New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-30
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A LIFE OF JACKSON

eE oSnHss ASRhEM 3AsKSoF
UNITED STATES. BY oliver Dyer. with Illus.
Bonners Sons.
The most obvious Characteristic Of this book Is It's
authors enthusiasm for his hero. 1t seems almost
n II he wrote with the specific design OF grauiyhg
those relics of past generation who are said TO be
stl voting for General Jackson and against the
United States Bsnk. Mr.. Dyer even goes to 'ne
length Of explaining away the profanity. and with II
all the emphasis there was In Old liickorys famous
mouth Hliing imprecat;on. Without going INTO de's
nom the historical point Of view. In It's artistic aspect
such a method OF writing biography Is mistake
inst as much OF a mistake as similar method y III
The drama or the novel. There Is rule OF ora'ory
~Regfn low proceed SLOW" etc, which Is OF eoideh
value also in literature. Mr. Dyer strikes h'sh
note at the outset One hits upon Rcmhus anu
Eemus and Cyrus the Great almost before NE haS
learned what the book Is about. so mnch is ''"
In q general way about the obstacles that stimulate
and develop youthful tendencies to greatness that
On. hast NJ lessons which might be drawn from the
ns,uculars in Jackson's own case loses much OF us
o6ect IT Is this "thundcTing In the index" 'hat
spoils most hero worship.
Aside from every disputed point In Jackson's con-
duct his career is the In all American biography
which should lend itself most readily to treatment
perfect in literary FORM since 1t is the most complete
most thoroughly rounded. Jackson died. IL may DE
s.M without a single ambition unsatisfed, and WIN
out ever having experienced what is so oi'ch oo'
demned as the ineratitude OF repuDhcs. Ills "ie
was one long series Of triumphs Hardly mome".
NJ Il from his thirteenth year was passed III VIVA.
might Justly be called obscurity. He was nero anu
. sunerer In the Revolution, hero ana a savior III
tennessee. and In the War Of 1912 a hero ana
conoueror at tho head Of the Nation. From INC
Arst the circle Of his influence never lessehed' IL
spread continually. further and further. as lie au
yanced from one position to another. What advor
tes ne had to deal with which were really vexatous
rst he attributed largely his bodily ailments and
IN the mental suspicions-in some cases one might
iii col, them baucina tfons-to which disease sub
,ac.Ad him. 1t was O tremendous brain tnat couio
chsrish such suspicious against others ana YET con-
duct affairs as II they did not exist Shakespeare
who loved the character OF Henry V, should nave nee
delighted with the dramatic possibilities IN thnt ol
1onS,on The story rises gradually by means OF
eu,sodes like the Imprisonment Of the boy soldier anu
the creation Of commonwealth out OF Tue "os'
sntagonstic materials. through personal CONNECTS anu
destructive battles until II eliminates In the srrns
though bloody pageant OF the battle OF Ne"-oiie'n'
rh.ra was hardly a moment when a reverse might
not have destroyed Jackson utterly as Il iac,or ~
Tho national life. After the crisis reached and
,ossed A. became the central figure. and cOnld have
we'll passed with calm Indifference the Jealousy anu
On. n,ots Of Others II such jealousy and such po's
existed - -, l..
when a life beginning thus in difficulties, rises IN
great achievements it only spois the epic erect ara
balance of the narrative to sound the trumpet AT 'he
ou,set The grand words should be Kept back Ior
tho grand moment and II the grand moment SPEAKS
for itss,f leave the grand words in the dictionary
where most of them belong. Remember the example
n. virgil who touches his most tragic characters
merely with the fsint color OF unhappiness.