descriptions may be very true; they are
not very pleasing. His married firts. his
frivolous ladies, his people who ''plav
tennis with the Seventh Commandment"
are melancholy, and no doubt admonifory
spectacles. Vice. in them. has certainly
not freed Itself from what is coarse and
common. Vice seldom does, and 1t is not
MI. kipling's fault. but the fault of his
characters. that one turns from their
ieverisn society, their ''smartness," and
their slang.
To my own taste-after all, it is a ques-
ton OF taste-his tales of native lie in
many ranks, castles, religions and nations
are his best The confession OF an opium
smoker, In 1.-THE Gate of a Hundred Sor-
rows" defeat De Qaincey on his own
ground. The Strange Ride of Morrowbe
Jukes. who fell into village of thieves
who should be dead but yet live, is night
mare more perfect and terrible, think,
than anything of Edgar Poe's.
There Is an astonishing variety in Mr..
Kipling's powers. In the Phantom Rick
shaw" his tale of the dead wife's APPOINT
ment with her husband moved me like q
vivid dream of the beloved dead. Then we
have handsome piece of witchery in the
"Bisara OF Poree.'' where the impossible
becomes real to fancy. From these tales il
is long step to military humors of Sold
iers Three" the magnificent, daring, vain
and generous Irish Hercules, Mulvaney.
the little cockney VINO shoots so we'll
and has madness OF inconsistencies;
Ortheris, and the large Yorkshireman
who is their comrade. How They Took
the Town of Lungtungpen," and with
the Rear Guard" are tales of as good fight
ing as ever was transcribed. Every SOL
dier should inspire himself with their gay
daring and masterfui adventure. The le-
gend OF the wanderer, with the head or his
crushed and dead comrade in his wallet,
proves that Mr.. kipling could excel in the
widest myths OF adventure if he cared.
He has comedy, tragedy. farce in his
repertory, all in small parcels He has
seen perfect Odyssey of strange expert
ences. has known or has OWNED the most
unheard of dealings of men with men, and
everywhere has found them very human.
The last story in "Plain Tales promises
not conclusion. but beginning to the
legend of an English scholar sunk in
drink, in Isham, and the dirt of bazaar
All this would be entirely new, and we
may trust that Mr.. Kipling will give us a
longer narrative on the subject Whether
he can write long novel. or a novel,
rather, of the usual proportions. remains
to be seen. at passage, a picture, an in
cident, character, he is already, perhaps,
all but unrivalled among his contemporar-
les. Can he weave many of these into a
consistent fable? This remains to be
tried.