Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-19

EZEKIELs SIN; \ CORNISH RO-
NANCE. By j. VI. Pearce, Author
Of ellis Daughter "lnconsequeht
Lives" etc. New York: George H. RE
mond & Son. 1898.
"EzekieTs sin" IS a study of Cornish
character and the effect of remorse and
superstition combined on an uneducated
man. Ezekiel Treyaskis a Cornish crab
ber. while alone on the sea in ms boat
finds q human body drifting. For .-.e
sake Of money TO crafty whim OF ms
dauehter's he rObs the dead man anu
SETS the body adrift again, denying IL
Christian burial. This is Ezekiels sin. 1t
haunts the sinner throughout his lie. II
rises before him at every turn 10 stare
him in the face. 1t weakens his mind
with superstitiOus dread. And II drives
him TO premature old age at last and
miserable death.
This theme is well, sometimes power
fully. treated, and the development OF the
mans slow ruin IS almost fascinating
But it is questionable whether such
book could ever do one good. The eHect
of remorse on the uneGucated mind has
ALWAYS been an attractive study TO some
! intellccts but il has never been WnOle-
! some one and in this case the STUDY
comes very near the morbid. Further
more the story is too sombre TO DE
/ thoroughly artistic and its range OF actloh
much 100 narrow not 20 be monotonous.
Mr. Pearce tries, it is true by introduce
inc Inc crabber's daughters, TO relieve
! the Gloom of the book but he fans utter
! ly. Instead of pleasure he succeeds
! i'm producing only disgust in the nina OF
! the reader In Drusilla ana MorVehha
| Trevaskis he intends evidently 10 picture
| two attractive women-or, at least ne
/ represcnts them as such 10 the men
| around them for between the TWO they
succeed in getting three husDanus-p
| Judged by most mems STANDARD they
! hardly deserve the name at all. Ihey
are little better than animals in whom
arinal paseion is the first law of life.
In real life two such creatures cOuld
never inspire love in any one; ana now
thoir creator himself can see any beauty
in them (as he certainly appears 10 do)
is inconceivable. If they are 10 be taken
as tvpes of Cornish women Cornish men
| are 10 be piued. .t,4
For this reason It IS safe to say that
nor many men will read "EzekleIs Sih
with pleasure For however many may
hold such poor opinions OF women as Nj j..
pearce seems 10 hold. few care 10 put
tbo,, INFO words. and fewer still 70 hear
them from another mans mouth.
For sale by the publishers.
Gospel. OF THE STARS; OR, THE
WONDERS OF ASTROLOGN. 10y
Gabriel with Introduction by George II.
TIn,,vortb d. d. 1899. Continental
Publlshing Company. New York CIoth'
Pages 1874. Price, 81.
Rov. Or. HepwOrth's Introduction j.
friendly. but cautious and non-committal
| c,briel is James Kingston, y. B., grad
,,o,e of oxford. While he scores all
otror modes of fortune-telling except
,,,I,ntstrv. If we reconect Alright, ne stands
~. boldlv and confidently for asI0iogy
"a vel even that must be carefully
studied and handled by experts. he
hounds i'm asseverations as 10 the truth
and utility of astrology, but adduceS no
roofs though he has special chapters
ON Remarkable Predictions, Notaui'
Horoecopes." and Comets and Coinei'
dences" He is not much inclined, how
ever TO "Horary" but plants hlmseH
upon natal Astrology."
Ho treats the sun as one or the plaIo q,
! Tc speaks of the monarchs who had lheIi
Royal Astrologers. But these sdi So,
monarchs. or their fellows, had their loO''
and testers, and even their dwarls.
lie saws OF the great planet Neplu"S
.'His position and aspects at blrth d.
prime Importance" and of the iessel ~
| nearer Herschel: Ills I'M - tb,
peculiar. and he Is in some ioSP'0'0
strongest of all the planets. ., shou,.
Now. his own historical sketch sHo~ ~
that astroiogy was greatly in vogue sies am
it's followers confident in II anu ,, DO.
! 80 IL ,,aars before either or these Po"o' -
rionets was discovered. what was %
p troIoey worth w then, and who yet know
what other disturbers OF as'Ioss
peace %ct the heavens may sim ems tgeSence
our author addGces me ssIo"s s., ,~or,
~ Mars and Jupiter, but has not q W." ,,h
~ oho ." the small but numerous planetola
between those two. May not their com CON,
SI 1," forces be worth the attention e'el
of an astrologer? ..,a,,,, love o
- md eleyating science OF astroi
o osg' Interest but without one partici
Of conviction. And yet, in his Las
word" the author darcs 10 STATE 10, ~
shown how an astrologer can reveal III