The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-26
I'll poora
prier Reviews 81 hnpertsnt sua Iutsrestins
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thy emotion. In The Touch Of . Vanished
Hand By Annie Russell Dyer lAmerican Book
Exchange. Providenco, II lie said Of the heroine,
Agnes Halford, on page 81, that "she loved
Raymond Kent with the intense and absolute
love that Is never given but once" sylvia
nus Cobb, Jr.. was q master in the por-
trayal OF this sort Of love. As we remem-
Der. no hero or heroine OF his was ever
guilty Of any other sort. Mr.. Cobb found his
reward in IN almost unexampled popularity.
There can be no doubt that the love which is
intense and absolute and can never be given but
once is the love which the general public. in its
impersonal Wow, most cberishes and credits.
and which II most likes to encounter in fiction.
II has often occurred TO us as surprising that q
novelist should be at the pains to invent a love
which Is not intense and absolute and which
can be given more than once. As to the
preponderance in fact of any one of the
different sorts of love, that is another
question. 1t may be that the idea of 4 single.
unchangeable love 10 the idea best deserving to
be set forth as The true reflection Of experience.
1t Is hard TO say whether or not 1t would find
oountenance in q court Of absolutely Just inquiry.
1t seems to be reasonable to believe that there
are persons who have loved only once. Some
natures seem 10 be qualified to make out easily
with an experience limited TO n single nantes
tation. BY inference from what the poet
says, it even appears to be probable
that there are some who have managed
not to love at all. On the other hand,
in . recent clever story the whole idea
was TO the effect that love was apt TO be q blind
and transitory passion involving the problem Of
how 1t might best be encouraged and main.
tanned. Other novelists. some OF them Of dis
%tinction. have ventured to consider love in its
inconstant aspects. 1t will be remembered that
Henry Esmond. on his failure to secure the bril-.
liant and frivolous Beatrix, for whom he GER
taiuly felt a very consuming passion, was salts.
fed to possess her mother. q lady really much
better fitted TO make him happy; and
Pendennis, it will DO recalled. was beat
flied by the virtues OF Laura. though
he had previously looked with a most
painful ebullition Of the soul into the
eyes of the Fotheringay, aud had fallen
into a fever and had his head shaved on account
Of the lodgekeeper's daughter Fanny. 1t Is
hard to say what the truth is, but certainly in
fiction, in bulk, and by the reward of popular
ity, the single love has the best Of it. A propi-
tious love. too. has its advantages in fiction.
as il does elsewhere.
Even in fiction q single love does not need to
be propitious at first. Doubts and obstacles
may reasonably occur. To be thwarted in many
chapters is not Objectionable. II the troubles Of
the pair may be adjusted in a final few. In
THE Touch Of q Vanished Hand " there are
plenty of troubles in the beginning. Agnes
Halford Is the dau ghter OF a minister. and Ray
mond Kent 10 an agnostic with frank and
declamatory tendencies. Tho minister, his
daughter, and Raymond Kent are together
when the following occurs:
"If you do not object TO stating your reasons for
calling yourself an unbeliever. Mr.. Kent. l should be
interested to know them. and how you came to form
opinions SO contrary TO the convictions Of your father.
who was, l know. q firm adherent OF the Christian re-
nsion through his many years Of useful life"
Mr.. Halford spoke slowly. and his kind. gentle
voice had q tone OF sadness in it that smote the heart
Of Raymond Kent.
-well. really. MI. Halford." he replied. II don't
object in the least to giving You the little history Of
my departure i.om the accepted form OF religion in
which / was trained. but l am afraid that my Ideas
will be too much OF q shock to one so sincere and
earnest as yourseif. Don't you think that my hon
esty may In this instance be offensive ?"
"n l md that It is / will let you know. but / have
met with unbelievers before. and l doubt very much
II you have anything original TO offer in their line OF
argument and criticism"
His answer was accompanied by q peculiar. slightly
~satirical smile.
Raymond Kent seemed 20 see in II . challenge to
his opinions. He accepted the challenge and replied
with \ degree Of recklessness which he would not
otherwise have exhibited.
nOpe you va pAEuou my ePeeSn Aohena Jous
Mr.. HAifoId. but I cannot accept the religion in which
I was instructed from childhood. or Its Founder, be-
cause. through a slow process of thought. I have como
70 regard its doctrines, when viewed in the light OF
logic and n ason. rs entirely contrary to logic and
reason. and. consequently the One from whom they
emapsted seems more like an impoStor to me than .
herald of truth"
II q bombshell had suddenly dropped from the sky
into the centre OF that peaceful little group Il could
not have caused much greater CONSERVATION and
horror than appeared upon the faces OF Mr.. Halford
and his daughter. In Mr.. HAlford. conformation
quickly gave place 10 severity. slightly mingled with
disgust. He replied coldIy:
"Ithink / must ask you 10 spare me any further
disclosure OF your state OF mind on this subject. Mr..
Kent. What you have said Is quite enough. and re-
vsals more than ] could have expected TO hear. and
more than I ought TO hear with tolerance, Since II 10
rank blasphsmy to the Master ] serve ] am aston
Ghed beyond expression. In all my conversations
with persons Of different shades of unbelief I never
before heard such q statement a. the one you have
Just made"
Indeed. I am very sorry. sir. and ! hope you will
forgive my bluntness OF speech. 1t Is extremely tn.
fortunate that l attempted 10 answer your question
at all. II / had refrained from doing so l should
have enjoyed such = measure OF your hospitality e. /
now see THAI I have lost"
1t will be observed that the dialogue in The
Touch of a Vanished Hand" IL both formal and
painful. but that 10 no more than an incident.
The love OF Raymond Kent and Agnes HAlford
was established even at this juncture. All three
became aware OF it, though no word Of it was
spoken.
She knew the hour Of fate had struck for her wien
nrst sne looked into the dark syes that searched her
own with that deep. yearning, instructive impulse
that once called into being never dieS, though the
heart In which It is cherished may break. All this
she re aliIsd IS she turned away from the handsome.