New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-02
HIRRIET BEECHER STOWE.

To large proportion, perhaps majority, OF
readers the news Of the death OF Harriet Beech
or Stowe will doubtless cause some surprise:
not i'm that it has come at last, but IN that IL
did not come long ago There Is no lack OF
respect in saying that the world had for years
ceased to think Of her as living. This was part
" because the infrmties of age compelled her
to spend the closing portion of her life in re-
tiremcnt. if not in strict sccusion. She no
longer lived and moved and worked among her
fellows: and 'out of sight. ont of mind is an
ncxorabe law of this busting age. Still more
PERHAPS. it was because the one supreme work
of her life was done. the cause it championcd
was triumphant, and the whole era with which
it dealt was closed and passed out of exist
cncc n generation ago. She had become fig
IRE Of the past, and her death seems not so
much death as resurrection.
Harriet Rccchcr stowe has long belonged to
history. but she must belong TO it longer still
before Just judgments of her work gain uni
vcrsal acknowledgment. What those judg
mcnts will he. however, one may now venture
To predict without great rashncss Despite her
other claims to honorable remembrance her
abiding fame will rest upon the one great book
as the author of which she has ever been best
II. :
called: one of the very greatest of its age Fas
tidious critics may condemn its style" and con-
sign it to n literary limbo. Its success laughs
them to scOrn. 1t apt 10 its opportunity
as not many other books in all the world have
been It's practical influence was ncstimably
great Although it was written for a special
purpose. in n special land and special time, it
has had such vogue among all the peoples of
tIarxx liz in
English literature have known; and even at this
date. far out of It's time. it enjoys an unfailinS
popularity. II universal and perpetual esteem
can make it 50. it is a classic.
Nor is there cause for wondermcnt at this.
The book did what every book must do that
would have such cccss-it touched the human
heart The spirit Of universal humanity per-
vadcd it. And another spirit pcrvadcd and per
vadcs it. too. rs all the world has long felt and
must one day, if 1t does not already. admit.
That is the supreme and triumphant spirit OF
truth. The book was true to life Ii pictured
men and institutions rs they were Every
character in It Is an accurate type OF thousands
who were familiar to the last generation. Every
incident in IT has had innumcrablc actual coun-
tcrparts 1t may not always be pleasant TO con-
fcss this. but the confession is true one.
Moreover and this is n fact too often over
looked the book has most conspicuous air
Of impartaity 1t contains no special pleading.
except for humanity against barbarism. Writ
ten by a New-England .lbolitionst. it contains
not one word against the South as such. Its
bittcrcst taunts and most biting sarcaslns are
expended upon the North itself. The hardness
Of Miss Ophclia's heart is made rs evident as
that of Marie st. Clair's. and the humane She
by is pictured with no less pains and zest than
the brutalizcd Legrce. This fidelity 10 truth, in
both intention and execution. is the browning
merit of the book and doubtless the chief secret
of its marvellous success. 1t makes the book
and the work it wrought its authors worthlest
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