THE MJSSJEAIAAr.
IB I
deeply interested in her, cannot love her. When this becomes I Ostrogothic Invasion'.' and "The Imperial Restoration."
apparent she loses her hold of life and gradually fades away. The University library a! ready contains the first two volumes
But the snake clement loses power before death, and at last
yen the scar on her neck disappears; which, perhaps, indi
cates that this baleful influence cannot extend beyond death.
It must be admitted that persons bom undersuch circum
stances as Elsie Vennor are not morally responsible for their
acts. Then the question arises, may there not be actual con
ditions of life which, though not so abnormal, are really as ef
fectual as the poison ot the crotalas in paralyzing the moral
forces of the mind? Is the criminal, bom and reared in the
slums of society, to be held accountable for his acts, or should
the organization of society which makes such conditions pos
sible bear part of the responsibilty? Oar author makes Dr.
Rittridge say, "I will agree to take a hundred new born babes
of a certain stock and return seventy-five of them in a dozen
years, true and honest, if not pious children. And I will take
another hundred, of a different stock, and put them in the
hands of certain teachers and seventy-five of them will be
thieves and liars at the end of the same dozen years." But
if heredity and environment can so evidently determine the
characters of three-fourths of the human race, what becomes
of the doctrine of moral accountability?
There is another character in this story who deserves con
sideration in this connection. This is Elsie's cousin, Dick
Vennor. The author has little to say in Ms defense but leaves
him to bear the responsibility of his deeds. His Spanish
blood and South American life naturally gave him a lawless
disposition and we should not be too hasty to condemn him
foreshowing little regard for the rights of others. With this
character, at, least, the author has not exceeded the bounds of
probability, and if we admit that he is not altogether to blame
for his lack of moral sense, we accept a principle that must
go far in making us look leniently upon the wrong doings of
others.
Among the minor characters of the story, the two ministers
deserve attention; one trying to reconcile the severity of his
creed with his kindness of heart, the other struggling to adapt
the weakness of his mind with the independence of his
church. Holmes does not have much respect for religions
dogma, and much of this work is in fact a plea for toleration.
He says Men are tatooed with their special beliefs like so
many South Sea Islanders; but a real human heart with divine
love in it, beats the same under all the patterns of all earth's
thousand creeds."
Holmes would not be himself if he did not give a promi
nent place in the story to a doctor. Accordingly, we find Dr.
Rtttrcdge an important character. He is the old physician of
the Tillage, who has watched oier the inhabitants for years
knowing their peculiarities and taking a paternal interest in
all of them. He keeps watch of Elsie, giving hints as to her
care which are implicitly followed by all around her He
perceives the danger to Langdon from Dick Vennor"$ jealousy
and warns the young teacher to be on bis geard. When the
climav comes, and Dick lassoes his rival, it is the watchfulness
of the doctor's hired man, and Langdon's presence of mind,
that frustrate the evil scheme.
The book as a whole will not be greatly read for mere am
usement, but one who likes to think on the great questions of
fxistrnnr will find much food for reflection in Elsie Vennor.
CemmnxnuateJ.
and those who have completed the Sophomore year in History
will testify to their value. The author combines the charm
of the novelist with the accuracy of the careful historian and
he is free from the objection raised bgainsl so many historical
writers that they are dry and fail to interest the general read
er. Fresh and flowing in style, reliable in detail, Hodgkin's
work seems tlcstined to lake a high place as an authority up
on an important period.
Students of history will be gratified to learn that the work
entitled "Italy and her Invaders," by Thomas Hodgkin, has
recently been increased by two new volumes treating of "The
2ico LIKEN BOSOM SHIRTS, 50c, A
It is the proud and by no means groundless boast of Sci
ence that her field is one of vast possibilities. Briarean-arm-ed
she is constantly reaching forth, enlarging her horizon,
probing deep mysteries and adding to her stores of knowl
edge. Each succeeding century brings with it the conquest of
new scientific fields, and the departments of material nature
afiord an cxhaustless reservoir. It would seem to be the mis
fortune of Literature to be without such resources, to be com
pelled to depend for growth entirely upon those who make it
a profession. But a certain activity which manifests itself ev
cry now and then suggests a different idea.
It will be remembered that some two years since, Bishop
Bryennios ol the Greek church brought to light two manu
scripts of great antiquity which at the time attracted great at-r
tention. The contribution of Bryennios, however, is but an
instance. The discovery of ancient manuscripts is a tributary
to the main stream of Literature which has continued to flow
for centuries. Just as in the physical sciences false views are
corrected and new ones established through the aid of inves
tigation, so in the various depaitments of Belleslettres great
advances have been made by recovering fragments of lost lit
erature. How important, for example, to Philology were the
Gothic manuscripts unearthed some three quarters of a centa
ry ago, or to textual criticism have been the discoveries of
Teschendorf.
It is a melancholy fact that a large part of the literature of
the ancients is not now in our possession. In some cases there
is no hope of recovery. The Alexandrian library, with its
precious contents, is burned and the n-orld suffers an irrepara
ble loss. The monks of the Middle Ages, with characteristic
stupidity, effacing the wotksof classic authors, use the parch
ments for their own worthless productions. In various ways
posterity has been robbed of its rightful heritage. But while
much has been destroyed, occasional discoveries tell as that
much yet remains awaiting the eye of the antiquarian. It
needs no argument to show the great importance of this liter
ature to us. Representing, as the authors do, a different civ
ilization from our own, different modes of thought, in a word,
a different life, their works are valuable for comparison alone.
Philology, History and Literature owe much if not all that
they possess to legacies from the Past.
If then, so much has already been gained by these re
searches, may we not regard them as a source from which fur
ther material may be drawn? Must the future of Literature
depend upon modem writers alone? The study of Sanskrit
manuscripts led to the foundation of the science of Philology
and has profoundly influenced other lines of thought. What
forbids under similar circumstances another intellectual revo
lution equally great? The field is broad and we have no rea
son to suppose that it is fully explored. We know not what
trexsures may lie concealed in a neglected quarter of some
European city. The world may have much to learn, Liter
ature much to gain from manuscripts not yet exhumed. .
SLAYER BROS. 10th ST CLOTHIERS.
