The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-10
Highest Of III n issv,ans Poweru Report Aug ~ 1852
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ABSOLUTELY PURE


are laid in India, which the author is eI-
ploring as Mr.. Haggard does Africa. "rhe
Counting Of Dinah Shadd' 10 the latest
collection Of Mr.. kipling's stories. This edi-
ton, by Harper Bros. will be especially
welcome sas il contains portrait OF the
author. and q critical and biographical
sketch by andrew Lang. The picture por-
trays him as be lives in working dress. pen
i'm hand, spectacles and superfiuous cigar.
without Benefit Of Clergy" is the finest
and most finished Of MIR. Kipling's tales. ii
describes the love Of an Englishman for
native girl, and il told with delicate and
enchanting grace. Mr. kipling seems
10 have lain aside the swagger
Of his performance-to have forgotten
his jaunty "hat-cockcd-on-One-sid
tipping" sketches, and TO breathe purer
atmosphere than that made heavy with the
tobacco and beer Of the barracks. for II 10
his custom to show the natives at first hand,
as he knows them, having eaten Of their
bread and salt and having "drunk" of their
tobacco. In The Counting Of Dinah
shaddv Nulvaney describes his sue
cessful wOoing, but he 10 not at
his highest level, ths big soldier OF
ours. whose character 10 epitomlzed
in his motto: Fear God; honor the Queen;
shoot straight, and keep clean" "On
GreenhOw Hip shows the writer less IA
miliar with the Yorkshire dialect than the
slang Of the Indian mess room. There are
some poetic touches here and there that are
unexpected and delightful. Not even the
genial blackguards" can wholly resist
the influence Of "the soft pine needle
slope, and the trees with their scent
a IL bn
its voice In the silence and talking
foolshly to the rocks" and Learsyd's
voice in telling his tale unconsciously soft
ems. "The Man Who Was" is the saddest
story we ever read # fallen creature. The
book il worthy TO walk arm-in-arm down to
pOsterity with the man who never was
The Man Without a Country" "A Con-
terence Of the Powers" and "The Incarna-
ton of Kristina Nulyaney," which is most
amusing, complete the book. 81 wrought
in common clay" writes Mr.. kipling,
but he has breathed into il the breath OF
life; 40 the artist first casts his models in
this medium. may we not hope to see Mr..
kipling emerge into a higher life, one
worthy TO be perpetuated in the whltest
marble? We await with impatient interest
Mr.. Kiplings promised novel, "Book of
Mother Msthurius."
Mr.. kipling's situations are sometimes
improbable, but his style is clear, incisiye,
vivid: be has wonderful faculty Of invention
and cOndensatiOn-Of painting effectively
on the smallest canyases; he is capable, too,
Of somewhat sharp satire; his familiar coll
loquial tone OF taking the reader into his
confidence is delightful, but the spirit OF the
man is barren Of the illusions and enthu-
siasms of youth.
LEAH OF JERUSALEM. A story OF the
time Of Paul. BY Edward Payson Berry.
Published by Arson. ID. +. Randolph Co.,
New York. West & Johnston.
Literary art, in the realm OF fiction, IL
busying itself with Scriptural subjects. In
former times the painter had the field all 10
himself; in modern days, the poet has
seized upon the theme and woven 1t into
dramatic verse. Some Of Browning's and
LongfelOw's poems occur as examples.
When General Wallace's "Ben Hur" APP
peared, it caught the public eye,
and produced a profound impression. Had
the book possessed less real literary merit il
would have attracted universal attention
frsm the boldness of the author in repre-
senting Biblical life and character. 1t is
not our intention TO discuss the wisdom or
unwisdom of this attempt OF the present
writers offiction. The fact seems TO us lam
entably inevitable, growing, on the part OF
the public. out OF the general interest mani
tested in all matters spiritual; the tendency
OF modern thought TO abrogate the divinity
of our Saviour; the eagerness of the human
mind TO grasp, no matter in what form pre-
scented, knowledge of the wonderful time
and events OF nearly 1900 years ago. On
The part OF the writers, II seems
70 us, and we blush to say II.
that constructive material is wanting
with which to satisfy the s2;iated palate OF
public who denfafld TO be strongly aroused
10 De interested therefore 1t is they
turn TO the eXhaustles5 treasures recorded
i'm the pages Of this sacred book. Since their
advent the Scriptural novel has multiplied
rapidly, as the following array Of names
bear testimony: "A Son Of Issachar;
romance Of the days Of Mes
sias," Dy Elbridge ;. Brooks "Eman.
uel. the story OF the Messiah" by
William Forbes COaley; Thomas Of Didy
mus by James Freeman Clarke; Ebers
''Johua, ," Come Forth,v aud Master OF the
Magicians," by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps,
and Leah. OF Jerusalem by Berry. The
latter is act al attempt t. deal with the
Christ, but is written, as the title sig
niiies, Of "the time OF Paul. IL is
much more an attractive loue story
than biblical novel. Paufs
career is traced irsm his fourteenth year to
the time OF us Ctdth, DuL III Is rather dS Il
cord to which to attach the incidents Of the
narrative. The author attempts to peryade
the book with the spirit Of Christianity
rather than the facts. and thus the offensive
features usually prominent in this class of
writing are Of a very secondary character.
MODERN GHOSTS (New York, Harper K
BrOthers) 10 another beautiful volume in
The Odd Number Series, comprising seven
ghost stOries," sketched and translated
from Maupassant, Beequer, kOmpert, de
Alarcon, kielland, and Magherini.Grazi
ami The introduction 10 furnished
by George William Curtis, who pro-
nounces these stories all mastery,
written with a sympathy and delicacy
which captiyate In .ch themes they are
not frightful and bloOd-curdling, but hui
man aud companionable, "Maese Perex
the Organist," nom the spanish Of Bee
Quer, is powerful tribute 10 a musician,
blind from his birth. who played even be-
fore he had his teeth. At the Christmas
eve mass, when the hest ls elevated,
bis organ sang like the voices Of angels, a
long dream sigh from the audience being
the only outward expression from the dense
throug which held its breath during the
performance,
The type ana paper OF this book makes it
a luxury suitable rs Christmas gift.
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