The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-05
! few were observed to lean toward their

rev were observed TO lean toward Cne1r
companions and say something.
But DR.. Burton did not wish to be
understood as attributing the lasting
success of Robert Elsmere" to Glad
stones letter. The success Of that
work was inevitable. 1t was a very
vital story, story of great reality
and power. Aside from it's higher
criticism of matters theological, from
its thesis, considered simply as sto-
ry, Robert Elsmere" stood very high
1t was psychologically dramatic. In
that same quality lay the reason of
Ibsen's power 1t contained tremen-
dous psychological situations.
1t was this dramatic quality that
induced such an artistic and success
full dlamatist as William Gillette to
| dramatize the book, though the ven-
ture did not prove successful.
DR.. Burton expressed his admiration
of Mrs. Wards ability to create char
| acters, as exemplified in Robert Els
| mere" He instanced the character of
Robert Elsmere's wife-that woman
who, true to her lights, unfortunately
could not understand her husband.
How could one help but admire her
| and suffer with her
This power of character creation"
| continued DR.. Burton, sis ahead of any
| other power a writer of fiction may
AAASA ~
power to tell story we'll; it is more
| effeNive than the beauty Of graceful
and eloquent dction. If a writer pos
sesses this power Of creating charac-
| tiers, he will live.
Look at Charles Dickens, a writer
| with So many faults that even the
school boy can detect some of them.
Yet one of the great testimonials to his
genius is his power of character crea-
| 60 fol nictOrllI
| characters that I can shut my eyes
| and see Them
Dr. Burton next discussed Mrs.
| Wards succeeding novel, David
/ Greve," which he considered the finest
| thing she had ever done. Such didac-
| ticism as it might contain did not in
| jure the tale. 1t was written in the
highest vein of romance. In this work
realism in it's highest sense clasped
| hands with romance. Realism, In DR..
| Burton's opinion, was misnomer. 1t
| should mean life in It's best sense, not
| it's worst, introducing all that is dirty
| and low and mean. It's noble teaching
was not "be good and you Will be hap
py," or lonesome" as Mark Twain put
| it, but I'VE are here for experience and
| the evolution toward higher things
and that lesson was not conveyed didac-
| tically.
DR.. Burton incidentally read a few
passages Of the novel by way Of Illus
| tration.
In conclusion, DR.. Burton gave an
analysis of "Marcella," in which novel
Mrs Ward dealt with socialism and
| politics, and the state of the lower
classes. AS rounded piece Of art, he
| deemed 1t Mrs. Wards greatest
achievement. 1t showed distinct adj
vance. 1t exemplified above all her
other work her breadth and justice, re-
vealing as it does not only her SYM
pathy with the English poor, whose
miseries she so powerfully depicted, but
| also her sympathy with the aristocrats
| in the difficulties of their position. 1t
| was in these qualities that she re-
sembled George Eliot.
| Referring to Bessie Costrel," a sub
sequent novel from the pen of Mrs.
| Ward, DR.. Burton expressed regret that
| she had ever written 1t.
In conclusion Dr. Burton declared
! that Mrs. Ward was greatly to be ad-
| mired for her noble realism and high
| ethical powers, and also for her great
| character studies.
Mrs. Ward is unique in this" added
| the lecturer "She has given us the
new woman in the best sense, large
| minded enough and deep enough to be
| a mate for the finest man."