New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-02
SERMONS ~ FICTION.
SPECIMENS OF RATHER VAGUE PHI
LOSOPHY.

LOSOPHY.
DROLLS FROM SHADOWLAND. BY ). H.
Pearce. PIP. 1876 Macmillan Il Co.
THE BUILDING or TIE CITY BEACTlFt l..
by Joaquin Miller PIP. w.. l9b S'ohe ~ NlihDd'''
These two pretty little books Illustrate the vague
philosophical tendencies of much light literature
at the present day. Mr. Pearce uses motives in
vented by himself or taken from folklore to satrize
bitterly at times the unpleasant traits Of various
classes of people. \ youth who turns bishop be-
cause he has lost his soul and dies in the odor OF
sanctity is a pleasant object to dwell upon.
Nor does get much pleasure from the more
universal figure of the man who found that ne
could coin his blood into shining sovcreigns ana so
killed himself out OF pure greed. In al these tiny
fables man is creature in whom sc!hshn"ss, IN
tolerance superstition. despair and malice are the
most prominent traits. In the vague tale t. which
Mr. Miller has given the title Of THE Building
of the city Beautiful" much the same IDEAS are
illustrated. But here there two voluntary
laborers for the salvation Of mankind-a man and
a woman-whO seek by their cXorions 10
hasten the golden in when science and religion
and communism. ana one knows not what else con-
tribute to the happiness Of mankind. The man.
through his vanity. which leads him 10 pose as a
saint rather than to busy himself in secret fails IN
his task but the woman has powers not usually
given TO mortals She fly around the world IN
aerial machine and is able 70 choose the Site for
the city in which she proposes to house her elect.
She selects a desert, which turns oUt to be very
fertile when irrigated. Her political system IS
based Indian communism but the houses that
she raises the railways that she lays and ;he civic
institutions that she POUNDS display. not very def
initely however all the modern Improvements q
civilized LIFE The religion OF this novel state is 80
be Christianity with difference. the main article
Of Mr. Miller's creed being that man must be saved
from man. not from himself All the world as il
now exists Is utterly wrong. But. after all when
il comes TO admitting people to the now city. the
founder Of Il carefully excludes the greater number
Of human beings There must be n tcst 81 fitness.
The moral Of the story. which Mr. Miller dd not
intend TO ncuclte IS that until mankind Is III for
paradise I; is ~ no use 10 make one
There Is a strange echo Of mediaevalism in several
Of Mr. Pearce's little stories The one which de-
scr.bes the visions Of q IN the other world and
the persecution TO which he IS subjected when he
his experiences % awaken repentance in others
might well be matched with the pous nciions Z
Gregory the Great He uses mctcmpsychoss and the
common folklore about the transfer Of the soul 20
inaniInatc objects by way Of pointing bitter moral
But It is not AZ all sure what he means to teach
when he tells Of unchrlstened BARN that
transformed into a seal and was only able 70 obtain
rest by the aid Of his father who gives UP his N,e
for the child. The story looks Ike a genuine BIZ
Of popular tradition very little changed hy the
thor II IS rather curious % find Virgins human
tree in new surroundings. But the moral Of THIS
new version OF an ancient conccit is sharp enough.
The Lord Of the Forest. rushing in tempest among
tho trees. bcth.nfg him of the elm watch hal once
been senticnt. conscious creature. and whispers
as he passes that It may become man again. "Ih-
tree heard the great wind roaring among l's broth
rem. and it aware Of the birds covering
among its boughs and 1t remembers. as in flash.
the weary life Of humanity. with hopes to bc-ool u
and despair for It's reward. and IT rusiol iis myriad
leaves. whispering mournfuy. Let me- o Master.
remain as / am Immortality seems mere ghost
illness 10 Mr.. Pcarce. II one may guess from the
tale OF haunted house. II is wonder that The
dying man. her lfe goes ont, bces 90 b- he,i
back fro joining the troop Of shades. on this SUBJ
ject Mr.. Miller. the other hand is dorn1flc.
Man must not only be convinced Of his immor-
tally, but he must be- convinced that he begins
life in the next world precisely whore ne ai'1ius %
in this" That is wcghty doctrine for a story
writer TO carry but then story writer never has n
prove anything