The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-07
BOOKS OF THE WEEK.


ster. (Reviewed by Julian HawthorneJ
The little volume bearing the title OF
''rhe Master OF Silence" Is the work OF
an author hitherto, so far as am aware
nearly unknown in literature; but he Is
obviously man who has observed keenl
and with humor and sympathy. who has
thought Independently and beyond the
commonplace shadows, and who can ex-
press himself concisely, clearly and with
certain distinction which promises
what we call style.
The subject OF the book Is, philosophy
cally speaking the potentialities OF the
inner life the results OF the cultivation oil
those faculties OF the soul which the sup
erficial and material pursuits OF our mod
ern civilization have rendered almost ex-
animate and useless. To illustrate this
theme the author has imagined child
brought up under peculiar conditions OF
isolation and training. The father OF TINS
youth-Rayel-has, ever since the child's
birth, lived I'm strict seclusion in remote
part OF Northern New York state. His
first measure was to educate him In
the practice OF an interior speech,
unhampered and unfalsified by the
restrictions and conventional misrepre
sentations inevitable TO articulate Ian.
guage. Only music, and dozen words o.
Sanscrit were permitted TO approach his
ears: for the rest, all communication was
carried on by notifications Of facial ex.
preston. by the language OF the eye ana
BY his subtle gestures. A library brought
the boy into mental relations with the
robust and most enduring aspects OF the
world which he had never seen, a gymha'
sium perfected his body in all athletic
exercises, and the natural turn OF his
mind inclined him to the fine arts, especi-
ally to painting. When, therefore, the
reader Is first introduced to him In the
prime of his young manhood, he
nj
feet human being-superb in beauty,
lionlike in strength, richly stored
with learning, and with disposition
affectionate, magnanimous, absolutely
truthful, simple as u boy, and wise as
sage. The story shows us the career and
tact with modern civilization; and in his
case, the matter is complicated by the
fact OF his intuitive powers, in compari-
son with which the feats OF our telepathy
and mind reading are mere crude essays.
Though the world failed to corrupt
Rayel during the few years that he lived
in it, it did not leave him quite deathless.
The necessary acquisition OF audible
human speech male him practically con-
scious of the impracticability of absolute
veracity. He was brought into personal
collision with crime in its most active
and sinister form, and he knew the pain
Of love that could not be requited
Iils HE, from Tue eAterndi poiue Vi view, {,
was consequently an unhappy and un-
successful one, but it is precisely
from this point of view tnat no
trustworthy estimate Of such life cln
be formed. There are spiritual satisfac-
tions and compensations which transcend
any of the vulgar rewards OF existance.
Rayel, in the midst of his disappointments
and griefs, enjoyed happiness which he
could neither communicate nor describe;
it belonged to the sublimity of bis nature,
and could be known only to those similar
ly gifted. That he should die in the early
stages of his career was perhaps newt
able; he must either conquer the world, or
be conquered BY it, or die; and, the first
alternative being out OF the question, the
third is certainly more welcome solution
than the second, whatever may be said as
to its purely human interest.
A work so short, significant and preg-
nant, and. from the merely literary point
of view, so little open to attack, can hard
ly fail to be the forerunner of other books
which may enable us to gauge more fully
the writer's quality aud possibilities. He
has shown somewhat Of a new force-he
is an element to be reckoned with. One
feels desire to know how he will treat
other subjects which are just
now attracting thoughtful aud crea-
business, but l certainly should
not be surprised to hear, in the course OF
the next few years, that something at
once important and captivating had ap-
peared over this gentleman's signature.
At all events he has started out in the
right track, and he seems mature enough
not to be in danger of being seduced from
it, 1.-THE Master of silence" Is a good
book, with a good title, and good titles,
by the way. are not the least part OF the
secret Of success in literature.
Other New Books.
Frederick Villiers has written for the
July Century an account of the mission
OF Mason Bey to King John of Abyssinia.
undertaken at the time Gordon was shut
up in Khartoum. The article is fully IL
lustrated, and the writer gives much
space to descriptions of the customs OF
the Abyssinians.
Isabel F. HapQood has translated
Valdes' new novel, Faith" in Casseli
Publishing Company's Sunshine Series.
Minneapolis, hitherto unknown In pub
fishing circles. seems to be coming well
forward through the efforts of the Price
McGill Company. The last volume re-
ceived from this press is "A Common
Mistake" by Jeanne M. Howell.
The might Of the press is the theme Of
Lamp" The action of the narrative de-
velops the conflict between an enterpris.
ing London weekly and the company Of
Jesuits, in which the secular arm IL
brought to triumph after good deal Of
kidnapping aud Imprisonment.
Under the title Concerning All OF Us,
Col Il. w. Hi0Rinson has reprinted his
short ESSAYS on woman's rights in Hdr-
per's Weekly. Harper Bros)
DIR. Leffingwell's work on Demography
Is curious and valuable. In part, he
shows that illegitimacy is much more
common among Scottish communities
than in England, more common in Eng
land than Ireland, more common in the
country than i'm the cities. Ireland shows
the lowest rate of all Europe, Scandi-
navia and Bavaria the highest. Neither
poverty nor religion appear to have much