The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-10-12
Criticism Upor, Criticism.

learning Hlld 4Cuitut " 10 WEI! 90 - >O 49,
sc,entious minister Of the gospel. Hit
opinions, therefore arc always entitled
10 respect and consideration. but we
cannot agree with him in tho somewhat
harsh criticism which he has recently
passed upon 1.-THE Deliverance," Hiss Ell
| len Glasgow's latest novel. "Eho De-
| liverance', has been pronounced by the
best critics to be one OF. tho ssronge5t
books of the day, and O faithful 7cr-
trayal Of phase OF hu-aan nature. hiss
Glasgow did not set cut Ito create CT,
ideal character, nor doe. she offer Ii
her book any defense OF the conduct OF
her hero She did not hold him up as
a model. She did not attempt to show
that the restitution which no made was
la sufficient restitution for his sin. She
| simply pictured him as her lima giration
| conceived him. or perhaps as she had
| known such a man n life. It is certain
| " true that there have lived men equal
Inv possessed with the spirit OF hatred
and revenge.
Art Is not always agreeable to the
senses nor intended to be- Some Of the
finest works OF painter and sculptor. are
pictures Of horror. But they are none
the less works OF art. Even some Of
| the classical musical compositions are
purposely discordant in some OF their
parts. nj
If we are to discard all such works
| e. Is
Of art. we must destroy many Of the
master pieces; II we are to destroy all
books in which bad characters are por-
trayed and exploited, we must discard
the works Of Shakespeare, the works OF
Dickens and many others OF the, best
works OF drama and fiction. Nay, we
must destroy the Bible itself, for there
is no book in which the frallities and
vices Of the human race are 80 glaring-
Is. and faithfully portrayed as In the
Holy Scriptures. The Bible is book
for merciless exposure. These characters
are not held UP as models for our inlita-1
ton, but rather as q warning.
one Of Lord Bryon's finest poems,
''The Prisoner Of Chillon'' was written
to show the effect of persecution, grief
and years OF. solitary confinement upon
the mind and X charac ter OF Bonivard,
who, when the day Of his deliverance
ca me, Gained his freedom with a sigh
and with the thought, so much long
communion tends to make US what we
are''
Miss Glasgow had much the same pur-
pose in view, when she wrote The De-
9liverance." In that book she draws the
picture Of man who from his boy
hood had had the care and responsible.
ties OF family laid upon him, who was
enthralled in the iron grasp of poverty,
who was condemned to q condition OF
distress and debasement for himself and
for the members OF his family, from
which there seemed to be no hope Of
escape Dayfby. day he felt himself and
his sisters to be sinking deeper and
deeper into the slough Of despond, and
drifting farther and farther away from
their heritage, Yet all the while he was
compelled to look upon the prosperity
OF the man WHO had robbed his father
and taken from that fathers defense
less family what rightfully belonged to
them-their family estates and their
means OF living In that circle to which
they belonged. He felt his own humilia-
ton, and felt 1t keenly. He knew him
self for what he was, Ignorant. boorsh
In on nj
his finer sensibilties became blunted, the
iron entered his soul and his continual
brooding upon his wrongs brought on an
unquenchable thirst for revenge. which
led to his ruin.
Miss Gasgows book is a work OF art
She accomplished what she set out to
accomplish. and the artist who does that
and makes faithful portrayal is a sue
cessful artist. She has painted a pic
ture with rare skill and with forceful
effect. and her book is not without Its
moral. She does not justify her hero.
On the contrary, she shows in his life
that no man can be happy when his heart
is full OF hatred and spite. and the de-
sire LOT s1cNcIlPei pul t1ihl III lIlCSc cS'i
passions are sure TO bring misery and dis
tress II they do not bring disgrace and
destruction. Even in the hour of his
triumph. her hero feels the taste OF his
revenge. las dust and ashes In his
mouth" and realizes the truthfuness
OF the saying which Is written Ven
geance is mine; will repay, saith the
lord" In the atonement OF her hero.
however, is wrought his deliverance,
which comes through the power of love,
through love 80 great and SO compelling
| that he was altogether willing TO put
away his evil passions. and the ignoble
purpose which had ruled his lle His
restitution. although feeble as human
restitution must usually be, Is never,he-
less the expression In outward act OF
the highest and best impulses which con-
troll human conduct,
There is O lesson In 1.-The Deliverance"
uhich Ali men and women uho ,,,i,,,