Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-18

comments on life in her portrayal of
character. and III the sayings ana do
ings of many of the actors in the story
The dialogue, too, is crisper. truor. in
every way more successful; ii is writ
ten more freely and used more liberal
~ and sklllfully than in Jane Eyre"
1t has more point and thrust of phrase,
and it dramatically more faithful and
suggestive. On ,the other hand, there
is less lyrical intensity in Shirley"
than in Jane Eyre" less sustained
passionaten5ss Of tone. less of 4 self
involved dream-lilIc Visionary quality
in the story and style. "Jane Eyre" is
self-revelation; Shirley is a com
mcnt on life. creative to be sure, and
producing Illusion, but not so irreslsti-
bly, original and monopolizng as the
earlier novel.
The scene of Shirley" is laid in
Yorkshire about 1872. and the plot turns
largely on the labor riots that marked
the Introduction of machinery into the
factories Of that district and were part
~ conscqeut on the commercial strug-
gle with France. The author has tried
to include in her study of life the So
c!al conditions of this troublous period
But here her nieriOrity to such a great
appreciator of life as George Eliot must
at once be noted. The local color in
shirley" IS doubtless fairly well pre-
served: there is universal testimony to
the truth Of her pictures Of Yorkshire
curates and Yorkshire eccentric labor>
ers and squires. Yet. after all. when
compared with such mastery repro
ductions Of a special locality and a
single epoch rs are TO be found in Mid
dlcmarch' or even in Adam Bede."
Shirley" seems superficial ana uncon-
vincing in its grasp on social conditions
and on temporal characteristics. There
Is very little in the good folk in "Shir-
ley that might not as fifty be ascribcd
10 people of 1872 as TO people OF 1872:
the time atmosphere is not closely and
wildly realized ana made 90 sufruse
all the thoughts and all the actions OF
the tale Nor are we more than frag-
mcntallly aware of the commonplace
everyday life OF farm and village and
manor house and countryside which
held included in its humdrum conven-
lonal progress the keenly vivid per-
sonai happenings that make up the
story of the loves of Shirley and Caro-
line and Of Robert Moore and his broth
er Louis. The labor riots are merely
used as device TO heghten the pic
turesqueness Of the career OF the sat
urine and proudly defiant hero Robert
Moore. Charlotte Brontc's prime inter
est i'll Shirley" as in her other novels.
is in the hearts of her heroes and he
roines. and in such relationships and
affections as are much the same in all
places and epochs.
Yet it is not for a moment 10 be sup
posed that Charlotte Bronte's stories
reduce all life merely 10 a series OF in
genious love-intriEues. Her outlook
upon life was far too broad for this and
her intellectual interests ana her moral
sympathies were too varied Love, in
deed in some form or other. is to her
thinking the one precious thing that
the world has TO offer; and of all forms
of love she deems the love of lovers 10
he the mightiest and most exorbitant-
the greatest force in life for good and
for i'll. But she is n devo:ee OF all kinds
of passionate human sympathy. ana