REVIEW.

Evening Star, Issue 4108, 27 April 1876, Page 2

REVIEW.

An Old Story, by S. C. Hall, F.S.A., ftc., Barriater-at'Law, Editor of the ‘Art Journal.’ London ; Virtue, Spalding, and Co. The author of the “ Trial of Sir Jasper ” has added another to the many able and beautiful books published in the interests of Temperance Reform. Like its predecessor, “ The Trial of Sir Jasper,” “An Old Story” is profusely illustrated by very fine and powerfully drawn pictures, by some of the first of liviug artists, of whom we may mention the names of J. E. Millais, R.A.; Birket Foster, Gustave Dote, Jas. Sant, R.A.; Erskine Nicol, A.R.A, and others. Some of the illustrations themselves teach lessons not soon to be forgotten, by even a hasty and indifferent observer. We are glad that the position held by Mr Hall, as editor of the * Art Journal,’ has, as he says in his preface, enabled him “to bring Art to the aid of a cause that may be rightly termed ‘Holy ; ’ ” and we agree with him in the opinion that the “thanks of humanity ” are due to the twenty-six artists who have worked with him “in

order to exhibit the abhorrent vice”—of intemperance—“in its hideous deformity.” The author of ‘An Old story ’ tells us himself the purpose of his book. He says— I have tried to make this book broader and more comprehensive in details than its predecessor; to treat, indeed, as far as my knowledge extends, every phrase of the “ horrible vice," adding notes from the “ authorities." by whom 1 am principally guided. The result is a very handsome and readable little volume, in which the author describes in verse a number of scenes and incidents illustrative of the manifold evils of intemperance. At the foot of each page is a note, which together, constitute a sort of key to the poem, and give in plain, hard, unmistakable prose that which Mr Hall has illustrated in verse and his artists by their pencils. We give a sample of the hard and startling facts found in Mr Hall’s footnotes :

Ladies Dbikkiko. — A volume might be written on the text I copy from the * Practitioner, ’ 1871 s—“The proposal to do away entirety, or for the greater part, with the provision of alcoholic drinks at evening parties for women." It is a heavy grief to know that ' drinking customs * are terrible temptations to ladies, in society and in comparative secrecy at home—habit seems to beget impunity, bat the penalty is of a surety paid. Dr Wilks, physician to Guy’s Hospital, writes this * That diabolical compound styled absinthe is raining the bodies and souls of many ladies in Franoe.* 1 nave (elsewhere referred to the allurements of confectionery, and grocers’ shops. Bat there are strong authorities for the dismal fact that among ladies the abhorrent vice is rapidly, extensively, and awfully increasing—that, in plain truth, the * customs’ of wine and dram drinking by ladies is becoming an intolerable curse. There is hot one ohance of salvation, actual restraint, voluntary seclusion at a ’home/ meant especially for this class (of cases.' So said several medical doctors at a meeting for establishing a Dipsomaniac Home in London/* We fear the above is true of Colonial as well as Home society. The writer of this

notice was only the other day shocked to see a young lady at a party take three different sorts of wine at supper. The “old story “ is that of one who sold his soul to the devil. The term were easy: One of matters three, He bound himself to do, and do it well. *«••••» The terms—One: Set your father’s house a-light And bum him in it—better done at night. Two: You most kill your mother—how yon will: I do not give you counsel how to kill. Three: You must drink till you are drunk; and then, Drink more, drink often, and be drunk again. On the devil’s side it was provided that, as the price for the soul thus bartered, the man,

When he wanted money, he would find His pocket full; and never seek in vain For means by which the devil’s work is done. The choice of the man fell on the latter of the three alternatives. “What! bum my father’s house I I won't—that's flat: I may be bad, but not so bad as that. What I Kill my mother! Mo—at onoC I say I won’t —on any terms—for any pay. But to get drunk’s a pleasure: that I'll do.” “ ’Tie well,” quoth Satan; and the Devil knew the soul was his.” The tale then goes on to relate how, in performing his compact with Satan to “ dirink often and be.drunk again,"his bought slave was led throngh one scene of dissipation and vice after another, until at length ne accomplished each purpose the Devil had proposed to him—burned his father’s house and killed his mother. The Devil gave him work, till “ time was up ” And he had seen the bottom of the cup. You guess the issue: He was in the chair One merry night, when, drunk-mad with his friends, A rabble rout, wallowing in self-made mire— Wilful or not—they set the house on fire. His broken-hearted father was in bed, And who i they sought to rescue him,(was dead. His mother—she came rushing down the stair; Ho thongbt he saw the tempter, saw his foe. “It is the fiend,” he cried; and struck the blowf The mother gave Mm birth, ho gave her death. She knew who killed her; with her latest breath She murmured, “ Lord, have mercy on my son!” The Devil laughed; he knew his work was done. Mr Hall pats the moral and the lesson of his story very plainly in small caps thus:— The first is—- “ WHAT HE WILL DO THE DRUNKARD NEVER KNOWS.”

The second—“TASTE NOT, TOUCH NOT, *HE ACCQStSED

THING.” This is total abstinence teaching in -very unmistakable terms. We doubt the large majority of our readers will dispute the correctness of Mr Hall’s inference, and question the desirability or the practicability of the lesson he enforces. Whether this be so or not, everyone must, aud indeed does, admit that the evil of intemperance is assuming gigantic proportions throughout the whole of the British Empire, and we are of opinion that the thanks of society are due alike to Mr Hall and to Mr Jenkins for having so powerfully directed public attention to this subject. .Some critics have said that both “ The Old Story ” and “ The Deni’s Chain,” which we noticed lately, give exaggerated pictures of the subjects of which they treat. We do not agree with

this opinion. We hardly think it possible to exaggerate the evils of our existing drinking customs. We are not of the number of those who denounce alcoholic beverages as necessarily evil and injurious, but whatever maybe said of the benefit to be derived from the temperate and dietic or medicinal use of strong drinks, no one can deny that there is far too much of them used oy all classes in society, and that the outcome of their consumption is very terrible. The more fully the subject is investigated, the more closely it is examined, the newer become* the conviction that the evils of intent-

perance are growing to very portentioua proportions, that if not checked by some means or other, if allowed further development to any serious extent they must inevitably lead to moat disastrous consequences. A good purpose will be accomplished, and yeoman’s service will be done to the cause of social reform if public attention can once be fairly aroused to the evils of our drink-system. It is said “a knowledge of the disease is half the cure.” If the mass of the people and a few of their active and intelligent leaders can only be got to look this evil iairly in the face, some practical measures will, we doubt not, be devised for its removal.

The success of “An Old Story” has been very great, 20,000 copies having been disEosed of in England in a few weeks. We ope it will have a proportionably large circulation in this Colony—it cannot fail to do good.