The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-07

1 introduction "I deem absolutely the l fruit of the Virginian civilization which existed in times past. No drop of blood l alien to Virginia coursed in his Velnsi his rearing was wholly within her Dor bers and according to the principles or her life
 Something he writes in the last chapter of the book, must account Tor l this wonderful development. Charac- ter does not reach such consummate l Towering alone and by accidental cause! It is product of urgent forces, and such a character as Lees Is the product of high forces met in eonJunc- 1 tlon Genius may be born anywhere; | 1t is a result of prenatal forces A Keats may come from horse 1obDer s fireside; Columbus may spring from wool comber's home; a Burns may is- sue from an Ayrshire cottage, but 1t is law of nature that character Is result largely of surrounding condi- l tions previous or present.
 "Whatever open hostility or carping l criticism" he goes on. may say in 1 lderogation of southern life, and 1t may be admitted that there was liable to be
 the waste and inertia of all life that
 Is easy and secluded; yet the obvious
 the unanswerable reply is that 1t pro | duced such a character as Robert D
 Lee. As Washington was the con summate flower of the life of colonia 1 Virginia so Lee, clinging close to his precious example, became the perfect l fruit of the later civilization.
 "It was my high privilege to know hin l when l was a boy. It was also my privilege to see something of that army 1 which followed him throughout the war 1 and on whose courage and forttude his 1 imperishable glory as 8 captain is found
 ed. I question whether in all the army under his command was one man wht
 had his geniusS but l believe that ir
 character he was but the type of his or der, and as noble as was his, 10,09 gentlemen marched behind him who in all the elements of private character I were his peers.
 l Who can estimate the value of an ideal l Think of what Achilles. as sung bS l Homer, meant to the Greek race through l out it's glorious history. greater than
 Achilles is here! The reviewer knows ol 1 no other case in the worlds annals ir
 which such transcendent military genius 1 and such lofty character as Lees were united in one man. Let him live ir song and story. The poet, the sculptor 1 the painter can make him more real tc
 us and to our children. We shall be safe
 if we only keep him enshrined in oui hearts,"
 
 "A NOVEL OF CHILD LIFE IN NEW l YORK" by Ella Crosby Heath. The 1 John Lane Company. New York 1 Henrietta Is the 11-year-old daughter of | dramatic critic She and her delightful brother, Cyrus. are worthy of a place be- | side 'IIelen's Babies or "Elizabeth' s l Children They cause the "Olympians' many anxious and anguIshed moments, yet their pranks are forgiven because of the endearing charm of their generous natures.
 If you miss making the acquaintance of , "Henretta' your loss will be something to count.
 New York nor any other place can boast of more attractive little girl than
 'IIenrletta" Of course, attractive lit tie girls live everywhere, but they are not lucky enough to have such clever person as the author of "TIenrietta' to record their surprising and amazing &C., tivities.
 In 'sHenrietta Ella Crosby Heath
 shows an intimate knowledge on subjects
 that others fall short of, and she tran
 scribes and puts into shape in an as-
 ntonishingly bright manner things that | other people do and say in a conmon- place sort Of way.
 | In fact so akin to "Henriettas Adven-
 lures in New York" is the author and sc
 realistically are they depicted that sort