St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-06-04

Scotch also claim, as he was born in
their country, has likewise made his
mark as all able writer of smart ro.
nance. Mrs. Humphrey Ward, whose
thoughtful face and weary eyes call up
a response from sympathetic souls and
cropping minds, continues to arrest the
consideration of London's reading pub
lie. There is hardly an English novel
ist today whose books have been more
discussed in this country than those of
Mrs. Ward. Ouida once said to an
American lady that she did not like the
Americans. The maiden of the stars
and stripes quickly responded: "Well,
you ought to; they are the only people
who read your dirty novels" We are
not the only people who read Mrs.
Wards novels, but her books owe
large measure of their success TO the
reading public of the United States.
Mr.. Gladssone's aDpreclative article OH
Robert Elsmere" made the fame of
that very uneven book; clerical discus
sion OF its theology gave it new and
localized advertisement. The popular
ity of Mary Anderson. whose theatrical
career seems to have suggested to Mrs.
Ward the chief characteristics in the
heroine of "Miss Bretherton," lent ex-
oteric interest to the literature of Mrs.
Ward.
The marks of her training, heredity
and environments are upon her. She
has the culture of Oxford; she loves to
revel in Gods sunlight and to ramble
through heathery hills. Her intense
theological unrest is result Of her
earlier surroundings, and her desire for
the regeneration of humanity cOnse-
quence of her deep sympathy for suffer
ing. Mans most prevalent sin against
his fellows is the pain that he cOntinu-
ously intlicts upon some of them. In
stead of disseminating what happiness
they may, many people expend their
Superfiuous energies in avenglng real
or imaginary grievances, or in reyeling
over the wounds and bruises they may
have inflicted upon the sensibilities of
others. [ can almost forgive Mrs.
Wards many literary sins in view Of
her honest effort to teach people that
there is sun in their lives and that
they must allow it to shine, even for the
benefit of others as well as for their
own.
Robert Elsmere" and"Dsvid Greene"
are not novels in the strict sense; at all
events they are novels without plot,
just as Thacheray's VANITY Falr'' is
without hero. An effort to read them
as one reads novel recalls a story of
gruff old DIR. Johnson's: .'Why. sir, if
you were to read Richardson for the
would be so fretted that you would hang
yourself. Some brilliant flashes of rhe.
toric are not sufficient compensation
to the reader of Robert Elsmere,"
whose patience might well be exhausted
by the dreary chapters in the opening
part OF that book. Though Mrs. Ward
is the granddaughter and, think, also
the daughter of clergyman, her cleri-
cal friends can hardly compl-
ment her on the ecclesiastical
characters she has drawn. Her clergy
men are weak and philosophical.
They contrast badly with the sterling
and brave churchman presented to us
by George Macdonald in "These and
Back" In David Greeve" the cleric
is ranting and illiterate individual.
No man would give up his belief or
even his honest doubt for the salve of
the reasons advanced in ''Robert Els
mere" Those who talk about her books
having shaken the foundations of Chris
tianity know not what they SAY. | do
not think she had any intention that it
should, but if she had, it would be only
an additional proof of the intellectual
vanity. and therefore the intellectual
weakness of her sex.
In the History of David Greeve" the
dealh-rate is too high for comfort. How
can one read book pleasantly when
there are at least ten deaths in it? 1t is
hard to grow enthusiastic over a sup
posed novel which tells of death from
accident, suicide, diphtheria. cOnsump-
ton, paralysis and cancer. A crazy old
schoolmaster,a Derbyshire farmer with
grasping housewife, a coarse-g ralned
sister, and the black mills and ugly
warehouses of Manchester give no light
to the cruel and dark life of poor David
Greeve. 1t is impossible to read such
book for the sake Of the story or for
recreation. Withal there is some dra-
matte effect, there is plenty Of knowl-
edge of heart, she is not Intentionally
irreverent, and her magnifcently mean
ingful adjectiyes are as descriptive as
Mrs. Chandeliers, without being either
shocking or abrupt.
"Milly and oily" Mrs. Wards first
book. is forgotten. Her Miss Brother
ton" has no particular merit. Her
translation of ''AmiePs Journal is
good. Her two theological novels can
not he disposed of in sentence. Most
people find fault with this gentle scep-
tic for posing as an apostle OF new
philosophy. Her life reminds one of
brief biography given by a gentleman
when asked about clerical friend.
Here it is: 'He began as an evangel-
ical. Then he went over to Rome.
Finally he started creed of his own,
and has written novel to prove it."
Oxford.
Oxford, the splendid home of learning,
dating back to the days of Alfred the
Great, has all the repOsefull grace char
acteristic Of university towns. Its
twenty colleges with their two thou
sand student, are enough to impress
the people of the district that even these
have a character to sustain in an APP
parent appreciation of the highest
forms of education. Here physical cult
ure goes hand in hand with intelIectu-
al development There is firm belief
in the philosophy of tine oar and OF the
bat; strong bodyis looked upon as by
no means inconsistent with strong
will and cultured mind.
If the old monks who quietly saun-
tered through the cloisters of Oxford
long ages ago could return and see what
a metamorphosis has taken place, how
surprised Inelr SdnCIlmOnlCuS eyes
would be at the rollicking, open-air-
loving student of today! Old students
of Oxford say it changes faster than
anywhere else; it strikes comparative
stranger as being most conservative
institution. Principal Flairbairn has
thought fit to turn aside and pay to
church, of which he is not member,
tribute which for thought and adorn-
ment throws Lord Macaulay's in the
shade. But DR.. Fairbairn is looked
upon as the most liberal man in Oxford.
The old university refused room for
statue of the late Cardinal Newman. l
can hardly afford to find fault
with it for this, because | believe
a catholic university would have re-
fused similar honor to one who had
left the ranks of its church, be his life
ever so good or his talents ever SO great.
Still, Newman. the literary leader. re-
Elected as much credit upon Oxford as
Newman, the ecclesiastical chief, re-
fiected upon Rome.
1t is strange that there should be a
grave hiatus in the English course at