The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-02
Excellent. Though Not Cheerful.


As Newton intimated, physics is wonder
full enough, but it is for metaphysics to make
the head swim. The power of metaphysics
over certain strong facts Of nature is well
illustrated in Anne Douglas Sedgwick's
admirably keen story of 4The Shadow Of
Life CThe Century Company. Gavan
Palairet here loved Elspeth Clifford, and he
might have been happy with her had 1t not
been for Tolstoi's philosophy supplemented
by the philosophy Of the Hindoos. or
course, with the imaginings Of Russian and
Indian mystics working out the destinies
Of It's people it Ia not to be expected that this
is a joyous, gladdening tale; its interest does
not proceed from its cheerful character.
The opening part Of the story gives us
eome understanding OF Gavan and Eppie
(she was almost never called Elspeth, when
they were children. Eppie's attitude toward
life at the age of 10 was considerably more
normal than was Gavan's at the age OF 10.
Greek and history, we are told, was a bond
between them at this period, but the thoughts
Of both often proceeded beyond their stud
les. Eppie had already formulated her
plan of life. We find her saying to v
at page 81: Il shall live here until l am
grown up. Then l shall travel everywhere,
all over the ~world-India, Japan, America;
then | shall marry and come back here to
live and have twelve children-six boys and
six girls. I would like as many as possible,
and one could hardly remember the names
Of more Gavan was different. We find
him at page 40 grieving for his mother,
who was in India. II story says: H
presently raised himself again, olasping
both hands about his knees and looking
away into the vast distance. His head,
with its thick hair, its fine aquiline nose
and delicately jutting chin, made Eppie
think, vaguely, Of a picture she had seen OF a
young Saint Sebastian, mutely enduring
arrows, IN a background OF serene sky.
Suddenly he put his head on his
knees, hiding his face. oh, Gavan! Oh,
don't be unhappy Eppie whispered,
drawing near him. helpless and awestruck.
How can I be anything but unhappy when
the person / care most for is miserable
miserable and l am so far from her2' His
shoulders heaved; she saw that he Yves
weeping"
Gavan's philosophy had come to him even
at that early age. When the little dog
Robbie died his grief was an absolute
SCATTERING" He was full OF dreadful
thoughts about illusion, termination and
forgetfulness. Something had broken in
him, as IL, with Robbie's passing, a veil had
been drawn from reality, and illusion OF
confidence dispelled forever" He was sure
that he would forget Robbie. There lay the
Chief ~poignancy. "He leaned out Of the win
dow and breathed in the scent OF the wet
pine tree, looking, with an odd detachment
and clearness of observation-as II through
that a~coeptation OF tragedy all his senses
had grown keener-at the blush bloom the
dew made upon the pine needless" at the
white roses and the other tende and pleas
ant marvels Of the garden. There came to
him a sense of multiplication Of tragedy, ex-
tending itself in vistas before and back
ward. II was, in a moment Of strange, sus-
pended vision, as If he had often and often
seen tEagio dawn in the garden before and
was often to see it again. What was he?
Where was he? All the world was like a
dream, and he seemed to see to its furthest
ends and back to it's beginnings" Eppie
tried to console him. As he said to her, she
was stronger than he was.
When Gavan left Oxford she was ex-
quisitely- equipped for the best things Of