The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-21
The Descendant.
Manchester, Va. April 20, 1891.

Last March Messrs. Harper Bros, is
sued an anonymous novel entitled Ihe
Descendant" which has called forth a
great deal OF comment; from California 70
Maine, reviews have been plentiful.
Mr. Lawrence Hutton, perhaps, SAID
the chief things to be said about the
book when he wrote that II was Sc
rious study Of life and a "thought-coni-
polling book"
In these columns for March 18th, there
appeared a review somewhat dlnicu,t
for the ordinary mind TO grapple with. IL
classed this new book. which mas peen
very largely attributed to Mr.. Harold
Frederick. with The Yellow Aster, anu
the works of John oliver Hobbies: The
Yellow Aster is a 'penny-dreadful OF the
worst stamp; the work or John OilNtr
Hobbies is considered about the most pin,
liant work In hctiton done In Ehsialu
to-day. Mrs. Craigie John oliver HoDDes,
was a disciple of George Meredith, anu
her work has been enthusiastically greet.
ed not only by that great master Due
by most Of the better critics. Inc review
er In these columns also states that the
motto OF "The Descendant Man Is not
above nature but I'm nature. IL III chos-
en-. as IL rs social law and not nature 'ha9
warps Akershem. To the mind mat con-
POUNDS Nature. as Haeckel uses II; WIN
few shrubs IN grass plot, only tne
years as they roll can bring enilsn'el
meut The difficulty with Tine DESCENT
ant" is that while the style Is huent
and easy and the story strlklng' 1he pm
l0sOphv is profound, II Is not book LOT
the minimizing IL shows clearly that 'he
doctrine Of reflex action, 90 p'rNaSIc VI
all fields OF physiology to-day OBTAINS
equally In psychology. Inc c "nSI.si ne 4,
and fhoOriZlng department or the Hililu -
denondeut largely upon the environment
that furnishes the first years OF sense
perception Let this environment DC
wholly uncOngenial and nine times oe1 "a
ten ave ninety-nine out or a huiulcu
The mental process will be warped ana
crooked. and the yolitional enels! eN'' ~
i'm The case OF Akershem the early sur
rOuudings were those of snug ana COM
placont pharisoeism. always embitterihg
10 an energetic mind. Handicapped by
,tnvholesome heredity and uncongeniai
surroundings he carries with MN lIoli
his tragic youth only scorn ana DlttsIivss.
The marvel Is that he succeeds III "lllll''ls
friendship and love and some ne ~. soo ~
worldly SUCCESS. The author or TINS Door
is evidently deeply versed, not only IN .he
notes Of bitterness and irony OF w
modern French school OF Notion, out ulso
I'm the spirit Of modern art, ana It's coih-
rleto submission TO law. a catastrophe
is inevitable I'm this book. FROM the pg-
ginning we realize that II is a hie-tIdseuy
we are reading. The end comes lioiil ~
violence OF Akershem's own temperament; :;
BEFORE leaving this book some Woru
should be said OF the fascinating Drlllls'll ,
CIV OF the dialogue and the -tohslslehCy Vi
the character drawing. IL IS long sihCee
so vivid and charming a heroine ~ S'elie -.
Gavin has been shown us ana fmvi or. a.. :
few finer types of the reai gentleman "a
the world than Drlscoll. go, q.
we shall hear more Of this author ana it
will be a great surprise n lhe Dssctle
anti should turn out 20 Ds , iy" me hook
bears the mark OF stronger hah9 III ne
lion than America has produced these
many years.