The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-10
~POsTHUMOUs LITERATURE.

POSTHUMOUS LITERATURE.
Florence Marryatt is known to the omniv-
orous novel reade as the author of nu-
smaller circle as the writer of various es-
says and papers upholding the doctrines of
spiritualism. Miss Marryatt died some
years ago. or, as she would say. passed into
the spiritual life; but she is spoken Of here
in the present instead of the past tense be-
cause, as recently appears. she is still
taking an active interest in mundan af-
fairs and is preparing to favor her former
readers still on earth with another novel.
At least that is the report emanating from
the society of spiritualists of which she
was q member. Information has come, in
the occult way known to spiritualism, that
Miss Marryatt expects to dictate a novel to
an accomplished medium, who will, it is to
be presumed, take the communicated ro-
nance in shorthand. Or it may be that
Florence will herself be the amanuensis and
write the tale on states held by the medium.
Or, again, her story may be "~precipitated'
on paper, to use the language of the spirit
udl cult, anu Illustrated Will pOTITdltS
made in the mysterious fashion in which
such pictures are said to be created in
dark circles" But, no matter how 1T gets
here; spirits who come back to earth have
ways and ways, according to the faithful.
of making themselves known, and it is not
for a benighted and scoffing outside world
to inquire too curiously into methods. The
main point is that we are to have a novel
of which a disembodied lady is the author.
So far as the Journal is aware, a similar
literary favor has not before been conferred
upon the public. Communications of
various kinds purporting to be from de-
parted celebrities have frequently been
given out to favored groups of believers
and have occasionally been brought to the
attention of the general public. 1t is no un-
common thing, according to all accounts,
for George Washington. Abraham Lincoln.
General Grant and other personages of high
earthly fame to appear at spiritualistic
seances and chat in a familiar way with
people to whom they had never been intro
duced in life, while literary lights, as Long
fellow, Emerson. Whittier, are quite at
home in such places and given TO disport-
ing themselves gayly there. Every now
and then they are quoted as the authors of
certain opinions on current issues, the poets
usually expressing themselves in verse, or
at least in rhyme. Smgularly enough, how
ever. considering that these celebrities are
no longer hampered by the flesh, their
thoughts not only lack the spirituality that
might be expected of them. but even the in
tellectuality. In short, there is invariably
shown a marked deterioration in the quail
ity of their utterances, instead of the adj
vance that is naturally expected. Lincoln,
once the orator and statesman, talks like a
college freshman when he talks through a
medium. and Longfellow suggests the sweet
singer of Michigan.
Now. unfortunately. Miss Marryatt's nov
els, written while she was in life, are far
from great. If she is affected in the spiritual
world by the peculiar influence which has
lowered the mentality of the other persons
named, then her forthcoming novel will
have serious defects. OF course. the fact
that it may be inartistic. f1abby in senti-
ment ana OF faulty ramma and rhetoric
will not necessarily hinder its popularity or
unparalleled circulation" but those unac-
quainted with the phenomena of the So
called spiritual world, who look for Delphic
utterances and lofty and inspiring disclos-
ures. are in danger of being disappointed.
On the whole. in view of the output of the
commonplace from writers still on earth. it
hardly seems that we need a novel from the
spirit of Florence Marryatt. But If the
shades Of the great novelists of another
day, the Hawthornes. the Thackerays, the
Balzacs. the George Eliots and the rest,
could come back with all their old gifts and
a stock of new ones and inspire the authors
of our widely circulated but weak fiction of
to-day, what welcome would be theirs,