The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-06
'ETIDORPHA."
An Extraordinary Book from the Pen
of John Uri Lloyd.

An Extraordinary Book from the Pen
of John Uri Lloyd.
In every respect the volume bearing the
title "Etidorpha, or the End OF Earth"
il a most remarkable book. Typographical
ly it is both unique and artistic-as near
perfection in conception and execution as
can be conceived, considering the altogeth-
er strange and original character of the
contents. The author is John Uri Lloyd, OF
Cincinnati. a scientific writer whose phar-
maceutical treatises are widely known and
highly valued. That a man whose mind and
time have been engrossed with the affairs
OF a specialist and man of affairs could
have found time to enter the field of spec
ulation and there display not only the
most extensive knowledge of the exact nat
ural sciences and refute what is held TO
be scientific truth with bold theories and
engenious speculations on the nature and
destiny OF man, is marvellous.
The chief interest in this remarkable
story centers in a weird and mysterious
person, endowed with marvellous faculties,
who appears suddenly to one Llewellyn
Drury, a man whose mind was taxed with
complicated affairs during the day and
who devoted solitary nights to occult SUBJ
JectS pertaining TO both matter and mind
as a skeptical inquirer. On his first APP
pearance this venerable sage put himself
into the presence OF Drury, greatly dis
concerning him, but finally they came to
talk and the mysterious one-tall, gaunt,
with venerable face, long beard, but i'm
pressive manner-made a proposition to
OF manuscript which he was to publish aft
er thirty years. He did not agree at
that time, but a year later, on a Novem-
Der night, he again found his mysterious
visitor sitting in his room. This time he
would not be put OF. A portion Of the
manuscript was read and at subsequent
min AZ mos - a--rr- 10
with Drury to publish thirty years later.
The story begins with the statement that
the mysterious person was spirited away
Dy the members of q secret society. as
Morgan vas alleged TO have been by the
Masons, for disclosing some of their occult
work. He was taken to a cave in the
midst of a forest, where his attendants as
sured him that his life should not be taken.
but at the same time they would lose him
caused him to put a preparation upon his
race, and. thereupon, ii became the
wr.nkled face Of an old man. His head of
abundant hair was saturated with another
preparation and il became white, while his
voice changed to the thin treble of old
age. He was then given to a guide. who
took nm TO the place where ne was born
and among the people he had seen every
day all his life. but he could make none
OF them recognize him; though the coun-
tryside was aroused over his sudden dis
appearance. He was then told that he was
to make a remarkable journey under the
crust or the earth. and 20 that end a guide
took him to the cave region Of Kentucky,
when a well-formed but Shiny and, at
first. an altogether repulsive person. with
out clothing. appeared to be his guide. This
guide. although he had a finely shaped
head, had no eyes, Or even sockets for
them. He could see by his general intelll-
gence-a mind reader par excellence. Once
in the power of this guide he was told that
years would elapse before he could again
by degrees. he began to see in the dark
the guide intimating that it was evidence
that cats, which can see in the night. have,
In some T4SDeCtS higher 0rRQniZ0.
eaUa W sodd e% @aahrnd, enchanting ans sgOi forests
perfection of all that Is found on the earth's
surface. He loses his weight because grav-
itation ceases. but not his physical vigor.
Wonders culminate in greater wonders; me
dogmas OF scientists are disproved, and dis
c~ussions occur regarding physics which sur
prise the readers as much by the extensive
knowledge of the writer as by the inge-
nuity and briliiancy o. his speculations. He
finally reaches a condition Of elements in
which, though he ceases to breathe and
his heart stops beating, he yet lives in bliss
full ease. Finally. he is permitted to take a
glimpse of the great Beyond from The End
of the Earth" The reading of the manu-
script is interrupted by discourses on perth
nent subjects. One of these. which is taken
up and most graphically treated, is biology,
OF which the sage advises all to beware. for
he who begins cannot foresee the termina-
ton. He also cautions Mr.. Drury, who is
skeptical, to beware of agnosticism, because
1t is the end of science.
fNAoO fEha 10 MP anu
direct; its descriptions are vivid and
realistic. The earnestness. intensity and en-
thusiasm of the writer show that he. is
heart and soul in his work. his effort be-
1 ing evidently to open the way TO more
spiritual methods in the study of science
and to enter a protest against materialism,
with an attempt to point out a better mode
of Interpreting natures laws in the world
of matter and mind.
The addenda is as original as the book
itself, consisting, as Ii does, OF a list of
names, some OF whom are not subscribers,
but to whom the author is deeply obliged,
or whom he regards as very dear friends,
and those Of a few whom he personally
admires. The list is a long one: in fact,
the five hundred which the author curious
ly put as the limit of the one edition TO
be issued was long since exhausted. Indiana
has lightweight names in the list OF sub
scribers-friends and those whom the au-
thor admires. If each Of them has a copy
of 'Etidorpha, or the End Of Earth" ne
possesses a book which is not like any
other book in the world. Sold by sub
scription at 81. Address John Uri Lloyd,
| Cincinnati, o.
Miss Dodgc's Life of Blaine.
Now that Miss Dodge's life OF Mr.. Blaine
is being delivered in the Eastern cities, it
iS said hv Mr. w = CrrfiS uno iS in