The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-06-07

he may guide his life thereby 1t may
not give all the light one would ask-it
surely will not-but it will stimulate
thought, set one to -meditating, and only
by meditation does the finite mind draw
near the infinite.
Houghton, AIiffin & Co., Boston.
81 80 net. -. .
ScoTT'S PLACE IN LITERATURE.-
Continuing his papers on 1.-The Great
Masters Of Literature Professor George
Edward Woodbury. writes Of Sir Walter
Scott for the June McClure's:
OF the works of prose in the nineteenth century
which have contributed to human happiness on
the universal scale the Waverly Novels hold
place by virtue of their millions Of readers; and
now, coming into the hands of the fourth genera
ton, they are still one of the principal effective
contemporary possessions of the English race in
literature. Criticism. whrl sooner or later as
sails all works of great fame, mas the most trif-
ling effect upon them; they are invulnerable in
the hearts of the people. They contain SO much
humanity in it's plain style; they disclose such
romantic scenes, such stir of gallantry, such
a high behavior in connection with events and
personages otherwise memorable, and they are
besides so colored with the hues of the mind
legend, historic glamor and the sense of the
presence Of fine action that their reception by
the heart is spontaneous. .-
AMONG -~.. ! f7E fENNSYE ~
DUTCH.-A somewhat unique contribu-
ton to the fiction of the day is 'The
House of the Black Ring" by Fred Lewis
Pattee. The locale of the story IS in the
heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch district,
and the characters are evidently almost
all drawn from life. The story is inter-
esting from dramatic standpoint, and
curiously combines the most modern of
psychological features with the Inherited
superstitions Of the Dutch inhabitants of
| the district H. :.. -...-. 81. .,.... 81
| A curse of the most blood-curdling
variety; a witch, descended from the
| gypsies, who foretell events with aston
ishing accuracy two wonderful maidens
who belong to the opposite clans Of the
| 'valley,''dand who are wooed and won
| by two brothers; a strange house with a
''black ring around it; Wild scenery. a
forest, fire, a strange cave. an exciting
midnight race, two racing horses, Subter-
ranean passages, four burglaries, and a
filling of uncouth country characters, and
vivid descriptions all serve to whet the
appetite for Mr.. Pattee's story sd. =
| One of the most interesting things
about the book is, the originality of Mr.
| Pattee's descriptions. He tells things as
| does no one else. For instance a winter
scene is helped out by "a wild, whisk OF
snow that plastered the landscape as with
whitewash.' 1t takes wide stretch OF
I Imagination to conceive of "a smear OF
greasy snow but the author sees it that
way. 1t is not all incongruous, however
His definition of beauty IS certainly in
teresting enough to arrest the attention
of the most casual reader. He says:
But beauty is quite another thing. 1t Is ar
atmosphere rather than contour and color; il
| is a subtle blending of all things together; and
it is more There is heredity in 1.-THE cumula
! tive charm of long line Of fair mothers ant
fairer daughters. The essence of 1t eludes analy
sis; it is the bouquet Of wine, IL iescrbable
/ and indefnable. When one finds it in the wilder
ness it whispers of old tragedy 1t is the full
blown jacqueminot among the jungle thorns
There has been rude transpanting: there is
romance to tell, tho perchance it has been for
gotten ~ s@<E1. H B. e. =
Henry Holt $500, New York. $3.50.
ds---- s-..s.. -..