The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-14

In a recent issue of the Atlanta Con- stitution appears a review by Edward Young Clarke. IT, in which he severely | censures Mrs Augusta Evans Wilson's "A Speckled Bird"
 After pointing out It's many defects, to say nothing of the undercurrent of irrev- erence which seems to have impressed Mir Young he says: Tt is impossible in a short review to cover all the points of weakness fully; but sufficient has been said to show that the book fails to de- serve the commendation of southuern critics, even though it be from the pen of a southern woman.
 No one will deny that a reviewer is entitled to his individual opinion, and in this instance he will hardly be accused of pilfering. It Is somewhat notable that of the hundreds of reviews appearing in both the southern and northern press that none of the weaknesses" discover ed by MT. Young have been alluded to. On the other hand, the very phases of the book which impressed him as evidences of "exasperating idiosyncrasies" and "un- called for weakness" have been consider ed by the book reviewers and the read ing world generally as indicative of the authors strength as a writer of great in 1 tellectual forces
 MT. Young stands decidedly alone in his l censure of Mrs. Wilson's book. It may
 be interesting, however, to give the main
 points upon which he so widely differs
 from other reviewers.
 | Mr
 usual learned CD language, which is sim
 ply atrocious, is much in evidence and
 he goes on to say that unfortunately
 every one is not in a position to have 1 close by an expensive encyclopedia while
 reading the novel. He is at least frank enough to admit that Mrs. Wilson has
 written somewhat over his head, and this fact may account for his prejudice which l grows with every line. It is true that the authors genius leads her into oc- 1 casional discussions that the reader may not grasp, but because he may be lacking in research should be no reason for wholly condemning an author who has given thought to those subjects and whose per- l feet command of language is unusually conceded.
 | Another point upon which Mr Young is at variance Is in regard to the spirit with which Mrs. Wilson invests her typical southern woman" He says: Her picture of her Is of one so bitter against the north. because of the result of the con fict, that no matter how worthy the person be, if from that section, she would close her door against them as promptly as she would have barred out leprosy or smallpox" MT. Young does not think this picture typical, and declares that there never was a more charitable conquered people.
 It should be remembered that Mrs. Will son in drawing type of the southern woman at the close of the war dipped her pen into the bitterest of American history. The softening influences of time had not been felt as they are today, and from which nas evolved a type counter pert to that other, with only the bitter ness eliminated. The conditions of the ruined south and the attitude of the typi- | cal southern woman, which MT. Young has decided, are a complete failure in Mrs. Wilson's hands, are phases of her 1 book that do not deserve so unjust an attack. She has not exaggerated the feel 1 ings that dominated the southern wom- | ans heart at the close of that cruel con-
 fiict, although Mir. Young takes peculiar
 offense because the typical southern