New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-21

tstion for being extremely good copy, IN,
perhaps, a sense not dissimilar TO Mr.
Weiss own alleged facility in making
COPY out, Of the life about him-even OF his
own nental-emotonal life. One of the
critics of the book at hand observes: "He
makes copy of himself and Of his friends,
down to the very cut of their clothes and
the pattern Of their wallpaper" And
this same writer Tin "The Philadelphia
Press') goes on to say that now Mr.. Wells
"has discovered God he is eager to share
the revelation"
"The Boston Herald" speaking Of this
revelation" says, after noting that the
Bishop very probably suffered "chemi-
eally":
eve feel that to the Bishop. as TO Mr..
Wells himself, theology is a sort Of intel
Ieetual springboard II affords the author
exbilaratinr exercise, and readers who find
the soul interesting may accompany him
gladly. Others are apt to complain OF the
mist"
Bishops family is quite certain to be en-
loved by all, and concludes with the opin-
ion that with disquisition, still lit isl a
etory Of abundant humor."
The New York Tribune, however, is
great deal more skeptical, making no con-
cessions, but writing in this fashion:
ave thought at first that 1t was plain
case OF nerves. Then it seemed more Ike
liver-whch does make one see things
,oroetiroes. But at last the truth
became apparent, beyond all reasonable
eavil It was just good old-fashioned
Meqalomanid ertremd"
THIS, for the critic under quotation, is
4 what the Bishops elaborate wrest'
lines with the angel really amount TO-
And. as a matter of fact, most OF the
critics have fingered pretty much over the
Inconsistencies with which theology be-
comes. often so fascinatingly, involved
"The New Statesman" (London), after
stating that "The Soul Of Bishop" shows
Wells almost at his best and almost al
his worst" writes:
ut is in the religious teaching that the
4atInre comes. The Bishop takes his trou
hlss % q very modern doctor, who diagnoses
the case as one Of the neurasthenlas, ane
talks-extremely well-about the dim Dor
derland where disease il neither wholly
.niritual nor wholly physical. Ih'
doctor hnds the Immediate cause OF thu
Bishop's spiritual trouble in kidney afec
ton which can be put right by drug L
is go simple and so ineonclusive The drut
is secret which dies with its inventor. II
other words, it belongs 10 the realm o.
70 mage
, "The first effect Of the drug on the BishoI
is precisely what any one can obtain fol
q himself from glass of champagne. Thu
, Bishop feels odd, and large, and brave, snt
q confident But subsequently (and thi'
champagne will not do for us) he has, II
The Atheneum vision of God
What are we 70 make of these visions
they don't amount 20 much. They are at
tempts to Symbolic inexpressible spiritua
truths through the medium Of material ex
preston.
"The extraordinary thing is that, wher
we come 70 the core Of the teaching. We
find just lterally-nothing' The dilemma
about the drug is this. Was Il necessary e
The Bishops salvation or mott II 1t was
the whole thing becomes a Joke or a piece
. Of 'medicine-man' hokey-pokey and mumoo
Jumbo; # il was not. 1t is false distrac
ton and, artistically, a painful diversion
mt such structures are trihes compared q
the blank negativeness OF what Mr.. Welli
has 10 tell us about God. God IS his owl
definition; there is no other definition o
God God Is Cod says the Bishop, snC
the phrase seemed 20 him the discovery o.
q sufficient creed But II that is sufficient
why write so many Fat books about 1T"
And vet this critic does not miss TIT
finer grain Of the fabric. Some of it" HI
writes. sis social satire OF the most deli
cate The early part, which deal
with the Bishops perplexities, his sense o
failure before great public issues. his re
!iCious doubts mixed up with social anC
personal prevarications, his nervous break
down. his white nights is admirable
Which hines up with the opinion Of re
viewer writing in "The Morning Publit
Ledger" Philadelphia: "The book is enor
mouslv suggestive" Or with the belief Of
critic already quoted writing in "Ih'
Philadelphia Press") that the Bishops II
. "the voice Of one vklo points out more
excellent way" And the question OF th'
books more technical theological phases Il
thus disposed of by Llewelyn Jones ir