The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20
Will be recurrence Of pain and weak

(.
the husband dies and the wife: eured
OF her delusion about vouyray's abil-
ty to make her we'll. decides 10 re-
| turn to England with her father. who
| comes to her after her husbands
| death.
the novelist in number of issues
story. The Characterization Of. the
writer is specially fine, the delicate
irony that points his pencil when ne
sketches in Lady Blandrey. the skill
Russell and the humor With which he
depicts Sister Hilda arc only several
indications of the many which render
THE New Religion" companionaoly
aEes.
Jus, at the very last of the book
there is hint--perhaps more than a
hint--a probability of a romance that
the two honest and sincere people that
the book talks about; And the reader
probability will be fulfilled.
ROBERT L. LEE BY Philip Alexander
Bruce. In, %. George w. Jacobs 4
Co. OF Philadelphia publishers. PIP.
sss. $3.50.
Beginning his history OF General Rob
ert +. Lee. Mr.. Bruce quotes oliver
Wendell Holmes in answer to the ques-
ton. when u child's education should
begin, as saving Two hundred and
fifty years before he was born.
Mr.. Bruce applies this answer as
appropriate to the great Confederate
commander and Ntrg!nian. because he
was the outcome OF social system In
which tastes had been refined by the
inherited social culture OF generations:
because the formative period of his
character was spent about the iiearth-
stones of the old Tidewater Virginia
plantations, where the virtues OF man.
illness. courage, truth. honor. kindness
and tenderness flourished as luxuri-
antly as the old-fashioned flowers.
| whose original seed perhaps had been
brought from some manor-house In
Surrey or Essex. Norfolk or Devon
shire. bloorned on the terraces of the
gardens outside"
Mentioning General Lees ancestry.
Mr.. Bruce traces its source back to
the Lees of Cotton. England. and to
the emigrant, Richard Lee. member Of
the Virginia Council under Governor
Spotswood. From him the line, rem
dered stronger and more influential by
intermarriage with the most powerful
families of the colony. comes down
through Light Horse Harry Lee and
Anne Carter Lee, his wife. to Robert
e. Lee, the flower of what was best
| in Southern manhood.
The description of Stratford General
Lees birthplace. and of Arlington. the
home of his manhood, are bott given
life. In referring to General Lees
/ first military experience. Mr. Bruce
does not forget his perfect sobrtety
and his grave scdateness, the teach
| ings of his mother, his schoolpoy
career in Alexandria. his introduct ton
Gusts Lewis, and his after appoint
ment to West Point Military Academy.
| His West Point career. his marriage at
Arlington to Miss Gusts. when he was
| the embodiment of masculine vigor
| and comeliness. his assignment to duty
at Fortress Monroe, ibis distinguished
| service during tho Mexican War and
on the Texas border, and his prompt
and decisive action, averting threat
| ened. disaster during the John Brown
raid. are also fully brought out.
! Mr.. Bruce goes fully into the belief
| OF the Southern States in the right Of
secession. into their reasons for that
| belief, their attitude towards slavery
and toward the Abolitionist party. SO
as to make altogether clear the cir
| cumstances surrounding General Lee
and show his withdrawal from the
| United States Army to be In defense
of his loyalty to Virginia.
| That he was not Influenced by any
/. expectation of preserving his right of
property in his slaves. Mr.. Bruce says
that he had already emancipated the
few negroes he had inherited. and
4 those received by Mrs. Lee as q part
of her fathers estate. were set free by
the terms OF her fathers will in 1852.
From his acceptance of his commits
sion as commander-in-chief Of the
! Army of Northern Virginia on April
23. 1861. Mr.. Bruce quotes the follow
ing sentences spoken by General Lee
| and profoundly illustrative of the spirit
| of his acceptance:
"Impressed.n said he. with the So
lemnity of the occasion, for which.
must say, / was not prepared, / &C
cept the position assigned me by your
partially. would much preferred
had your choice fallen on an ADLER
man. Trusting in an Almighty God
an approving conscience, and the aid
of my fellow-citizens. devote myself
to the service Of my native State IN
draw sword" !.
In order to give some Just concep-
ton of General Lees military achieve
ments during the War Between the
chapter to the citation Of the various
. obstacles the Confederates had to con-
tend against from the beginning
Then he takes up General Lees or.
ganlzation of the State militia fol
active service. his appointment to the
command of Confederate troops II
, Western Virginia, and of the cause:
for his afterward taking charge o.
the coast notifications IN Georgia ant
the Carolinns.
Thence the outline turns to his sue,
ceeding General Johnston In command
of the Army of Northern Virginia, Their
, operating on the Chickahominy.
gives in detail the description of thu
} Seven Days struggle around Richmond
the account of the second battle O.
Manassas that OF the invasion of Mary
} land, the capture of Harper's Ferry
: the return to Virginia and the repuls'
of the Federal Army under BURNSIDE
at fredericksburg. The chancellors
? VILE. Gettysburg and Wilderness cam
paigns follow then the defense o
Petersburg. the retreat westward. tn,
: surrender at Appomattox on April
, 1865. the acceptancy by General !, Le
= Of the presidency Of washington Col
: legc on October I'd of same year NJ
i visit to Georgia in search Of health
i and his death in his home at Lexlng
E ton, Va. October IL, 1870.
Estimating the military genius 0
Lee, MI. Bruce writes: It Is q, as ),
strategist that Lee will take the hlgh
!, est rank in military history. Error
: this point OF view, there Is leaso
L ~ y 4 11sy. 80 a ~