Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-09
New Books.

more than ten years ago, and Immediately
attracted the favorable attention Of the
| book-reading public Of England and
America, and has been readily accorded
a place among the classics of the We
torian age. We do not share the en-
thusiasm of some very partial critics In
their extravagant encomiums. but we
readily acuuiesce in what we believe TO
be the general verdict OF the literary
| world, and adopt the commentator OF
the publishers of this edition. "The beau
tiful story of the Prince Siddartha re-
nouncing his lofty station to bring new
light to suffering humanity. told In Sir
| Edwin Arnold's meli1uous verse has
brought delight 20 many readers"
The theme of the poem and the pur-
pose Of the poet is thus expressed In his
original preface: In the following poem
have sought by the medium Of an
imaginary Buddhist votary to depict the
life and character and indicate the
philosophy of that noble hero and re-
former, Prince Gautama Of India, the
founder OF Buddhism
This great faith of Asia, he goes on TO
tell us, has existed for twenty-four CEN
turtles, and at the present time Is the
accepted faith Of 47oOOo,O0O Of our race.
its spiritual dominion extending from
Nepaul and Ceylon over the Eastern
Peninsula to China, Japan, Thibet, Cen
trail Asia, Siberia, and even Swedish
Lapland." and, TO q more limited extent
over India, the land Of its birth.
over this vast surface Of the globe
with its teeming millions Of people, this
faith has for these many centuries had
abundant opportunity TO manifest Its bene-
ncent results and its inherent capacity
TO alleviate the burdens and advance
the civilization. enlightenment and moral
elevation Of mankind If II has not in
their past history or in the present con-
dition of IT'S votaries manifested its illu-
mlnating power, but upon the other hand
has only sufiiced to make visible the
blackness Of the darkness OF heathenism,
Il would seem to require a very Charitable
frame of mind not to regard the authors
designation of IL in the title of the poem
as the Light Of Asia as very bold
poetic license We may very readily ac-
knowledge that great misconceptions may
have existed and may now exist among
Occidental people Of this faith and It's
author and that a very dense ignorance
of them does prevail TO large extent
among the masses of the Christian
wOrld-and none but the most bigOted can
withhold ready audience to any fair
presentation of the truth in vindication Of
this ancient faith and its founder. The
poem consists Of eight books. The first
three books are devoted to the infancy
and life of Gautama before entrance upon
Ia cfIFpppdinp hook
narrate his abandonment of family. home,
and all the worldly ease and comfort OF
ROYALTY. and his years of wandering OBJ
security and self-sacrifice in search or the
panacea for the woes of humanity. In
the eighth book he energies from TINS
obscurity and appears once more openly
before his people as the great teacher ana
preacher
lie was not born. as was Jesus OF
Nazareth, in Iowly condition of life.
The only son Of a royal pair, he was
the heir of a kingly crown-enjoyi in
possession and expectancy all that the
wealth and honoTs Of this world could
contribute. The story of his birth bears
n fantastic but hldeous likeness to that
of the immaculate conception or the Ma
zarene From his early infancy he was
the model Of all the virtueS-with OBJ
scure shadowings IN his dreams and
action Of some high moral mission In
reserve as the work Of his maturer years.
He grew 10 manhood under the sur
roundings of royalty, and married z
beautiful and adoTing wife. But all this
while he bore upon his loving heart the
heavy burthen Of human and animal woe.
and he felt within him the STRINGS Of a
call divine-to be their prophet and
teacher In spite Of all the allurcments
Of worldly ease and all the efforts Of
parents and wife to divert his purpose.
ne finally set out upon his life work. ami
for six weary years, in retreat and medi-
tation. IN poverty ana humiliation. ~
underwent hts preparatory work. AT
length he emerges from his retirement
fully prepared 10 proclaim ami propagate
his faith. This faith is briefly, with all
the establishment Of glowing poetic Ian
guaGe. set forth in the eighth and last
book OF the poem
We cannot speak in too high terms OF
the melody and pathos in which the poet
tells m" story OF a noble life; nor can
We Withhold the homage OF apprccativo
hearts from the fidelity and constancy
with which his high purpose was pursued
IN a career Of sclf-abne23tion and saCri-
| nee. unre. we'd N It's toll and care and
suffering except by the consciousness Of
| duty Gone and the promise OF success IN
the accomplishment OF a high destiny.
But with all the gloss in which n poetic
| fancy has clothed 1t. we cannot see that
| the life Of the founder OF buddhism has
in any respect reached a higher plane OF
| moral elevation than thai. to say nothing
| Of fits great author Of many ~ che
| apostles and martyrs and missionaries OF
| the Christian faith. In essential ele-
ments OF the great teacher and prophet
| he falls immeasurably below John OF
| Patmos and Saul Of Tarsus and does
| not rise to the same plane with Loyola
| and Xavier and Francis or Assist Henry
Martyn. Adoniram Judson, David LiY-
ingston, and many other Christian mar
tvrs and missionariss There was some
thing present all the while In the lifo
and work Of these men whlca Is wofully
absent In the life and teachings OF Gau-
tama Nowhere in the rose-colored por-
traltvre Of this poem Is there any In
iicatlon OF his Apprehension of the great
fundamental truths Of the Immortality ci
ne soul and the future Judgment OF the
.aobationary character OF human He o.
nsrth and the eternity OF the lie beyond
e.ie grave nor any intelligent recognition
OF the one great God-omnipresent. ON
,ipotent. and omniscient-the Giyer OF
life, and the abundant and sole ultimate
source OF wisd om. grace, and strength
In the absence of these ideas We cannot
wonder at the sadness and Darkness o.
the years OF his preparatory WORK and
the felt insuficency OF its &C
complement. without the light OF
these fundamental truths, W. can
no, wonder that nc CROPPED In dark
ness In those years or waiting, and that
when they had terminated he came forth
as a blind leader of the blind. In re-
Spouse to the appeal Of suffering human
ity for bread ne gives them nothing but
a stone. He essays % tell how happiness
may be realized in right living, and he pre-
scribes rules for that right living. which,
90 far as they go. embody high and pure