Year: 1874

JOHN ANDROSS- D"''s' '-'"V' ~


Orange Judd Company.


vivid local cOloring gives strong impress
sion of reality the descriptions which form the stae
OF this vigorous story. In Its composition the writer
has INDUCED very nconsiderabe extent III visions
Of the ideal but has drawn her materials mainly from
the inatterOfact incidents Of the day, ad mas por-
trayed her characters they have been found in the
walks of business and the intercourse of society She
betrays no lack of imagination, but the scope OF her
story has demanded chary exercise OF the faculty,
rather than its free indulgence With hgh clinical
purpose heart she prefers 10 deal with the sharp out


lines of experience, instead Of gracOusy blending the


lights and shades Of poetry The scene Is laid In the
interior OF Pennsylvania. opening in small lumber
town that forms key OF to the mountain re-
con from the rich valleys Of coal and oil But the ser
pent had entered into this seGuestered retreat In
the shape Of a powerful financial Ring, managed by
crafty leaders who with their central seat at the state
capa had obtained control of the press the courts.
and every other influence not excepting the pull
pit John Andross, the hero OF the story, had been
betrayed into the iron grasp OF this merciless
combination OF which he becomes the tool, and his
struggles shake off their tyrannica yoke furnish the
groundwork of the plot John is represented as care
less ght-hearted, almost chdllke creature fond OF
books and study. addicted to wild speculative theories
now arguing for Rousseaus state Of nature and the
savage life, as the germ Of all perfection, q fiery
advocate of the Commune for though he would nurse
wounded dog with the tenderness or mother, he was
the ercest and bloodthrstest Of in his meodra-
matte talk. He was like those winged creatures who
figure the old myhologies, of whom you never knew
whether in the next they would be soaring
I'm the clouds OF groveling in the mre. His slavery TO
the Ring however through no fault of his own, but


in consequence his wish 10 shield the memory OF his
father who had been guilty of crime, which had
capped detection, and which it was III the power OF the
conspraors to divuge. With the threat OF this eX-
posure hanging his head John becomes the plant
instrument Of the Ring He is entangled in the coils of
the monster aud his efforts to escape present spectacle
as tragic and ptiful as the writings OF Ll0coon
The author has shown great skill in the deneaton OF
his character, so as to command the sympatles
Of the reader with his misorunes, and not exciting
their disgust at his weaknesses. We regard him
throughout as a victim not as a criminal, and while he
displays traits that Call forth admiration we
not but cordially wish HIN a better fate than his
troubled life aud miserable end The subordinate per-
sonages in the story present distinct and strongly
marked individuality which is well sustained in the
narrative Much of the interest Of the work hinges
its clearly defined portrait lures instead Of the details OF
exciting Incidents The remarkable faculty OF the
writer is less happily displayed IN the adjustment OF
events than III the conception OF character Her power
of observation is snguary Keen spective
rather than pcrceptve and exercised upoa the spiritual
forms of humanity, rather than upon the outward
events of daily life The OF her story. accord
ingly though faithful ani impressive transcripts OF
tenal nature derive their chief value from their acute
and subtle revelations of character. They are not
hibited in the artistic consecutive order which N most
adapted iname the curiosity of the reader whose i'll
terest s gradually developed he becomes familiar
with the personages OF whom they the eYponents
We need say that this is higher style OF compost
ton than that which external are displayed in


resplendeDt light while the actors in the drama are
thrown into shadow.