The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-07
NEW BOOKS
MY FRIEND ANNABEL LEE. By Mare Ms

MY FRIEND ANNABEL LEE. BY Mare Mac
Lane. Chicago: Herbert s. Stone & Co.
Mary MacLane did not do herself much
credit as a litterateus in her Book or in
her weekly hysterical effusions which ap-
peared in the New York World. In this
new book she gives evidence Of some prog
ress, but she does not impress one with
the idea that there is anything superla-
lively brilliant to come out of her brain.
She says she is 81, and, of course she
may develop something to justify some
what the noise she made upon coming
from Butte eastward. She finds, that lit
erary fame is seldom acquired in day or
an hour. -, In this new book Mary buys a
terra Gotta statue of a Jap lady in Bos-
ton;. 1magines it is a human being; forms
an attachment for her and fills 260 pages
With very sentimental causerie of the in
carnated image and herself. Much Of it
is the veriest ,unquotable twaddle. Mary
loses herself in the multiplicity Of her ad-
jectives. She is increasingly cynical and
pessim1stic and is, at times, absolutely
silly, as in chapter fourteen. There is
some life in her account of the Butte high
school, but my Friend Annabel Lee" is
aWfully t1resome. The reiteration of the
words my friend Annabel Lee occurring
several hundred times, is painful.
THE FAITH OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
BY John kelman, Jr., NJ. A. Chicago: Elem
Ing II. Revel Company. Price, $1.5O.
The author Of this book is noted
preacher Of the Free Church of Scotland
In Edinburgh, successful as a preacher to
students. Not a personal friend Of Rob-
ert Louis Stevenson, he has been a deep
student of his books and his purpose in
this analysis of Stevenson's religious
faith as shown in his writings, is to indi-
cate the features which gave him the most
substantial help to his own faith He
states that his disposition was to indulge
in too much panegyric and he had to
restrain himself. This Is a pretty strong
tribute to the integrity of Stevenson's re-
ligous faith and the author, of course is
far from taking the view Of Stevenson's
friend Henley about his character and dis
position. The author reads in 1Stevenson's
works a message to the times and a faith
which must be taken seriously. Mr.. KEEL
man fortifies his position by quotations
from Stevenson's own words. Steven
sons faith was, unconventional and free
from dogmatics and Mr.: Kehlnian claims
that TIT entered. INTO his. 1tfess various ac+
| Invites and appeals to what he calls the
Unconscious Christianity, OF the present
day. Certainly one may not doubt Stew
enson's deep religious convictions and
faith when he reads the earnest and COM
prehensive prayers of faith and hope,
which he wrote for. daily use. in. his
| Samoan home at morning and evening
family worship. He believed and said
| that "'Tis a strange world, indeed, but
| there is manifest God for those who care
to look for him. In his childhood he
was under the strongest of religious in
| fuences. At times in his life he revolted
against his early teaching, but he rallied
after each decline. Says his analyst:
| HE was essentially a Hellenist; but he
had appropriated so considerable an
amount Of the Scottish type, as to insure
| his optimistic faith against the risk of
| license" This "optinlistic faith Mr..
Kelman says, led to Stevenson's gospel
of glad healthfulness,'' based on the
sanctions Of religion. incidentally, there
appear in this volume many fine passages
| critical of Stevenson's books.