The Goddess of Atvatabar

by William Richard Bradshaw

  INTRODUCTION.

  It is proper that some explanation be made as to the position occupiedby the following story in the realm of fiction, and that a briefestimate should be made of its literary value.

  Literature may be roughly classified under two heads--the creative andthe critical. The former is characteristic of the imaginativetemperament, while the latter is analytical in its nature, and doesnot rise above the level of the actual. Rightly pursued, these twoways of searching out truth should supplement each other. The poetfinds in God the source of matter; the man of science traces matter upto God. Science is poetry inverted: the latter sees in the formerconfirmation of its airiest flight; it is synthetic and creative,whereas science dissects and analyzes. Obviously, the most spiritualconceptions should always maintain a basis in the world of fact, andthe greatest works of literary art, while taking their stand upon thesolid earth, have not feared to lift their heads to heaven. Thehighest art is the union of both methods, but in recent times realismin an extreme form, led by Zola and Tolstoi, and followed with willingthough infirm footsteps by certain American writers, has attained amarked prominence in literature, while romantic writers have suffereda corresponding obscuration. It must be admitted that the influence ofthe realists is not entirely detrimental; on the contrary, they haveimported into literature a nicety of observation, a heedfulness ofworkmanship, a mastery of technique, which have been greatly to itsadvantage. Nevertheless, the novel of hard facts has failed to proveits claim to infallibility. Facts in themselves are impotent toaccount for life. Every material fact is but the representative on theplane of sense of a corresponding truth on the spiritual plane. Spiritis the substance; fact the shadow only, and its whole claim toexistence lies in its relation to spirit. Bulwer declares in one ofhis early productions that the Ideal is the only true Real.

  In the nature of things a reaction from the depression of therealistic school must take place. Indeed, it has already set in, evenat the moment of the realists' apogee. A dozen years ago the author of"John Inglesant," in a work of the finest art and most delicatespirituality, showed that the spell of the ideal had not lost itsefficacy, and the books that he has written since then have confirmedand emphasized the impression produced by it. Meanwhile, Robert LouisStevenson and Rider Haggard have cultivated with striking success theromantic vein of fiction, and the former, at least, has acquired amastery of technical detail which the realists themselves may envy. Itis a little more than a year, too, since Rudyard Kipling startled thereading public with a series of tales of wonderful force andvividness; and whatever criticism may be applied to his work, itincontestably shows the dominance of a spiritual and romantic motive.The realists, on the other hand, have added no notable recruits totheir standard, and the leaders of the movement are losing rather thangaining in popularity. The spirit of the new age seems to be with theother party, and we may expect to see them enjoy a constantly wideningvogue and influence.

  The first practical problem which confronts the intending historian ofan ideal, social, or political community is to determine the localityin which it shall be placed. It may have no geographical limitations,like Plato's "Republic," or Sir Philip Sidney's "Arcadia." Swift, inhis "Gulliver's Travels," appropriated the islands of the then unknownseas, and the late Mr. Percy Greg boldly steered into space andlocated a brilliant romance on the planet Mars. Mr. Haggard has placedthe scene of his romance "She" in the unexplored interior of Africa.After all, if imagination be our fellow-traveller, we might welldiscover El Dorados within easy reach of our own townships.

  Other writers, like Ignatius Donnelly and Edward Bellamy, have solvedthe problem by anticipating the future. Anything will do, so that itbe well done. The real question is as to the writer's ability tointerest his readers with supposed experiences that may develop mindand heart almost as well as if real.

  "The Goddess of Atvatabar," like the works already mentioned, is aproduction of imagination and sentiment, the scene of action beinglaid in the interior of the earth. It is true that the notion hasheretofore existed that the earth might be a hollow sphere. The earlygeologists had a theory that the earth was a hollow globe, the shellbeing no thicker in proportion to its size than that of an egg. Thisidea was revived by Captain Symmes, with the addition of polaropenings. Jules Verne takes his readers, in one of his romances, tothe interior of a volcano, and Bulwer, in his "Coming Race," hasconstructed a world of underground caverns. Mr. Bradshaw, however, hasswept aside each and all of these preliminary explorations, and haskindled the fires of an interior sun, revealing an interior world ofstriking magnificence. In view of the fact that we live on an exteriorworld, lit by an exterior sun, he has supposed the possibility ofsimilar interior conditions, and the crudity of all former conceptionsof a hollow earth will be made vividly apparent to the reader of thepresent volume. "The Goddess of Atvatabar" paints a picture of a newworld, and the author must be credited with an original conception. Hehas written out of his own heart and brain, without reference to ordependence upon the imaginings of others, and it is within the truthto say that in boldness of design, in wealth and ingenuity of detail,and in lofty purpose, he has not fallen below the highest standardthat has been erected by previous writers.

  Mr. Bradshaw, in his capacity of idealist, has not only created a newworld, but has decorated it with the skill and conscientiousness ofthe realist, and has achieved a work of art which may rightfully betermed great. Jules Verne, in composing a similar story, would stopshort with a description of mere physical adventure, but in thepresent work Mr. Bradshaw goes beyond the physical, and has created inconjunction therewith an interior world of the soul, illuminated withthe still more dazzling sun of ideal love in all its passion andbeauty. The story is refreshingly independent both in conception andmethod, and the insinuation, "_Beati qui ante nos nostra dixerunt_,"cannot be quoted against him. He has imagined and worked out the wholething for himself, and he merits the full credit that belongs to adiscoverer.

  "The Goddess of Atvatabar" is full of marvellous adventures on landand sea and in the aerial regions as well. It is not my purpose atpresent to enumerate the surprising array of novel conceptions thatwill charm the reader. The author, by the condition of hisundertaking, has given _carte blanche_ to his imagination. He hascreated a complete society, with a complete environment suited to it.The broadest generalization, no less than the minutest particulars,have received careful attention, and the story is based upon aprofound understanding of the essential qualities of human nature, andis calculated to attain deserved celebrity. Among the subjects dear tothe idealist's heart, perhaps none finds greater favor than that whichinvolves the conception of a new social and political order, and ourauthor has elaborated this subject on fresh lines of thought, makinghis material world enclose a realm of spiritual tenderness, even asthe body is the continent and sensible manifestation of the soul.

  The forces, arts, and aspirations of the human soul are wrought into asymmetrical fabric, exhibiting its ideal tendencies. The evidentpurpose of the writer is to stimulate the mind, by presenting to itscontemplation things that are marvellous, noble, and magnificent. Hehas not hesitated to portray his own emotions as expressed by thecharacters in the book, and is evidently in hearty sympathy witheverything that will produce elevation of the intellectual andemotional ideals.

  The style in which the story is told is worthy of remark. In thebeginning, when events are occurring within the realm of thingsalready known or conceived of, he speaks in the matter-of-fact, honesttone of the modern explorer; so far as the language goes we might bereading the reports of an arctic voyage as recounted in the dailynewspaper; there is the same unpretentiousness and directness ofphrase, the same attention to apparently commonplace detail, and thesame candid portrayal of wonder, hope, and fear. But when thestupendous descent into the interior world has been made, and we havebeen carried through the intermediary occurrences into the presence ofthe beautiful goddess herself, the style rises to the level of thelofty theme and becomes harmonious
ly imaginative and poetic. Thechange takes place so naturally and insensibly that no jarringcontrast is perceived; and a subdued sense of humor, making itselffelt at the proper moment, redeems the most daring flights of the workfrom the reproach of extravagance.

  Mr. Bradshaw is especially to be commended for having the courage ofhis imagination. He wastes no undue time on explanations, butproceeds promptly and fearlessly to set forth the point at issue.When, for example, it becomes necessary to introduce the new languagespoken by the inhabitants of the interior world, we are brought inhalf a dozen paragraphs to an understanding of its characteristicfeatures, and proceed to the use of it without more ado. A more timidwriter would have misspent labor and ingenuity in dwelling upon amatter which Mr. Bradshaw rightly perceived to be of no essentialimportance; and we should have been wearied and delayed in arriving atthe really interesting scenes.

  The philosophy of the book is worthy of more serious notice. Thereligion of the new race is based upon the worship of the human soul,whose powers have been developed to a height unthought of by oursection of mankind, although on lines the commencement of which arealready within our view. The magical achievements of theosophy andoccultism, as well as the ultimate achievements of orthodox science,are revealed in their most amazing manifestations, and with a sobrietyand minuteness of treatment that fully satisfies what may be calledthe transcendental reader. The whole philosophic and religioussituation is made to appear admirably plausible: but we are graduallybrought to perceive that there is a futility and a rottenness inherentin it all, and that for the Goddess of Atvatabar, lofty, wise, andimmaculate though she be, there is, nevertheless, a loftier andsublimer experience in store. The finest art of the book is shownhere: a deep is revealed underneath the deep, and the final outcome isin accord with the simplest as well as the profoundest religiousperception.

  But it would be useless to attempt longer to withhold the reader fromthe marvellous journey that awaits him. A word of congratulation,however, is due in regard to the illustrations. They reach a level ofexcellence rare even at this day; the artists have evidently been inthorough sympathy with the author, and have given to the eye what thelatter has presented to the understanding. A more lovable divinitythan that which confronts us on the golden throne it has seldom beenour fortune to behold; and the designs of animal-plants are asremarkable as anything in modern illustrative art: they are entirelyunique, and possess a value quite apart from their artistic grace.

  The chief complaint I find to urge against the book is that it stopslong before my curiosity regarding the contents of the interior worldis satisfied. There are several continents and islands yet to be heardfrom. But I am reassured by the termination of the story that there isnothing to prevent the hero from continuing his explorations; and Ishall welcome the volume which contains the further points of hisextraordinary and commendable enterprise.

  JULIAN HAWTHORNE.