The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-10
XII.

It 10 well known that "The Autocrat" was
followed by Tho Professor at the Breakfast
Table" The biographer notes that the new
conner did not talk quite In the vein of his pred
ecessor; he chose more serious topics, was
much graver, and exncted closer attention from
his hearers. There was q great deal of discus
sion about creeds and tenetr which have been
the subjects of religious controversy. True. the
writer's hand was ever light. sprightly. and
varied in its touch. so that no one tagged under
It, but because the Professor was less enter
tanning than the Autocrat he has been less
widely popular. On the other hand, being
moro thoughtful and profound. he has pleased
some people better. After the Professor be-
came silent eleven years elapsed before. In
1871, his vacant chair was taken by 1.-THE Poet
at the Breakfast Table" 1t is ged by
the biographcr hat the Poet, though a charming
fellow. was not quite SO agreeable as had been
his predecessors. BY comparison with them, he
was slightly disappointing. Mr.. Morse compares
the three volumes rs they stand In the Break
fast Table series to the three successive press
ings of grapes from an illustrious vineyard.
The premier cru Is the best. The second Is
very nearly AZ good; but. in the third squeezing.
the difference In quality cannot escape notice"
1t was In the earlier part of the interval be-
tween The Professor" and THE Poet at the
Breakfast Table, that the novel called
Elsie Venner" appeared. bearing. at first.
the title Of Tho Professors Story" This
book, for many years, was widely read,
although. like many of Charles Rcade's
stories, 1t was open to the objection OF
being a novel with a purpose. The purpose was
not so much to indicate the possibility Of the
prenatal poisoning of q child. through its
mothers being bitten by n snake. as to raise the
question of the effect of such n phenomenon
assuming its possibility-upon the moral
responsibility of the recipient of tho en-
venomed instincts. AS n matter of fact,
the author OF Elsie Venner" received
letters from two men of character and
position, one OF them a Confederate official,
describing similar cases in their families, and
wondering how he had heard of them. In the
eyes OF orthodox New England. the fundament-
al position tnken In Elsie Venner'' was proof
OF heresy. For the imaginary subject Of the
story obeycd her trU. But her will obeycd the
mysterious ante-natal poisoning Influence"
There is, moreover, In the book a liberal minded
Clergyman, In whose mouth the author put a
number of heretical opinions. DIR. Holmes. In
short, seemed to make 1t his business to show
that the beliefs which his ancestors had held
for q bunch Of divine keys to heavenly man
sions was really a cluster of Instruments
OF torture fashioned by misguided human
intellect. Half q dozen years later DR..
Holmes produced q second novel. THE
Guardian Angel" which also moved along
tho line of moral speculation. The case
OF this novels heroine, Myrtle Hazard,
was a simple one OF heredity. and did not in
volve an abnormal, not to say impossible, prob
lem. In the iudgment OF the present bioGra-
pher, the second book far surpassed the former
from a literary point of view. II 1t was less
weird and fantastic. 1t Vas also more artistic,
AS a picture OF New England people at, OF
shortly before. the time when the book was
written, nothing could he more graphic. 1t was
not until lssi-So that DR.. Holmes brought out
his third and last novel, "A Mortal Antipathy.'
lie was then far past the creative age, aud tho
book shows the fact too plainly: From Elsie
Venner. with her mSsteriously envenomed ma
ture. to that absurd young man, Maurice KIRK
wood, who could not bear the sight Of q young
girl because his pretty cousin had caused him
TO fall from a balcony in his babyLood, tho
downward step was iadeed n long one; and MS
for Tho Terror and Tho Wonder and The
Boat Race and Tho Fire. and all the rest of
the apparatus, human and other, these won't do
at ALT