The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-10-12

!
Ohio, first at Dallas. Texas. fifth at
Kansas City, Missouri; fourth in New
| Orleans, second at Norfolk, Va, and
sixth at Toledo, Ohio. / note with pleas
ure that it sells well in MANY cities in
| the West. 1t should have a great sale
in the South for it is Southern warp
and wool, and a revelation of the devil
try and iniquities placed upon the South
ern whites by the cause of the North.
1t is fair and richly deserved Roland
for the slanderous "Oliver" of Mrs. II. b.
Stowe. one of the New England's literary
saints and idols. Mr.. Dixon's lecturing
tour will no doubt prove pronounced
success He is in favor with some North
ern monthlies of standing and excellence.
He is indeed very brilliant, aggressive,
decided writer and speaker, and is master
of lint-hying exposures and sanctifed out
rage in the North. 1t announced that he
has an article on yachting in Country
Life in America for October. He describes
life on an S0-foot yacht and shows how
much cheaper it is, at any rate during
! the summer months. to live on the sea
than on the land. He also has an arti-
Gle in the October number of The World g
Work entitled From the Horrors of
Cities
One European announces that the day
of novels is ended. and that the romantic
must die. The great mass of readers
with but little literary taste and discern
ment- arc not yet surfeited with recent
fiction, and by very great deal. They
cry weekly for more like little Oliver.
No one pretends that the present very
numerous breed of fictive writer's are
really great or fairly comparable to the
acknowledged masters. He would be a
rash reader who would parade the
writer's of tho last decade great mast
crs in the art of fiction with Scott, Dick
ems and Thackery, not to mention to
offend the best, suprcmest productions
of Rcadc. Mary Ann Evans. George Mere
dith, Hardy, Backmorc. Kingsley and
Woodhouse. The ~imitators abound,
thick as autumnal leaves that strew
the brooks in Nallambrose. but they re-
main imitators and not original giants.
spirited, dashing writer, Frank Norris,
in the New York Critic hits from the
shoulder after this wise:
''Then comes the reaction, and once
more the group of giants towers up from
out the mass We are probably living
through the era of the Fourth Ratcrs
just now. and one believes that we arc
rather near TO the end even of that.
The imtators of the Romantic school
have initiated TO ten places decimals and
have diluted and re-diluted till they
can hardly go farther without producing
something actually and really new. At
any rate, the time is most propitious for
a Man of Iron who can be bent to no
former shape, and diluted to no old time
essence. Then will come the day of the
New Literature, and the wind of Life it
self will blow through the dry bones and
fustian and sawdust of the Imitation
and the People will all at once realize
how very far afield the Fourth Raters
have drawn them and how very different
q good novel is from bad one.
1t is a fact that the great novels, as
newspaper puffs and publishers bcguiliDS
advertisements called them. that had their
little day of life and fiattcry six months
ago, have disappeared. Nay. those that
flourished as the best selling novels
but three months ago, have been showed
aside into the limbo of forgotten favorites
already. and other Haunting rOmances,
fiamboyant and clamorous, have gone
to the front to sell for two or three
months by the hundred thousands and
then to be engulfed in the Dead Sea of
forgetfulness.
| would like to direct the attention of
thoughtful readers of good books to a
small volume of 24S pages that was is
sued in 1894. 1t is entitled THE Witness
to Christ. The Saviour of the World"
1t is series of six lectures delivered
before the Biblical Department OF Van
derbilt University at Nashville, Tenn,
by Alpheus w. Wilson, ID. d., of Mary
land, an eminent Southern Methodist
Bishop | read these lectures twice-in
1894 and again in 1895. / hope to read
them again, and not long hence. | do
not think | ever read book the English
of which more accorded with the thought
and was mere accurately responsive to
all demands put upon it. The thought is
exact and luminous to a very uncommon
degree. ard the vehicle of expression is
equal TO all the requirements, however
continuous and percmptory. 1t is delight
full to read-so fcrceful, 50 clear. so eX-
hilarating and well deserves repeated
reading. In this connection | must take
leave TO add that the greatest sermon,
the best sustained and the high
est keyed to which ever list
ened was by Bishop Wilson. in
the First Presbyterian church in VIII
mington. over ten years ago. He preach
ed for one hour aud five minutes. and it
was indeed mastery in thought and OK
preston. | am satisfied that | never
heard any intellectual effort of any kind
IN legislative body. on the hastings. in
| the lecture han. in the pulpit. of tho
same length or less that was SO SUI
| perlatively excellent, so lofty i'm sweep
| SO inspiring in tone, so accurately re-
| sponsive in its English. so continuously
| majestic and virfle The best criticism
was from plain matter of fact Presby-
| terrain, who said TO me at the door: Il
would gladly walk ten miles tomorrow
morning If l could hear that sermon re-
peaied in every particular as | have lust
| heard it, What great pleasure must