davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
NOVELS OF THE WEEK.
An American Patriarch.

"The Fighting Bishop" by Herbert NJ.
Hopkins, is a story of life on the shores
of Lake Eric. near the Maumee River, in
the household of bishop who might have
come out of the Old Testament, if there
had been any bishops. in these days. His
figure is distinctly pa archal.
The book is well nSuA for it amounts
to hardly more than a character study Of
this one man. He looms above ell of his
neighbors and his several sons, and his
character has something grand about it,
in spite of its narrow severity and big
otry. -tI0~ rfr
There is no plot to the story 1t deals
simply with the bishops family and the
effect which his stern rule had upon the
several characters of his sons. Fuse
bius, the scholar; Stephen, the musical
genius and privileged character; Basil,
the idealist; Tom, the sturdy, wayward
and wholly human rebel. are all indi-
viduals dominated and modified to sub
mission or rebellion by the old mans
imperious will. Naturally, being his
sons, and also the sons of their mother.
they are chips of the old block, with
twist in the grain of the wood. His influ-
ence stirs them more to opposition than
to acquiescence, and even the good which
he would have ther, do is rejected be-
cause he would force them to do it. Anna,
the hiShty, pretty. immoral daughter-in-
law, is capitally drawn, and is, next to
the bishop himself, the most successful
character in the book in more senses than
one. 1t is true in another way than that
intended by the coirer of the phrase that
the weak things confound the things
which are mighty. About the only sue
cessful resistance that can be made TO
strong willed. determined and righteous
man is made by a weak. irresponsible and
self-centred little butterfly Of a woman.
The book will be interesting to anyone
who enjoys workmanlike fiction. On
dianapolis: The Bowen Merrill Com
pany)
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
More of Wolfville.

"Wolfyille Days" by Alfred Henry
Lewis. is a book of sketches after the
manner of the authors former book with
a similar title. Mr.. Lewis has seen fit
to forestaIl criticism by giving his critics
a little slap in the face in the preface.
This, while it seems slightly ungracious,
may have been polite, since, after read
ing what Mr.. Lewis has to say, no re-
viewer could venture to criticise the book
without appearing to be actuated by mean,
personal spite and envy of the authors
superior attainments. This is his intro
duction:
Let him go forth-not to the critic.
but 10 the public. 4 critic never buys a
book, and as often understands one. All
that is good in literature has survived
against the critics. critic is 4 book
cook: he boils books and seldom tastes
one. In the streams and vapors of mis-
Iabors your critics palate is dulled. Ho
may no more get the flavor of book
than may a chef the flavor of a dinner.
| do not quarrel with critics; | commits
crate them as hopeless book-invalids.
Then turn to that public-the actual, not
the invented public of the critics-which
does not make its reading its business,
and whose taste runs true"
After this there is nothing for the over
awed critic to do but meekly to behave
as the author suggests, turn the book
over without comment to the public and,
in the words of the effete East, go away
back aud sit down. New York: Fred
erick A. Stokes & Coz
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
OTHER REVIEWS.
. Letters From the East.

Letters From Egypt and Palestine" by
Maitbie Davenport Babcock. is a little
book containing letters lot originally in
tended for publication, but published in
accordance with the expressed wish of
many people TO possess them in perma-
nent form. Dir. Babcock went to the Holy
Land in February, 1901, and kept jour
nal for the benefit of the Mems Associa-
tion of the Brick Presbyterian Church, of
New York, of which he was pastor. send
ing the association the journal from time
to time in the form of letters. These
letters are now given TO ,he public. and
will prove interesting to those who would
like to take such a journey themselves, in
the same spirit. They are full of rever-
ence for the scenes through which the
author was passing and of enthusiasm in
the experiences of each succeeding day.
and they would be valuable to many peo-
pie who are engaged in work in Sunday
schools and who find it difficult TO make
Scripture history seem real to their pu-
pills. New York: Charles Seribner's
Sons. 81 Loo.
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

to consist essentially in the develop
ment throughout the whole social
organization of the conditions of n
free conflict of forces, this conflict
possessing two well-marked and char
acteristic features. 1t is, in the first
place, as has been said, free con-
tlict of forces such as in reach, in in
tensity, and in efficiency has never
But it is, in the second place, free
conflict, the efficiency and even the
very existence of which is dependent,
nevertheless, on a single condition,
namely, that the controlling meaning
to which human consciousness has
become related is no longer in the
present time. The distinctive life
principle of the conflict, under all its
changing features, is, in short, that,
as the controlling principles OF hui
man consciousness and of human re-
sponsibility are no longer in the pres
ent, it has, therefore, become impos-
sible to shut up again the human Will
of government, or even of religion,
through which the tyranny of the
forces tending. to express themselves
in any system of thought, of action,
in the present could once more be-
come absolute and omnipresent.
Unconscious Development.
1t must be remembered, as Mr..
Kidd goes on to say, that the devel-
opment of this great principle has
been for the most part unconscious;
and he rightly characterizes the grad
nal growth of the spiritual of ideal
as opposed to the military, through
thirteen centuries of human prog
ress. as one of the most striking spec
taclcs in history, because of this very
unconsciouSneSs.
In this connection he discusses the
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
A Virginia Novel.

Dorothy South" by George Cary Egg
gleston, is 4 novel of Virginia life just
before the war, written with the evident
purpose of proving that the old-time
plantation came nearer being a heaven on
earth than any other place did at that
time. The chief charm of the story is
the character of the heroine, who is
charming and also individual in her charm
not an inevitable corollary by any
means. A more likable and lovable girl
is seldom found in this tyre of ro-
nance. The hero is a manly young physi-
clan with high ideals, which he endeavors
to carry out in the management of his
plantation, and the minor characters are
vigorously drawn.
The illustrations, by C. D. Williams, are
entirely suited to the text, and there is
an attractive miniature of the heroine
on the cover which will tempt the average
person to read the book without further
delay.
There is a flaw in the argument of the
story, although argument, perhaps,
should not be held too strictly to account
ina work of fiction. Comparison is made
between the slave on the Virginia pIanta-
tion and the wage slave of Northern
factory towns, and the author advances
the argument in defence of slavery that
the negro was better cared for than the
factory employe, being fed and housed I'M
sickness and old age. As a matter of
fact, the sick and the poor were taken
care of in the average country village at
the North at that time in the same way
and for the same reason-because the
population was small enough to enable
philanthropists to give Individual atten-
tion to the poor, and because living was
cheap and rent practically nothing. The
comparison is not exactly a fair one In
fairess. the Southern city and the North
ern city, the Southern plantation and
the Northern village. should have been
compared Boston: Lothrop Publishing
Company
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

wild Life of Orchard and Field" by
Ernest Ingersoll, is q series of sketches
of the birds and animals most likely TO
frequent ones doo~-yard. The book is il
Illustrated with reproductions Of photo
graphs taken from life. Some of the
chapter headings give a fairly good idea
of the scope and character of the con-
tents They are The Way Of Wea-
sell" wild Mice Flying Squirrels" p"
"How Animals Get Home" I'm Snail
cry" and THE Flicker and His Fun"
There is good deal of information in
the book of an out-of-the-way kind, for
the author has noticed many things which
are either not noted or not mentioned by
most naturalists. For instance. here is
a lit of comment on the habit migratory
birds have CT travelling at night:
THE travelling at night seems an odd
thing until we study II. Then it becomes
evident that otherwise birds could have
no time to get sufficient subsistence.
Their food comes to most of them in so
small particles, and their digestion of 1t
IS SO rapid, that 1t requires almost in
cessant effort to supply their needs. That
this is the secret of the night journeys is
shown by the fact that such birds as swal-
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

"The Thrall OF Left the Lucky" Is the
enticing title of an interesting romance OF
Viking days, by Ottilie Liljencrantz. 1t is
capitally written, and full of the spirit
of the old Morse sagas. Though intended
for older people, it will be especially fas-
cinating to boys.
The hero is the English thrall of that
hero of the North who is said to have
discovered America away back in the
tenth century, and remarkably lifelike
picture of Left is given, barring the fact
that he has been made slightly too good
for realism. However, such as he is rep
resented here, be may very well have
seemed to his -worshipping followers.
The heroine is a Morse maiden, full OF
vigor and daring, and trained to the life
of the chase and of war The most de-
lightful parts of the romance are those
CHAPTERS which deal with the expedition
TO America and the life of the Vikings in
the strange country which they found
by chance beyond the seas they knew.
The strongest characteristic of the
story is perhaps its vivid descriptions
and graphic picturing OF life SO alien
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
HENRY HARLAND.

Henry Harland was born in New York
in 1861, and is the son of Mr.. Thomas
Harland. of Norwich, who was famous in
his time as lawyer, and also as a mathe-
matician of ability. He studied az New
York College and at Harvard At the age
of nineteen he went to Europe, residing
at Rome and London, and from there un-
der the name of Sidney Luska, he pub
lished several clever stories of Jewish
life, with which he was familiar from
having been brought up in the Jewish
quarter of the city-indeed, so admirable
and intimate is his portrayal of Jewish
character and customs in such books as
LAS II is Written and The Yoke of
Torah,' that many have concluded that
he himself was OF Hebrew origin, whereas
he is of New England stock, and the god
son of one of Americas foremost poets
and men of letters, Edmund Clarence
Stedman. In London he became connect
ed with the famous monthly yellow
Book and its young school sof genuine
litterateurs and artists. Though many
of MIR. Harland's early books had con-
siderable sale at the time, it was not
until the publication of THE CARDINALS
Snufbox,' two years ago, that it was
discovered by the critics and by ibe
public that he was not only a writer OF
good stories. but something more.
His new book, The Lady Paramount"
which John Lane will publish in April,
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
Some Amateur Fiction.

The Political Freshman" by Bushrod
Washington James, is a story whose
author seems to be rather more of
freshman in literature than his hero is in
political life. When a gentleman attempts
TO write a novel he should first learn to
write English. On one page OF this tale
We find the following expressions:
Here was a young David entering the
camp OF Goliah."
That both, or probably all parties had
come to hear. to criticise and 10 see if it
was worth while to try and secure him
as a stump orator. (This is supposed to
be a complete sentence.)
The country for which he spoke loomed
up into a resplerdent position beyond all
future baseness or tyranny to corrupt or
injure.''
The reader may be ter:pted to wonder
what publishers reader let this sort of
schoolboy dicton pass him, but he will
not be tempted to follow the fortunes of
d hero attended by such manifold varie-
ties of bad English. philadelphia: Bush
rod Library.)
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
WESTERN CIVILIZATION.

vidual and the present continue of
necessity to grow ever more and more
insstent and eXacting-a reasoning
creature withal, endowed with the
power of 1ealizing the present at the
expense of the future-that we begin
to perceive the real nature of the gi-
gantic problem which lies at the
base of all society. and toward the
ment moves"
Influence of Darwin.
The influence of the evolutionary
theory upon modern thought may be
said to be unreasonable at present.
No one can tell how far this revolu-
tionarv theory of the development of
life will continue to affect human
thought. Its arguments are so radi-
cally opposed to the artificial sys-
tens of belief and of scientific
thought current at the time OF its
turned the world of thought upside
down in the space of one generation
There was no subject in which living
beings were involved upon which the
intellectual man was free to think IN
n straight line until the hypothesis
of evolution was adopted. In science
he must be dominated by religious
opinions and empiric formulae, in so
cial science by tradition and tised
reasoning. Mr.. Kidd's book is one Of
the numerous Undertakings which
have made in the last twenty
wears in the direction of bringing
social science into harmony with
this great theory, as has already
been done with biology. This is the
last and most difficult achievement,
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

present should be subordinated to
the future lies in the theory of the
reincarnation of the individual on
this earth, and that this is the spir-
itual side of the theory of evolution
the doctrine of Karma, by which
through successive lives the highest
form of individuality is reached.
Others will argue that immortality
alone would make such subordination
worth while" Whatever one may
parent from a careful perusal of Mr..
Kidd's book; one is that the evolu-
ton of the human race in the direc-
tion of what he calls projected eff
cheney has taken place steadily and
surely in the past. through what looks
like an instinct of progress; and the
other thing is that without some
supplementary theory involving the
laws of the development of the indi-
viduaI soul there would seem to be
no reason for this instinct. Evolu-
ton on the material side can be ac-
counted for by the mere facts of the
struggle for existence; the horse. the
tiger, the ape, the elephant, evolved
their characteristics in obedience to
the stern law of self-preservation;
but no such necessity can be brought
forward as a reason for the spiritual
evolution of the human race. While
speculations on this subject would
have been out of place in book deaf
ing purely with historical evolution,
they are the inevitable result of the
perusal of such book, and there is
room for book which shall supple
ment that of Mr.. Kidd, and discuss
that side of the question which he
has raised-the question, What is the
moving spirit of human progress and
toward what is it tending? tNew
York: The Macmillan Company. S2.)
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

for there is still lingering preju-
die in most peoples minds against
admitting that scientific law has much
to do with human conduct, or wit h
anything that depends on the human
will The application of law to hui
man affairs, in the sense in which it
is applied to those of the animal crea-
ton, is often branded as Materials
tic. Mr.. Kidd strives to show that it
is nothing of the kind, and points
ont that, in the course of human evo-
luton, the principle of projected eff
cheney has led to more and more
idealistic conception of human con-
duet and has gradually drawn the
race away from materialism. The
way in which he works this out is
most interesting.
The Conflict of Forces
Military efficiency he regards as an
early stage in this evolution, for the
reason that it organizes society in a
way which makes possible the devel-
opment of the principle of social eff
cheney which ultimately makes the
present subordinate to the future.
Such political fabrics as the Roman
Empire, he points out, were based on
Il theory which took account only of
the present. and of existing individ-
uals. At the very close of this great
empire of force appear the phiioso-
piers who taught that the only wise
man was the good man. This was a
foreshadowing of the principle more
fully developed during the Christian
era. He then takes up the develop
ment of the principle itself and the
growth of Western civilization is
characterized by him in the follow
ing terms:
'As the character of the new pro-
cess becomes visible it may be seen
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
Chicago Newspaperdom.

"The Second Generation" by James
Weber Linn, is evidently written by some
body who is familiar with newspaper life
in Chicago, for there are touches of real
ism about the atmosphere of it largely
that of the newspaper office, which could
only be the work of the man who knows.
A book evidently so earnest and so
workmanlike as this seems to need some
thing different from the conventional
an unusual order, it has also faults, and
cannot be dismissed with the general
statement that it is, as a whole, good,
bad, or Indifferent. Mr.. Linn has a strong
notion and a good plot, and, as has been
said, he can be realistic, but there is
something the matter with the working
out OF his idea. Upon analysis, it appears
to be this, that his notion is melodramat
ic, and his characters more or less life
like, and the joining place between the
two elements shows.
The significance of the title lies in the
fact that the hero is the son of a man
whose death was accelerated by quar-
rel with one of the political bosses who
are products of our civilization. He is
pledged to avenge his fathers death and
the wrongs done to other people by the
boss, by an unccasing pursuit of that in
diyidual in an endeavor to Illustrate his
designs and ruin his career. He goes
into newspaper work with this single
purpose in view, and has the good fortune
to work under a proprietor who is trying
TO do the same thing. This proprietor,
the boss, the young man. and one OF his
chums are real people. The others are
more or less Law figures Moreover the
working out of the plot. while it has
strong points, is rather incomplete and
disappointing. Two or three Of the scenes
are tremendous, but he others do not
match (New York: The Macmillan
ComDany1
The Washington times., 1902-03-30
Eugene Fields Nonsense.

Nonsense for Old and Young is col
lection of scraps from the pen of Eugene
Field, in prose and verse. There are
good many people who think that Fields
nonsense is better worth reading than
other peoples sense, and these people
will buy the little book and chuckle over
it. To those who may have been wonder
ing at the number of miscellaneous col
lections of Fields writings which have
been coming out since his death it may
be explained that, like most newspaper
hacks he was Il most volumiuous writer
and that the part of his work which he
himself thought worthy of permanent
publication was very small compared
with the whole amount. Hence there have
been dug up from the files OF papers on
which he worked enough amusing squibs
to fill a small library. Boston: Henry
A. Dickerman & SOM
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

conflict between church and state
from a point of view somewhat new
in such discussions. He takes the
view that it arose not from 4 mere
desire for power on the part of GER
tain potentates, but, in the last analy-
sis, from the growing conviction of
the people that all acts must be
either right or not right, and their
questioning as to the supreme au
thority for the decision of right and
wrong. This concern as to abstract
right. apart from the ties of kindred
or the love of country, was something
not known to the Roman world.
The Renaissance naturally claims a
large place in this history of the de-
velopment of European thought; and
Mr.. Kidd sums up it's results in the
statement that in this movement the
controlling principles of religious
consciousness were projected beyond
the limits of the State, or any others
before known. 1t was, in short, a
movement for free thought and free
action.
The Present Ideal.
He then comes to the present world
| conflict, and declares that we are not
at the end, but at the beginning of
an era, fact which has been more or
less definitely recognized by all mod
ern writers. He defines the present
ideal as that of the free rivalry of
all the forces within the social con-
sciousness, in which the best govern
ment, the best standards, the best
men, shall have free opportunity to
prove their superiority. He also says
that the historical process in our civ
ilization has reached the brink of con-
sciousness, that is, that the processes
through which our ancestors uncon-
sciously passed are not possible to
The Washington times., 1902-03-30

"The Principles of Western CiNiliz-
ation,'' by benjamin Kidd, is a sort
of sequel to the authors Social Evo-
lution,' which appeared some years
ago. In il he carries to their logical
conclusion the principles suggested
in the former book, although the
present work is quite complete in it
self. TO students of political econo-
my and ethics, it will be decidedly
interesting.
The main idea of the book is that
all progress is due to the more or
less unconscious shifting of the
worlds basis of action.from the pres
ent to the future, in other words, the
consideration of future generations
instead of the present population in
the determination of national, racial,
and individual questions. beginning
with the early history of Europe Mr..
Kidd traces the growth of what he
calls the principle of projected eff
cheney, the passing of the present un-
der the control of the future; and the
completeness with which he has
brought all the great historical facts
into line with his theory is, if a lit
tie suspicious, at least impressive
and interesting.
This principle of projected eflicien-
cy Mr.. Kidd regards as the natural
corollary of the theory of evolution,
and he says in the concluding para
graphs of one of the earlier chapters
of the book:
1t is as we come slowly into view
of reasoning creature reaching his
full development only in conditions
of social order in which the demands
made by the future upon the indi-