The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-01

Of an original review, we publish below
review by DR.. w. C. Gray and H. H. How
land. in the Interior
1.-THE Redemption of David Corson" is
not a novel of adventure, nor is it a moved
of history, it is study in temptation. 1t
lis Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained,
up to date 1t is the story of the prodi-
gal son. minus the elder brother. 1t is
story of temperament, heredity and en-
vironment 1t is an allegory of the fall of
man; it is a parable of human exper-
fence 1t deals with the great elemental
passions. 1t is full of action and of incl
dent.
Il The author of this story has analysed
a soul, entered into it and explored its
hidden recesses; he has tried to identify
it's forces. to exhibit them in action, and
where they eliminate in tragedy, TO seek
hopefully for the elements and possibility
of repair.
A critic has said that the new charac-
ter in this history, the David Harum OF
the quacks, is DR.. Aesculapius; that David
Corson is subordinate and indefinite. On
the contrary we think that David Cor
son is a perfect piece of art-and will
be recognized as the best portrayal of
part of the author unexcelled spiritual
penetration.
One of the subordinate characters is
the mother of David Corson. When the
authors portrait of that lady came fully
before me it was startling. "He must
have known her and the history of her
life" l thought. NO that is impossi-
BILE" Then the author has portrayed
wi hpin nf
its reality This is one of the accented
evidences of genius, of which the marks
are not few or far between in these
pages. Another is judge of high stand
ing, education and influence. now sunk to-
the very bottom of besotment and deprav-
ity, from which however there are at
times flashes of his former light. An
other is that of gambler who had also
fallen from a better life All these char
acters are firmly drawn, and stand out
with personal distinctness. These two
when last seen were sinking still lower,
neither of them having hope or even de-
sire to return.
The death-scen of Aesculpius does not
fall below anything in Hugo,in originality
and dramatic power. There is none of the
padding of the weak or smart talk which
is employed to give bulk to most stories,
even the best. 1t is packed from cover to
cover and is without a sag. Strong as
are the descriptions of depraved nature,
they repel vice with the force of the story
of the Prodigal Son.
The authors love and appreciation of
nature are lmitless; his descriptions are
vivid; his imagery is tropical in its lux
uriance. 1t is a dangerous thing these
days to say that a story teaches a great
lesson, for that generally means that
the moral is worked out through much
salaciousness and the moral is seldom
worth the dirt it is dragged through.
THE Redemption of David Corson' is
conspicuous exception, for it teaches
great moral lesson, and though it tells
of weakness and wckekdness, of love
and lust, of revenge and remorse, yet
it is, above all else, clean and pure
story. The book is worth while" 1t
is safe to say that no one can read it
and honestly ask-"What's the use?"
OUTLINE HISTORY OF ENGLISH AND
AMERICAN LITERATURE. BY Chas.
f. Johnson, Lift. Doc, Yale; Professor
of English Literature in Trinity College,
Hartford. Cloth 12mo, 552 pages, illus
trated Price, $1,25. American Book
Company, New York, Cincinnati, and
Chicago.
We are glad to welcome among recent
publications so excellent work as this
Outline History of English and american
Literature by Charles F. Johnson, prc-
fesscr of English Literature IN Trinity
College, whose name is a sufficient IL
dorsement of it's worth. Unlike many of
the present text books, his volume con-
tains within a brief space comprehensive
treatment of both English ami american
literature, and will prove a much needed
book for those schools and colleges which
furnish instruction in the literatures of
both countries. The author has aimed
to compress into this book the minimum