The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-29
A RcIigioua Novel.

''The Redemption OF David Corson," by
Charles Frederic Goss, is IN some respects
a remarkable book. 1t is likely to reach
wide popularity, because, in the first
place, It is original in conception, and sec
| ondly, it will be largely and vigorously
abused on two counts, its originality on
the one hand and certain artistic faults on
the other
The hero is a young Quaker exhorter,
who, falling in love with the gypsy wife
of travelling quack, forsakes home,
friends and religion to go with the quack
as his assistant, under the impression, at
first, that the gypsy is the daughter of her
companion. By a contemplate fraud he
convinces the girl that she is not the wife
OF the man with whom she has been asso-
ciated, and having, as he supposes, MUIR
dered her husband he succeeds III carry
ing her off to New Orleans, where they
live together. During a quarrel he con-
feSseS to her the fraud which he has prac-
ticed, and she refuses to remain with him.
He then piunges into dissipation, in the
midst Of which experience he discovers the
supposed victim of his murderous assault
alive, but blind and in poverty, and seeks
to obtain pardon. The blind man refuses
it. The gypsy meanwhile has found her
way to her lovers old home. where she
lives repentant and useful life; and in
due course of time David returns and mar
ries her. Those are the bare bones of the
novel, and they look like the skeleton OF
some creation not known to man or sci
ence. But the author has succeeded in
making his story and the psychological de-
veiopment of his characters so interesting
that despite its very grave faults there is
certain fascination about the book.
Its most serious defect is that the char
acters talk as no human beings have since
the Mysteries of Udolpho." They e.
press themselves in blank verse, with the
exception CT the doctor, whose makeup is
admirable throughout. They give utter
ance to the most poetic and lofty idees in
the course Of ordinary conversation. and
there is no more human nature in what
they say than there is probability in the
situations.
The secret of the books power-for it
will have great power over a large ciass
Of readers-lies In the fact that the author
is poet and a religionist of the mystical
type, and believes in himself thoroughly
His novel has interested him 10 the point
of absorption, and that IS one reason why
It has interested the reader. The book
sounds as If ii had written itself, as II the
writer were too intent upon what he was
saying to think much about the means OF
expression Here and there are pages OF
pure poetry ana philosophy. Inc ethical
teaching is not dogmatic, but natural. The
foundation of the plot is laid in well-de-
fined and scientific spiritual laws. The
plot itself Is a paradox; but so is human
nature. Certain scenes are powerful be-
cause they took hold OF the imagination of
the author and dictated themselves.
One Of these is the scene in which the
young pTeaaher-beiore his fall-goes under
what he believes divine guidance, to q
lonely hut in the woods and breaches Z
sermon, in full belief that come being will
be guided to hear it. He finds that nobody
has listened TO the discourse except little
snake, eoiled IN on the hearth aud watch
ing him attentively, and his revulsion of
feeling Is so great as TO shake what h
calls his faith. But (and this is q touch of
pure poetry the discourse has been heard
by lumbernan. who Is thereby converted,
though David does not know this until
years afterward. Another powerful de-
scription occurs in the account of the fight
between David and the quack, and still
another is the death-scene of the latter
when, blind. but unrelenting, he seeks to
stab his enemy with the last strength re-
naming in his once powerful Lody. These
scenes show talent in the author. This may
be his only book worth mentioning, but it
shows great talent OF a certain peculiar
kind. Indianapolis: The Bowen Merrill
Company