The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-13
"Tho Southerner."

BY Thomas Dixon. D. Appleton &
Company. sl.s5 net.
With me phrase. "A Romance of the
Real Lincoln" Thomas Dixon indicat es
tho subject OF his latest book. Tho
Southerner.'' explaining the incons!st-
ency that instantly suggests itself a;
the conjunction OF the title and the
descriptive subtitle by quotation.
upon the title page. from Walt Whit
man: Have you never realized It. my
friends. that Lincoln, though grated
on the West, is essentially In per-
sonnet and character. a southern con-
tribution?" And throughout the book
there is constant effort TO convey the
thought OF Abraham Lincoln. the
Southerncr.
The novel Is dedicated to the authors
friend and collescmate," Woodrow
Wilson. our Arst southern born Presi-
dent since lincoln the greater part
OF the prologue of acme ninety pages
is devoted 10 an imaginative and fanci-
full sketch OF Mr. Lincoln's boyhood in
Kentucky. Astounding IN Southern at
nosphere: the war President Is spoken
OF as "typ,cally Southern and the
author goes so far as 10 say that both
Lincoln and Davis ware Southcrners.
born in the same State and reared In
precisely the same school OF thought
and social usage
In this prologue. Mr.. Dixon endeav-
ors TO mako tho boy forec cast the
shadow OF the coming man. In his
eyes were "slumhe ring fires that set
him apart from the boys OF his age"
his tenaoity, his nrmness as we'll as
his dreaminess and his quality o: pre-
vision. are dwclt upon while scene
nj raving revival meeting, when the
ahsurdity OF tho hystcrcal phenomena
manifested awakens all the boys
quick sense OF humor. is ingenious and
admirable to those who Will see in II
suggestion Of an excuse for the In
ndelity with which the man has been
so often charged.
The prologue ended. there follows
Immediately the inauguration OF Mr..
Lincoln. and. from that point, ahc
novel is TO be con sdcred seriously
only az a panecy-r.c OF tho remark BILE
man whom Mr.. Dixon has dubbed Tho
Southerner."
Mr.. Dixon declares In a note to the
reader that every word In his story
relating 10 the Issues OF our national
lire has been drawn from authentic
records in his possession. If this be
true. that is, If the author has cor
rectly and accurately drawn his infer
cnocs. then Abraham Lincoln was In
nniteIy greater and higher than oven
VIC OF the younger South have learned
70 consider him.
Mr.. Dixon has depleted the President
OF the United states. not as the head
OF nation engaged in warfare. but
rs man prosecuting almost alone
what seemed 10 him n great cause, and
that only the preservation OF tho Union.
surrounded by enemies in his very
official household. thwarted by mem
bers OF his government. and betrayed
by his generals In the field or these
generals, he paints George b. McClel-
Ian In blacklist colors. The Man on
Horseback" he calls him, and urges
his readers to believe that this able
general cherished In his heart the am
hilton 10 become dictator. and that
toward that end. he basely used the
trust committed to him.
General Grant he treats as the SOL
der who knew that the only plan by
which the armies OF the South could
he overwhelmed was that OF sending
thousands upon thousands OF his limit
less forces 10 certain death in order
that some proportion. however small
CT The hungry, Ill clad. exhausted sol
diers OF the Confederacy might also
dc.
Fragmenta-y descriptions of a mum.
Der O: battles and engagements are
given, snd with much OF the purely
dramatic IN the relation. but without
conference Only the effect upon the
North OF the long series Of sweeping
Confederate victories is set out WIFI
uniform consistency.
The incidental love story that runs
d!sconnectedly throughout the move
Is OF the most trivial character It,
heroine Is hardly on with the old love
before she Is on with the new. and a!
the two loves ar brothers Nghtins or
opposite s!dss and tismetrically op