The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-31
col. MGERsoLL
T.Iss - ohaEac.eE.

Talks Ldterafure-Some Character-
fseie Expressions.
Colonel Robert G. IngersoI who AZ
not bury his ideas In 4 wealth OF vague
language. has been talking in Chicago
about literary matters and the progress
made IN every thing during this century.
BIS literary talk had novel features.
He left out all allnSion 70 RndSaTd Kip
ling, ". D. HowellS and Omar Khay-
yam, and he spoke Of Han CaIne as II
he were a trivial nonentity. These facts
q stonished the literary salons OF Chi
cago. IN which the four subjects re-
Serred 70 are almost the sole topics Of
Mandatory talk
''Che laurel Of the nineteenth century
rests on Darwtnis brow" said Colonel
Ingersoll, and It. Is the century that
has been the greatest Of all In only
two directions have the achievements
Of this century been beaten. The mar
bles Of Greece have not been eQua1led
and the plays OF Shakespeare have not
been approached. In the direction OF
the poetic and the dramatic the human
mind In his plays reached Its limit. The
Held was harvested: all the secrets OF
the heart were told. The buds OF all
hopes bloSSomed, all seas were crossed,
all shores reached.
I'm this centur- In one direction the
mind haS reached the limit. The music
of.Wagner viii never be excelled.
but this Is Dnrwin'S century. Its
laurel Is upon his brow.
There Is now no poet OF laughter and
tears, OF comedy and pathos the equal
of Hood. There Is none With the subtle
deticacy. the aerial footstep. the flame
Ike motion Of Shelley: none with the
amplitude, sweep ana passion, with the
strength and beauty. the courage and
royal recklesSneSS Of Byron.
THE novelists OF our Jay are not
the equals Of Dickens. In my Judgment.
he wrote the greatest Of all novels
The Tale OF Two Cities" It's phlloS-
ophy Is perfect. The characters stand
out Ike living stntues In its pages
you ind the blood and lame. the feroc-
ity and Self-sacridce Of the French rev.
oiution.
TO nne the three greatest novels are
The Tale OF Two Cities. by Dickens:
Les 1i1Serables.' by Hugo. and AFRAID
ne. by ouida. The last Is the greatest
living writer OF fiction, but some OF her
books ] do not like.
Most OF the novellstS Of our time
write good stories. They are ingenious.
the characters are well drawn. but they
lack life. energy. They appear not to
act for themselves. tmpelied by inner
force. but no be pushed and pulled.
when We compare the literature Of
the first half OF the century with that
Of the last we are compelled to say that
the last. taken as a whole. is better"
Colonel InEersoll does not take Hall
Game half 70 seriously as Hail Game
takes Hall Ca{ne He WIS inclined To
smile at the noveitSt's efforts to brinS
and stage.
II am not sure as to his intentIons,' %
said the colonel II saw The Christ
ian and Il did not seem TO me that the
author was trying TO catch the clergy.
There Is certainly nothing in It to please
the pulpit. There is q clergyman, who
Is plous and heartless. John Storm Is
the only Christian IN It, and he Is crazy.
When Glory accepts him a; last. you
not only feel. but you know. that she
has acted the fool. The lord tn the
piece il a dog. and the real gentleman
Is the chap that runs the music hail.
with Storm murder Is 4 means OF
salvation. Mr.. Game has struck Christ
IanIty singing blow between the eyes
by this book. He has put two preach
erS on the ScaGe-one heartless hypo-
critic and the other q mailman. II he
says he is trying to bring church and
stage together he Is a humoriSt with the
humOr Of RabelaiS.'
The speaker said that he never saw a
great religious picture. They lack sin
certify. All the angels look almost idI-
ocic. In their eyes Is no thought, only
the ignorance OF innocence.