Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-14

49, self we'll to the
AEzdAa9ssz story teller's pur-
pose He may be used as background
a force or an objective. but not as
central figure For there was but one
cons s.ency in him, that of indomitaoie
purpose to make himself supreme, and IN
this he failed
Mr.. Bailey calls his work an HISTORICAL
novel. Historical it is. in truth. but II Is
no novel 1t has no true climax. IL
lacks in the essentials of the tale OF nc
ton Ii is, indeed, series OF snort
NapoIeonic stories, Unconnected save as
the. short gray figure moves through ali
the narratives and alongside OF MN -
Jean Dorian. his one true frlend. VINO III
the end is forced to leave MIN Dy Ndpo-
leon $ own incapacity for friendship
Yet though not u novel. Mr.. Bailey
book is remarkably interesting work:
1t renders the story of the first phase Oh
the Napoleonic period In thrilling man
ner To the author Napoleon is no hero
He is but god of clay. one with the
brain of a god and a mean man S heart.
Yet In Napoleon there were great posi-.
bilities to have been utilized In the upiil.
of men had the circumstances permitted.
1t is in the influence of women upon the
Young officer that Mr.. Bailey sees such
possibilities. Tnhappily for Napoleon,
unhapplly it may be for France ana 1or
nothing and was loved by none who awoke
his spiritual nature. The best man IN
Napoleon was never given to the world
He struck for the right and at the same
time used his power brutal.y ana OUT
rageously A or .ature of passionate i'm
pulse, yet of cold selfish calculation, TO
him men and women were but contrlp-
utors to his pleasure and advancement
Thus is Napoleon portrayed IN TINS
story, wildly. dramatically and always
interestingly. Though the book ends with
Napoleon as first consul. it practically
paints his ful.-length portrait Inc man
he later became. emperor of the french.
invader Of Russia, exile In Elba. again
the ruler the vanquishad at Waterloo. and
finally the prisoner Of st. Helena. was un-
changed in kind. Had Mr. Bailey ex-
tended his chapters to complete tn" trag-
edy he could not have shown Bonaparte
NOR clearly 1t is in his choice Of cpl
sodes that he proves himself literary
creator of exceptional power and versa
fifty He writes with great strength In
his sentences never pnusing for the in
consequential. his dialogue witty and
never tiresome. his Characterization
cameo-lke in their distinctness.
The God of Clay" should be read by
every student of the French revolution
valuable addition to the Napoleonic liter
allure.
FIRST AND LAST THINGS. A Cones
BY H. G. Wells. author of New
Worlds for Old" etc. New York:
G. P. Putnam's Sons. Washington:
Woodward & Lothrop.
The idea of this book. the author
narrates in the preface. grew out of the
attempt of number of friends to make
a "sort of frank mutual confession" OF
their religious and ethical views. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Wells. they astonished
themselves and their hearers by the
fragmentary nature of the creeds they
produced, clotted at one point. incon-
secutive at another The author be-
came SO interested in planning his lee
ture that his notes soon outran the pos
sibilities of an hour or two, and he
ultimately expanded them into a book.
The sweetness and honesty OF Mr..
Wells spirit and the clearness and charm
of his literary medium have never been
more conspicuous than in this book, where
it is conceivable that a harsh and con-
tentious attitude might easily develop.
He expresses his radical views. which are
apt to be Unexpectedly plausible. with
out heat, and with an always clear re-
aization of the oppcs site point of view.
In the first of the three parts 1t has
been found necessary, in order to state
clearly what the author thinks about re-
ligious and social questions, Ito consider
and state certain truths about the nature
of knowledge, about the meaning OF
truth and the value of words, points
which have been universally considered
under the general term Metaphysics.
Half of the d.sagreements in religious
and philosophical matters have been due
to the fact that men have "needlessly
different modes of expression upon many
broad issues" Hence, the author is OF
opinion that the time has come when the
human mind must take up metaphysical
discussion again, discussion dropped dur
ing SO many years. Mr.. We Is discusses
strument." by which he means the recog-
milton of the fallibility of the senses.
hence of the operations of the mind
the ''Classifcatory Assumption" Empty
Terms" Planes" and Dialects OF
Thought"
The second book discusses, with entire
frankness and with as complete earnest
ness. those religious ideals. as distinct
from mere conventional acceptance, which
throughout his thinking existence the au-
thor has evolved. He distinguishes sharp
ly between matters of actual belief and
matters of hope or inference. The third
book is devoted to statement of opinions
Oh the various features of modern social
life. different .atinS again between con-
ventions evolved by the past history of
the race and essential principles of moral
ity
Among the publications of the day
tHeTe are lew DOCKS SO wei worth read
ing. so necessary to any one who would
be thoroughly informed OF the many
conflicting currents of modern thought.
II is safe to assert that nowhere among
thinkers. Will there be found one to speak
so sanely and So convincingly in favor OF
freedom from cant and from tame sub
miss.o to established conventions. The
PRONUNCIATION of the socialstic cult Is, in
the present volume, merely Incidental
and secondary.
THE LIFE OF THOMAS BAILY AID
RICH. By Ferris Greenslet. Boston:
Hougnton, Miftlin Company.
Many men of greater intrinsic genius
have been celebrated by less interesting
biographies than this. The success OF
NJ. Greenslets work is due to many
causes. In the first place. Mr.. Aldrch S
mansh.p. He was frankly interested In
the technique of both prose and verse
hence conversation and correspondence
teern with valuable bits of critical anaIy-
sis Therefore. for the man who is in
terested in k ndred themes the book has
an added value. Again, Mr.. Aldrich's
personality was one of rare magnetism
and charm. and the result was the great
number of his friendships with men OF
like distinction. This association also Is
reflected in both correspondence and con-
versation. Moreover. Mr. Greenslet was
for years a personal friend Of the poet
of manuscript material. The period. too
of the subjects activity was favorably
placed for the purpose, being recen,
enough for much rem niScent material to
be present In the minds of the present
generation while the earlier part was
81. n -