The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-26

masters great picture of American
early life and its romantic history.
Mr.. Macarthur well discriminates here
and says Justly that it is strange that
this great novel should be the work of
an E~nglishman." He is SO clear and
sound n felicitious in his note of
praise We must copy at some little
length:
I'm The Virginians we have the best
model Of what an American novel laid
on broadlines of human life and deal
ing with the periodic movements of its
history should be. In the wide sweep
of The V~irginians, extending from
| Washington's enlistment before Brad
docks defeat to the resignation o
Washington after the seven years war;
in its picturesque presentment of the
contrasts Of life in the Old World and
in the New; in its portrayal Of Virgin
ian %olonia life and character; i'm it's
subordination of the historic trend to
the social aspects of life in the two
countries; still more in it's faithful por-
traiture OF the young Virginian, in
whom Thackeray's sane art found a
fit subject for the blending Of human
weakness and strength, of foibles, of
temperament and conduct, with nobil-
ity Of character and high endeavor-in
these essentials Thackeray's great
novel stand unapproachable by any
thing that has since been written.
There Is one great scene in the last
chapter where with a few strokes
Thackeray painted one Of his undying
pictures. It Is when the general
lays down his victorious sword and
meets his comrades Of the army in a
last adieu."
Hugh Wynne. Free Quaker is the
Celebrations of description Of fife in
Philadelphia prior to h immortal
struggle. We found this part every
way as entertaining as the portion read
after the hostilities began. The local
life, the pictures of men and women,
their manners, Forbes, thoughts, dis
cussions, passions, were singularly
Astounding and full Of freshness and
strength. It is photographed and
the method adopted is perhaps not
the best, not the most artistic, but it is
free and true and live enough to give
US very interesting scenes, episodes,
character drawing, and clever express
sions Of craftsmanship. It is a work
we'll deserving to be read because of it's
clear style, it's skillful treatment of an
impressive theme, it's romantic Incl
dents, it's artistic grouping and color
ing, it's viriIity and fidelity of touch.
1t nay interest some readers of this
to have a glimpse of what critics say
Of this American novel so good among
best of it's kind. MI. H. w. Ma
bic Is a writer of most scholarly Eng
lish and is an American critic of de-
served high reputation, although we do |
agree with some of his conclusions. |
writes of the novel in question:
Il do not recall any American novel |
OF a semi-histOrica character which is |
at once so intricate in it's disclosures of /
anners and men, SO courageous in
purely with historic figures and
SO full of vitality, variety and charm"
The able Philadelphia American in a
that would make two columns
Of the Messenger for Sunday, distin-
yuished for it's sobriety of Judgment
as we'll as general correctness of analy-
says:
Or. Weir Mitchell brings trained skill
as a narrator to his noble task of re-
producing the great characters of a
great time upon the stage Of his book.
Il = The book is none the less a
nasterly work of a true artist, broadly
broadly treated, massing the
great historic events in proper proper
ton and between them the incidents of
romance flow without break or confu-
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt, American
author, essayist n politician, of New
York, writes of it:
Il am almost tempted to say that
the exception Of Cooper's Spy"
It is the only successful revolutionary
novel that I know. 1t is more than a
merely interesting and powerful book,
if has in If tho o1orporf Of nor~oo |