The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08
Miscellaneous Books.

by Francis Hovey Stoddard, professor OF
English literature in New York University,
is little book evidently intended for use
In schools; but 1t will be interesting to
most students OF literature. By its title
it seems to challenge comparison with
Lanier's work on the same subject, but
the points OF view of the two authors are
entirely different. and Lanier's book is
much the more elaborate.
Professor Stoddard's idea is not that
the novel, in its greatest form was
evolved as are physical types, but that
excessively different types Of the novel
were introduced. He says in his introduc-
ton:
1t is a progress that advances from the physical
10 the intellectual, from the carnal TO the spi:it-
ual. shall endcavor TO apply this theory 10
the novel with intent to suggest that such de-
velopments of expression find i'll form OF
novels advanced from the de.,iction OF far-of oc-
curTences and adventures TO the narrative and
representation of contcmporaneous, immediate, DO
nestle occurrences and finally, to the presentation
of conflicts of the mind and soul beneath the ex-
ternal manifestations. If the theory is true, We
may expect to find at the beginning of novel
expression a wild romance, and at its end an in
Prospective study into motive.
Obviously, this is the theory that the
novel grows with the growth of the people
whom it entertains AS they become in
terested in feeling rather than action, the
novel will deal with psychology rather than
events. 1t is plain to any student of liz
eratura that this has been the case. Prof.
Stoddard takes the ground that the objec-
tive is gradually conquered by the subjec-
tive, and that even in folklore this tend
ency is shown. He says:
The folklore story is always of the physi-
Cally strong oyerthrown by The one weak in body
but strong in intellect and fpirt. 1t is always
the giant killed by the ins :niican; Jack; it is
always the ire-breathing dragon killed by the
sanity knight; it is always Grendel destroyed
By Beowmlf: il is always Brsr Fox outwitted by
Brer ha0oit. The external, the ferceful. the
physically massive. is overcome, defeated, by the
physically weak, but the more intellectual, the
more spiritual
And this is also obvious
Then the author goes on to trace this de-
velopment more infinitely. One of the
most interesting chapters is that Of the
growth of personality in fiction. Prof
Stoddard calls Jane Austen's novels the
embodiment of completed ideals. Of accept
| ance of the social system as it stood. He
says:
Why. then was not this perfection Of form the
end and completion of the novel? 1t is because
perfection is next door 10 death; imperection is,
after all. our greatest proof of immortality. All
progress is through death and resurrection; the
body Of this perfect novel is TO perish, Its life is
10 go On in another FORM
Then comes the novel of interpretations.
and for an example of this the author
turns to Charlotte Bronte. No greater
contrast In personality than these two
women afford could be found in literature
and a fine sense OF the inner qualities of
each is shown in their selection for the
proof Of this particular point. Whereas
the heroines of Jane Austen are not for a
moment out of harmony with their envi-
ronments, those of Charlotte Bronte al
ways are. 1t is the relation of personality
to environment with which the novel deals;
and as the conflict between the two deep
ems, We have more and more the novel OF
character. The hero OF the Round Table
did not bother himself with character. He
was busy with deeds; and when he con-
flicted with popular opinion he was proper
ly punished. The hero Of the modern nov
ell. on the contrary, is very apt to oppose
the opinion Of his day, and to be punish
ed for It; but the point of view of both
author and reader has entirely changed. Is
anything more significant of racial devel
opment than this?
Prof. Stoddard is the first writer to take
precisely this view of fiction In It's devel-
opment, and his work is well worth read
ing for that reason alone. He then deals
with the historical. romantic, psychology
cal, and other types of fiction, and comes
to the conclusion that, while the novel
with a purpose is passing away. the era
of the purposeful novel has just begun.
There is distinct difference between the
two. The novel with purpose does not,
as a general thing, tell the exact truth.
anth 10 tn 10 of
side. The purposeful novelist, on the con-
trary. is devoted to truth above ell things.
reasoning that unless We knew exactly
what a situation is We shall not know how
to deal with 1t. Mr.. Stoddard thinks that
the novel has become serious because the
present generation is serious. because the
moral problem is now, as never before, en-
tering into the life of the people II this
be so, we may expect that the next half
century will be the blossoming time of the
novel. New York: The Macmillan Com
pany.)
The seventh and last volume of the IA
worth Edition" of the life and works of
the sisters Bronte is THE Life of Char
lotte Bronte," by Mrs Gaskell, with intro
duction and notes by Clement K. Shorter.
This biography was written at the request
OF the Rev. Patrick Bronte. who express
es himself as well pleased with the pic
ture of his daughter presented therein
Two or three friends of the family also
spoke highly of 1t. 1t seems to have been
Mrs. Gaskells aim to give q perfectly
truthful and just account of an unusually
strong and gentle, as well as talented.
woman, and in this she has certainly sue
ceeded. The biography was almost imme-
diately placed among the classics In
books of this kind. or course there
were numerous people who considered that
the author had treated them unjustly, but
IL the Angel OF Truth were to descend from
heaven and write n life OF anybody in
same unfavorabe comment. New York:
Harper G. Bros.)
"a History OF South Africa" by w. Ba-
sill Worsford, is a little book which will
probably prove useful to those who wish
to study the developments in the Trans
vaal intelligently. The author has lived
in South Africa and In other British or
European colonies, including New Zealand
Australia, Egypt. and Java. The point OF
view Is rather original, and the style clear
and concise. There are several good Illus
trations. which add to the attractiveness
OF the work.
The author says in his Introductory
chapter:
Union under some form or other OF liberation is
the natural goal toward which the Anglo Saxon
committees Of the Britisii Empire are tending.
and q necessary preliminary to the attainment Of
this goal is the union of the British colonies.
which are to be found respectively in Canada,