fortress
Saxe, was leading a larger force of French reg. in French America, and after a well-conducted
ulars, Canadian parties, and Indian warriors. siege, in which Montcalm's future conqueror,
Of the latter, he wrote: “They drive us crazy Brigadier James Wolfe, won his first American
from morning to night. One needs the patience laurels, forced it to surrender. The prestige
of angels to get on with these devils." He lost at Fort William Henry was thus regained,
planned a surprise for his inexperienced oppo only to be lost again by the luckless expedition
nent, but was handsomely repulsed from the of General Abercrombie against Ticonderoga,
breastworks at Fort William Henry, and was
in the same year.
Here fell Lord Howe, the
himself wounded and taken prisoner. This darling of the British army, whose virtues are
incidental success disguised the failure of the commemorated by Massachusetts on his tablet
expedition, which approached no nearer to
nearer to in Westminster Abbey; and in the mad assault
Crown Point. An attempt on Fort Niagara upon Montcalm's impregnable lines fell Dun-
failed; and with the capture of three small can Canıpbell, of Inverawe, of whose fate and
French forts in Acadia, the campaign closed. the warning he received of it, a strange legend
One of its episodes was the removal of the is told to this day in Scotland.
Acadians, which Mr. Parkman says “ prose and This was Montcalm's greatest triumph; but
verse have joined to commemorate, but of fast upon its heels came the capture of Fort
which the causes have not been understood.” Frontenac by a well-executed movement of the
He plainly shows it to have been a military English Colonel Bradstreet, which deprived the
necessity, the main responsibility for which French of their command of Lake Ontario.
must rest upon the government of Louis XV.; The tide had now turned for good; and before
but concedes that it was a measure too harsh November was over, Fort Du Quesne, which
and indiscriminate to be wholly justified.' Braddock so miserably failed to reach, was
During the following winter, “får along the deserted by the militia of Louisiana and Illi-
edge of the western wilderness, men kept watch nois and its small garrison of regulars, at the
and ward in lonely block-houses, or scoured the advance of a superior force under General
forest on the track of prowling war parties. Forbes, who toiled over the mountains and
The Provincials in garrison at forts Edward, through the dense woods of Pennsylvania for
William Henry, and Oswego, dragged out the four long months to reach it. During the next
dreary season; while bands of New England season Ticonderoga and Niagara fell, and the


1885.]
237
THE DIAL
great antagonists Montcalm and Wolfe stood tionary, literary, or etymological equivalents of
facing each other at Quebec. Of that memo the original vocabulary. Such a method, how-
rable siege and its culmination in the battle on ever, to say nothing of the knowledge it re-
the Plains of Abraham, the story is so perfectly quires, would demand great courage in our ideal
told, from Wolfe's arrival at the Isle of Orleans translator. Every reviewer with a smattering
to his death on the spot where stands to-day of German would be quick to detect and to stig.
the column inscribed “Here died Wolfe victo matize his inaccuracies. This ideal, therefore,
rious,” that comment is superfluous. To live being, like most ideals, unattainable, it remains
it over again, one has but to read these glow- only for the translator to prefix or annex to his
ing pages. One must read them to understand work a careful glossary, explaining to the reader
to the full what this great struggle really was, the use of terms unfamiliar to original English
and how far-reaching have been its conse- philosophy, or wrested from their proper signi-
quences.
EDWARD G. MASON. ficance by the exigencies of translation. Such
a glossary, possibly in the form of foot notes,
should accompany every translation of a German
philosopher; and it is to be regretted that one
is not to be found in this.
HARTMANN'S PHILOSOPHY OF THE UN-
Without it, the
CONSCIOUS.*
English reader will inevitably be misled by the
perhaps unavoidable rendering of Willkür by
The “Philosophy of the Unconscious,” after "free-will,” of Anschauung by “intuition,”
passing through nine editions in Germany, now and of Vorstellung by “idea.”
appears for the first time in an English dress. The translation, while not slavishly literal, is
The translation, as translations from the Ger on the whole correct. I have marked a number
man run, is a good one. Its strength lies in of inaccuracies, on which captious criticism
the literary tact with which it is accomplished; might dwell ; but in the majority of instances
its weakness in a somewhat deficient apprecia- they do not materially affect the meaning, and
tion of logical sequence and exact stress of seem to have been admitted from stylistic con-
relative emphasis. The difficulty of rendering siderations. The error in Vol. I., p. 77, is of
in tolerable English the strange vocabulary of another character, however, and shows that the
German ontological speculation generally, and translator's weakness lies in his insufficient
the cumbersome awkwardness of Hartmann's grasp of the thought of his author when ob-
style in particular, is enormous; and of this
Hartmann is endeavoring to prove that,
task Mr. Coupland has acquitted himself very between the conscious volition to lift a finger
creditably. In the translation of an obscure and the accomplished act, we are obliged to
philosophic work, however, there is one thing assume an unconscious volition (coupled with
more important than good' English, or even an unconscious idea) to hit just that nerve
than formally correct and grammatical render-
end in the brain which initiates the desired
ings of the original sentences, -- and this is the movement. His words and punctuation are
bringing out of the exact logical and philosophic (7th ed., I., p. 66): “Gegeben ist ein Wille,
meaning It is simply impossible for the dessen Inhalt die bewusste Vorstellung des
English reader to understand a philosophic Fingerhebens ist; erforderlich als Mittel zur
work translated by the literary methods that Ausführung ein Willensimpuls auf den
would produce an exquisite version of a novel bestimmten Punct P im Gehirn; gesucht die
or of a history. In no two languages are the Möglichkeit, wie dieser Willensimpuls gerade
connotations of the philosophic vocabulary the nur den Punct P und keinen andern treffe.”
same; and the greater part of international In the translation (I., 77) we read: “A will is
philosophic criticism is a game of cross pur-
given whose content is the conscious idea of the
poses brought about by imperfect recognition lifting of a finger, indispensable as means for
of this fact. The ideal translator, therefore, executing a voluntary impulse at the fixed
having fully mastered the thought of every point P in the brain ; required a method by
paragraph of his author, and having acquired which the voluntary impulse may strike pre-
a complete command over the resources of the cisely the point P and no other." From this
somewhat limited philosophic vocabulary actu-
the English reader would conclude that the
ally employed by reputable English thinkers, conscious idea is contemplated as the means of
will bring out the meaning of his text at any executing the impulse at P, whereas both text
cost of deviation from the grammatical struc and argument show that it is the impulse at P
ture of the original sentences, or from the dic- which is to be regarded as the indispensable
means of realizing the conscious volition and
its correspondent idea. Such essential errors
mann. Speculative Results According to the Inductive Method
are rare, but evidences of a defective feeling
of Physical Science. Authorized translation, by W. C. Coupland,
M.A., B.Sc.
on the part of the translator for the proper
scure.
* PHILOSOPHY OF THE UNCONSCIOUS. By Eduard Von Hart-
In three volumes.
New York: Macmillan & Co.


238
[Jan.,
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seems
emphasis and position of illative particles, occur to us which no association of ideas
adverbs, and qualifying or limiting terms, are to explain; we are elated or de-
too frequent. There is space for but one trifling pressed in mood without knowing why. To
illustration. Hartmann (I., 238) says, in a cer fill these gaps, we assume intermediate links of
tain connection, that a brief consideration of thought and feeling which do not fall within
creative phantasy, and hence of phantasy or the series of consciousness, and to obtain posi-
imagination generally (der Phantasie oder tive evidence for them we resort to the other
Einbildungskraft überhaupt), seems indis or physical series. Following the analogies of
pensable. In the translation (I., 275) this is relation between known conscious states and
rendered: “A short consideration of the physical conditions, the physiologist tells us
creative fancy, and consequently of fancy or that the despondent mood may be caused by
imagination, seems in general indispensable." the incubation of a disease in the system—the
But it is time to turn from the translation to sudden flash of thought may be struck out
the work itself, and to give the reader the few from a number of unconscious ideas corre-
hints for its intelligent comprehension that may sponding to a fevered state of the brain. The
be compressed into this brief space.
only object of all this is to enable us to pre-
An unconscious idea is, as Locke's good dict and deal with the states of the conscious
sense pointed out, a contradiction in terms. His series by observation of physical facts. To in-
own consciousness is for every man the Prota- terpolate unconscious ideas as correlative of the
gorean measure of all things, and the language physical series, is to employ a purely imagin-
we employ can have no meaning for us except ary if convenient formula. As a formula, how-
in terms of consciousness. When we speak of ever, it has proved very useful. The most con-
unconscious ideas, the real facts involved are venient way of stating the relations and anal-
certain contingencies, or certain modifications of ogies between many physiological facts not ob-
ourselves more or less probable and thinkable, viously connected with our conscious ideas and
which we believe would involve the interpola- other facts that are so connected, is to declare
tion in the series that makes up consciousness them the correlates of unconscious ideas or
of other ideas than those we actually have. volitions. Beginning with the human brain,
But, unless they actually are so interpolated, this method descends to the reflex actions of
they have no psychologic reality whatsoever, lower nerve centers, and to the involuntary
except as conscious ideas about possible ideas. functions of animal and vegetative life. Thence
It has often been pointed out, however, that the transition to animals is easy. The instincts
enlargements of the use of received terminol of the higher animals, exaggerated by scien-
ogy, even to the extent of apparent self-contra tific credulity, afford abundant opportunity for
diction, are justifiable in proportion as they the interpolation of unconscious ideas between
provide useful formulas, or enable us to detect conscious states whose causal connection is not
and classify valuable analogies. Addition to clear; the divisible vitality of some lower forms
the ordinary consciousness implies increase, of animal existence seems to prove that the
and an addition that diminishes would seem to consciousness or unconsciousness of its feel-
be a contradiction in terms. In algebra, how | ings is a mere accident in the life of an ani-
ever, it is often found convenient to speak of mal. The two parts of a divided Australian
adding minus ten rather than of subtracting ant, it is said, immediately engage in a death
ten. The term “multiplication” has been struggle, and the animal seems to have ac-
given a similar paradoxical extension of mean quired two consciousnesses.
ing in the new mathematical doctrine of The method shows itself of equally wide ap-
quaternions. It is in this way that the formula plication in the domains of psychology, history
unconscious idea” has justified itself to some and sociology. Sir William Hamilton, whose
extent by its convenience in physiological priority is insufficiently recognized by Hart-
psychology. Man presents himself under two mann, employs unconscious ideas, or, as he
aspects : a series of states of consciousness prefers to phrase it, unconscious mental mod-
and a series of grouped physical states. ification, to explain latent memory, subtle as-
These two series, Taine, assuming their perfect sociation of ideas, and acquired dexterities and
parallelism in every member, compares to a habits. Hartmann, however, after ample il-
text and its translation. The object of the lustration of this phase of the question, passes
physiological and psychological sciences is to on to the larger life of communities and of
read consecutively both texts, supplying the mankind, and whenever the actions of one,
blurred, indistinct passages of each by means of or the combined action of number, issue
the other. Now the series of conscious states in results not contemplated by the individual,
presents gaps and breaches of causal conti- whether in sexual love, in the formation
nuity which no ingenuity of psychologic anal- of languages, or in the historical movements of
ysis has been able to bridge. Thoughts nations, he declares the result achieved to have


1885.]
239
THE DIAL
been willed in advance by an unconscious voli- stated, lies in the assumption of the perfect
tion, and represented by an unconscious idea. parallelism of the mental and physical series,
Such is the fundamental conception which in the assumption that every psychical event,
had deeply impressed itself upon the mind whatever its inherent substantial nature, is
of Von Hartmann, when, at the age of twenty- theoretically capable of being formulated in
seven, he published his work; and his great but terms of definitely picturable physical condi-
sole merit is that he popularized this idea and tions. Now, had Hartmann merely insisted
illustrated it by a wide if somewhat superficial that by extending the analogies of conscious-
array of facts from the desmesnes of physiol ness we may regard every physical state in the
ogy, psychology, and the historic and æsthetic universe as on its obverse side an indissoluble
sciences. Had Hartmann contented himself union of a definite unconscious volition with a
with this, he would have been known as an definite unconscious idea, he would have been
estimable and suggestive writer in certain de indulging in a very harmless amusement. But
partments of psychology and physiology. He, in his eagerness to dower his Unconscious with
however, worked his idea up into a colossal | the Hegelian logic as well as with the Schopen-
metaphysical system, manufactured out of hauerian force and feeling, he has repeatedly
ant, Hegel, and Schopenhauer, and set off by separated his unconscious ideas, purposes, and
a ridiculous parody of the Schopenhauerian designs, from all relation to definite members
pessimism, and awoke one morning to find of the physical series, and either left them in a
himself famous. Taking the negative concept, state of aimless pervasion, like disembodied
the Unconscious, abstracted from all these anal- ghosts, or gathered them all up together in a
ogies, he erected it into an Absolute answering ubiquitous Unconscious that serves as a Deus
to Kant's Ding an sich, Spinoza's Substance, ex machina to explain everything, from cock.
Schopenhauer's Will, and, for that matter, to and-bull stories about animal instinct to“ telep-
Herbert Spencer's Unknowable, or to any other athy" and kinds of "gain giving" that would
abstraction positive or negative that the philoso- puzzle a woman. The worst of it is that he
phers have chosen to set up as a symbol for attempts to support this method by a ridicu-
things in general. This reality he put lous bit of mathematical charlatanry, wherein,
through all the evolutions that no self-respect after positing a finite number of physical con-
ing German Absolute can be without. Being a ditions instead of an infinite one, and after
large-minded eclectic, however, he was de- assuming that these conditions do not explain
termined to conciliate all opposing tendencies, the phenomenon to be accounted for, he makes
and to omit nothing suggested by previous a show of estimating by the calculus of proba-
philosophers. Since Kant, the Germans had bilities how far short the explanation comes on
been busy trying to attach knowable attributes certain further quantitative assumptions. On
to Kant's Unknowable Ding an sich. Fichte this topic, Lange has said the last word.
called it the Me, Schelling the identity of Sub When the South Sea Islanders are puzzled by
ject and Object, Schopenhauer the Will, Hegel something not dreamed of in their philosophy,
the Absolute Idea which goes into otherness they vociferate vigorously “Devil, Devil.”
and returns upon itself. Starting from Schopen- The Unconscious is Hartmann's "Devil, Devil.”
hauer, Hartmann found it easy to work these In conclusion a word must be said about the
all in. Schopenhauer, with what significance evolutions of Hartmann's Absolute, and about
it is not necessary to explain here, had pro- the famous or infamous pessimism. The world
nounced the essential identity of the forces of must be essentially evil, as in Schopenhauer,
nature and our own Will as revealed to us in and must be the product of a deeply laid logical
pleasure and pain. Upon this, Hartmann plot, as in Hegel. A designing Unconscious
argues that, just as every conscious volition is must have a design. The awful poet of Mr.
accompanied by a conscious idea of the thing Edgar Fawcett's “Rutherford” startles us
willed, so, when we extend the analogy of will with the scheme of a grotesquely blasphemous
to other forces, we must couple with it the un poem on the theme, “God has committed
conscious idea. If the gravitating stone is suicide.” This is just what Hartmann's God
drawn to the earth by its desire, it must be the Unconscious Universe proposes to do with
guided by an idea of the exact spot it wishes to the aid of civilized man, or whatsoever higher
strike. Literally, and against Schopenhauer, product the æons may evolve. Hartmann de-
this argument holds good; but the enlargement stroys all the poetic beauty of Schopenhauer's
of neither term is valid literally, and the justi- magnificent statements of the spirit of ascetic
fication of the extension is the use made of it. pessimism, based on the essential negativity
That use in Schopenhauer, in spite of some and hollowness of all human desire and delight,
errors, is fundamentally sound; in Hartmann, and substitutes a demonstration of his own,
essentially misleading and sophistical. The consisting of a pedantic enumeration of all the
path' of scientific progress, as Lange has well | ills that Hesh is heir to and of all the depravi.


240
[Jan.,
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suns.
ties of inanimate objects. From these evils in the world ; that the deeds of Theseus and
there is no escape for the Unconscious and its Hercules are a baseless legend ; that prodigies
conscious manifestations until the latter have of valor, of endurance, of painful, protracted,
come, with Artemas Ward's Jefferson Davis, to unboastful, sublime achievement, are impossible
a realizing sense of the fact that it would have to this cultivated, emasculated age, let the
been ten dollars in their pockets if they had story of George W. Melville's exploits “In the
never been born. The development of this Lena Delta” be perused. It will still every
conviction is the object of the process of the complaint that culture is enfeebling mankind,
When the thoughts of men shall have and transform fears of the influence of science
been widened to perceive “dass alles was ent and independent inquiry into a stirring enthus-
steht ist werth dass es zu Grunde geht,” when iasm for the gallant, unflinching, unselfish, un-
the populous and highly developed civilizations ending sacrifices of which the men of to-day
of this or some other planet shall have accu are capable in advancing the various grand
mulated in themselves a preponderant majority causes that promise to serve humanity.
of the will and intelligence of the universe, Mr. Melville has made no bid for approba-
they will take counsel together, and, communi- tion in the recital of his adventures. It is as
cating by telephone, telegraphy, or telepathy, concise, unpretending and manly a narrative as
will at a given instant suddenly decree the de was ever rehearsed by the actor in a great and
struction of this universe by nitro-glycerine, harrowing tragedy. Without an effort to mag-
vril, esoteric Buddhist will-power, or whatsoever nify his part in the enterprise, or to enlist per-
engine more dire still science may then have sonal sympathy, with even a playful, humorous
placed in their hands. Like Omar Khayyám tossing off of some of the most distressing in-
and his love, they are to “ grasp this sorry cidents, he rehearses the scenes through which
scheme of things entire," and "shatter it to he and his brave comrades passed in the
bits.” Since, like Samson, they will be involved doomed voyage of the “Jeannette,” and the sub-
in the ruin they have wrought, they will pre. sequent search in the Siberian wilderness. It
sumably be unable to "re-mould it nearer to the is an unparalleled chapter in the history of
heart's desire." In the meantime, as Benedict Polar exploration, depicting incredible trials of
saith, “the world must be peopled.” Pending hardship and suffering in strong and graphic
the arrival of the cosmic hari-kari, the pessi- language.
mist will marry, bring up a family of children, The account of the voyage of the “Jean-
and do all in his power by energetic living to nette" to the Arctic sea, and of its helpless
help on the process. This may be a very sensi drifting in the ice for twenty-two months prior
ble conclusion, but there is certainly some lack to its final destruction, is condensed into a few
of intellectual seriousness in a mind that can pages, the record assuming completeness where
assign such reasons for it.
Nevertheless, I
at the separation of the three boats in the
would not take leave of Hartmann with a sneer. storm of September 12, 1881, Mr. Melville be-
Compared with the poetry of a great creative comes the only authoritative narrator of the
system like Schopenhauer's Welt als Wille und concluding tale. Yet the first swift sketch
Vorstellung, born of the travail and anguish of abounds in terse passages which spread the
a mighty spirit, this philosophy of the Uncon- whole story of peril and suffering vividly be.
scious seems indeed a sorry if ingenious piece fore the reader. What a picture of pain nobly
of patchwork. But in itself the book is replete borne is dashed off in these brief lines referring,
with interesting information, and as an instruct after the loss of the“ Jeannette,” to the laborious
ive repertory of German thought on a variety hauling of the boats and sleds over the ice on
of topics, is perhaps of even more value to the the road to the open sea, amid slush and wet
English reader than to the German, who can up to the knees :
more readily consult its authorities.
“ As far as our moccasins were concerned, there was
PAUL SHOREY. not a man in the working force at the end of the first
three weeks who wore a tight pair on his feet. Travel-
ling in summer-time through the water and wet
the raw-hide softens to the consistency of fresh
MELVILLE'S STORY OF THE “ LENA
tripe, and then-what with hands on the drag-rope and
DELTA." *
the slipping of feet on the pointed ice-moccasins are
soon gone. Many, many times after a day's march
If there is anywhere a feeling that the race
have I seen no less than six of my men standing with
their bare feet on the ice, having worn off the very soles
is degenerating ; that there are no more heroes
of their stockings. Many were the devices to which
we resorted in order to keep our feet from off the ice.
Commander DeLong and his companions. Followed by an account
At first we made soles by sewing patch upon patch of
of the Greely Relief Expedition, and a Proposed Method of
oog-joog.” Then we tried the leather of the par-
reaching the North Pole. By George W. Melville, Chief Engin- looms, but it was too slippery, as was also the sheet-
eer, U. S. N. Edited by Melville Philips. With Maps and Illus rubber, which some of the men had thrown away. We
Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Company.
used canvas; sewed our knapsack-straps into little
snow,
* IN THE LENA DELTA.
A narrative of the search for Lieut-
66
trations,


1885.
241
THE DIAL
costume.
patches for our heels and the balls of our feet; platted search for survivors of the “Jeannette." On
rope-yarns, hemp, and manilla into a similar protec- receipt of the first clue to the fate of Captain
tion, with soles of wood ; and platted whole mats the
shape of our feet. A large number marched with their
De Long, Mr. Melville started to fight his way
toes protruding through their moccasins ; some with to the spot where his commander was last
the uppers' full of holes, out of which the water and heard from. It was the 30th of October, and
slush spurted at every step. Yet no one murmured so
the plight in which the resolute leader set out
long as his feet were clear of the ice, and I have here
to say that no ship's company ever endured such severe
on the blind expedition is thus described :
toil with such little complaint. Another crew, per-
“I took with me the remains of what clothing I had
haps, may be found to do as well ; but better--never !"
saved from the retreat, consisting of the shreds of an
undershirt and pair of drawers which had done duty
The passage across the open sea from the
since June; a pair of thin cassimere trousers which I
ice fields to the first possible landing in the had not only used for months after leaving the ship,
Lena delta, occupied five days, during which
but had also worn in China during my cruise previous
the men in Mr. Melville's boat, cramped in the
to joining the ‘Jeannette,' and the legs of which were
now lopped off below the knees to furnish material for
confined space, were exposed to the fury of a patching and quilting that portion of a man's nether
terrible storm and an incessant drenching by garment soonest inclined to decay; footless stockings,
the waves. They were destitute of fresh water seal-skin moccasins, a blue flannel shirt which I had
and had a scanty allowance of food. At last
worn for a year, and my old seal-skin coat, shrunk,
shriveled, full of holes and devoid of lining. These with
they moored the boat in a little cove, and, dis-
a fur cap and a pair of canvas mittens completed my
embarking, attempted to stretch their limbs.
“I say attempted,” writes Mr. Melville, “for
His rations comprised “perhaps five pounds
most of us were powerless to control them. As of bread, some tea, a pound of pemmican,” and
for feeling in feet and legs, we had none ; and
a lot of frozen fish. The thermometer ranged
my fingers could not perceive the difference in
from 10° to 20° below zero, and his first jour-
size between a rope and a needle.” Taking ney was to extend over several days.
possession of a vacant hut, they crowded
Many of the experiences which Melville went
around the quickly-kindled fire, and were through during that appalling winter make
happy, despite the chinks in the tumble-down
even the reader shrink. How mortal man
walls which were a scarcely better protection
could endure the strain is a surprise. He
than a rail fence." Then the wrecked party
braved every hardship : remorseless weather,
talked of the perils of the past and the terrors
of the future, until the torturing pains in days, the pangs of hunger, the life of a savage
frozen members, sleepless nights, laborious
frozen hands, feet and legs made rest intoler-
in a Siberian desert, often alone and unsup-
.able. Mr. Melville writes :
ported save by his indomitable spirit, and never
“Our legs, upon examination, presented a terribly
pausing until the remains of Captain De Long
swollen appearance, being frozen from the knees down; and his party were recovered. Melville's com-
and those places where they had previously been so panions nobly supported their part of the
frozen and puffed as to burst such moccasins as were
ordeal, and everywhere he testifies generously
not already in tatters, or force the seams into gaps
corresponding to the cracks in our bleeding hands and
to their high-hearted conduct; but as the leader
feet, were now in a frightful condition. The blisters of a desperate enterprise, work and responsi.
and sores had run together, and our flesh become as bility devolved on him which could not be
sodden and spongy to the touch as though we were
shared.
afflicted with the scurvy. To move caused us the most
excrutiating agony. Packed closely together in the It is not my purpose to follow the narrative
hut, crippled, and nearly blinded by the smoke, it was of Mr. Melville. I aim merely to give some
no wonder that in staggering about we trod uninten glimpses of his severe trials and unyielding
tionally upon each other's feet. I had removed my
fortitude.
moccasins, and one of the men, in re-entering, planted
The nights which he passed
his whole weight upon my left foot; the skin gave way
encamped in the snow were accompanied by
from the ankle down, and shot my friend (or enemy incidents such as here described :
for the time being) off to one side, like a ship slipped
from its greased launching way.”
“For an hour or two we slept fairly well, but long
before daylight we were so chilled that, for my part,
The record is one long chronicle of similar
I felt as though I could never stretch myself again.
Indeed, as was often my experience, when I first lay
miseries, borne apparently without a murmur or
down I was very cold, but with my blood flowing freely
a groan. After the landing described above, and the heat of my body confined within the bag, I soon
weeks ensued of helpless detention in this became quite warm and comfortable, save at the feet,
frozen, pathless wilderness. The thin, worn
where, to be sure, I never succeeded in inducing much
heat. And so in a little while, overcome by the genial
clothing of the men, their terrible privation of
glow of my body, I fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of
food and necessaries of every sort, the condition long, weary marches; and as the snow sifted into the
of their frozen limbs which compelled them rents of my old battered sleeping-bag and thawed upon
often to crawl on their hands and knees, and
my neck or face, I brushed it off as though troubled by
a persistent mosquito. But in the course of five or six
the terrible inclemency of the weather, rendered
hours, when camping thus, the limbs of the sleeper
futile all efforts of succor for themselves or of
begin to cramp, his body is chilled, the snow has drifted


242
[Jan.,
THE DIAL
up the sleeves and around the collar of his jacket, he civilization, and are now essentially the same
grows restless, and finally awakes with a jump as
that they were when Coronado first made them
though branded with a hot iron. For the snow has
familiar with the faces of white men. A unique
melted under his jacket, the bag and body are about
freezing, the wet sleeve has indeed frozen fast to his phase of civilization is to be studied here, and
bare wrists, and in his haste to remove the burning we cannot be too thankful for the deserts, the
jacket from his irritated flesh, he tears off the blistered rugged mountains, the barren plains, the fron-
skin, leaving a raw spot to scab and fester and fill up
with reindeer 'feathers' (hairs)."
tier wilderness, that have preserved it for us.
It is a piece of good fortune, too, that, just at
Mr. Melville returned from the disastrous
the time that these secluded tribes were made
expedition of the "Jeannette” in the autumn of accessible, before the scramble of emigration
1882. The history he has here published of could begin, there should be found just the
the events in which he was the chief figure, right men to undertake their study, and that
was in progress during the opening months of
these competent students should be backed by
the present year, but the final chapters were
written on board the “ Thetis,” for the daring organizations. Even Mr. Bandelier and Mr.
a sufficiency of means and by well-administered
explorer had again volunteered to encounter Cushing would have been unable to accomplish
the dangers of an Arctic voyage.
This time
so brilliant results but for the aid of the Smith-
his mission was the relief of the party under
sonian Institution, the American Institute of
Lieutenant Greely, which proved to be as ill. Archæology, and the Peabody Museum. Never
fated as the one with whose fortunes he had so
was money better invested and more judiciously
lately been identified.
An account of the Greely Relief Expedition expended in the endowment of research.
Captain Bourke has shown himself a worthy
is appropriately annexed by him to the sorrow-
coadjutor of these able investigators ; he, too,
ful tale of the “Jeannette,” and adds one more
story of brilliant enterprise and tragie defeat being backed by a powerful and well'adminis
story of brilliant enterprise and tragic defeat tered organization, the United States army,
to the annals of scientific and nautical investi-
for the army is very potent upon the frontier,
gation in the frozen seas. Still not content
and it appears more than once that his success
with his arduous experiences in Arctic explora-
tion, Mr. Melville proposes a new plan for before was due to the belief that he was sent
in seeing things that no white man ever saw
reaching the north pole which he believes to by the Great Father at Washington (see espec-
be feasible and which he is determined to carry
ially pages 182–183). He has written a book
out. There will very probably be found the of remarkable interest, as well as value. He
men and means for equipping the desired has not Mr. Cushing's picturesque style, nor
expedition, for the craving to wrest the last
Mr. Bandelier's profound scholarship; but he
secrets from the possession of nature is insatiate has excellent powers of observation, enjoyed
in the human heart. No man is better fitted to exceptional opportunities, and tells his story
conduct explorations in the northern zone than
with animation and humor.
Chief Engineer Melville ; and though we may
We have called this a unique phase of soci-
deprecate the suffering and loss of life they ety. It is, in truth, a melancholy remains of a
entail, such voyages are not an utter waste so
very remarkable civilization, which extended
long as they leave behind records of a daunt-
from Arizona to Peru, and which elsewhere was
less, deathless valor, that exalts our whole race.
ruthlessly trampled out by the savage bigotry
SARA A. HUBBARD.
of the Spanish conquerors. Of course there
are other parts of the world which are in this
same “Middle Status of Barbarism," as Mr.
Morgan calls it. But, in the first place, all
CAPTAIN BOURKE'S NARRATIVE OF THE
other communities of this class have been so
MOQUIS INDIANS.*
long exposed to the influences of civilization
It is a matter of congratulation, in the scien-
that they have moved much further from purity
of type than is the case with the Village Indi-
tific study of primitive institutions, that the
· Village Indians” of New Mexico and Arizona shows, the western continent presents a remark-
ans; and, in the next place, as Mr. Morgan
have remained to this day comparatively able divergence from the eastern at just this
untouched by the disintegrating influences of point of social progress, owing to the posses-
sion of maize, a cereal much better adapted
* THE SNAKE-DANCE OF THE MOQUIS OF ARIZONA: Being a Nar-
rative of a Journey from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the Villages of
than any other to promote rapid progress in
the Moquis Indians of Arizona. With a description of this civilization. While, therefore, the nations of
peculiar People, and especially of the revolting religious rite,
the eastern continent at this stage became
the Snake-Dance ; to which is added a brief dissertation upon
Serpent-Worship in general with an account of the Tablet herdsmen and nomads — through their posses-
Dance of the Pueblo of Santo Domingo, New Mexico, etc.
sion of the animals best adapted for domesti-
John G. Bourke, Captain Third u. 8. Cavalry.
cation — the natives of Central America became
Ву
New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons.


1885.]
243
THE DIAL
water,'"
prevailingly agriculturists. It is noteworthy, logical Institute, 1883, p. 21), in a form which
in this book and Mr. Cushing's writings, how appears to show that it is an artificial grouping
prominent a part is taken by maize in the life of gentes, and not, as Mr. Morgan held, a
and the religious ceremonies of these people: natural outgrowth, the result of “segmenta-
an interesting confirmation of Mr. Morgan's tion.” Inheritance is in the female line. A
theory.
very interesting example of the gentile system
This being the case, we should expect a more is found in the “Nation of the Willows (Ha-
rapid advance, in this agricultural people, to in-va-su-pai), described by Mr. Cushing in the
dividual ownership of the soil. The tribes are “Atlantic Monthly” (October, 1882); which be-
stationary --“ sedentary” is the word used- longs entirely to the gens of the Coyote-
and each tribe no doubt has fixed boundaries. evidently an isolated settlement of members of
But, although cultivation of the soil and own this gens—and for this reason has inheritance
ership of its fruits are individual, the land it in the male line.
self does not appear to be the object of proper The description of the remarkable ceremony
ty at all.
“An Indian never acquires real es which gives its name to the book is too long to
tate according to our knowledge of the term. quote, and an abstract would fail to do it
He has a possessory right in every strip of land justice. It certainly gives us a glimpse into
he may cultivate, so long as that cultivation the strangest and most primitive aspect of
continues; and no longer. The moment he va human life. The author has collected with
cates, any other member of the tribe may put great industry incidents and usages from other
in seed and gather the resulting harvest. As nations which throw light upon serpent wor-
an Indian expressed himself, "We don't own ship; he has overlooked, however, the frequent
the ground any more than we own the air and belief in descent from a serpent even in fully
(p. 261)--certainly the natural and historical times-for example, Scipio Africanus
probably the universal way of looking at the and Augustus. It is certain that the serpent
thing in primitive society. “No such system was, among the ancients, associated with the
as communism,” he says, “is recognized by our genius or in-dwelling spirit of the man; and
native tribes.
They are co-operative in that—while it may, as among the Moquis,
all their labors, whether as hunters, herders, or rank as one totem out of many—its cult is far
tillers of the soil ; but each man gathers the more wide-spread and important than that of
spoils of his individual skill and daring, or the any other animal.
fruits of his own industry." In this denial of One cannot help wondering what will be the
communism, Captain Bourke admits that he is fate of these peculiar tribes, now that civiliza-
“ antagonizing the position maintained by Mor tion is at last invading them ; for Captain
gan.” Mr. Morgan, however, in the first re Bourke approached their country by the At-
port of the Archæological Institute (p. 45), lantic & Pacific Railroad. Being cultiva-
only asserts it as a probability, so far as the Vil tors of the soil, they are not, like the savage
lage Indians are concerned ; and Mr. Ban tribes of the north, spread thinly over an im-
delier, in the fifth report of the same society mense area; but apparently use all the arable
(p. 78), confirms Captain Bourke's views by the land there is. There cannot, then, be much
statement that the communal houses at present room for emigrants. We must expect, how-
inhabited in these pueblos are of recent origin, ever, to see them crowded and defrauded in
resorted to for purposes of defence, their an the same way, if not in the same degree, as the
cestors having lived in small houses and scat-northern tribes; but, it is to be hoped, not
tered villages.
with the
same result.
Their religion and
The gentile or clan organization is found tribal institutions, too, must in time give way
among all these tribes; and it is noted as an to the influences about them. They resisted the
important fact that the totems are almost as missionary efforts of the Spaniards three hun-
often inanimate as animate objects.
Thus we
dred years ago; perhaps now they may suc-
find among the Moquis, corn, tobacco, water, cumb to the arguments of the Mormons, their
pork, as well as butterfly, eagle, rattlesnake, near neighbors, who appear from this book to
and coyote. This fact Captain Bourke thinks be very popular among them. And yet Mr.
disproves the theory that the gens believes Cushing tells of the visit of a band of Mormon
itself descended from its totem; but certainly, missionaries to the Ha-va-su-pai.
“ The In-
in the primitive aspect of nature there is dians received the little band of Saints sus-
nothing surprising in the idea of descent from piciously, and listened gravely to their preach-
a plant, as well as an animal, and there are ing; then, rising, escorted them to the trail
several instances of Indians claiming kinship leading out of the canon, and directed them on
with their totem. The phratric organization is their way, but assured them that their visit
not mentioned by Captain Bourke; it is asserted, might be repeated only under penalty of death."
however, by Mr. Bandelier (Bulletin of Archæo The book is a very handsome one (printed


244
[Jan.,
THE DIAL
66
in Edinburgh), and is illustrated with thirty- feebleness of our meaner lives. Lanier was
one full-page plates, many of them colored to born in Georgia in 1842, received an early col-
represent dresses, etc. A map would have lege education which he calls “farcical,” was a
been acceptable; and the index, though service college tutor, and served five years in the rebel
able, is far from complete. We have noticed army as a private soldier. After the war, he
among misprints, convade for couvade (p. 236.) married, and practiced law at Macon until
W. F. ALLEN. 1872, when he removed to Baltimore. Here
began his real literary career ; and began also
the final stage of his unequal and life-long
struggle with ill-health and ill-fortune. His
SIDNEY LANIER.*
only opportunities for literary work were in the
intervals of relief from acute bodily pain and
The poems of Sidney Lanier, as now pre- wasting illness ; and he bore also upon his
sented for the first time in complete form, must feeble hands but strong heart the burden of
prove a genuine surprise and a great pleasure support for himself and his growing family.
to all persons of poetic sensibilities. From his During this period he was never well, and ofteņ
fragmentary pieces, Lanier has long been known months together were passed on the sick
as a writer of marked originality, capable of bed. Yet the labor he performed -- teaching,
strong and lasting work. But his poems taken lecturing, writing, - was prodigious. The
together give a distinct impression of unsus struggle, says his biographer, was
as brave
pected power. They are not many, but they and sad as the history of genius records.” It
form a remarkable body of poetry, in which the was a "fight for standing-room on the planet,"
reader quickly feels the influence of a new and for simple leave to utter his message to man-
rare poetic force. One needs only to read kind. But it was a fight against too great
“Hymns of the Marshes," "Individuality,” orodds; and in 1881 it was ended by his death
“Clover," to be impressed with the author's from consumption.
exalted purpose and the sincerity and mastery From the life of such a man to his work is
of his execution. He is singularly free from but an easy step. His life was his work, and
imitation-although in a certain largeness of his work was his life. In his own lines
theme, felicity and unconventionality of verse
“ His song was only living aloud,
effects, and especially in a proneness to grapple
His work, a singing with his hand."
with the intellectual problems of his time, there Lanier was no trifler. He indeed "wrought
is perhaps a suggestion of the influence of in a sad sincerity.” Life to him was too tragic,
Tennyson. “The Symphony” of Lanier may and its opportunities too precious, to be frit-
recall some parts of "Maud”; but the younger tered on unworthy things. Hence his serious-
poet's treatment is as much his own as the ness of motive, and the entire absence from his
elder's is his own. The comparison of Lanier verse of anything like poetie millinery. Hence
with Tennyson will, indeed, only deepen the also we find him insisting so strenuously on a
impression of his originality, which is his most moral purpose in art. “He who has not yet
striking quality. It may be doubted if any perceived how artistic beauty and moral beauty
English poet of our time, except Tennyson, has are convergent lines which run back into a com-
cast his work in an ampler mould, or wrought mon ideal origin, and who therefore is not
with more of freedom, or stamped his product afire with moral beauty just as with artistic
with the impress of a stronger personality. His beauty, — he, in short, who has not come to
thought, his standpoint, his expression, his that stage of quiet and eternal frenzy in which
form, his treatment, are his alone; and through the beauty of holiness and the holiness of
them all he justifies his right to the title of beauty mean one thing, burn as one fire, shine
poet.
as one light within him, he is not yet the
Scarcely less engaging than his poetry is the great artist.” This moral conviction and this
story of Lanier's life. As outlined by his biog- supreme earnestness show throughout his work.
rapher Dr. Ward, it is a life of singular man Not that all his pieces have equal or great
liness and purity, of consecration to high ideals, merit ; some of them, especially among the
of fortitude in trial, heroism in suffering, earlier ones, show clearly enough that he did
unfaltering purpose, and achievement in the
not altogether escape Wordsworth’s besetting
face of difficulties that might well appall. His danger of mistaking devout moral purpose for
character is scarcely less inspiring than his genuine artistic impulse. But in Lanier's case
poetry ; in the presence of so fine and brave a this, endency decreased as he gained in knowl-
spirit, we are shamed by the grossness and edge of himself and of his art, and his later
productions are almost entirely free from it.
He was a moralist before he was a poet; and
morial by William Hayes Ward. New York : Charles Scribner's
though he came slowly to an understanding of
* POEMS OF SIDNEY LANIER. Edited by his Wife. With a Me-
Sons.


1885.)
245
THE DIAL
his art, it was an understanding singularly Oh, what if a sound should be made !
Oh, what if a bound should be laid
acute and clear. He saw that the modern poet
To this bow-and-string tension of beauty and silence a-spring,--
who would be great must not alone possess To the bend of beauty the bow, or the hold of silence the string !
sense of beauty, and love of truth, and gifts of
I fear me, I fear me yon dome of diaphanous gleam
Will break as a bubble o'erblowa in a dream,
wisdom, but must call to his aid knowledge.
Yon dome of too-tenuous tissues of space and of night,
His shrewd observation about Poe -- that bis Over-weighted with stars, over-freighted with light,
great trouble was, he did not know enough is Over-sated with beauty and silence, will seem
But a bubble that broke in a dream,
suggestive. Lanier was resolved to “know
If a bound of degree to this grace be laid,
enough” to be a poet. Aside from his poetic Or a sound or a motion made."
gifts, his acquirements were remarkable. He
The "Ballad of Trees and the Master" is a
was a deep student, in literature, in languages, poem that few readers will pass lightly by :
in music, in science and philosophy.
He
spared himself no pains in getting at the root
"Into the woods my Master went,
Clean forspent, forspent.
of any matter that engaged him. Wishing to
Into the woods my Master came,
formulate and classify, more definitely than Forspent with love and shame.
had been done before, the physical properties
But the olives they were not blind to Him,
The little gray leaves were kind to Him;
of poetry, and with a view to establishing a
The thorn-tree had a mind to Him
more truly scientific basis for poetic criticism,
When into the woods He came.
he wrote in 1880 his remarkable and laborious
"Out of the woods my Master went,
work on “The Science of English Verse,"
And He was well content.
Out of the woods my Master camo,
which, whatever may be its ultimate effect upon
Content with death and shame.
the settlement of the obscure problems involved,
When Death and Shame would woo Him last,
certainly cannot be overlooked by any future From under the trees they drew Him last;
'Twas on a tree they slew Him-last
writer on the subject. He wished thoroughly to
When out of the woods He came."
analyse his own poetic processes, as one who
The “Psalm of the West,” one of Lanier's
“slowly draws
From Art's unconscious act Art's conscious laws."
most ambitious efforts, is noticeable as con-
He apparently yielded himself freely to his the battle of Lexington--strong in fibre, sim-
taining the best short poem that we have on
poetic impulses, but he was not one of those
who mistake hysteria for inspiration.
ple, dignified, fitting the theme so well as to
He
deserve to rank with Emerson's “Embattled
insisted on the fullest responsibility of the
Farmers.” The fine poem called “Clover"
poet, as of any artist, for his work; and per-
has a passage that we cannot forbear to quote,
haps nowhere is this better stated than in these
as affording not only a good example of the
fine lines from the poem called “Individual-
poet's versification, but an insight into his men-
ity":
tal attitude toward some of his life-problems.
" Awful is Art because 'tis free.
In it he describes a summer-field of clover
The artist trembles o'er his plan
Where men his Self must see;
blossoms, which, as he watches them, change
Who made a song or picture, he
in his poetic fancies to
Did it, and not another, God nor man.
“fair stately heads of men,
“ My Lord is large, my Lord is strong ;
With poet's faces
Giving, He gave : my me is mine.
Dante, Keats, Chopin,
How poor, how strange, how wrong,
Raphael, Lucretius, Omar, Angelo,
To dream He wrote the little song
Beethoven, Chaucer, Schubert, Shakespeare, Bach.
I made to Him with love's unforced design !
And further on, bright throngs unnamable
Of workers worshipful, nobilities
Oh, not as clouds dim laws have plann'd
In the Court of Gentle Service, silent men,
Dwellers in woods, brooders on helpful art,
To strike down Good and fight for Ill,
And all the press of them, the fair, the large,
Oh, not as harps that stand
That wrought with beauty."
In the wind and sound the wind's command :
Each artist - gift of terror!-owns his will.
As he recognizes these, and addresses them lov-
Pass, kinsmun Cloud, now fair and mild:
ingly,
Discharge the will that's not thine own.
“Now comes the Course-of-things, shaped like an Os,
I work in freedom wild,
Slow browsing o'er my hillside, ponderously-
But work, as plays a little child,
The huge-brawned, tame, and workful Course-of-things,
Sure of the Father, Self, and Love, alone."
That hath his grass, if earth be round or flat ;
And hath his grass, if empires plunge in pain,
Yet with all the moral and intellectual force
Or faiths flash out. This cool, unasking Ox
with which his poetry was charged, Lanier had Comes browsing o'er my hills and vales of Time,
And thrusts me out his tongue, and curls it, sharp
caught the secret of a wondrous melody. In
And sicklewise, about my poets' heads,
his volume there are poems and passages that And twists them in, all-Dante, Keats, Chopin,
in lyric sweetness recall the best of Keats and Raphael, Lucretius, Omar, Angelo,
Beethoven, Chaucer, Schubert, Shakespeare, Bach,
Shelley; as these lines, from the poem on “Sun-
And Buddha, in one sheat-and champs and chews,
rise”:
With slantly-churning jaws, and swallows down;
+


246
[Jan.,
THE DIAL
His ex-
Then slowly plants a mighty forefoot out,
BRIEFS OF NEW BOOKS.
And makes advance to futureward, one inch.
So: they have played their part.
And to this end!
The Life of Mary Wollstonecraft, as related by
This, God! This, troublous-breeding Earth? This, Sun Elizabeth Robins Pennell for the “Famous Women
Of hot, quick pains 9 To this no-end that ends,
Series” (Roberts Brothers), is an affecting story of
These Masters wrought, and wept, and sweated blood,
And burned, and loved, and ached with public shame,
the struggles and sorrows of a brave, earnest, self-
And found no friends to breathe their loves to, save
reliant woman, gifted with many talents, possessed
Woods and wet pillows ! This was all! This Ox!
of a tender and loving nature, and doomed to an
“ Nay," quoth a sum of voices in mine ear,
“God's clover, we, and feed his Course-of-things;
almost unvarying lot of privation, loneliness, toil,
The pasture is God's pasture; systems strange
ingratitude and misappreciation. As one of the first
Of food and fiberment He hath, whereby
of English women to protest against the wrongs
The general brawn is built for plans of His
To quality precise. Kinsman, learn this:
which oppressed her sex, Mary Wollstonecraft ex-
The artist's market is the heart of man;
cited the suspicion, the prejudice and the aversion
The artist's price, some little good of man.
which are the lot of every pioneer worker in the
Tease not thy vision with vain search for ends.
cause of humanity; and as one who dared to carry
The End of Means is art that works by love;
The End of Ends
in God's Beginning's lost."
out her principles in action, defying the customs of
society and the opinions of the public, she aroused a
It is good to find that with all of Lanier's
storm of censure and calumny which has prevailed
against her even to the present day. Her very name
hard experiences of life his poetry is free from
has been a synonym for shame and disgrace. But
any taint of cynicism. He made no complaints, the time has come when a just judgment can be pro-
uttered no cries of rage, hatred, or despair. nounced upon her, when the true interpretation of her
He had but too keen a vision for all that sad motives and conduct can be apprehended and rightly
ness and desolateness of humanity which is measured by the popular verdict. The generation
shown only to great souls gifted with “ the aw which has honored the genius and respected the
ful power of insight”; and he had, besides, his womanhood of George Eliot is prepared to treat with
own sufferings, which were terrible.
equity the virtues and errors of Mary Wollstonecraft.
periences brought him constantly face to face Shortly after her death, her husband, William God-
win, wrote her memoirs, in the vain hope of staying
with perhaps the hardest problem that can con-
the flood of ill-merited odium which was then poured
front an upright man: how, in a world ruled
upon her through all the channels of the press.
by Beneficence (as he believed), the most gen. After the lapse of three-quarters of a century, a
tle and loyal service could be so hideously re second defender appeared in Mr. C. Kegan Paul,
quited. This problem he must have settled, in who, in his biography of Godwin, and in his prefa-
his own way, and to his own peace of mind. tory introduction to Mary's letters to Imlay, has
Few men have ever faced more fearlessly those dealt in a fair and kindly spirit with the much
From these two
“clouds of human destiny" that Matthew maligned and injured woman.
Arnold praises Wordsworth for “putting by”.
sources, the present writer has drawn most of the
that were to Lanier not filmy vapors in a far-
facts relating to the history of Mary Wollstonecraft;
while from a study of the published works of the
off sky, but storm-clouds, full of wrath and latter she has derived essential aid to a clear under-
menace, lowering and beating down upon him.
standing of her character and abilities. Mrs. Pennell
It is sad to think of the fate of this supremely has performed her task as a biographer faithfully
striving, richly-gifted man; sad that such and well. The proportions of her memoir are neces-
forces as his should have been so little con sarily compressed, yet the due arrangement and
served—that an age so rich in the material adjustment of the various parts are carefully pre-
things for the want of which he perished, served. She writes with feeling, yet with candor
should be so blindly prodigal of that in which
and dignity, impressing one with the conviction that
it is so beggarly poor, genius. Saddest of all deserved. The result of her effort is not only an
the sympathy she accords her subject is thoroughly
is it to think of what he might have done, and interesting and touching narrative, but it is a timely
did not do. These poems—fragments finished and well-earned tribute to the memory of one who
at rare intervals as strength and opportunity out of her own wrongs and sufferings wrote the
conspired-beautiful as many of them are, treatise on “The Rights of Women,” which opened
show unmistakably that they do not represent the way for the progress to higher and better achieve-
their author's highest ideals or best capacity. ments of the women of all nations.
They are rather the preliminary trying of the
strings and testing of the notes of the poetic
The last collection of the delightful essays of
orchestra whose full harmony he never found John Burroughs, entitled “Fresh Fields" (Hough-
opportunity to sound. Yet how easily might ton, Mifflin & Co.), refers to the life and scenery of
that opportunity, for which his whole life was
Great Britain, as viewed by him in two different
visits.
spent in striving, have been afforded him. If
Several of the papers are confined to En-
in his brief career there is so rich a gain to Slish birds; one treats of British wild-flowers; one
,
of English woods; one speaks more comprehensively
American letters, how great may be the loss
of various aspects of nature in England; another
that he died so soon.
describes the Lake district immediately about
FRANCIS F. BROWNE. Wordsworth's home; and two are occupied with


1885.]
247
THE DIAL
as a
He pores
reminiscences of the life and writings of Thomas Kenjiu Kasawara, a young man of the same class, of
Carlyle. Of the inimitable charm of Mr. Burroughs' great promise, who died in 1883. We will mention
talks about nature, there is nothing new to say. as a praiseworthy feature of this collection of essays
They rank with those of Izaak Walton, Gilbert
-we are sorry to say, an unusual one--that the date
White, and our own Thoreau. Where he has learned is given at which each was written.
his captivating art of narration, is a mystery
kinsman of his has remarked, — for he is not a
scholar nor a reader in the usual sense.
Lady BRASSEY's books are luxurious records of
over a few books --Shakespeare, Emerson, Carlyle, luxurious journeys in her private yacht, the “Sun-
- and he studies the fair page of Nature, early and
beam,” to all inviting spots on the globe which can
late. He has contented himself with simple acquire- be reached by navigation. Much of her life is spent
ments, not striving for wide or varied information,
on the water, in a floating habitation as sumptuous
but taking time to question his own mind. As a
as any palace on land, where her family and friends
result, he has a good deal that is fresh and original tions, and the days are crowded with novel and
are entertained with ample and elegant accommoda-
to report from his observation; he has penetrating
and instructive thoughts to communicate, and a
exhilarating events. Her husband is a skilful
singularly rich, choice, expressive vocabulary at his
sailor, always in command of the vessel; she is a
command. The essay on Carlyle, under the title of clear-headed, stout-hearted, cheery, energetic, culti-
“A Sunday in Cheyne Row,' is the longest and vated woman, keen in observing and clever at
most important in the present collection.
It is a
describing. Her latest volume, “In the Trades, the
skilful analysis of the character of Carlyle, and a
Tropics, and the Roaring Forties” (Holt & Co.),
judicial estimate of the worth and quality of his
describes a tour to Madeira, Trinidad, Venezuela,
work. It is generous and unstinted in praise; and,
Jamaica, the Bahamas, Bermudas, and Azores, in
as the product of years of loving and profiting the three closing months of the year 1883. Besides
acquaintance with the books of the famous author,
Sir Thomas Brassey, Lady Brassey, and two daugh-
it will overbalance a multitude of the harsh and ters, there were seven guests on this voyage, among
hasty condemnations of Carlyle, as man and writer,
whom were Seymour Haden, the famous etcher, and
which have been put forth by superficial critics. Mr.
Mr. G. S. Shaw Lefevre, M.P. The crew and attend-
Burroughs is one of the limited number who appre-
ants comprised thirty-one persons. The “Sunbeam"
ciate the value of Mr. Froude's service as Carlyle's made a considerable stay at each of the points
literary executor. His “life of Carlyle, in its just named, which the travellers improved by daily
completed form,” he declares, “has no equal in
excursions inland, visiting all scenes of interest, and
There was
interest or literary value among biographies since enjoying every pleasure afforded them.
his master's life of Sterling."
nothing to interrupt the felicity of the party. Un-
toward weather was not in the least minded, and
there was every comfort and convenience which lavish
THE “Biographical Essays” of Max Müller
means can procure for the furtherance of such plans.
(Scribner) are, with one exception, the direct fruit of Lady Brassey's history of it all is like a story of
his oriental and linguistic studies. The one excep- fairy-land. She is an excellent narrator, writing
tion is a short but very interesting essay upon with ease and frankness, investing the minutest
Charles Kingsley, which ends the book. The last details with interest, and taking pains to make her
paper but one is upon the distinguished orientalist, statements trustworthy. Tho volume is published
Julius Mohl, the translator of the Shah Nameh of in handsome style, with copious illustrations after
Firdusi—" and of the six or seven great national drawings made by one of the travellers; it has also
epics of the world.” More than half of the volume an ample supply of maps, tables of statistics, an
(161 pages out of 278) is devoted to the two most index, etc.
distinguished natives of India of the present century
-Rammohun Roy and Keshub Chunder Sen. Both AMIDST the dreary rigors of a northern winter, it
of these are very interesting and instructive ; that of is pleasant to read such an “Idyl of the Summer
Chunder Sen, considerably the longest, is largely Islands" as that presented by Mrs. Julia C. R. Dorr
taken up with the affairs of the “Cutch Behar” mar in her little volume on Bermuda (Scribner). This
riage--the marriage of his daughter to the Mahrajah tiny speck of land in the midst of the Atlantic, the
of this country, an event which caused violent oppo most isolated habitable land on the globe, if we
sition and a split in the Brahma-Samaj, it being except the island of St. Helena, was visited by Mrs.
represented, untruly, as a "child marriage.” Of Dorr in the spring of 1883, and several weeks were
this affair Chunder Sen himself says (p. 110), in a given to the delights of idling in a climate where
letter to the author: “ It was very like a political summer reigns all the year and delicious ease and
marriage, such as you speak of. A whole kingdom abandon of life are induced by a nature prodigal in
wis to be reformed, and all my individual interests the supply of all material wants. Mrs. Dorr's
were absorbed in the vastness of God's saving account of this attractive resort is given in a pleas-
economy, or in what people would call public good. ant and familiar style, with enlivening personal
The Lord required my daughter for Cutch Behar, details, and sufficient fulness of information to sat-
and I surrendered her.” The remaining papers are isfy the needs of anyone meditating a flight thither.
upon Dayananda Sarasvati, the founder of the Arya We note that she mentions the area of the Bermuda
Samaj, “the most perverse interpreter of the Vedas;" Islands as nineteen square miles and their number
Bunyiu Nanjio, a young Buddhist priest from Japan, as three hundred and sixty-five; while Lady Brassey
on whom the University of Oxford has just [1884] places the area at forty-one square miles and the
.conferred the degree of M.A. honoris causa; and number at one hundred.


248
[Jan.,
THE DIAL
It requires a good deal of self-confidence for one This book meets a distinct want in our literature, in
who has not in any circumstance of life towered giving a good popular account of one of the great
eminently above his fellows, to publish an auto men of history.
biography at middle age, counting on a sufficiently
wide interest in himself to make it worth while. The biography of a man who, like Sir Moses
Mr. Edmund Yates, the author and journalist, has Montefiore, has filled a hundred years with deeds of
the necessary confidence, as his “Memoirs of a Man munificence,—who has been the benefactor of his
of the World" (Harpers) testify. In the pursuit race, and by active and incessant goodness and
of his calling, which has been attended with singular charity has won the gratitude and veneration of all
good-fortune, Mr. Yates has met, in one way or ranks of people, from the Queen on her throne to
another, many of the celebrities of his time, in his the lowest outcast among her subjects. —should be
own country, on the continent, and in America. written in a complete and adequate manner. The
Reminiscences of such interviews furnish excellent memoir prepared by Mr. Lucien Wolf (Harpers ), in
material for an attractive volume; but Mr. Yates commemoration of the hundredth birthday of Sir
does not rely upon this for the main substance of Moses, presents merely the outline of his career,
his book. It is the history of his own affairs with merely a hint of the large opportunity the subject.
which he is occupied; and he dwells upon them at affords for the narrative of a life replete with lessons
length. Except in the case of Dickens, to whom an in virtue and humanity. The history of Sir Moses
entire chapter is devoted, the noted personages with Montefiore is identified with the history of his people
whom he has come in contact are treated as of sec during a century past, not only in England but in
ondary importance. They are passed by with a all Europe and in Palestine. Mr. Wolf has had a.
brief allusion, or at most a short paragraph or a conception of the broad ground which the biography
hasty portrait. Mr. Yates has been a busy man all of Sir Moses covers, but the scope of his little-
his life. He has the hurried habits of a littérateur volume has not permitted him to carry it out with
who keeps a number of irons in the fire. Fulfilling the fulness it requires, nor has he disclosed the
the duties of an official in the London postoffice for necessary talent for the work. The duty remains to-
twenty-five years -- from the age of sixteen to forty- be performed-preferably by some able and loyal
one -- he was at the same time writing verses, Israelito-of portraying with suitable fervor and
stories, novels, dramatic reviews, editorials, every vigor the life of this remarkable man, and along with
sort of matter, in short, which is appropriate to a it the much needed history of the Jews in the several
newspaper. He was clever, versatile, ready, and countries of Europe in modern times. The writer
courageous, admirably qualified to be a successful who executes this task impartially and appropriately
caterer for the modern press; and such he has been, will perform a valuable service for the whole Hebrew
to an unusual degree. He is literally “a man of
the world,” knowing how to take it, how to enjoy it,
and how to make money out of it in a professional way A NEW volume by that industrious and useful
by adapting his work to its needs, its tastes, and writer, Dr. Samuel Smiles, presents a series of brief
whims.
biographies of skilful and ingenious artisans who, in.
the various industries in which steam is used as a
Mr. John L. STEVENS, late United States minister increasing its service and efficiency. Twelve chap-
motor-power, have introduced new appliances for
to Sweden, has made good use of the opportunities ters are ranged together in the present work, under
afforded by his residence in Stockholm, in preparing the caption of “Men of Invention and Industry
a history of Gustavus Adolphus (Putnam). It is an
octavo of 427 pages, with a good portrait of the chapters develop the history of ship-building in
(Harpers). The sketches in a number of the
great Swedish king, but no index. The work
Great Britain; an almost equal number recount the
proper is preceded by a sketch of early Swedish his-
tory, too brief to be of much value, at least before
progress of steam-printing; while the last one of all
the revolution which placed the house of Vasa on the accomplished under the greatest difficulties by
describes some of the astonishing achievements.
throne; here the book should have commenced.
astronomers and students in humble life. This expo-
The story of the life and career of Gustavus
sition of the table of contents reveals the character
Adolphus is told in an interesting manner, and with
good judgment. The style is animated, although at
and purpose of the volume. Like all the books by
the same author, it is historical and practical, aim-
times careless. The author claims to have made use
of the best writers upon the subject; but, as he gives before them examples of diligence in those humble
ing to encourage and instruct its readers by setting
no references, we can only say that his account
workers who have gained a special success for them-
appears to agree in general with the conclusions of
selves and aided in the general advance of mankind..
the latest investigations. In regard, for instance, to
the much-disputed question of Tilly's responsibility
for the burning of Magdeburg, he presents the mod MR. STUART I. Reid's sketch of “The Life and
erate view, now generally accepted, that it was not Times of the Rev. Sydney Smith" (Harpers) is not
his intentional act. His judgment of John George, the entertaining biography we might expect, con-
Elector of Saxony, is, on the other hand, less favor sidering that its subject was one of the wittiest of
able than we suppose to be just. He calls him men and a member of the most brilliant literary
“materialistic and gross”-and no doubt he was and social circles of London in his day. It is
over-fond of beer; but there is more to be said in greatly inferior in interest to the “ Memoir of Sydney
defence of his trimming policy at this perplexing Smith" written by his daughter, Lady Holland;.
juncture of affairs than Mr. Stevens would imply. | but it has the advantage of being presented in a sin-
race.


1885.]
249
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66
gle volume, and moreover it is printed in fine large
type, and is embellished with a portrait of Mr.
Smith and a number of excellent wood-cuts. Mr.
Reid has made use of some original material in the
form of letters and personal incidents ; but these do
not offset the mass of anecdote and correspondence,
fresh at the time, with which Lady Holland was
able to enliven her work, nor does it seem of suffi-
cient importance to warrant the creation of a new
book.
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS.
JANUARY, 1885.
Agnostic Metaphysics. Frederick Harrison. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Agnosticism, Last Words about. Herbert Spencer. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Architecture of Town-Houses. R. W. Edis. Pup. Sci. Monthly.
Bloody Sweat. J. H. Pooley. Popular Science Monthly.
Childhood in Ancient Literature. H. E. Scudder. Atlantic.
Christianity and Popular Amusements. Wash. Gladden. Century.
Church Architecture in America. Mrs. Van Rensselaer. Century.
Cookery, Chemistry of. W. M. Williams. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Concentration of Religious Effort. Andover Reliew.
Contemporary Pulpit, its Influence. Prof. Tucker. And. Review.
De Vergennes, Count. John Jay. Mugazine of American History.
Florida, Cruising in the Waters of. Barnett Phillips. Harper's.
Foote, Commodore, and the Gunboats. J. B. Eads. Century.
Freedman's Case in Equity. George W. Cable. Century.
Gladiators of the Sea. F. A. Fernald. Popular Science Monthly.
Hale, Edward Everett. W. S. Kennedy. Century.
Hartinann's Philosophy of the Unconscious. Paul Shorey. Dial.
H Malady in England, the. Richard Grant White. Atlantic.
John Jeffries, Diary of. Magazine of American History.
Jury System, A Glance at the. C. H. Stephens. Pop. Soi. Mo.
Kalispel Country, Montana. E. V. Smalley. Century.
Lanier, Sidney. Francis F. Browne. Dial.
Limited Museums, Advantages of. O. W, Collet. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Madame Mohl. Kathleen O'Meara. Atlantic.
Manor of Gardiner's Island, the. Martha J. Lamb. Mag. Am. His.
Melville's Explorations in the Lena Delta, Saro A. Hubbard. Dial.
Mezzotint, the Revival of. Seymour Haden. Harper's.
Monitor, Building of the. F. B. Wheeler. Mag. Am. Historg.
Montcalm and Wolfe. Edward G. Mason, Dial.
Moquis Indians, Capt. Bourke's Narrative of. W. F. Allen. Dial.
Mountain Observatories. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
National Museum, the Ernest Ingersoll. Century.
New Portfolio, the. 0. W. Holmes, Atlantic.
New Religious Movement in London. Sec'y Richards. And. Rev.
Political Americanisms. C. L. Norton. Mag. Am. History.
Popular Government in England. Andover Review.
Protective Mimicry in Marine Life. Dr. W.Brietenbach. Pop. Sci. M.
Purbeck, the Isle of. Miss J. E. Panton. Harper's.
Puritanism in New York. C. A. Briggs. Mag. Am. History.
Puritans and their Psalm Tunes. Prof. Higley. Andover Revier.
Religious Problem of the Country Town. S. W. Dike. And. Rev.
Roscoe, Sir Henry. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Schools and Schoolınasters. Prof. John Tyndall. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Sex, Influences Determining. W. K. Brooks. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Shoes, the Manufacture of. H. M. Newhall. Harper's.
State Usurpation of Parental Functions. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
St. Augustine, the Home of. G. A. Jackson. Andover Review.
Studying in Germany. H. M. Kennedy. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Town-Meeting, the. John Fiske. Harper's.
Tradition, Criticisin, and Science. Andover Review.
Western Flotilla, Operations of the. Henry Walke. Century.
Wiclif. A. M. Ward. Harper's.
Winter Days. H. D. Thoreau. Atlantic.
John Adams. By John T. Morse, Jr. American Statesmen."
Pp. 337.
$1.25.
Ralph Walilo Emerson. By (). W. Holmes. " American Men
of Letters." Pp. 141. $1.25.
Uen of Invention and Industry. By Samuel Smiles, LL.
D. Pp. 382. $1.
Anne Boleyn. A Chapter of English History, 1527-1539. By
Paul Friedmann, 2 vols, 8vo. London, $8.
Autobiography of Hector Berlioz, Member of the Institute
of France, 1803 to 1865. Comprising his Travels in Italy,
Germany, Russia and England. Translated by Rachel and
Eleanor Holmes. 2 vols. London. $6.
Memorials of Millbank, and Chapters in Prison History. By
A. Griffiths. Illustrated. New Edition. 8vo, pp. 466. Lon-
don. $4.50.
John IIouard Payne, Dramatist, Poet, Actor, and author of
Home, Sweet Home. His Life and Writings. By G. Har-
rison. Revised Edition. Evo, pp. 404. $3.
The Poets of the Church. A Series of Biographical Sketches
of Hymn-writers. With notes. By E. F. Hatfield, D.D. 8vo,
pp. 719. $3.
Archbishop Leighton. A Short Biography. With selections
from his writings. By W. Blair, D.D. Pp. 251. $1.25.
Walton's Lires, or, Dr. John Donne, Sir Henry Walton, Rich-
ard Hooper, George Herbert, and Dr. Robert Sanderson.
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HISTORY.
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The Croker Papers. The Correspondence and Diaries of the
late Hon. John Wilson Croker, LL., F. R. S., Secretary of
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2 vols. 8vo, Portrait. $5.
Kentucky. A Pioneer Commonwealth. By N. S. Shaler.
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Pre-HistoricAmerica. By the Marquis De Nadaillac. Trans-
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History of Ancient Egypt. By George Rawlinson, M.A.
Popular Edition. 2 vols. $2.75.
TRAVEL
In the Lana Delta, A Narrative of the Search for Lieut..
Commander De Long and his Companions, followed by an
Account of the Greely Relief Expedition and a proposed
Method of Reaching the North Pole. By G. W. Melville.
Edited by M. Ph Ps. Maps and illustrations. 8vo, pp.
497. $2.50.
In the Trades, The Tropics and The Roaring Forties.
By Lady Brassey. Profusely illustrated. 8vo, pp. 532. $5.
The Cruise of the Alice May, In the Gulf of St. Lawrence
and Adjacent Waters. By S G. W. Benjamin. With numer-
ous illustrations. 4to, pp. 129. Vellum paper covers. $1 50.
BOOKS OF THE MONTH.
PP. 491
[The following List includes all New Books, American and Foreign,
received during the month of December by MESSRS. JANSEN,
MCCLURG & Co., Chicago.]
ESSAYS-BELLES-LETTRES
The Book Lorer. A Guide to the Best Reading. Together
with quotations from the opinions of eminent writers on the
subject. By James Baldwin, Ph. D, author of "English
Literature and Literary Criticism," etc., etc. Pp. 202, gilt
top. $1.25.
There will also be a limited (numbered) edition, carefully
printed on large paper. Price $2 50.
The “ Character's" of Jean De La Bruyere. Newly
rendered into English by Henri Van Laun. With an intro-
duction, a Biographical Memoir and notes Illustrated with
24 etchings. Edition limitel to 200 copies for America. 8vo,
Net, $15.
The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night; Now
first completely done into English Prose and Verse, from the
original Arabic. By Johu Payne 3 Vols., 8vo. vellum. With
twenty-one Eaux-Fortes by M. A. Lalauze. Printed on Holland
Paper and limited to 500 copies, numbered. Vol. I. now ready.
Per Vol., $0.
Custom and Myth. By A. Lang, M. A. Pp. 312. $1.25.
Representatire British Orations. With Introductions and
Explanatory Notes. By C. K. Adams. 3 Vols., gilt tops, in a
box. $3.75.
The Nutshell Series. A Gathering of the Best Thoughts of
the Best Writers. Compiled by Helen K. Johnson. 6 Vest-
pocket volumes in a box. $3.
The Genius and Character of Emerson. Lectures at the
Concord School of Philosophy. Edited by F. B. Sanborn,
Pp. 447. $2.
Fresh Fields. By John Burroughs. Pp 298. $1 50.
BIOGRAPHY.
The Life of Abraham Lincoln. By Isaac N. Arnold. With
fine steel portrait. 8vo, pp 462, gilt top. $2.50.
There will also be a limited edition (350 copies, numbered)
printed on larger and finer paper, with proof impression of the
fine portrait on India paper. Subscriptions to this edition are
now invited. Price, $4.50.
The Hundred Greatest Men. Portraits of the One Hundred
Greatest Men of History. Reproduced from fine and rare
steel engravings. With general introduction by R. W. Emer-
son, and special introductions by Matthew Arnold, H. Taine,
Prof. Max Müller E. Renan, Noah Porter, Dean Stanley,
Prof. H. Helmholtz, J. A. Froude and Prof. J. Fiske. 8vo,
pp. 504. $6.


250
[Jan.,
THE DIAL
The Office of the Historical Professor. By E. A. Free-
man, M. A., etc. Pp. 61. London. 75 cents.
The Water Babies. A Fairy Tale for a Land Baby. By the
Rev. C. Kingsley. Edited and abridged by J. H. Stickney.
"Classics for Children." Board. 40 cents.
Stories for Young Children. By E. A. Turner. Paper
12 cents.
Rapid Addition, A Paper on Practical Methods. By J. D.
Sprague. 10 cents.
FINANCE-ECONOMICS.
Practical Banking. By A. S. Bolles. 8vo., pp. 316. Net, $3.
Money in Politics, By J. K. Upton. With an Introduction
by E. Atkinson. Pp. 270. $1.25.
Institutions and Economics. Vol. II of Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity Studies in Historical and Political Scieuce. Edited by
H. B. Adams. 8vo. $3.50.
$1.
'Ad-
Cicero, Translated with Introductions and Notes. By A. P.
Peabody. 3 vols, containing De Senectute, De Officiis De
Amicitia, and Scipio's Dream $2.75.
The Table Talk anıl Omniana of S. T. Coleridge With Ad-
ditional Table Talk from Allsop's " Recollections," and
Manuscript matter not before printed Arranged and edited
by T. Ashe, B.A. "Bohn's Standard Library. London." Net,
$1.
My Farm of Edgeulood. A Country Book. By the Author
of "Reveries of a Bachelor.” Large Paper Edition, Limited
to fifty copies. Net, $5.
Poems, Plays anıl Miscellaneous Essays of Charles
Lamml). With Introduction and Notes by A. Ainger.
Pp. 408.
$1.50.
The Enchiridion of Wit. The Best specimens of English
Conversational Wit Edition de Luxe. Limited to 100 copies.
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Half vellum. Net, $4.
Erery Day Life and Every Day Morals. By G, L. Chaney.
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Gems of Thought from Classical Authors. Witty, Homor-
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Tobacco Talk, and Smoker's Gossip. An Amusing Miscellany
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The Works of Alfred, Lord Tennyson. New Edition, uni-
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183. $1.50.
Rural Lyrics, Elegies, and ther Short Poems. By Hon. J. F
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Verses for Christmas. By S. Massey. Illustrated. Vellum
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The Song of Hiawathai. By H. W. Longfellow. 6. Riverside
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John Wiclif. Preface by the late very Rev. A. P. Stanley,
D. D. Edition limited. 8vo. Parchment. Net, $3.78.


1885.]
251
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THE
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TIE DIAL
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THE DIAL
HOLMES'S LIFE OF EMERSON. George P. Upton
257
AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS. Alexander Winchell
ARNOLD'S LIFE OF LINCOLN.
W. F. Poole
261
SHAKESPERE'S PREDECESSORS.
Melville B. Anderson 262
THE RELIGIONS OF THE ORIENT.
Simeon Gilbert
264
RECENT BOOK OF POETRY.
William Morton Payne
265
SAMUEL PEPYS.
Richard Henry Stoddard
269
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS
271
- Straub's
The
275
278
278
Vol. V. FEBRUARY, 1885. No. 58. nature, and “the company of a sybilline intel-
ligence which was discounting the promises of
the remote future long before they were due,"
CONTENTS.
not only made his work a grave one, but
fatiguing to the writer. The conflict of criti-
cal opinions made it difficult for him to keep
260 his own faculties clear and his judgment un-
biased. With this modest depreciation of his
own work, however, he does not fail to rejoice
in having shared the intimacy of such a man
and to pay noble tribnte to the influences which
radiated from such a life. What nobler eulogy
has been spoken of Emerson, the “transcen-
dental philosopher," than this from the philos-
The Correspondence and Diaries of John Wilson Croker.-
opher whose wisdom has never transcended the
Atkinson's The Distribution of Products, or The Mechan limits of dogmas based upon love and kindli.
ism and Metaphysics of Exchange.-Mac Arthur's Educa ness and illuminated with the sunlight of poetic
tion in its Relation to Manual Industry. --Shaler's Ken-
grace and refined humor: “To share the in-
tucky.-LeConte's Geology. Holder's Zoology. --- Sin-
most consciousness of a noble thinker, to scan
nett's Esoteric Buddhism. - Cable's The Creoles of
Louisiana.--Rawlinson's Egypt and Babylon.--Heilprin's
one's self in the white light of a pure and
Historical Reference Book. - Bancroft's History of the radiant soul, - this is indeed the highest form
United States, Revised Edition, Volume V. -- Lang's
of teaching and discipline." Alas! that almost
Custom and Myth. -- Laughlin's Abridgment of Mill's
the last words he writes before opening the
Political Econony.
Consolations of
Science.- Munger's Lamps and Paths.
New Portfolio are expressions of gratitude
for what this memoir has taught him and the
LITERARY NOTES AND NEWS
touching —“but let me write no more." The
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS FOR FEBRUARY
fire still burns cheerily on the hearth; there is
BOOKS OF THE MONTH
warmth and comfort in the blaze; there are
pleasant fancies yet to be found in the glowing
embers; but one by one the old friends who sat
by the hearth when life was fresh have dropped
HOLMES'S LIFE OF EMERSON.*
out of their accustomed places. Why should
he, sitting there alone in the afterglow of his
In the “Atlantic Monthly" for February, Dr.
years, sadden himself with memories of those
Holmes, writing upon “the back of the New
Portfolio,” gives us an interesting but pathetic critical judgments upon those who were near
who are gone, and weary bimself longer with
glimpse of the feelings which impressed him and dear to him, nearer and dearer to him
during the preparation of his memoir of his
now, in the autumnal haze of life so soon to
friend Mr. Emerson, and of his reflections after melt into the eternal sunlight beyond ?
the task was finished. The undertone which
It seems to me that no one can fail to be
pervades these reflections is one of dissatisfac- impressed with the faithfulness Dr. Holmes
tion-a judgment, however, which the public exhibits in his examinations of the addresses,
will not be likely to share. He confesses that
sermons, and essays of Emerson; and this is
he did not know how difficult a task he had
all the more striking because the larger part
undertaken “in venturing upon a memoir of of the memoir is devoted to them. In a cer-
a man whom all, or almost all, agree upon as
tain sense, this was inevitable; for Emerson
one of the great lights of the New World, and is most clearly seen in his writings. Even the
whom very many regard as an unpredicted liberal quotations, which fill nearly half of the
Messiah.” With all his great love for the volume, were necessary by way of illustration,
man, and with all the enthusiasm which shines The best judgment of Emerson must be formed
through his pages, he admits that “the wide by what Emerson has said, not by what he
range of thought which belonged to the sub-
has done. He was pre-eminently a thinker, not
ject of the memoir,” his mystical tendencies,
an actor. Though the very prime of his life
his brilliant imagination and humor, his com-
was spent in the midst of great reform move-
bination of good sense with occasional extrava-
ments that were pressing on to consummation,
gance, the modest audacity of his truthful
and though he keenly' sympathized with
them, he dwelt apart from them and only
* RALPH WALDO EMERSON. By 0. W. Holmes. ("American
Men of Letters” series.) Boston: Houghton, Mimin & Co. impressed himself upon them by saying what


258
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
he felt, not by acting what he felt. He was the might be confronted with some of his rough-
Melancthon of social and moral reform; not hewn chunks of verse, incongruous rhymes and
the Luther. Emerson might have written the hubbly rhythms. But that time has passed.
theses, but he would never have nailed them Critics have grown courageous of late. They
to the church door. Even when he severed are beginning to realize that a man may be “a
himself from his denomination, he was not versifying drill-sergeant” and not be a poet,
aggressive, not even polemical in his opposi- and that ** cat’s-cradle tricks of rhyming
tion. In his resignation sermon, he says: sleight-of-hand” have no essential connection
“Having said this, I have said all. I have no with poetry. “The greatest poet is not he who
hostility to this institution; I am only stating has done the best, it is he who suggests the
my want of sympathy with it. Neither should most," says Saint-Beuve. Now that Dr.
I ever have obtruded this opinion upon other Holmes has pronounced his verdict--and the
people, had I not been called by my office to chapter devoted to the poems is the finest in
administer it. That is the end of my opposi- the book and in his best vein-the world will
tion, that I am not interested in it.” Over and be inclined to rub its eyes and take a fresh
over again Emerson gives expression to this look at “ Rhodora," "the Days,” and “Termi-
feeling of inaction, and impresses upon us the nus," to see if they are not among the noblest.
real nature of his mission as a teacher
poetic utterances of our time. The most
namely, that he must give utterance to the striking feature of Holmes's criticism is the
ideas which he finds in himself, because they standard of comparison which he makes. The
are forced upon him with all the conviction literary range in which he places Emerson is.
of whole truths. Supremely happy in his that of Shakespere and Milton. But let his
domestic relations, surrounded by a little circle own sentences exhibit the estimate in which he
of devoted friends, having a large and loving holds him as a poet :
nature, untroubled by the actual hardships
“Emerson was not only a poet, but a very remark-
and necessities of life, and unimpeded by any able one.
Without using the rosetta-stone of Sweden-
obstacle in following his moral and mental borg, Emerson finds in every phenomenon of nature a
bent, it is but natural that his life should be hieroglyphic ; others measure and describe the monu-
remarkably free from those dramatic episodes he makes Monadnoc! Dinocrates undertook to hew
ments,--he reads the sacred inscriptions. How alive
and stirring scenes which generally characterize Mount Athos to the shape of man' in the likeness of
the lives of reformers. He who would follow Alexander the Great, without the help of tools or work
its channel must trace it in his writings; and
men; Emerson makes . Cheshire's haughty hill'stand
he will give us the best picture of kim who
before us an impersonation of kingly humanity, and
talk with us as a god from Olympus might have talked.
allows Emerson to describe Emerson. This, This is the fascination of Emerson's poetry ; it moves
Dr. Holmes has done, with the help of such in a world of universal symbolism. The sense of the
side-lights as he has been able to throw upon
infinite fills it with its majestic presence. Every-
whe his poetry abounds in celestial imagery. If
it from his own intimate knowledge of the sub-
Galileo had been a poet as well as an astronomer, he
ject, and the inner sympathy which one poet would hardly have sowed his verse thicker with stars
has for another. And how thoroughly he has then we find them in the poems of Emerson. . . . His
done it! how faithfully! Not an essay has poetry is elemental ; it has the rock beneath it in the
been missed.
eternal laws on which it rests ; the roll of deep waters
The long series passes under
in its grander harmonies ; its air is full of æolian
his scrutiny, even with chronological exact-
strains that waken and die away as the breeze wan-
ness; and each one is analyzed and sketched ders over them; and through it shines the white star-
off with a few happy touches and quotations, light, and from time to time flashes a meteor that
that make these chapters not alone a prelude
startles us with its sudden brilliancy."
but a key to the appreciative reading of Enthusiastic as Dr. Holmes is in his admira-
Emerson.
tion for Emerson, much as he loved the man for
Naturally we turn with the most interest to the sweetness and grace of his nature and the
find what Dr. Holmes may say of Emerson the nobility and purity of his life, it is to his credit.
poet; for there is a growing feeling that this as critic that he does not allow his love to bias
Concord philosopher was after all essentially a his judgment. He does not always profess to
poet-and this is a feeling which will grow follow Emerson in his flights. Evidently he
still stronger with time. In the past, Emerson does not have much sympathy with transcenden-
has been judged almost exclusively by his talism, nor with the vagaries of some of its
prose, no one seeming to remember that he followers. He has his quiet laugh at the Brook
nad hitched his “wagon to a star.” If there Farm Phalanstery — and so did Emerson, for
were those who recognized that the poetic that, although his most intimate friends were
element was the basis of all Emerson's utter corralled within that short-lived Utopia. He
ances, whether in prose or verse, they were does not accept all that appeared in the “Dial”
shy of declaring it, lest “the Sphynx” or as orthodox, although it was the Emersonian
“Brahma” might be hurled at them, or they ) organ and the mouthpiece of transcendentalism.


1885.]
259
THE DIAL
not
He does not like some of Emerson's friends waves.” Holmes evidently does not care to
- least of all, Carlyle. The Autocrat of the mix in the quarrel now waging over the mem-
Breakfast Table is as terrestrial as Horace. ory of Margaret Fuller. He simply speaks of
One feels all through this memoir, gracious and her as “a woman who is likely to live longer
loving as it is, and deep and sincere as was his by what is written of her than by anything she
love for Emerson, that he is not always in sym ever wrote herself,” and passes on.
It is brief
pathy with the sybilline intelligence, and that but explicit. Of Emerson's address at the
the atmosphere of symbolism sometimes op Burns Centennial Festival, he says: “White-
presses him. His genial, vital, sensuous nature, hot iron we are familiar with, but white-hot
loving the men and women, the birds, the flow silver is what we do not often look upon; and
ers, and the sunshine of this world, does not his inspiring address glowed like silver fresh
take kindly to speculative metaphysics or to from the cupel.” Emerson's love for pie is
moral abstractions requiring obscure nomen well known; and Dr. Holmes, as a physician,
clature. For this very reason, more than one puts himself on record thus: “Pie, often fool-
reader will search through this volume, not ishly abused, is a good creature, at the right
alone for what Holmes says of Emerson, but time, and in angles of thirty or forty degrees,”
for those brilliant bits of description and Hashes and he clinches his judgment with a picture of
of humor which irradiate all of Holmes's writ- Emerson, a confirmed pie-eater, who never had
ings. He will not look in vain. His tracing of the dyspepsia, in contrast with Carlyle feeding
the qualities which were transmitted to Emer. on oatmeal, groaning with indigestion all his
son from his ancestors is in his best vein and days, and “living with half his self-consciousness
full of his quiet humor ; as when he says: habitually centered beneath his diaphragm.'
“ The slabs which record the excellences of our One is tempted to go on picking out these
New England clergymen of the past generations are pleasant excerpts; but there must be an end,
so crowded with virtues that the reader can hardly and let them close with his happy comparison
help inquiring whether a sharp bargain was
driven with the stone-cutter, like that which the good
between poetry and prose:
Vicar of Wakefield arranged with the portrait painter.” “ Poetry is to prose what the so-called full-dress of
the ball-room is to the plainer garments of the house-
Let us cull out a few of these characteristic
hold and the street. Full-dress, as we call it, is so full
humors and illustrations which are sprinkled of beauty that it cannot hold it all, and the redundancy
so thickly through these pages:
of nature overflows the narrowed margin of satin and
velvet. It reconciles us to its approach to nudity by
“No creed can be held to be a finality From
the richness of its drapery and ornaments. A pearl
Edwards to Mayhew, from Mayhew to Channing, from
or diamond necklace or a blushing bouquet excuses the
Channing to Emerson, the passage is like that which liberal allowance of undisguised nature. We expect
leads from the highest lock of a canal to the ocean from the fine lady in her brocades and laces a gener-
level. It is impossible for human nature to remain
osity of display which we should reprimand with the
permanently shut up in the highest lock of Calvinism."
virtuous severity of Tartuffe if ventured upon by the
Thoreau is the “Robinson Crusoe of Walden waiting-maid in her calicoes. So the poet reveals him-
self under the protection of his imaginative and melo-
Pond, who carried out a schoolboy whim to its dious phrase
ses-the flowers and jewels of his vocab-
full proportions and told his story of Nature in ulary.”
undress as only one who had hidden in her bed Evidently it is not time yet for the Autocrat
room could have told it.” Hawthorne“ brooded to lament: "Eheu! fugaces anni." The flying
himself into a dream-peopled solitude.” Al- years have not dulled the diamond point of his
cott's speculations led him “into the fourth pen. He lives below the frost-line of life.
dimension of mental space.” Speaking of the What may be called the Emerson literature
manner in which Professor Bowen reviewed is the best testimony to the growing influence
Emerson's “Nature,” he says it was like “a and power of his life and teachings. Mr.
sagacious pointer making the acquaintance of George W. Cooke, Mr. Moncure D. Conway,
a box tortoise.” Of some of Emerson's follow and Mr. Alexander Ireland have written elabo-
says: “There was occasionally an air of rate biographies of him; the latter, in its
bravado, as if they had taken out a patent for English dress, a beautiful sample of book-
some knowing machine, which was to give making. Mr. E. P. Whipple, Matthew Arnold,
them a monopoly of its products.” What is John Morley, Henry Norman, Edmund C. Sted-
more felicitous than his quiet comment on man (one of the best of our American critics,
Emerson's wish that Carlyle could edit the who has just printed in "The Century” such a
“ Dial”: “A concert of singing mice with a discriminating review of Holmes), and others, ,
savage and hungry old grimalkin as leader of among them the leading members of the Con-
the orchestra!” What more graceful than cord School, have devoted careful essays to the
his eulogy of this same “Dial”: “Its four study of his life and work; and now Dr.
volumes remain stranded like some rare and Holmes has added his contribution, written
curiously patterned shell which a storm of yes with love for the man and his noble manhood
terday has left beyond the reach of the receding and with reverence for the thoughts and ideas
ers, he


260
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
nam.
caves
are
which he enunciated in his teachings, though memoirs. We have for the first time, in a
most of all rejoicing in his privilege of com manual, an adequate description of the cliff-
munion and intimate friendship with "the sin dwellings of Arizona, so elaborately studied
less and self-devoted servant of God and friend and illustrated by the Smithsonian Institution
of men.” Whatever others have written or and the Bureau of Ethnology; though, in ac-
may write about Emerson, nothing has been or cordance with the plan of the work, we hav
will be said more beautiful than the last words little account of the modern cliff-dwellers. We
of the old friend, so soon, in the course of have also a digest of the results of mound re-
nature, to join his companion on that shore searches conducted under the auspices of the
where all problems which distract us here are Peabody Museum, by Professor F. W. Put-
solved:
We have, similarly, an adequate state-
“ Here and there a narrow-eyed sectary may have
ment of the fruits of M. Charnay's explorations
avoided or spoken ill of him ; but if He who knew in Central America, and of Ameghino's studies
what was in man had wandered from door to door in on the antiquity of map in the pampas.
New England, as of old in Palestine, we can well
The work begins with a chapter on the con-
believe that one of the thresholds which those blessed
feet' would have crossed to hallow and receive its temporaneous existence in America of man and
welcome, would have been that of the lovely and quiet various quadrupeds now extinct-an essay on
home of Emerson."
the geological antiquity of man in America, in
GEORGE P. UPTON. which the famous California finds are scarcely
admitted as dating from the Pliocene. The
kitchen-middens and
summarily
AMERICA BEFORE COLUMBUS.*
treated; and then follows a chapter entitled
66 The Mound Builders”; but instead of grap-
This mechanically handsome and generous pling with this much-mooted problem, the au-
volume is a complete and capable monograph thor confines himself chiefly to the “mounds."
of a subject rich in material and growing in
The pottery and weapons and ornaments
interest. The author has shown å wide ac- yielded by the excavations in the mounds are
quaintance with its literature, and singularly quite completely described and illustrated, and
good judgment in the selection of his subject- furnish a chapter of much interest. The cliff
matter and style of presentation. Having dwellings and their surroundings and contents
made a study of “the first men and prehistoric
are delineated pictorially, and described with
times” of the Old World, he seems to have be- fullness. By a natural transition the author
come fascinated with archæological research, takes us next to a survey of the astonishing
and turned to America to trace the correspond memorials of vanished races who dwelt beyond
ing periods among the relics of another race
the Rio Grande. The most striking antiqui-
and under another sky.
ties of Central America are treated with a
The present work appeared in Paris, in 1882, copiousness proportioned to their exceptional
as an octavo of 588 pages, printed and bound importance and interest; when the relics of the
in elegant style. The American edition is a empire of the Incas are passed carefully under
graceful and faithful translation, except where review. A chapter follows on the “Men of
the editor has found reason to make changes America,” in which we find a summary of geo-
in the subject-matter. Professor Dall is one logical relations and craniological facts, but
of our best anthropological authorities, having without any general comparison of American
spent several years in contact with the natives racial types with those of the Old World.
of our northwest coast and the Aleutian Islands,
The final chapter, on the origin of the Amer-
and having written several important anthro- icans, is, in the original .work, devoted to a
pological treatises concerning them. He pos-
statement and brief discussion of the principal
-such as an
sesses, moreover, a cast of mind conferring views entertained on this subject
broad and philosophical grasp, so as to become autochthonous origin, or even an American
more than a mere compiler of facts. The work, origin, of civilization at large, particularly that
then, may be accepted as a complete modern of the yellow races; and the various theories
manual of American antiquities and pre-Colum- of immigration from the Old World, whether
bian populations. In pronouncing it complete, from northern Asia, China and Japan, Egypt,
we mean that the author has had no favorite Phænicia, or Northern Europe, or from a lost
specialty to develop. The different parts of Atlantis. To find the data for argument, the
the subject are discussed in due proportion. author very legitimately compares the inscrip-
In calling it modern, we mean that he has tions, arms, utensils and costumes of the an-
consulted all the later American reports and cient Egyptians, Assyrians, Etruscans, [be-
rians, Libyans and Guanches with those of the
* PREHISTORIC AMERICA. By the Marquis de Nadaillac. Trans-
lated by N. D'Anvers. Edited by W. H. Dall. With 299 illustra-
primitive inhabitants of America; and then
takes up the evidence of legends and tra-
tions.
New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons.


1885.]
261
THE DIAL
66
As a
ditions. Here is a wide field for inductive
ARNOLD'S LIFE OF LINCOLN.*
research which is not only legitimate but
indispensable for the settlement of the ques-
Mr. Arnold's Life of President Lincoln is a
tion. But all this the editor has thought fit to posthumous work, and was finished just before
replace by a brief chapter for which he holds the illness of the lamented author which re-
himself “chiefly responsible.” The editor's sulted in his death on the 20th of May, 1884.
conclusion, which is not very different from that Probably no other person was so familiar
of the author, represents man as an immigrant with the public life of Mr. Lincoln as Mr. Ar-
to America at an extremely remote period, nold; or, outside of his family, entertained for
from the opposite shore of the Pacific. The him a more sincere affection. They were both
approach may have been either by the north, leading lawyers in the courts of Illinois when
at Behring's Strait, or by the south, along the their names were rarely mentioned beyond the
thirtieth parallel south. * Probably it was by limits of the State. For more than twenty
both gates." This is the same conclusion years they were often engaged as opposing
which the writer reached in “Preadamites."
counsel in the trials of important cases. Mr.
That successive immigrations may have taken Lincoln's reputation as a lawyer is now well
place, he admits; but he denies that any of the known. Judge Drummond said of Mr. Arnold
supposed affinities between American art and that “he was one of the most eminent lawyers
society and the art and society of the Old of Chicago and of the State.” Judge Higgins
World — Egyptian, for instance —could be due said: “For more than thirty years Mr. Arnold
to direct importation. American civilization stood at the head of the Chicago bar.
he holds to be completely indigenous, and the nisi prius lawyer, there was scarcely his equal
correspondences noted arise from the parallel in the State.” Their esteem and affection for
evolution of culture, under similar conditions, each other were mutual. At the November
among different races. The world-wide tra- election, in 1860, when Mr. Lincoln was chosen
dition of a deluge, for instance, he refuses to President, Mr. Arnold was chosen a Represent-
trace to a central Asiatic origin, and maintains ative to Congress; and during the Civil War
that it is separately indigenous in many coun-
their relations were most intimate and confi-
tries. In this direction we think the editor dential. Scarcely a day passed when Mr. Ar-
inclined to dogmatize, and even to depart from nold did not visit the White House ; and to no
the true inductive method of anthropological one else, probably, outside of his Cabinet, did
investigation. This, however, is precisely the the President express his views and feelings so
error which he rather airily foists upon all the unreservedly. A long acquaintance, an agree-
other theorists not of his way of thinking. ment in political views, especially on the sub-
In this work we are not supplied with a ject of slavery, and a thorough appreciation of
treatment distinctively anthropological , . we
each other's honesty and worth, were not more
have not a complete discussion of what concerns the basis of their mutual regard than the dis-
American man. The work is chiefly archæo- similarity in their social training and mental
logical, and in this field it is quite full, fresh, characteristics — the one possessing qualities
and authentic. We do not imply, however, which the other lacked. Mr. Lincoln's train-
that the anatomical characteristics and affinities ing had been on a farm, in a store, in the rough
of prehistoric Americans are entirely neglected. and jovial encounters of a Western circuit,
Perhaps the scope of the work, as relating to and in the social circles of a provincial town.
prehistoric America, prevented the author from Mr. Arnold, by nature gentle and courteous,
entering more fully into ethnological questions, and trained in a city, had manners which con-
for which prehistoric data are so meagre, as it formed to the strictest rules of etiquette ; and
certainly excluded discussions based on data if he had been reared in one of the old fami-
supplied by the aborigines as we know them. lies of Boston or Philadelphia, his deportment
Within the limits stated, this work is a safe could not have been more refined and stately.
and adequate text-book. But we are again The friendships which are the most fruitful and
reminded of our present lack of a text-book enduring are between persons who have differ-
consistently and lucidly put together, and prop ent gifts, and are unlike in temperament and
erly balanced in its parts, which shall present manners.
American anthropology in all its aspects-
Even before the death of Mr. Lincoln, Mr.
archæological, ethnological, geological, ana Arnold formed the resolution of writing the
tomical, migrational, and philological. A broad life of his friend, and in 1867 issued his "Hist-
theme, undoubtedly, but one of which theory of Abraham Lincoln, and the Overthrow
general facts and doctrines should be made of Slavery.”
of Slavery.” The book was hastily written,
more accessible than they are to the student chiefly while he was an Auditor in the Treas-
and general reader.
* THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN, By Isaac N. Arnold. Chi-
ALEXANDER WINCHELL.
cago : Jansen, McClurg & Co.


262
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
ury Department at Washington, and was never intended to write while the book was in press,
regarded by him as a fit portrayal of the life the Hon. E. B. Washburne, his friend and
and character of his subject. In later years he colleague in Congress, has written a brief and
entertained the purpose of writing a more com appropriate introduction, which is supple-
plete and elaborate work from materials since mented by his extended address on the life and
colle ed. The fulfillment of the purpose was character of Mr. Arnold, delivered Oct. 21,
deferred, by the intervention of other literary 1884, before the Chicago Historical Society, of
work, until about three years ago, when he which Society Mr. Arnold was President. This
took it up with much zeal and happily fin- address, with others by Judge Drummond and
ished it before his health gave way.
Judge Higgins, made on the same occasion,
Many lives of Mr. Lincoln have been writ- is printed in a separate pamphlet by the
ten—there will be many more, and yet the sub- Society. In 1881 Mr. Arnold was invited to
ject will not have been exhausted; for it includes read paper on Mr. Lincoln before the Royal
the services and personal characteristics of Historical Society in London. He accepted
the one unique statesman who appeared in the invitation, and his paper is printed in the
the most eventful period of American history. transactions of the Society. In April, 1882, he
Other men may have surpassed him in individ- read a paper on “Reminiscences of Lincoln
ual traits; but, looking back upon the period and of Congress during the Rebellion” before
from 1861 to 1865, and to the men of that the New York Genealogical and Biographical
period, is it possible to name one who, taking Society. It was fortunate that circumstances
him for all in all, could have filled the place brought these men into intimate relations ; it
of Abraham Lincoln so wisely, acceptably, and was fortunate for the purposes of history that
providentially as he did | The homage which Mr. Lincoln had such a biographer.
a grateful country gives to the name of Wash-
W. F. POOLE.
ington for his services in the Revolutionary
War, the American people and the lovers of
liberty in every land give to Lincoln for his
services in the War of the Rebellion,—and
SHAKESPERE'S PREDECESSORS.*
more, even, inasmuch as the later struggle was
a greater historical event than the earlier; and,
It was with high expectations that we looked
upon
the
pre-
as a subject of biography, the personal traits forward to the perusal of a book
of Lincoln make a stronger impression on the Shakesperian drama, by that accomplished lit-
minds of the masses
, and are more picturesque in Italy." It seemed thai one who had writ-
erary veteran, the author of the “Renaissance
and varied than those of Washington.
Of the lives of President Lincoln which have
ten so well upon the Greek poets, and who
thus far appeared, Mr. Arnold's is the fullest had mastered all that relates to the modern re-
and the most satisfactory. No other writer
birth of the human intelligence, could not fail
had such an opportunity of personal intercourse to impart io the reader something of the rap-
with Mr. Lincoln, or could have undertaken ture of discovery he must have felt when, with
the work with a better preparation or a more
“optic glass,” he swept that part of the heav-
conscientious and loving spirit. The book
ens where Marlowe's morning star gleams in
must therefore take rank without question as
the radiance of the opening dawn.
the standard life of Lincoln.
ditions seemed exceptionally favorable for the
The historian of
Mr. Arnold's chief solicitude was that he production of a great work.
should be accurate in the statement of facts.
the Renaissance was to crown his work by de-
I had frequent intercourse with him during scribing the finest product of the Renaissance
the progress of the work, and was a witness to
in England, --indeed, if we include Shakespere,
the time and patience he gave to the verifica-
as Mr. Symonds still intends to do, we may
tion of dates and quotations.
“It is finished,”
call it the finest product of the Renaissance in
he said, the last time he called upon me
Europe. Could an Englishman whose spirit
meaning that his book was finished. There
had been so finely touched to such fine issues,
and who knew the Renaissance so well, fail to
was then a pallor on his countenance and a
feebleness in his limbs which suggested a
be adequately acquainted with the marks left
deeper meaning in his words. A fatal disease by that tidal wave of human energy upon the
was upon him; and two or three months
coast line of the English mind? Our expecta-
later, this true, courteous and accomplished tions being strung so high, we were the more
man had finished his earthly work, and was
deceived. The very preface inspires a qualm
restored to the beloved friend whose life he of misgiving, for there it is stated that this
book is a revision of work laid aside as unfit
had portrayed, and who twenty years before
had preceded him to the unseen world.
In lieu of a preface which Mr. Arnold
The con-
By
SHAKESPERE'S PREDECESSORS IN THE ENGLISH DRAMA.
John Addington Symonds. London: Smith, Elder & Co.


1885.]
263
THE DIAL
for publication more than twenty years before. who were about as truly “predecessors” of
This, however, but poorly prepares the reader Shakespere as Keats and Tennyson were pre-
for the successive disappointments in store for decessors of Wordsworth. Since, however, the
him in the course of his perusal of these pages. author's special fitness to discuss the Eliza-
Not that this is a valueless book; it is simply, bethan drama appears to consist in the fact
as a whole, unworthy of the author's great that he is the historian of the Renaissance, the
reputation. It has its sound and excellent indulgent reader will readily pardon digressions
portions, but it is full of inequalities. At like this upon the Italian masques, especially as
times the tone is that of a youthful aspirant it is all so interesting. But let us not be misled
for magazine honors; again it is that of the by any such solemn delusion as that all these
literary master which Mr. Symonds now is. things form an essential part of a demonstra-
He who goes to it for his first introduction to tion of a process.” Mr. Symonds records, at
the subject, will find much that is interesting p. 337, the fact that the masque 6 received no
and instructive, and will doubtless part with adequate treatment in England during the
the author on friendly enough terms. There reigns of our Tudor sovereigns.” If, then, it
are fifteen chapters, dealing with the rise of was not till Shakespere's work was nearly done
the English drama from its origin in the mira that the masque was developed, why give it
cle plays to its full evolution as a species in such prominence in a work devoted to men and
Greene and Marlowe. There are chapters things which made straight the way for Shake-
dealing with such related topics as theatres, spere? In general, the same criticism must be
playwrights, actors, play-goers, masques at passed upon the work as a whole. Mr. Symonds
court, etc. The last three chapters (pp. 170) has said it: his book is merely "a bundle of
are devoted to John Lyly, Greene, Peele, Nash, literary essays," a few in his best style, sev-
Lodge, and Marlowe. Naturally many illustra- eral indifferent, all interesting, -the whole
tive side-lights are thrown upon the condition lacking that organic symmetry and complete-
of English society during the period treated. ness which it is so much easier to dream of than
A large number of old plays, inaccessible to to achieve.
most readers, are skilfully analyzed, the raciest This, however, is by no means the worst, and
and most poetical passages being quoted. of that worst it is an ungrateful task to speak.
There is a full table of contents at the begin. In plain English, Mr. Symonds is frequently
ning of the book and at the head of each chap- guilty of encumbering his book with that kind
ter; but we miss an index, especially an index of literary ballast known in editorial cant as
to the numerous valuable passages cited. The "padding.” That this is a serious charge to
following list of errata may be of service to bring against one of the foremost Englishmen
some one: At p. 237, Bacon is said to have of letters of the day, the present writer is
been in his twenty-third year in 1587; he was, painfully aware; but several passages of trivial
in fact, born in 1561. At p. 326, the date, or irrelevant matter compel the conclusion that
1515, is wrong, being probably a misprint for the author felt bound by some exigency to
1575. At p. 580, the name of E. W. Gosse is make a book of a given size, and that, not
misprinted At p. 596, last line, for lamb read possessing the requisite amount of sound mater-
iamb; p. 597, seventh line from foot, for fourth ial, he was driven to shifts unworthy of his
read third; p. 638, second quotation, for illit reputation in order to “bombast out” his chap-
eral read illiberal.
ters, some of which read as if they had been
In an excellent passage at the beginning of hastily concocted for some ephemeral magazine.
the book, the author lays out an excellent pro But two instances of this inferior work shall be
gramme, showing that he well knows what is mentioned. At pp. 260–1, he treats us to a
expected of a writer who undertakes a study of welcome translation from the Italian of Cecchi,
this nature.“ The ruling instinct of the present in which the “Romantic Drama” is genially
century demands," says he, “and in my opinion personified as a “fresh country lass. ” This
demands rightly, some demonstration of a pro passage is racy, natural, charming. But Mr.
cess in the facts collected and presented by a Symonds cannot stop there. Mindful, one is
student to the public.” Some principle of evo forced to think, of the demands of inexorable
lution must be disclosed " before we have a right publishers, he carries on the allegory through
to style the result of our studies anything better three pages more, insisting at the close upon
than a bundle of literary essays.” This is sound seeing the lady home “to torchlit chambers of
doctrine, but one must look elsewhere for its Whitehall and Greenwich," when he drily
realization. Take, for instance, the chapter observes: “You may call her a grisette.” Pass
entitled "Masques at Court." Roughly speak for the dignity of history; but this is the indig-
ing, about half of this chapter is devoted to nity of poetry! Again at p. 571, finding himself
descriptions of certain Italian masques, and the at the end of his account of Peele's plays, he
other half to those of Ben Jonson and Milton, introduces a quotation of fifty-three lines from


264
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
one of his odes. Although related in no wise to of books by the accomplished contributors to
the subject of the book, it is good in itself, and, Mr. John Morley's series of literary biographies,
padding for padding, much more acceptable among whom Mr. Symonds himself holds an
than the author's prose. But the climax is honorable place.
reached when, after informing us that the same
MELVILLE B. ANDERSON.
spirit animates Peele's poem on the Order of
the Garter, Mr. Symonds proceeds to quote a
dozen lines from that poem, consisting solely of
an enumeration of the names of the first knights
THE RELIGIONS OF THE ORIENT,*
of the order. While the reader is rubbing his eyes
over these lines, the following foot-note catches There is an inexhaustible fascination in the
his attention and gives him a lesson in human study of the religions of the world. Whether
nature which alone is worth the price of the Mr. Herbert Spencer is right or not (and what
book:
is there that this high-priest of “Agnosticism?
“Piety to these knights of the French wars, among doesn't know?) in asserting that all religion
whom I count a collateral ancestor, Sir Richard Fitz had its beginning in the worship of “ghosts,"
Simon, rather than admiration for the poetry of this
it is certain that there has never been anything
passage, makes me print these lines.”
in our world more real than has been the power
Here we have, at last, the “link of connec-
of the religious instincts and faiths of men.
tion between man and man” which furnished
This it is which, more than any other one thing,
a motive for the introduction of these two
has awed and charmed, mastered and molded
pages from Peele's odes.
We can imagine the human heart and life.
what Thackeray would have said to this: he
Comparison, insisted the great Cuvier, com-
would have indulged in his favorite quotation parison is the lamp of science. To a large
from King Solomon.
extent this is true. When knowledge holds
Even in the sound and weighty portions of communion with knowledge, truth will shine
the book, one fails to find the marks of the forth self-evidenced in its own light. And this
master-hand so frequently traceable in the his. is nowhere more notably the case than in the
tory of the Renaissance in Italy. There the comparative study of the various great world-
author moves with the security and freedom of religions, whether of the past or of the present.
one “to the manner born.” Here he is, like But the science of comparative theology is itself
those he guides, an alien but partially domes comparatively new, and is still far from having
ticated. He is a companionable guide where succeeded in clearing up either the myths or
ever others have gone before and marked the the mysteries which invest its deep problems.
way; but he draws back from the tangled One of the most intent students in this field of
förest, accepts not the challenge of the moun investigation and thought, in this country, was
tain peak, leads to no exhilarating explorations the late Mr. Samuel Johnson. His two volumes
of the mysteries of unpenetrated glens. Meta Oriental Religions, and their Relation to
phor aside, there is nothing new in the book, Universal Religion,” the one on the religions of
nothing that has not already been as well or China, the other on those of India, published
better said, nothing that makes it either indis- during his life-time, are well-known. His third
pensable or even very useful to the student volume, in line with the preceding, and but just
who has already broken the ground. In
now published, relates to the religions of Persia.
extenuation of all this the author would doubt. Mr. Johnson was not himself an erudite scholar.
less plead what, indeed, he distinctly states in The oriental languages he never learned ; into
his preface: viz., that the book was not written their mysterious shrines where they spoke as
for scholars — that its aim is the honorable one
their own spirits gave them utterance, each one
of making the subject familiar to readers who in the tongue wherein he was born, he never
might shrink from the perusal of a work like
presumed to enter. He claimed to know only
Professor Ward's “History of English Dramatic so much as others who had been there have
Literature.” This plea might make the present reported. But, as Emerson said, why should
criticism seem futile, were it not for two cir one care to swim across a stream when some-
cumstances: first, the just expectations aroused body else has already thrown a bridge over it ?
by the high reputation of the writer; secondly, Nor does one need to have himself gone through
the promise, made at the outset, of exhibiting the almost infinite lingo of the ancient sacred
the subject as a uniform growth with its classics of India, or China, or Persia, with
organic interdependence of parts. Considered
as no less an authority than Max Müller de-
merely as an attempt to popularize a somewhat clares —their mountains of chaff, before being
remote portion of literary history, this work is
* ORIENTAL RELIGIONS AND THEIR RELATIONS TO UNIVERSAL
capable of being very useful, although it falls
With an Introduction by 0. B.
short of the high standard fixed for this class
Frothingham. Vol. III--Persia. Boston: Houghton, Mimin & Co.
on
RELIGION. By Samuel Johnson,


1885.]
265
THE DIAL
able to estimate the spirit and drift, results and this nature, the book will be found one of deep
nfluences, of these antique faiths and forms of and really fascinating significance. And this
thought. As Prof. Müller himself wrote of our is so, even though one may differ most radically
author : What I admire most in Samuel John from the author in his underlying assumption,
son was his not being discouraged by the rub which pervades the whole discussion. Those,
bish with which the religions of the East are however, who believe Christianity to be all it
overwhelmed, but his quietly looking for the purports to be-a revelation, a gospel --will, of
nuggets. And has he not found them? And
course, strongly dissent from certain positions
has he not found what is better than ever so taken, and may find in the end only the more
many nuggets - that great golden dawn of reason for holding to the absolute transcendency
truth, that there is a religion behind all reli of the faith and the hopes, the spirit and the
gions, and that happy is the man that knows it potency, which spring from the gospel of Him
in these days of materialism and atheism ?" who is the world's Redeemer as well as Teacher.
A more serious question, however, as to Mr.
SIMEON GILBERT.
Johnson's qualification for such a task as he
had set before him, would relate to the precon-
ceived theory or philosophy of religion, and
which could not but largely color his views and
RECENT BOOKS OF POETRY*
conclusions. And this the reader may as well
understand at the outset. Mr. Frothingham, Among recent books of poetry the new work
in his Introduction, says of this volume, like of Alfred Lord Tennyson has an indisputable
the others, that it is “saturated through and claim to the first place, both on the ground of
through with the religious spirit; it was written its authorship and of its great intrinsic value.
in the service of religion;" but, as he adds, not The appearance of this noble work may well
of religion as commonly apprehended. His give us pause ere we assert that the Laureate
acquaintance with Eastern faiths was certainly has played his part in English literature or
acquired from books; but, says his friend, “his won all the laurels allotted to him by the just
opinion of Christianity was rather critical than fates. If some apparent weaknesses lie in
experimental.” Mr. Johnson was a teacher of some of the productions of his late years, we
the gospel of evolution, not of the “gospel of must not forget that these same years have
the grace of God.” He began by assuming and
He began by assuming and given us "Rizpah” and “Columbus” and
then “insisting that there is no supernatural' Montenegro,” and that now, with liberal
in the nature of things, and that miracle is an hands, they bring us the historical drama of
absurdity on its face," etc. All of which, it “Becket." In one sense, this work cannot
must be admitted, is a pretty big assumption place the writer upon any higher pinnacle of
wherewith to begin the study of Religion. And fame than that which has long been occupied
yet there is a noble spirit of reverence and by the poet of “Tithonus" and “(Enone" and
candor pervading all that he writes which must * Ulysses,” of “The Princess" and "In Memo-
command the respect of every reader.
riam” and the Arthurian Idyls; but it is a
In seeking to interpret the evolution of reli- composition not unworthy of the sovereign
gion, as it came to be in Persia, he begins with poet who wrote it, one which would be beyond
a consideration of the development of the con-
the
power
but the strongest hand, a
sciousness of the personal Will and of the stately dramatic poem not soon to be forgot-
Moral Sense, and the grand symbolism that was
* BECKET. By Alfred Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate. New
suggested by this advent of Will as a personal
power. He then proceeds to point out the FERISHTAH'S FANCIES. By Robert Browning. Boston: Hough-
gradual development of the Avestar dualism;
By Edith M.
its morality; its literature; the cuneiform mon-
Thomas. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
uments of the Accadian and the Assyrian; the CALLIRRHOE: FAIR ROSAMUND. By Michael Field. New York:
relations of the Hebrew and the Chaldean. He
SONGS OF THE SILENT WORLD, AND OTHER POEMs. By Elizabeth
then discusses the political forces, as those of
Stuart Phelps. Boston: Houghton, Miflin & Co.
Babylon, Cyrus, Persia, Alexander the Great;
POEMs. By Charles Kingsley. New edition, in two volumes.
the Sassanian empires; following this are his
studies of the Philosophies, as Manichæism and
Gnosticism; and then of Islam, wherein the
LYRA ELEGANTIARUM; a collection of some of the best speci-
work of Mahomet is shown to reveal a contin mens of Vers de Société and Vers d Occasion in the English lan-
Edited by Frederick Locker.
uous progress towards the recognition of the
York: White, Stokes & Allen.
Universe as Infinite and as One.
This is one
of the most interesting chapters in the entire Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
volume.
HEINE'S BOOK OF SONGS. Compiled from the Translations by
Sir Theodore Martin, K.C.B., and Edgar A. Bowring, C.B.
To those who are interested in studies of
York : White, Stokes & Allen.
66
of any
York: Macmillan & Co.
ton, Mifflin Co
A NEW YEAR'S MASQUE, AND OTHER POEMS.
Henry Holt & Co.
London: Macmillan & Co.
THE POEMS OF FREDERICK LOOKER.
New York : White, Stokes & Allen.
Authorized edition.
guage, by deceased authors.
New
THE POETICAL WORKS OF LUCY LAROOM. Household edition.
New


266
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
land.
red!
sea.
fled:
dead.
sea.
ten. Like “Harold” and like “Queen Mary," A lyric, lovely even among Tennysonian
it is a vigorous presentation of an important lyrics, opens the first scene in Rosamund's
epoch in English history, and is perhaps a bower. It has the form of a duet heard among
piece of finer workmanship than either of its the trees.
predecessors in the field of historical drama.
1. Is it the wind of the dawn that I hear in the pine overhead!
Lord Tennyson has been happy in his ar 2. No; but the voice of the deep as it hollows the cliffs of the
rangement of the action of this drama. Con-
1. Is there a voice coming up with the voice of the deep from the
scious that the struggle between king and
strand,
archbishop could not alone furnish forth a well One coming up with a song in the flush of the glimmering
rounded and symmetrical play, he has inter-
2. Love that is born of the deep coming up with the sun from the
woven legend with history, and bound up the
story of Rosamund with the sterner tale of 1. Love that can shape or can shatter a life till the life shall have
passion which ended in the tragedy of Canter-
2. Nay, let us welcome him, Love that can lift up a life from the
bury Cathedral. Thus the virile and the tender
go hand in hand, and while the momentous con 1. Keep him away fron the lone little isle. Let us be, let us be,
flict of church and state is outlined in well-nigh
2. Nay, let him make it his own, let him reign in it-he, it is he,
Love that is born of the deep coming up with the sun from the
epic proportions, the scenes in the bower at
Woodstock relieve the monotony with soft As the stately cadence dies away, Henry and
shadings, and give completeness and harmony Rosamund enter, and, in the enjoyment of each
to the whole by the addition of a grateful lyric other's love, seek, the one to forget her loneli-
touch.
ness, the other the cares of state and the pas-
A scene in Norman castle serves as pro-
sions of his controversy with the church. The
logue to the play. Henry and Becket are
scene in the bower, where the queen has found
seated at a game of chess, and the chancellor's her way to Rosamund, is superbly conceived,
bishop gives checkmate to his opponent's king but the ordinary form of the legend is not fol-
an ominous presage. The Archbishop of Can- lowed, and the arm of Eleanor is arrested, as it
terbury lies at the point of death, and Henry is uplifted to plunge the dagger into the heart
urges upon the reluctant Becket the succession.
of her rival, by Becket, who knows the secret
The action of the play proper begins just after of the entrance, and who appears just in time
his assumption of the archepiscopal dignity, to save the threatened life, and who bears Rosa-
and his resolution to devote himself henceforth mund away to a nunnery. It is the report of
to the church alone finds expression in these this act which drives Henry to desperation, and
words:
wrings from him the fatal words:
“I served King Henry well as Chancellor ;
I am his no more, and I must serve the Church,
“Will no man free me from this pestilent priest?"
This Canterbury is only less than Rome,
The last scenes of the last act are laid first
And all my doubts I fling from me like dust,
Winnow and scatter all scruples to the wind,
in the monastery of Canterbury, and afterwards
And all the puissance of the warrior,
in the cathedral itself. The imperfect, but, on
And all the wisdom of the Chancellor,
the whole, heroic character of Becket, whose
And all the heap'd experiences of life,
I cast upon the side of Canterbury-
presence and influence dominate the entire
Our holy mother Canterbury, who sits
play, here assumes grander proportions than
With tatter'd robes. Laics and barons, thro'
The shadow of his doom is upon him,
The random gift of careless kings, have graspt
Her livings, her advowsons, granges, farms,
but he fearlessly defies the threats of the
And goodly acres--we will make her whole;
knights who burst in upon his privacy.
Not one rood lost. And for these Royal customs,
* Ye think to scare me from my loyalty
These ancient Royal customs--they are Royal,
To God and to the Holy Father. No!
Not of the Church-and let them be anathema,
Tho'all the swords in England flashed above me
And all that speak for them anathema."
Ready to fall at Henry's word or yours-
The various phases of the struggle between Tho' all the loud-lung'd trumpets upon earth
Blared from the heights of all the thrones of her kings,
the king and the erewhile vassal who now o’er-
Blowing the world against me, I would stand
tops him by virtue of his newly-acquired power, Clothed with the full authority of Rome,
are graphically presented; the stormy scene at Mail'd in the perfect panoply of faith,
First of the foremost of their files, who die
Northampton Castle, when Becket refuses to
For God, to people heaven in the great day
give his sanction to the constitutional customs, When God makes up his jewels."
the presentation of the king's claims and the Daunted for the moment, his foes leave him,
flight of Becket to France, the “meeting of but only to fall upon him on the altar steps of
the kings” at Montmirail, the reconciliation at the cathedral, whither he repairs, rohed with
Fréteval, form successively the subjects of en the dignities of his office, to meet the death
suing scenes, carrying us to the close of the from which he does not shrink. Too proud to
fourth act. To describe the action of the fifth, seek safety in flight, he meets his murderers,
we must first take up the story of Rosamund and his bearing warrants his words:
as it is here given.
"I am readier to be slain, than thou to slay."
ever.


1885.]
267
THE DIAL
Even then they hesitate, but only for a mo-
Captures from soarings high and divings deep.
ment.
Spoil-laden Soul, how should such memories sleep?
The knights close in upon him and
Take Sense, too-let me love entire and whole-
deal the fatal blows. As Beckei falls wounded
Not with my Soul !
to earth, he exclaims:
"Eyes shall meet eyes, and find no eyes between,
“I do commend my cause to God, the Virgin,
Lips feed on lips, no other lips to fear!
St. Denis of France and St. Alphege of England,
No past, no future--so thine arms but screen
And all the tutelar Saints of Canterbury,"
The present from surprise ! not there, 'tis here-
Not then, 'tis now :-back, memories that intrude !
while a thunder-storm, long since gathering Wake, Love, the universe our solitude,
without, breaks over the church and strikes ter And, over all the rest, oblivion roll--
Sense quenching Soul !"
ror to the hearts of the murderers.
Such, in brief outline, is the latest work of A strain like this outweighs a whole volume of
the Laureate: the story of Fair Rosamund and such blank verse as that in which Ferishtah’s
King Henry and Thomas Becket, as interpreted fancies are couched.
for us by the genius of the greatest of the The volume just published of the poems of
great English poets now living, and no unworthy Miss Edith M. Thomas is a thing of exquisite
addition to the volume of his past work. beauty in external finish and mechanical exe-
cution, and its contents are worthy of more
“Pray, Reader, have you eaten ortolans
attention than those of first volumes usually
Ever in Italy !
Recall how cooks there cook them : for my plan's
deserve. The dreamy, half-mystical interpre-
To -- Lyre with Spit ally."
tation of nature, which is unpleasant in the
In this uncompromising fashion, Mr. Brown- author's prose sketches, abounds here, and pro-
ing's latest poem, “Ferishtah's Fancies,” be- duces a very different impression in the form
gins. Ferishtah is a Persian dervish, who of verse, which is the only form for which it is
holds sundry conversations with his disciples fitted. The reader carries away no definite
upon ethical problems, and solves them all in images from these verses ; half-formed impres-
cheerfully optimistic fashion. It is needless sions are all that remain, soon to become effaced;
to say that the poem exhibits those perversities neither is any considerable metrical gift dis-
of style and expression so characteristic of all played in their composition. These considera-
Mr. Browning's later work. One somewhat tions debar them from any claim to the rank of
striking characteristic of Ferishtah is the in- poetry in the high sense, but their aim does
troduction by him of ocasional Hebrew quota- not seem to have been noticeably higher than
tions, to give flavor to his parabolic teachings. the plane upon which they stand. Considera-
This will be found very edifying by the general ble powers of expression, with a distinct con-
reader. The dervish very naturally is made to sciousness of their limitations, have gone to
get the best of every argument, and is inclined the production of these pieces, and a restraint
to take a contented view of things in general. altogether admirable has kept out the multi-
In the last of these “fancies,” which is entitude of false notes which are sounded in all
tled a “Bean-stripe; also, Apple-eating,” the over-ambitious verse. False notes are not alto.
general question between the optimist and the gether wanting: the conceit which makes the
pessimist is argued out to the somewhat lame symbol for the United States dollar a subject
ending that the pessimist is in the wrong be for a piece of serious allegory is distinctly such;
cause he does not make away with himself, in but faults of taste are rare, and a simple
justification of his view of life:
but true harmony characterizes nearly all of
“The sourly-sage, for whom life's best was death,
the pieces. There are even a few of them to
Lived out his seventy years, looked hale, laughed loud, which the strictures made have no application,
Liked-above all--his dinner,-lied, in short."
and which rise to the dignity of genuine po-
The argument is quite as conclusive as Dr.
etry. This may be said of some of the son-
Johnson's famous refutation of Berkeley.
nets, such as those entitled “Frost” and “The
“So with your meal, my poem : masticate
Oread”; it is also true of the poem called St.
Sense, sight, and song there !
Digest these, and I praise your peptic's state ;
Cecilia,” which is an evident inspiration of the
Nothing found wrong there."
“St. Agnes' Eve,” and the “Sir Galahad” of
Perhaps a correct prose interpretation of this Tennyson, and of which this is the closing
passage from the prologue would be: if you stanza:
can digest this poem you must have the stom-
"Sometimes, on dead midwinter night,
ach of an ostrich. But Mr. Browning never
When gardens lie in folded white,
And giddy stars slide out of sight,
lets us long forget that he is a poet. The lyric
Past cliffs of ice,
passages interspersed among these fancies are
Lo! suddenly an angel stands
With fair red roses in his hands,
doubly welcome for their arid environment.
Dew-wet, and plucked in morning-lands
"Not with my Soul, Love !--bid no Soul like mine
Lap thee around nor leave the poor Sense room! But the best of all that this volume has to
Soul-travel-worn, toil-weary--would confine
Along with Soul, Soul's gains from glow and gloom,
offer us is the group of mythological poems
Of Paradise !"


268
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
the hills.
not seen,
banks is not green,
lead ;-
called “Demeter's Search,” “Persephone,” and her own life. Both poems are dramatic in
"Lityerses and the Reapers." In these poems form. The blank verse in which they are
the author seems for once to have transcended written shows at rare intervals a touch of
her limitations, and to find a larger and richer strength, but many such would not palliate the
form of speech and a more musical utterance. offense of such a passage as —
Here are the words of Persephone to Demeter,
"I hear a sound as if the branches snored,
as the time draws near for her sojourn in the
Hollow and peaceful."
kingdom of Hades, not to her “the dark be A ruggedness which is but crudity, and a force
nign deep underworld,” but a place of horror which is but violence, characterize the composi-
to which her steps are loth to guide her: tion of these two pieces throughout.
We
“Mother, the harvest is garnered, men taste of the season's new cannot help recalling another poet, the first
wheat,
fruits of whose genius called us again to de-
They lie at thy banquet like gods till melody quickens their feet,
plore the fate of Rosamund, and led our foot-
And they rise and dance at the call of the vine-crowned lord of
steps to the Calydonian land. Here was a like
Maidens are gathering flowers by all the Sicilian rills, -
ambition, and here were also faults; but here,
The last late flowers that kindle the meadows with color of fire ;
The strong, gray sea from his caverns and gulfs sings a song of
too, was a power for which no ambition was
desire,
too high, and in comparison with which such
Wooing the earth in speech that was taught the immortals of old;
work as the present becomes insignificant.
The wind with the sun is at rest, and the clouds are a flock in the
In “Songs of the Silent World ” Miss Eliza-
fold."
The summer has been a long and happy one,
beth Stuart Phelps has given expression in verse
and dear to Persephone are the sights and
to many and varied moods. The verse is of
sounds of earth and the
that very large class which can have absolutely
of mankind;
presence
but the time of departure is near:
no objective value, and whose only excuse for
publication can lie in the satisfaction it causes
"Ah, mother, I leave them, ah, ah ! for a kingdom the gods have
the writer and his friends. These verses make
Where the streams are not flowing that bound it, the grass on the little pretense, however, and it is well that they
For the crown with the iron clasp, for the sceptre moulded of
do not, for they have no claim to consideration
upon technical grounds, being rough and with-
Better a slave on the earth than a majesty swaying the dead !
out melody. The morbid religious tone which
Thou rememb'rest my face in those days when I came from the
dwelling of night,
we expect to find in any of the writings of this.
Pallid and strange as the Moon when she rides in Hyperion's lady is not wanting, although only in a few in-
light:
stances particularly obtrusive.
These lips were as waters bound up with the frost in the dead of
The publication of the poems of Charles
These eyes were as fountains the sumnier has spent, for the thirst Kingsley in the exquisite style of the “Eversley
edition" of his novels was a well-merited rec.
So should I seem, couldst thou see me, descended past starlight
ognition of their sterling merits. In this
While storms whistle out of the East and scatter the mildewing new and highly acceptable form, these two
volumes should find a place in every collection
The two poems called “Callirrhoë” and of the good things in English literature.
“Fair Rosamund,” which are published to- Every one knows "The Three Fishers” and
gether in one volume, and to which the name “The Sands of Dee” by heart, but to the
of Michael Field is added as that of the author, majority of readers “Andromeda” and “The
have attracted some attention-more, we should Saint's Tragedy" are mere names. They know
judge, on account of their ambitious choice of that the latter is the story of Elizabeth of
theme and treatment than for any considerable Hungary, and they have heard it said that the
beauty found in them. “Fair Rosamund” is former contains the best English hexameters
another treatment of the much handled story ever made; but farther than this their acquaint-
of the maze at Woodstock. “ Callirrhoë” is a ance with the works does not extend. Charles
poem of the early growth of the worship of Kingsley never wrote anything that was not
Dionysus in Greece, and turns upon the anger well worth knowing. There is a healthfulness
of a priest of Bacchus, whose amorous over and a strength in his utterances which have
tures have been repulsed by “Callirrhoë,” and furnished inspiration to many lives, and which
who calls down upon Calydon, her city, a fierce are in no danger of being outworn. Whether
plague. Through the oak of Dodona, the in novel, in poem, or in sermon, there is a
oracle demands the sacrifice of the maiden, or
directness and a manliness in his manner of
of some one who is willing to die in her stead, speech which compels the admiration even of
as the only means whereby the offended god the listeners whose views are fundamentally
may be appeased. Callirrhoë offers herself to opposed to those which he enunciates.
be sacrificed; but the priest, who still loves The new edition of the poems of Frederick
her, plunges the knife into his own heart. Locker is more complete than the one pub-
She afterwards, loving him when too late, takes lished a year ago, containing thirteen addi-
the year ;
of a tear ;
and morn,
corn !"


1885.]
269
THE DIAL
tional poems-each of them a gem that, once known to her; but she has attained to a con-
owning, we could ill spare.
Here is the one siderable facility in the expression of a mild
called "An Epitaph":
form of religious sentiment, and of the gentler
"Her worth, her wit, her loving smile
aspect of nature as seen in her New England
Were with me but a little while ;
home. With a range thus narrow, so large an
She came, she went; yet though that Voice
amount of verse must necessarily be repetition
Is hushed that made the heart rejoice,
And though the grave is dark and chill,
and re-repetition of a few well-worn ideas. A
Her memory is fragrant still, --
refined and delicate fancy is her substitute for
She stands on the eternal hill.
imagination, and kindly feeling what she has
Here pause, kind soul, whoe'er you be,
to give in the place of passion. While these
And weep for her, and pray for me."
offer nothing to the true lover of poetry, there
This new edition makes a beautiful volume, are many who, lacking the artistic perceptions
and is adorned with a miniature etching of the needed for its enjoyment, may find in such
poet.
verse as this a pleasure analogous at least-
Published at the same time and in the same although far lower--to that which persons of
form as the preceding work, we have the "Lyra acuter sensibilities find in the works of the
Elegantiarum," of which Mr. Locker is the genuine poets.
editor- a sufficient guarantee of the excel The dainty little volume of Heine's “Book
lence of the selection. If any man ought to of Songs,” just published, gives us nothing but
know what good society verse is, he should be old matter, consisting of the translations made
that man, having made so much of it himself. by Theodore Martin and Edgar Bowring, the
He refers to this kind of metrical composition best of each being selected for the present issue.
as “a species of poetry which, in its more These translators have probably done the best
restricted form, bears somewhat the same rela that can be done for Heine in English; but how
tion to the poetry of lofty imagination and deep poor that is in comparison with the faultless
feeling, that the Dresden china shepherds and German verses! The beauty of all lyric verse--
shepherdesses of the last century do to the and none more so than Heine's—is incommuni-
sculpture of Donatello and Michael Angelo,” cable in any alien speech; and the best of
and tells us that in it “a boudoir decorum is translators must always read almost like paro-
or ought always to be preserved; where senti-dies to those who are familiar with the originals.
ment never surges into passion, and where
WILLIAM MORTON PAYNE.
humor never overflows into boisterous merri-
ment.” Of the kind of poetry thus charac-
terized, Mr. Locker has made a collection, taken
entirely from the work of deceased writers, and
in which Prior and Praed, Moore and Herrick,
SAMUEL PEPYS.*
Landor, and many others, are worthily repre-
sented. The editor tells us that he “ trusts he No space which The Dial could spare me
has gathered together nearly all the vers de would afford me a chance of saying what I
société of real merit in the English language,” wish to say, and what ought to be said, about
-a not unreasonable confidence, when we con the Diary and Correspondence of Pepys. It
sider that his selections are four hundred and is to the last half of the seventeenth century
thirty in number. Thackeray is omitted for what Boswell's Johnson is to the larger part
copyright reasons, but all other deceased of the eighteenth ; and the only contemporary
writers who deserve a place here may be Diary with which it can be compared is that
found. One cannot but regret that the plan of Evelyn, which covers the same period,
of the book did not admit of its including the though it begins at an earlier and ends at a
best things of Holmes and Calverley, of Austin much later date. Evelyn and Pepys were ac-
Dobson, and not least-of Mr. Locker himself; quaintances and friends, and it is instructive
but the restrictions made give the book a com-
to look over their shoulders as they sit jotting
pleteness which it would not otherwise have. down the same occurrences on the same day.
The three hundred closely printed pages Here is the first entry in Pepys:
which are needed to contain the verse of Lucy “ Jan. 1st (Lord's Day).—This morning (we living
Larcom bear unmistakable witness to the lately in the garret) I rose, put on my suit with great
industry of one of our most estimable women
skirts, having not lately worn any other clothes but
them. Went to Mr. Gunning's chapel at Exeter House,
of letters. Her verses are simply written, and
where he made a very good sermon upon these words
are such as may have a strong hold upon
*DIARY AND CORRESPONDENCE OF SAMUEL PEPYA, Esq., F.R.S.
simple minds. Of the heights and depths of
From his MS. Cypher in the Pepysian Library, with a Life and
poetry, there can be no question in their con Notes by Richard Lord Braybrooke. Deciphered, with Additional
sideration. Most regions of the imagination
Notes, by Rev. Mynors Bright, M.A., President and Senior Fellow
of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In ten volumes. New York :
and most phases of passion are entirely un Dodd, Mead & Company.


270
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
"That in the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of so I betake myself to that course, which is almost as
a woman,' etc., showing that by 'made under the law' much as to see myself go into my grave; for which,
is meant his circumcision, which is solemnized this and all the discomforts that will accompany my being
day.”
blind, the good God prepare me."
Here is the entry in Evelyn's diary for the God be wi' you, S. P.!
same day:
No one can read Pepys as he ought to be
" Jan. 1.-Begging God's blessing for the following
read without a tolerable amount of knowledge
yeare, I went to Excester Chapell, where Mr. Gunning of the reign of Charles the Second, and all
began the yeare on 4 Galatians, v. 3 to 7, shewing the
that pertains thereto, the back-stairs scandal of
love of Christ in shedding his blood so early for us."
White Hall and Hampton Court, the circuitous
Exeter House (if the reader of this notice cares
windings of Gray's Inn, and the inns, taverns
to know the fact), was built by Lord Burleigh, and ordinaries thereabout, the ways of the
whose son was the first Earl of Exeter, from waiters at Will's and the other coffee-houses,
whom it was named. Nearly on the same site and the situation of the theatres, especially the
stood Exeter Change, which has given place to Duke's play-house. He should be familiar with
the present Exeter Hall. Think of Pepys at all the great actors and actresses of the period,
Exeter Hall! The last entry in the Diary of with Betterton and Mohun, with Nell Gwynn
Pepys (May 31, 1669) is swallowed hy a blank
and her prologizing in the broad-brimmed
in the Diary of Evelyn, the two diarists meet-
straw-hat, and her sisterhood of singing and
ing in spirit, on paper, for the last time on
May 20th. Here is Evelyn's jotting for that dancing abigails. He should have a nodding
if not a speaking acquaintance with the drama-
day:
tists of the Restoration-with Tom Killigrew,
“ 20th.--This evening was borné my third daugbter, Will Davenant, Sir Samuel Juke, Sir Robert
who was baptized on the 25th by the name of Susanna."
Howard and his famous brother-in-law, John
And here is the jotting of Pepys:
Dryden; not forgetting Sir Charles Sedley and
“ 20th.--Up and to the Office. At noon, the whole Lord Rochester a pair of sad, mad, bad
office-Brouncker, J. Minnes, T. Middleton, Samuel
Pepys, and Captain Cox-to dine with the Parish at the
English villains. He ought to be able to di-
Three Tuns, this day being Ascension Day, where ex-
vine the infinite secrecies of the royal chamber,
ceeding good discourse among the merchants. With and its daily and nightly occupants, to catch
my eyes mighty weary, and my head full of care how
the chat over the card-tables, to understand the
to get my accounts and business settled against my.
winks, interpret the shrugs, and stimulate the
journey, home to supper and to bed. Yesterday, at
my coming home, I found that niy wife had, on a
pleasant speeches that provoke and end in
sudden, put away Matt upon some falling out, and I duels, of which the most noted that has come
doubt Matt did call her ill names by my wife's own down to us is the one between the Earl of
discourse ; but I did not meddle to say anything upon
it, but let her go, being not sorry, because now we
Shrewsbury and the Duke of Buckingham, all
may get one that speaks French, to go abroad with
about dry Lady Shrewsbury, who hath for great
while been Mistress to the Duke of Bucking-
The last entry of Pepys is dated eleven days
ham. The reader of Pepys should be hand-
later:
in-glove with the Montagues, with General
“31st.-Up very betimes, and continued all the Monk, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, with the
morning with W. Hewer, upon examining and stating Duke of York, with Sir George Carteret, with
my accounts, in order to the fitting myself to go abroad Admiral Pen, with the Countess of Castlemaine,
beyond sea, which the ill condition of my eyes,
with the Duchess of Portsmouth, with his Most
and my neglect for a year or two, hath kept me
behindhand in, and so as to render it very difficult Sacred Majesty Carolus Secundus,
now, and troublesome to my mind to do it ; but I
"Who never said a foolish thing,
this day made a satisfactory entrance therein. Had
another meeting with the Duke of York, at White Pepys was a rake and a man of business; an
Hall, on yesterday's work, and made a good ad-
assiduous courtier and an incorruptible patriot;
vance: and so, being called by my wife, we to the Park,
Mary Batelier, and a Dutch gentleman, a friend of
a gay gallant and an uxurious husband; a
hers, being with us. Thence to “The World's End,' a musician and a man of science; a collector of
drinking-house by the Park, and there merry, and so old plays and new pamphlets; a reader of
home late. And thus ends all that I doubt I shall ever
Beaumont and Fletcher, Webster, Massinger,
be able to do with my eyes in the keeping of my
Journal. I not being able to do it any longer, having
Davenant even of Shakespere! The son of
done now so long as to undo my eyes almost every
a tailor, he was educated at St. Paul's School, at
time that I take a pen in my hand, and therefore, Trinity College, Cambridge, and at Magdalene.
whatever comes of it, I must forbear; and therefore
Backed by his cousin, Sir Edward Montagu, he
resolve from this time forward, to have it kept by my
people in long-hand, and must be contented to set
became Secretary to the two Generals of the
down no more than is fit for them and all the world Fleet, Clerk of Acts of the Navy, Secretary to
to know; or, if there is anything, which cannot be the Commissioners for managing the affairs of
inuch, now my amours are past, and my eyes hinder- Tangier, and Purveyor-general of the Victual-
ing me in almost all other pleasures, I must endeavor
to keep a margin in my book open, to add, here and ling Department, Member of the House of
here, a note in short-hand, with my own hand. And 'Commons, Secretary for the Affairs of the
us.
And never did a wise one."


1835.]
271
THE DIAL
Navy, and Member of the Royal Society. He siderable literary repute by the publication of a
was the Broker of Charles the Second, and the couple of satires, in which the Irish stage and the
Diarist of all time. How he wrote in cypher, city of Dublin were served up with caustic wit.
when his cypher was unravelled, with other These were comparatively youthful effusions, the
matters connected therewith, the Rev. Mynors three. The year of his entering Parliament, Mr.
first being written when the author was only twenty-
Bright relates as in duty bound; and I refer the
Croker produced a history of Ireland, which met
reader of this hasty notice to his admirable
with favor. Among the number of works foll wing
edition of the Diary and Correspondence of this at intervals, his “ Stories from the History of
Samuel Pepys, Esq., F.R.S. A single extract England," written for juvenile readers, was very pop-
from his voluminous confessions (one of many ular, suggesting, it is said, the idea to Scott of "The
that I should like to make) will show one side Tales of a Grandfather.” An annotated edition of
of his character and taste. Here it is, in part, Bushnell's “Life of Johnson” was regarded by
against the penultimate day of September, 1662 himself as one of his ablest efforts, and was the prod-
uct of great labor and research. With Scott and
“ 29th. (Michaelmas-day) I sent for some
dinner and then dined, Mrs. Margaret Pen being by, Quarterly Review,” as an organ of the Tory party
Canning, Mr. Croker united in 1809 in founding the
to whom I had spoke to go along with us to a play
this afternoon; and then to the King's Theatre, where
and an offset to the “ Edinburgh." His position
we saw Midsummer's Night's Dream, which I had
in literature and politics gave him prominence in Lon-
never seen before, nor shall ever again, for it is the don society for nearly half a century, and most per-
most insipid, ridiculous play that ever I saw in my sons of eminence among his contemporaries were
life. I saw, I confess, some good dancing and some known by him. In his official capacity, he was the
handsome women, which was all my pleasure."
recipient of confidences from George IV., and was
A little over a century and a half after this brought into near contact with different members of
entry, another famous diarist made a jotting in the royal family in the reigns of several successive
his journal
, under the date of January 15, 1826. sovereigns. His correspondence and diaries reveal
his relations with the great personages of his time,
Here is a fragment of it:
with the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, and
* Meantime, I will correct that curious fellow Pepys with Talleyrand, whom he describes as “fattish for
Diary. I mean the article I have made of it for the
a Frenchman," with weak ankles and deformed feet,
Quarterly."
on which he tottered about in a strange way; with
On the same day he wrote to his son-in-law in a face void of expression except " of drunken
London :
stupor," and a voice “deep and hoarse." He met
“I enclose the article on Pepys. It is totally un-
frequently Madame de Stael, whom he pronounced
corrected, so I wish, of course, much to see it in proof "ugly, and not of an intellectual ugliness either.
if possible, as it must be dreadfully inaccurate. “On the whole,” he says of this famous lady, “she
The subject is like a good sirloin, which requires only was singularly unfeminine, and if in conversation
to be basted with its own drippings. I had little
one forgot she was ugly, one forgot also that she was
trouble of research or reference ; perhaps I have made a woman." Such are the spicy comments upon one
it too long, or introduced too many extracts--if so,
and another of the host of distinguished people
use the pruning-knife, hedge-bill, or axe, ad libitum.
You know I don't care a curse about what I write, or
coming within the sweep of Mr. Croker's critical
what becomes of it."
vision, with which his letters and journals are en-
The article was published in the Quarterly, castic habits, unsparingly indulged in the papers he
livened. It may be readily conjectured that his sar-
and the honorarium was £100. "But this is
contributed to the 66
far too much--£50 is plenty.
Quarterly” and likewise in his
Still 'I must personal intercourse, made him bitter enemies.
impaticos the gratility for the present.” So Macaulay hated him, as did the younger Disraeli and
Scott wrote to Lockhart, who tells us that he many more whom he treated to rough satire. The
never observed him more delighted with any Americans as a nation were not among his friends,
book whatsoever. He had ever afterwards many for in his writings they were the favorite object of
of its queer terms and phrases on his lips.
his irritating sneers. Mr. Croker was a violent Tory,
RICHARD HENRY STODDARD.
and in his Parliamentary career, which lasted twenty-
five years, he achieved unenviable distinction by his
opposition to the Reform Bill, which he fought
steadily from beginning to 'end. Disraeli took re-
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS.
venge upon him by an exaggerated portrayal of his
The “Correspondence and Diaries of John Wilson Macaulay reviewed his books with malicious delight.
traits in the character of Rigby in “Conigsby," and
Croker,” edited by Louis J. Jennings, and published Mr. Croker was a lover and patron of the fine arts,
by Scribner's Sons, fill two rather formidable vol--
and took an active part in the establishment of the
umes with respect to size, above 900 octavo pages be-
Atheneum Club. His death occurred in 1857. The
ing compressed between their covers. Mr. Croker
* Correspondence and Diaries” left by him are mines
was a native of Ireland, his birth occurring in 1780.
At the age of twenty-two, he was admitted to the history of his time.
of information regarding the social and political
Irish bar; and within five years he was elected to
Parliament. In 1809, he received the appointment It is a hopeful sign of our times that active busi-
of Secretary of the Admiralty, a place which he held ness men are contributing the results of their matter-
for twenty years. He had previously acquired con of-fact study and observation toward the solution of


272
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
16
grave questions of economics. A valuable contribu- railway adjustment which will be beneficial to both
tion of this kind comes before us in a little book en the companies and the public, in their true relation
titled, “ The Distribution of Products, or the of mutual dependence and helpfulness.
Mechanism and Metaphysics of Exchange" (Put-
nams). The author is Mr. Edward Atkinson, a Public opinion in this country is gradually reach-
prominent business man of Boston, and an ex ing the conviction that the training afforded by our
perienced writer upon economic topics. The volume schools does not meet the wants of the people. No
embraces three essays, originally prepared for special one disputes that the object of common-school educa-
occasions. The first deals with the question: What tion is to fit the young for the practical duties of
makes the rate of wages?” The second asks “ What life. With all the good work done in our schools
is a bank?" The third treats of “The railway, the they prove of too little aid in providing boys and
farmer, and the public,” in their relation to each girls with the capacity for self-support. The system
other and to the common weal. The first essay oc leaves the great majority of boys, whom it has edus
cupies the greater part of the book. It does not cated out of a liking or a respect for manual labor, to
directly and definitely answer the question it pro live by their wits; and it converts too many of the
pounds, but presents a carefully prepared compila- girls into Becky Sharps. Our prisons bear this
tion of facts adapted to magnify its importance, and testimony. A large proportion of convicts and
to point the way towards the true answer. Close felons can read and write; a fair number are, in the
study is necessary to digest the data thus given, but ordinary sense, educated men; but the greater part
the light thrown upon the subject is a full compensa of them have no trade or calling, have never been
tion for the labor of a thorough reading. Fresh and taught to work, and therefore have preyed upon
bright thoughts flash out continually in the midst of others. A skilled mechanic is seldom found in a
dry statistics, and bare facts are happily turned into penal institution. These facts are enough to show
convincing arguments. The main drift of the essay the importance of a scheme of industrial schools as
is to expose four popular fallacies, and to substitute ample and as full as our present system of common-
for them four sound propositions. The fallacies are: schools. But there are other reasons, as cogent,
1, " The cost of production of any given article why they should prevail in every part of the land.
can be ascertained by finding out and comparing We need, for the sake of our national prosperity, intel-
the rates of wages paid in its production, in different ligent and dextrous workmen, of American birth and
places here or elsewhere"; 2, “Low rates of wages breeding, in all our multitudinous and multiplying
are necessary to low cost of production, high rates industries. The demand is great, and we resort to
of wages can only be paid consistently with high the Old World for a supply, while our own youth
cost of production "; 3, Inasmuch as laborers
are growing up to find the handicrafts shut against
work for wages, wages enter directly into the cost of them and their avenues of employment frightfully
production, therefore cheap labor can only be as narrowed and over-crowded. The old custom of
sured by the payment of low rates of wages”; 4, thorough apprenticeship has died out.
The only
* An employer must of necessity be able to hire means remaining for preparing the bulk of the rising
laborers at low rates of wages in order to make goods generation for industrial vocations--in other words,
at low cost.” The four propositions are : 1, “The for giving them a chance to lead useful, honorable,
rate of wages constitutes no standard even of the and happy lives--is to establish schools where, along
money cost of production "; 2, “Low rates of with the elementary intellectual branches, they shall
wages are not essential to a low cost of production, be taught the use of tools, the rudiments of science
but on the contrary usually indicate a high cost of and art, and the application of these to the handi-
production "; 3, “Cheap labor, in a true sense, and crafts. The nations of Europe are awake to the
low rates of wages, are not synonymous terms, but importance of manual and technical training and are
are usually quite the reverse”; 4,"“ An employer is successfully pursuing the ways for furnishing it in
not under the necessity of securing labor at low rates abundance. What is essential and feasible for them
of wages in order to make cheap goods; the cheap- in this line is none the less so for the United States.
est labor is the best paid labor." The essay proper Educators are agitating the subject, and it will not
is illustrated by seven appendices which give in rest until by some method a broader and more prac-
detail facts and figures with tables and diagrams, the tical course of instruction is introduced into our
result of great labor, and furhish strange and inter schools. The question is discussed at length in the
esting statistics of high value in their bearing on late work of Arthur MacArthur, entitled “Education
many problems of political economy. The essay on in Its Relation to Manual Industry” (Appletons).
the Bank is a clear and simple exposition of the A good deal of information is given regarding the
functions of that important agent of distribution, industrial schools in operation in the different States of
which it were well that our would-be statesmen as Europe and in our own country, and the arguments
well as business men should master thoroughly. In in support of such institutions are forcibly presented.
the third essay, the Railway system is the central The author, it must unfortunately be added, is ad-
subject, and it is treated in a way to correct errone dicted to prolixity and repeats himself over and over.
ous ideas entertained by very many intelligent citi- His book would be better for compression into one-
zens as well as by plain farmers. It is clearly shown half its present volume. Nevertheless it is serviceable,
that in spite of frauds and gross abuses con and helps forward a cause which must sooner or later
nected with the construction and management of triumph over all opposition.
railways, the public and farmers especially derive the
highest advantages from their service. The view is The biography of a great commonwealth has the
expressed that we have reached the end of speculative fascination of a biography of a great man; and in-
building, and are now entering upon a period of asmuch as it is more complex and comprehensive, it


1885.]
273
THE DIAL
presents a greater diversity and depth of interest. anterior wings thickened at the base. The characteri-
Each of the separate States of our Union has its in zation of groups is generally very defective. Such
dividual and peculiar history; each was founded and bits of miscellaneous information as that stockings
developed in circumstances to a certain degree ex made from the silk of Pinna cost $2.75 a pair, are
ceptional, which have given a distinctive character badly out of place in such a work. Hard-and-fast
and direction to its destiny. Hence, the unfolding numerical statements are made which are apt to be
of its career discloses original and novel traits and taken too literally; as, for example, that the wings of
incidents, the narration of which is replete with enter a fly make 19,800 revolutions in a minute. The
tainment. More than this, the history of our com classification is modern; the erection of the Tunicata
monwealths is the history of our country. Despite into a branch is somewhat questionable, although
brief perilous periods of difference and estrange there is good authority for so doing. To single out
ment, they remain a strong, close brotherhood, the Elateride and the Dytiscidæ as the only two
whose lives are bound together by ties of blood, of families of Coleoptera deserving of special mention,
sentiment, of situation, and of pursuits. To read indicates a serious lack of feeling for proportion.
the different records of their lives is to read the suc Such criticism as this may be multiplied indefin-
cessive chapters of a heroic story, which is filled itely. The “ Geology." of Dr. Le Conte is a very
with inciting and energizing lessons and examples. much better book, and decidedly the best of the
The latest portion of this, our national epic, which series. It is the work at once of an authority and
is being published in what may be called a serial of a skilled teacher, as every text-book should be,
form in Houghton, Mifflin & Co's “ American Com and leaves little to be desired. Besides fulfilling
monwealths,” gives an account of the commonwealth the requirements of such a work, it is an interesting
of Kentucky, by Prof. N. S. Shaler. The author is treatise, and one which even the general reader may
a native of the State, and a man distinguished in peruse with satisfaction.
science. For a number of years he was at the head
of the geological survey of Kentucky, and is there Plato's Laws, while strictly repressing every form
fore as familiar with its physical features as with its of heresy, reserve their severest condemnation for
social and political characteristics. His professional those who, without genuine conviction, work upon
knowledge is manifest in various parts of his work, the superstitions of the multitude for their own advan-
but particularly in those portions devoted to a de- tage. To this class, a careful perusal of Mr. Sin-
scription of the surface conditions and the natural nett's book on “Esoteric Buddhism” (Houghton,
products of the State. It is also apparent in the Mifflin & Co.) convinces us that its author belongs.
systematic manner in which he progresses from the In this hard, formal, repellant mysticism ; in this
early beginning to the conclusion of his narrative. It system of cycles of life-evolution, extending in a
is a well-ordered account, compact and coherent magnetic chain through Mercury, Earth, Mars, and
throughout, and properly proportioned. The style four invisible planets known only to esoteric science;
is not that of a trained and cultivated writer, yet its in this coarsely materialistic account of the seven
lack of elegance is a minor affair compared with the principles of men, the highest of which must be
substantial merits of the composition. The difficult evolved in the “sixth round" under penalty of con-
task of treating the period of the Rebellion is accom signment to everlasting annihilation in the “unspirit-
plished with good taste and judgment. In this the
- in all this soulless mechanical scheme
author's scientific schooling serves him in good stead. there is not the slightest trace of any genuine inspir-
Prejudices and prepossessions are set aside, and the ation, whether in earnest if mistaken study of the
testimony of actual facts, so far as this can now be old Buddhist and Brahmanic literature or in fruitful
gained, is presented impartially. The opinions of a living intercourse with unsophisticated natives of
Southerner and a Unionist, who witnessed the events India. On the contrary, the book bears every evi-
of the civil war from a near point of view, are of dence of deliberate and conscious elaboration by a
signal value.
mediocre mind fed on the pseudo-scientific jargon of
third-rate popular hand-books, on the “phenomena
The series of scientific text-books now being pub- of materializations and table-rappings, and on second-
lished by Appleton & Co. has received two new ac hand accounts of old Pythagorean and Neo-Platonic
cessions in the “Geology” of Dr. Joseph Le Conte superstitions. That the public should seek for
and the “ Zoologyof C. F. and J. B. Holder. These Buddhism in such works as this, when it may read
volumes, and especially the former, are a great im- Spence Hardy, Müller's “Sacred Books of the East,"
provement upon those with which the series was and the “Light of Asia," is a pity. But it would
inaugurated, being better written and illustrated, require the genius that wrote Lucian's “Liar” to
and better adapted for use in the class-room. Good make effective protest, with Societies for the Collec-
elementary text-books of zoology are greatly wanted, tion of Ghost Stories in London and Boston, with
and the present one is better than most, although far our leading journals discussing “tomic imponderable
from faultless. To write a good text-book requires matter" and giving telepathic documents, and Lulu
a special faculty, and one which did not go to the Hurst exhibiting in our cities. And yet, in a world
composition of this, of which the strongest feature so full of wonderful and beautiful things, who can
is afforded by the illustrations, which are very nu measure the harm that is done by this constant
merous and excellent. Scientific accuracy of expres diversion of wonder, aspiration, and sentiment, to
sion is often lacking, as when we are told that the these ignoble themes ?
young of lampreys “were long considered separate
animals”; as what else should they be considered ? MR. CABLE's historical sketch of “ The Creoles of
Positive errors occur, as where we are told that it is Louisiana" (Scribners) includes much more than
generally characteristic of Hemiptera to have their l the monograph which the title leads one to expect.
ual” noon,


274
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
It comprehends a quite full outline of the early life accorded them by one who believes in their sacred
of Louisiana; of the settlement of the colony by the and inspired c aracter. His position toward them
French; of its secret cession by Louis XIV. to the enlists entire respect, being maintained in a truly
King of Spain; of its restoration to France after candid and catholic spirit. There can be but one
thirty-eight years of oppression by its Spanish opinion among serious readers of biblical and politi-
rulers; of its final purchase by the United States in cal history regarding the value of his work. It is a
1803; and of its gradual identification thereafter with substantial aid to the understanding and appreciation
the career of the American nation. The story also of the writings in the Old Testament as records of
inevitably embraces a particular account of the life the life of the ancient nations.
of the city of New Orleans, the special home of the
Crooles, from its foundation in 1706 by the brave and A GREAT amount of useful knowledge has been
sagacious pioneer Bienville, through the long series compressed into Louis Heilprin's "Historical Refer-
of diversified and often romantic vicissitudes which ence Book” (Appleton). The size of the work—a
bring it down to the present hour. It is a pictur large duodecimo of 569 pages-shows its limitations
esque narrative, having much of the quaintness, the in point of space; but by a system of extreme con-
grace, the air of courtesy and high-breeding, charac densation, it is made to enclose “infinite riches in a
teristic of the race with which it deals. The Creoles
little room." The first 188 pages are occupied with
possess, in sharp contrast with the Anglo-Saxons, the a chronological table of universal history, which in-
charming manners and disposition of the Latin cludes the principal occurrences in the progress
of
stock from whom they have descended. They lack civilized nations from the year 4400 B.C. to nearly
the sturdiness of principle and purpose which mark
the close of 1884 A.D. This is supplemented by
the people to whom they are politically allied, but a chronological dictionary of universal history, cov-
from whom until very late years they have held ering about a hundred pages. The remaining sec-
socially aloof. On the other hand, they and their tion of the book, embracing upwards of 270 pages,
surroundings afford more decorative subjects for is devoted to a biographical dictionary, in which the
delineation with the pen or pencil. In connection
notes are mainly restricted to a single line. The work
with this remark, it is curious to note the resemblance is in fact a small library in itself, with carefully select-
between the manner of Mr. Cable's writing and that ed and authenticated contents arranged in the most
employed by the illustrators of his text. There is convenient and acceptable form. It is not necessary
the same light, facile, pleasing quality in both. And to compare it with other productions of its class. It
the likeness extends farther. The author makes a
contains less historical information than Havden's
slip occasionally in the construction of his sentences, Dictionary of Dates," for instance; but then it ein-
of which the first clause in the second paragraph braces a mass of biographical matter which Hayden's
of his book offers an example. The engravers
book does not afford. Judging it exclusively upon
make even grosser blunders in the execution of what its individual merits, and with regard to its distinct-
as a whole must be pronounced their highly credita- ive plan, it is a valuable work for the student or
ble work. The picture of “The Battle Ground," on general reader who is not supplied with a series of
page 201, for instance, may be taken for a represen the larger and more expensive dictionaries and en-
tation of sky, of water, of ice, of desert sand—of any-cyclopædias. Mr. Heilprin has brought to the con-
thing, in short, but of solid ground. But Mr. struction of his book an extended experience in the
Cable's sketches furnish valuable and delightful compilation and verification of historical and bio-
chapters in the history of our composite nation. graphical data, having served many years in the
editorial department of the "American Cyclopædia.”
The learned and indefatigable historian of ancient
nations, Canon Rawlinson, has given to the world a THE fifth volume of the revised edition of Ban-
fresh store of information gleaned in his chosen croft's “History of the United States” (Appleton) cor-
field of research. His new volume, “ Egypt and responds to the original ninth and tenth volumes, and
Babylon” (Scribners), embodies the fruits of his covers the period from the Declaration of Independ-
study of the Old Testament texts which refer to ence to the Treaty of Peace. The three last
those countries. Those passages which on the chapters, containing the political and diplomatic
most critical examination are found to allude to the events of 1782, are of especial interest, by reason of
kingdoms of Babylon or Assyria have the first Mr. Bancroft's unrivalled eminence in the diplomatic
place in the treatise, and afterward come such as history of his country, and also of the interesting
are connected with the great people inhabiting the questions which arise in relation to the good faith of
valley of the Nile. It is needless to say that in the the French government, and the different attitudes
elucidation of these texts Mr. Rawlinson exhibits a assumed by the three American commissioners. Mr.
most erudite acquaintance with the questions under Bancroft considers Jay to have been unwarrantably
consideration, while with scholarly care he clears suspicious of the French ministers, and to have stood
away, when possible, the last shade of obscurity out unnecessarily upon an unessential point in Mr.
hanging over them. It is an interesting and im Oswald's instructions. Being ignorant of the con-
portant task he has undertaken, for the light which dition of parties in England, he did not realize the
he throws on dim and mysterious points in the peril of the delay, which, if protracted until the
Hebrew Scriptures tends to confirm their claim to meeting of parliament, might have shipwrecked the
veracity and at the same time strengthens the evi whole negotiation. Adams, too, made some hasty
dences obtained from profane sources which dis and ill-judged concessions. Nevertheless, these two
close the progressive history of Egypt and Babylon. able lawyers, in the prime of life, were the
Mr. Rawlinson treats the historical and the propheti- working members of the commission, and to their
cal books of the Old Testament with the veneration | industry and ability we owe the principal advantages


1885.]
275
THE DIAL
of the treaty. The aged and experienced Franklin Co., Chicago), is a fresh illustration of the wide-
brought to the service of the commission a soundness spread interest in modern scientific and philosoph-
of judgment and a native sagacity which enabled ical inquiry. The work is an examination of the
him to serve often as a useful balance to his younger question of man's immortality on scientific grounds,
colleagues. Mr. Bancroft evidently regards his judg- and an argument therefrom for the affirmative. Mr.
ment in the questions that arose as generally correct Straub's purpose, as he defines it, is to meet scien-
and always entitled to respect.
tific doubters with their own weapons. Like the
New England deacon who objected to the banish-
Many students of comparative mythology, who
ment of the fiddle from the church choir on the
have become impatient at the one-sided interpreta-ground that he didn't believe in letting the devil
tions of myths, with their endless repetition of the
have all the good music, Mr. Straub doesn't mean
“ dawn” and the “solar hero" which they find in to allow the skeptics to have all the good argu-
the writings of Max Müller and his school, will take
satisfaction in Mr. Andrew Lang's vigorous assault
ments. The work is a worthy and timely addi-
tion to the religious literature of the day. Various
upon the methods of " philological mythology," in
his “Custom and Myth” (Harpers). To this “pre-explored, and the author's conclusions are clearly
fields of physical and psychological science are
carious and untrustworthy" method, which rests
and concisely stated. The discussion is conducted
upon the assumption “that myths must be inter-
in a spirit of fairness and liberality, and must prove
preted chiefly by philological analysis of names,'
interesting and instructive to all in need of such a
Mr. Lang opposes what he calls “the method of work. The well-considered and suggestive Intro-
Folk-lore," which seeks explanations in analogy of duction, by the Rev. Dr. Thomas, lends additional
circumstances rather than in identity of origin as
value to the book.
shown by identity of nime. It does not seem to us
that this distinction expresses the entire difference
The Rev. Theodore T. Munger, of North Adams,
between the two schools, for, as we all know, the
Mass., is one of the few preachers whose discourses
-orthodox” school carries to an absurd extreme the
call for presentation in book form to the general
theory of deriving very diverse myths from the same
public. A felicitous style, the choice of practical
phenomena of nature—in this following the method
and vital topics, and a certain universality of treat-
of folk-lore. Mr. Lang does not overlook the un-
ment, have given him a constituency much beyond
questioned truth that the group of Aryan myths the limited circle of his New England parish. His
have a right to be studied as a group, although it latest volume, “Lamps and Paths” (Houghton, Mif-
appears to us that he does not give this considera-
Alin & Co.), contains a series of Sunday discourses
tion the attention it deserves. Perhaps, too, he ex-
prepared with express reference to the needs and
aggerates the value of his own method. That it is understandings of the young. They are simple
a much needed corrective of the accepted m'thod,
and direct, with the effectiveness of a private talk
we have no question. The book contains fourteen
and persuasivo homily, delivered by a loving and
chapters besides the introduction, and discusses ob-
earnest teacher, in the course of instruction to his
jects as varied as Greek myths, Hottentot mythology, class. The lessons taught in them, conveyed in this
Zuñi customs, the Finnish Kalevala, and the early
familiar and winning manner, are well calculated to
history of the family.
arrest the attention and sink into the heart of their
John ST ART Mill's full treatise on “Political youthful listeners.
Economy” is recognized as a standard authority on
the leading principles of that science. Professor
Laughlin, in his abridged edition of the work
(Appleton), has attempted to reduce the presentation LITERARY NOTES AND NEWS.
of the subject so as to bring it within one volume,
embracing a little more than half the number of
pages in the two volumes of Mill. Two-thirds of
EDWIN ARNOLD's new poem from the Sanskrit,
this space are taken up with quotations from Mill in
soon to be published, is called “The Secret of
his own language, slightly modified. The interpo Death.”
lations, notes and additions by Prof. Laughlin, in
A STIN Dobson's new volume, “At the Sign of
smaller type, fill the remaining space. The abridg-
ment is effected mostly by the omission of para-
the Lyre,” will be published early in the spring, by
graphs and chapters which refer to things peculiar
Henry Holt & Co.
to England. On some topics, views conformed to a Dr. Baird's History of the Huguenot Emigra-
different state of things in our country are sub-
tion to America will be published early in March, by
stituted. The work is thus better adapted to the use
Dodd, Mead & Co.
of American students; but it is still too large and MR. Buxton FORMAN is to edit the poetical works
full for a college text-book, which should give clearly of Lord Byron, for an entirely new edition, to be
and concisely fundamental principles, leaving full published by Mr. Murray.
discussions to books of reference. Professor Langh- Among the artists who have furnished designs for
lin gives a concise history of the science treated, a artistic valentines, executed by Prang, are F. S.
list of books for consultation, and a list of questions Church, Harry Beard, and F. W. Freer.
touching the application of main principles, which
A nEw biography of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, by
furnish valuable helps to teachers.
his grandson, Ernest Hartley Coleridge, is in prepa-
Mk. JacoB STRAUB's substantial volume entitled ration for the press of Kegan Paul, Trench & Co.,
** The Consolations of Science” (Colegrove Book | London.


276
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
The latest number of “Cassell's Family Maga “ The Money-Makers, a Social Parable," supposed to
zine” has a bright new cover, designed by Mr. have reference to the rather over-discussed “ Bread-
Lathrop, and other propitiatory features that will Winners”; “Origin of Cultivated Plants,” by Al-
doubtless materially aid this periodical in its quest phonse de Candolle; and “ The Crime of Christmas
for popularity in America.
Day," a tale of the Latin Quarter, by the author of
THREE additional volumes of Hunter's “ Encyclo-
“My Ducats and My Daughter."
pædic Dictionary” are received from the publishers, A FRESH field for can publishers of sub-
Cassell & Company. This extensive work was re scription books appears to be opening in Australia.
viewed at length in The DIAL of October, 1883. The Of the publications of one firm-N. D. Thompson
present volumes reach the letter K.
& Co., St. Louis and New York-five tons were sent
The volume on California, in the “ American
last month, in a single shipment, to a house in Syd-
Commonwealths” series (Houghton, Mimin & Co.), ney; it being the second similar recent consignment.
is to be prepared by Mr Josiah Royce, author of a THE students of Heidelberg University are to
work on “ The Religious Aspect of Philosophy,” listen this winter to a course of lectures on
" The
just published by the same firm.
Baconian Theory of the Shakespere Authorship,"
E. H. REYNOLDS, St. Augustine, Fla., announces
delivered by Professor Schmidt, of the chair of Philos-
Professor Schmidt is a
an historical sketch of that famous town, entitled ophy in that institution.
"Old St. Augustine.” The illustrations are copies supporter of the “ The Shakesperian Myth” of Mr.
of the very rare drawings of Le Moyne and arto-
Appleton Morgan, so fondly nursed by the Baconian
Society.
type views of the ancient landmarks.
A NEW “Journal of Mycology," edited by Prof.
PROBABLY the best-paid literary job on record will J. B. Ellis, of New Jersey, and Prof. W. A. Kel-
be that life of the Czar Alexander I. which receives lerman, of Kansas State Agricultural College, is
from the Russian Academy the $1,000,000 prize pro to be issued monthly, and will be devoted exclusive-
vided by Araktchekeff, the favorite and minister of ly to Mycological Botany, special attention being
that monarch. The prize will be awarded in 1925. given to the North American fungi. Communica-
Keats in the charming "Golden Treasury” series, tions should be addressed to Prof. Kellerman, at
reprinted from the original editions with notes by Pal- Manhattan, Kansas.
grave, is a boon to all lovers of poetry Nothing HARRIET MARTINEAU is the subject of the latest
could be more compact, yet clear and elegant, than volume in Roberts Brothers' “Famous Women"
the typography of this volume—the price of which series, the biographer being Mrs. Fenwick Miller.
is but $1.25.
A new romance, “ Tarantella,” by Mathilde Blind;
We regret that the excellent “ Monthly Refer Daddy Damin's Dove-cot," by Julia Horatio Ewing,
ence Lists,” prepared by Mr. W. E. Foster, of the
illustrated by Caldecott; “A Square,” and “Flat-
Providence Public Library, will no longer be pub- land, a Romance of Many Dimensions,” are just
lished. Their loss will, to some extent, be made
issued by the same firm.
good by the issue of similar lists in the New York A nEw biography of Poe, by George E. Wood-
· Library Journal.”
berry, in the “ American Men of Letters” series;
HARVARD UNIVERSITY and the Maine Historical
Congressional Government,” a study in American
Society are recipients of copies of the bust of Long- Aspect of Philosophy," a critique of the bases of
Politics, by Woodson Wilson; and “The Religious
fellow, now in Westminster Abbey; the copies are
by the original artist, Thomas Brock, A.R.A., and
conduct and faith, by Josiah Royce, Ph.D., instructor
presented by the contributors to the Longfellow latest publications of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
in Philosophy in Harvard College ; are among the
Memorial Fund in England.
LABBERTON'S “Historical Atlas," a work that has
GEORG Eliot's Life, prepared by her husband
Mr. Cross, from materials left by her, is issued by
commended itself to historical students by its
thorough scholarship not less than by the ingenuity their " Library Edition” of her works, with por-
Harper & Brothers in three volumes uniform with
and convenience of its arrangement, is issued in a
traits and other illustrations. From the same firm
new and enlarged edition, at a reduced price, by
comes the announcement of a volume of The
Townsend Mac Coun, New York.
Writings and Speeches of Samuel J. Tilden," edited
A STUDY of the “Land Laws of Mining Districts,” | by John Bigelow, who is understood to be engaged
by Charles Dawson Shinn, which recently appeared upon a Life of Mr. Tilden.
in the excellent series of “John Hopkins University Mrs Stow 's novel now called “ Nina Gordon "
Studies,” has been expanded into a volume with the
will henceforth be issued under its original title,
title, “Mining Camps, a Study in American Frontier
“Dred.” · New illustrated editions of Mrs. Stowe's
Government,” to be issued by Charles Scribner's
My Wife and I,” “ We and Our Neighbors," and
Sons.
“Poganuc People,” and also her juvenile books,
PROF. DAVID S. JORDAN, one of the ablest and “A Dog's Mission,” “ Little Pussy Willow," and
most successful of the working naturalists of Amer "Queer Little People," formerly published by Fords,
ica, and known to readers of The Dial through his Howard & Hulbert, are now brought out by Messrs.
contributions of reviews in various departments of Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
scienco, has accepted the Presidency of the Indiana
A VERY agreeable feature of the “Magazine of
University, in which institution he has for some
Art” for February is Miss A. Mary F. Robinson's
years occupied the chair of Biology.
biographical and critical sketch of Mr. Elihu Vedder,
APPLETON & Co.'s latest publications include 1 whose illustrations of the Rubaiyát of Omar Khay-


1885.]
277
THE DIAL
“ written up
vam have added so much to his reputation. A por- | Ward, and the editor. The work will be completed
trait of Mr. Vedder accompanies the sketch, which in about fifty volumes, to be issued quarterly.
shows him to be a handsome man, in the prime of THERE is for American readers peculiar interest
life, with short curling hair and long towing mous in the volume by Mr. George Dolby, “Charles Dick-
taches. The reproductions from Mr. Vedder's draw ens as I Knew Him," just published by Lippincott
ings given with this paper are carefully selected and & Co. Mr. Dolby was Dickens's “manager” in his
well executed.
famous reading tour in this country in 1867, and
CHARL S SCRIBNER'S Sors have just published made full notes, which are now for the first time
the first two volumes of “Personal Traits of British published. The same publishers have issued
Authors,” a new series of anecdotical biographies, “Women of the Day," a biographical dictionary of
edited by Edward T. Mason. Volume I. is devoted notable contemporaries, by Frances Hays; and
to Byron, Shelley, Moore, Rogers, Keats, Southey, • Episodes of My Second Life,” a volume of rem-
Landor; Volume II. to Wordsworth, Coleridge, iniscences, including some of Boston and Cam-
Lamb, Hazlitt, Hunt, Procter. The typography of bridge society half a century ago, by Antonio
the volumes is unusually attractive. The same firm Gallenga (L. Marriotti).
publish “ The Elements of Moral Science, The Rev. DR. J. W. HANSON, of Chicago, has coin-
oretical and Practical,” by President Porter of Yale piled a Birthday-Book ("* Voices of the Faith,”
College.
Universalist Publishing Hous', Boston), containing
POLLMAN—the place, not the man-is the subject
a selection for every day in the year from writers
of an article in the February " Harper's” that well expressing the Universalist faith. The plan is
repays perusal. Its author, Prof. R. T. Ely, of Johns broadly executed, there being no restriction to
Hopkins University, spent some time at Pullman in denominational authorities, but the range includes
making his “social study,” and evidently found it
the general idea of universal salvation. Among
full of interest. The place has been many times
others, quotations are given from Rev. F. D. Maurico,
” in its physical and industrial aspects, Charles Kingsley, Dr. Johnson, A. Lincoln, Bulwer
but this, we believe, is the first time it has been Lytton, Walt Whitman, Hawthorne, Lamb, Burns,
treated by an expert sociologist. While praising Byron, Bryant, Lowell, Holmes, and Arnold. The
many features of the place, Prof. Ely raises some
volume is thus rich in literary matter, and, aside
doubts as to its success as a social organization upon
from its religious siguificance, is very Leat and
its present plan.
attractive in arrangement and execution.
A NUMBER of new educational works are added to
G. P. Potnam's Sons announce for early publica-
the list of Ginn, Heath & Co.,--among them a new
tion: “ William E. Burton, Actor, Author, and Man-
edition, re-cast and re-written, of " Methods of Teach-
ager; A Sketch of his career, with Recollections of
ing History," reviewed in The DIAL of April last;
his Performances," by William L. Keese, with a num-
Elements the Calculus” by Prof. M. Taylor
ber of character illustrations in heliotype; “The
of Madison University; “Elements of Geometry,” Religion of Philosophy,” by Raymond S. Perrin,
by Prof. Eli T. Tappan of Kenyon College; a volume
an analysis of the chief philosophical and religious
of selections from Rousseau's – Emile,” in the series systems of the world, with a view to establishing a
of “ Educational Classics"; and, in the series of
correct synthesis of human knowledge; “ The Life
“Classics for Children," Kingsley's "Greek Heroes"
of Society," by E. Woodward Brown; “Bible
and his fairy tale of “ The Water Babies," and Scott's
Characters," a series of sermons by the late Alex-
Lady of the Lake.”
ander D. Mercer, D.D., with memoir of the author
and portrait; “How Should I Pronounce? or, The
An unpretending and inexpensive “ Robert Brown-
Art of Correct Pronunciation," by W. H. P. Phyfe;
ing Calendar” for 1885 is issued by the Colgrove Fragments from an Old Inn," sketches and verses
Book Company, Chicago. The unusual care be- by Lilian Rozell Messenger; “ The Tariff Legisla-
stowed upon its production is explained by the fact
tion of the Past Twenty-five Years," by F. W. Taus-
that it emanates from the Robert Browning Club of sig; “The Spanish Treaty Opposed to Tariff
Chicago, a society devoted to the study of Brown- Reform,” being the Report of a Committee of
ing's writings. That the work has been performed Inquiry appointed by the N. Y. Free-Trade Club;
with thoroughness and enthusiasm is apparent in “Kamehameha the Great, His Birth, Loves and
the selections from the author and the notes accom-
Conquests,” a Romance of Hawaii, by C. M. New-
panying them, which are presented upon each leaf ell;
Queen Bess," a story for girls, by Marian
of the calendar, and in the instructive essay printed Shaw.
on the back of the calendar and the extracts and
“SCIENCE” is always providing pleasant surprises
comments illustrating the successive months.
for its readers, a fact especially emphasized by the
A NEW “ Dictionary of National Biography," pat- Christmas number, which takes the form of an alma-
terned somewhat upon the great French and Ger nac for the coming year. A colored plate of the sun
man dictionaries of biography, is announced by with its prominences serves as a frontispiece, and is
Macmillan & Co., the editor being Leslie Stephen. followed by a number of interesting articles provided
Volume I. (Abbadie-Anne) is already issued. The with headings of fitting verse selected from various
plan is to include lives of the notable men and women poets. Such articles as “The Insects of the Year”
of the British Islands, not living. The biographies, and “The Blooming-times for Flowers” are singu-
which are all by writers of repute, receive addi larly appropriate in this connection. A colored rail-
tional authenticity from their authors' initials, road map, for the purpose of explaining standard
appended. Among the contributors to the first vol- time, charts of the annular eclipse to occur next
ume are E. A. Freeman, Prof. Creighton, A. G. March, and a series of very accurate maps of the
66


278
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
heavens, are among the illustrations of this number, Physical Training of Girls. Lucy M. Hall. Pop. Sci Monthly.
Poetry, Recent Books of. William Morton Payne Dial.
which closes with a calendar replete with accurate Post-Office in New York, Early. Dr. Vermilye. Mag. Am. History
and valuable astronomical information. The num Presidential Elections. F. A. P. Barnard. No. Am. Review,
Pullman; A Social Study. Richard T. Ely. Harper's.
ber is, in short, an ideal almanac, and a copy should Scientific Education. J. W. Powell. Fop. Sci. Monthly.
be found in every home in place of the pamphlet Sea-Water, Properties of. M. Antoine de Saporta. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Shakespere's Predecessors. Melville B. Anderson. Dial.
advertisement of some quack nostrum which usually Shiloh; Notes of a Confederate Officer. Thos. Jordan. Century.
parades under that title. “ Science" now enters Shiloh, the Battle of. U. S. Grant. Century.
Sick-Rates and Death-Rates. C. T. Campbell. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
upon its third year, having fully justified its contin-
Sierras, in the. C. W. Stoddard. Century.
ued existence. After a few preliminary experiments sight of Railway Employes. William Thomson. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Sulphur and Its Extraction. C. G. W. Lock. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
it assumed and has since steadily kept that safe
Sun's Corona, the. Prof. C. A. Young. No. Am. Review.
middle-ground which makes it alike necessary to the Virginia Claims in Pennsylvania. T.J. Chapman. Mag. Am. Hist.
Winter Birds About Boston. Bradford Torrey. Atlantic.
specialist and the general reader, neither of whom
Yucatan. Alice D. Le Plongeon. Harper's.
can afford to be without it.
THE death of William Harvey Wells, which oc-
curred in Chicago January 22, at the age of seventy-
BOOKS OF THE MONTH.
two, removed a veteran scholar and author, distin-
guished especially for his practical work in the
[The following List includes all New Books, American and Foreign,
received during the month of January by MESSRS. JANSEN,
cause of education. As superintendent of schools in
MOCLURG & Co., Chicago.]
Chicago, from 1856 to 1864, he introduced and per-
fected the graded system, and later he held the
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY.
important office of President of the Board of Educa-
The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., and the Journal of
tion, and was one of the Directors of the Chicago his Tour to the Hebrides. By James Boswell. Edited by
Public Library. He was the author of the familiar
Henry Morley. Illustrated with portraits by Sir Joshua
Reynolds. Five vols., large 8vo. Edition limited to 500
“ Wells's Grammar,” and, his tastes leading him copies, numbered. Vol. I. now ready. London. Per vol.,
net, $3.50
especially to this branch of study, he had made a
The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Together with the
collection of early grammars and dictionaries that Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides. By James Boswell, Esq.
was among the most extensive known. Mr. Wells New editions, with notes and appendices by A. Napier, M.A.
6 vols., and Johnsoniana, edited by Robina Napier, i vol. In
assisted in the great work of revising Webster's all 6 vols. Bohn's Standard Library. London. Per vol.,
Dictionary for the Unabridged edition, and his ser net, $1.
Personal Traits of British Authors.
vices received honorable recognition in the earlier
Edited by E. T.
Mason. With portraits. 2 vols, ready. Per vol., $1.50.
prefaces. He was an authority in such matters, and
Edgar Allan Poe. By G. E. Woodberry. "American Men of
his contributions to THE DIAL, of which the last Letters." Pp. 354. Gilt top. Portrait. $1.25.
appeared in April, 1884, consisted chiefly of reviews Richelieu. By Gustave Masson. Pp. 350. Net, $1.05.
of the three or four great dictionaries that have
Egypt and Babylon. From Sacred and Profane Sources.
By George Rawlinson. M.A. Pp. 329. $1.50
appeared in the past few years. He was an old
Reminiscences of Army Life under Napoleon Bona-
correspondent of Dr. Murray, the President of the parte. By A. J. Doisey DeVillargennes. Pp. 98. $1.
English Philological Society, and other leading
TRAVEL AND SPORTING.
philologists.
The Cruise of the Montauk to Bermuda, the West Indies, and
Florida. By J. McQuade. Illustrated.
8vo., pp. 441.
Gilt edges. $3.
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS. Appleton's Illustrated Hand-Book of American Winter
Resorts. For Tourists and Invalids. 1884-5.
Pp. 153.
FEBRUARY, 1885.
Paper. 50 cents.
Marquis' Hand-Book of Chicago. A Complete History,
Agriculture, Field Experiments in. H. P. Armsby. Pop. Sci. Mo. Reference Book, and Guide to the City. Illustrated. Pp.
America Before Columbus. Alexander Winchell. Dial.
336. $1.50.
Ancient Art, the Quest for. William Shields Liscomb. Atlantic.
An Amateur Angler's Days in Dove Dale; or, How I
André's Landing at Haverstraw. Prof. Wilson. Mag. Am. Hist.
Spent my three weeks' Holiday. London. Net, 55 cents.
Arnold, B., March Through Maine. Wm. H. Mills. Mag. Am. Hist.
Art Student in Ecouen, an. Cornelia W. Conant. Harper's.
POETRY.
Birds, Guardian. John R. Coryell. Harper's.
The Buntling Ball. A Græco-American Play. Being &
Birds, Why They Sing. Dr. B. Placzek. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Poetical Satire on New York Society. Illustrated. Pp.
Brewster, Sir David. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
154. Gilt edges. $1.50.
Calculating Machines. M. Edouard Lucas. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
Canada as a Winter Resort. W. Goorge Beers. Century.
Melodies of the Heart, Songs of Freedom, and other Poems.
Cholera. Dr. Max Von Pettenkofer. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
By W. H. Venable. Pp. 132. $1.50.
Clergymen As Politicians. Van Dyke and Beecher. No. Am. Rev.
REFERENCE--EDUCATIONAL.
Cookery, Chemistry of. W. Mattieu Williams. Pop. Sci. Mo.
Doniphan, Colonel. T. L. Snead. Mag. Am. History.
Dictionary of National Biography. Edited by Leslie
Dutch Portraiture. W. J. Stillman. Century.
Stephen. 8vo., gilt top. Vol. I.-Abbadie-Anne. London.
Education, New Departures in. G. Stanley Hall. No. Am. Review.
$3.50.
Emerson, Holmes's Life of. George Bancroft. No. Am. Review. Thirty Thousand Thoughts. Being extracts covering &
George P. Upton. Dial.
comprehensive circle of Religious and allied Topics, etc.
Endless Punishment, Certainty of. No. Am. Review.
Edited by Rev. Canon H. D. M. Spence, M.A., Rev. J. S.
Evolution and Destiny of Man. W. D. ' esueur. Pop. Sci. Monthly. Exell, M.A., and Rev. C. Neil, M.A. Vol. III. 8vo, pp. 520.
Federal Union, the John Fiske. Harper's.
$3.50.
Florentine Mosaic, &. Wm. D. Howells. Century.
The Encyclopædic Dictionary. A New and Original Work
Food and Feeding. Grant Allen. Pop. Sci. Monthly.
of Reference to all the words in the English Language, with a
Hatfield House and Marquis of Salisbury. H. W. Lucy. Harper's. full account of their Origin, Meaning, Pronunciation, and use.
Hawthorne and his Wife. Atlantic,
With numerous illustrations. Vol. 3, parts 1 and 2.
Vol 4,
Holmes, Oliver Wendell. E. C. Stedman, Century.
part 1. 8vo. Per part, $3.
Jackson, Andrew. Charles Gayarré. Mag. Am. History.
The Preacher's Promptuary of Anecdote. Stories, new
Johnston, A. 8., and Shiloh Campaign. W. P. Johnston. Century.
and old, arranged, indexed, and classified, for the use of
Johnson, the Mohawk Chief. Horatio Hale. Mag. Am, History.
Preachers, Teachers and Catechists. By Rev. W. F. Shaw,
Lee, Vernon. Harriet W. Preston. Atlantic,
M.A. Pp. 120. London. $1.
Lick Observatory of California, the. Simon Newcomb. Harper's.
An Almanack for 1885. By J. Whitaker, F.8.A. Paper.
Lincoln, Arnold's Life of. W. F. Poole. Dial.
Madame Mohl. Kathleen O'Meara. Atlantic.
London. 50 cents.
Montgomery, Richard. Louise L. Hunt. Harper's.
Methods of Teaching History. By A. D. White, W. F.
New Portfolio, the. Oliver Wendell Holmes. Atlantic,
Allan, C. K. Adains, J. W. Burgess, J. R. Seeley and others.
Oriental Religions, Simeon Gilbert. Dial.
Second edition, entirely recast and rewritten. Pedagogical
Pepys, Samuel. R, H. Stoddard. Dial.
Library.” Edited by G. 8. Hall. Pp. 385. $1.50.


1885.]
279
THE DIAL
Education In its Relation to Manual Industry. By A. Mac-
Arthur. Pp. 393. $1.50.
Elements of Geometry. By E. T. Tappan, LL.D. Pp. 253.
$1.10.
Book Keeping. By Single and Double Entry. For the use
of Schools and of Private Learners. By R. A. Manning.
Pp. 100. 60 cents.
Primer and First Reader. By E. A. Turner. Introductory
to "Classics for Children." Pp. 118. Boards, 24 cents.
The Lady of the Lake. By Sir Walter Scott. Edited by E.
Ginn. " Classics for Children." Pp. 219. Boards, 40 cents.
The Heroes; or, Greek Fairy Tales for My Children.
Charles Kingsley. Edited for the use of schools by J. Tet-
low. Pp. 162. Boards, 40 cents.
Ву
The Messages of the Books. Being Discourses and Notes on
the Books of the New Testament. By F. W. Farrar, D.D.,
F.R.S. 8vo., p. 532 $3.50.
The Elements of Moral Science. Theoretical and Practi-
cal. By Noah Porter, D.D., LD.D. 8vo., pp. 574. $3.
The Religious Aspect of Philosophy. A Critique of the
Bases of Conduct and of Faith. By J. Royce, Ph.D. Pp.
484. Gilt top. $2.
Voices of the Faith. A Birthday Book. Containing a Selec"
tion for every day in the year. From writers expressing the
Universalist Faith. By G. W. Hanson, D.D. Pp. 413. $1.
Edwin Arnold; as roetizer and as Paganizer. Containing an
examination of the "Light of Asia," for its Literature and
its Buddhism. By W.C. Wilkinson, * Standard Library.""
Pp. 177. Paper. 15 cents.
Keshab Chandra Sen, and the Brahma Samaj; Being a brief
Review of Indian Theism from 1830 to 1884. Together with
selections from M. Sen's works. By T. E. Slater. London.
Net, $1.40.
A Short History of the Episcopal Church in the United
States. By the Rav. W. Benham, B.D., F.S.A. With a Por-
trait of Bishop Seabury. Pp. 148. $1.
Critical and Exegetical Hand-book to the Gospels of
Mark and Luke. From the German of H. A. W. Meyer,
Th.D. 8vo., pp. 598. $3.
The Shoes of Peace. By Anna B. Warner. Pp. 136. 75 cents.
Through the Darkness. A companion to "Sunshine and
Starlight." By Mary H. Seymour. Pp. 96. 50 cents.
Mind in Medicine. Two sermons. By Rev. 0. A. Bartol,
D.D. Paper. 25 cents.
POLITICS-ECONOMICS.
Congressional Gorernment. A Study in American Politics.
By W. Wilson. Pp. 333. $1.25.
The Works of 0. d. Brownson. Collected and Arranged by
H. F. Brownson, Vol. XV.--containing the first part of the
political writings. 8vo., pp. 584. Net, $3.
The Independents of Massachusetts in 1884. By R. L.
Bridgman, Paper, 25 cents.
The Distribution of Products; or, The Mechanism and the
Metaphysics of Exchange. Three Essays-What makes
the rate of Wages. What is a Bank! The Railway, the Farmer
and the Public. By E. Atkinson. Pp. 303. $1.25.
Land Laws of Mining Districts. By C. H. Shinn, A.B.
“Johns Hopkins University Studies." Paper, 50 cents.
Maryland's Influence upon Land Cessions to the United
States, etc. By H. B. Adams, Ph.D. Johns Hopkins Uni-
versity Studies. Paper, 50 cents.
Signing the Document. The Laokoồn of Labor, Chopping
Sand, and other Essays. By Wheelbarrow. Pp. 132. Paper,
25 cents; cloth, 50 cents.
FICTION--HUMOR.
The Mystery of the Locks. By E. W. Howe. Pp. 293. $1.50.
Allan Dare and Robert Le Diable. A Romance. By Ad-
miral Porter. Parts 8 and 9 (double part), completing the
work Paper. 50 cents.
Grimm's Household Tales, with the author's notes. Trans-
lated from the German and edited by Margaret Hunt. With
an Introduction by A Lang, M.A. Bohn's Standard Library.
London. 2 vols. Net, $2.
Madam. By Mrs. Oliphant. Pp. 476. Half-bound, 75 cents.
Stories by American Authors.-IX. Pp. 180. 50 cents.
Burlesques. Novels by Eminent Hands, Jeames's Diary, The
History of the Next French Revolution, A Legend of the
Rhine, Adventures of Major Gahagan. By W. M. Thackeray,
with Illustrations by the Author, George Cruikshank and H.
Furniss. 8vo. Vol. XV. of the Standard Edition, $3.
Christmas in Narragansett. By E. E. Hale. " Standard
Library." Pp. 293. $1.
Red-Letter Stories. Swiss Tales. From the German of Mad.
Johanna Spyri. Pp 94. 60 cents.
In Colston's Days. A Story of Old Bristol. By Emma Mar-
shall. Pp. 356. $1 25.
The Lost City; or the Boy Explorers in Central Asia. By D.
Ker. Pp. 173. $1.
Christmas at Greycastle. Pp. 88. 75 cents.
Winning Winds. By W. G. Emerson Pp. 393. $1.50.
Deldee. The Ward of Waringham. By F. Warden. Pp. 379.
Paper, 25 cents.
A Good Boy's Diary. By the Author of "A Bad Boy's Diary,"
etc. Pp. 295. Paper, 50 cents.
The Elevator. A Farce. By W. D. Howells. 50 cents.
FRANKLIN SQUARE LIBRARY.
Madam, By Mrs. Oliphant. 25 cents.
From Post to finish. By H. Smart. 25 cents,
A Good Hater By F. Boyle. 20 cents.
Under Which King. By C. Reade. 20 cents.
Tie and Trick. By H. Smart. 20 cents.
The Wearing of the Green. By Basil. 20 cents.
The Crime of Christmas Day. By the Author of "My
Du ats and My Daughter." 10 cents.
Stormonth's English Dictionary. 23 parts ready. Per part
25 cents.
RELIGIOUS-PHILOSOPHICAL.
William Tyndale's Fire Books of Moses; called The
Pentateuch. Being & Verbatim Reprint of the Edition of
1530. Compared with Tyndale's Genesis of 1534, and the Penta-
teuch in the Vulgate, Luther, and Matthew's Bible, with vari-
ous Collations and Prolegomena. By the Rev. J. I. Mom.
bert, D.D. First Edition Limited to 500 Large Paper Copies,
Numbered. 8vo., pp. 635. Net, $6.50.
Sermons for the Church's Year. Original and Selected.
Edited by the Rev. W. Benham, B.D. 2 vols., 8vo. 84.
MEDICAL-HYGIENE.
d Manual of Dissection of the Human Body. By Luther
Holden. Fifth Edition, revised and edited by John Langton.
Hvo., pp. 886. $5.
Elements of Practical Medicine, By A. H. Carter. M.D.,
Lond. Third Edition, Revised. Pp. 447. $3.
Women, Plumbers, and Doctors; or, Household Sanitation.
By Mrs. H. M. Plunkett. Illustrated. Pp. 248. $1.25.
The Sydenham Society's Reports on the Progress of Medi-
cine, eto. Edited by Drs. Power, Anstie, Holmes, Barnes,
Windsor And Fagge. Being a reprint of the Biennial Retro-
spect of the new Sydenham Society for 1867. 8vo., pp. 522.
Paper, 75 cents; cloth, $1.25.
Reports of Medical and Surgical Cases and Operations
Performed at the Pennsylvania Hospital. Vol. I. 1868. New
Edition. 8vo., pp. 420. Paper, 75 cents; cloth, $1.25.
Chloroform: Its Action and Administration. By A. E. Sansom,
M.B., Lond. New Edition. Pp. 279. Paper, 75 cents; cloth,
$1.25.
On Chronic Bronchitis, Especially as Connected with Gout,
Emphysema, and Diseases of the Heart. Ry E. H. Green-
how, M.D. New Edition. Pp. 236. Paper, 75 cents : cloth,
$1.25.
A Treatise on the Chronic Inflammation and Displace-
ments of the Unimpregnated Uterus. By W. H.
Byford, A.M., M.D. 8vo., pp. 248. New Edition. Paper, 76
cents ; cloth, $1.25.
Lectures on Epilepsy, Pain, Paralysis, and Certain Other
Disorders of the Nervous System. By C. B. Radcliffe, M.D.
New Edition. Pp. 280. Paper, 75 cents; cloth, $1.25.
Essay on Growths in the Larynx, with Reports, and an
Analysis of One Hundred Consecutive Cases Treated by the
Author, and a Tabulated Statement of all Published Cases
Treated by Other Practitioners Since the Invention of the
Laryngoscope. By M. Mackenzie, M.D. New Edition. Lond.,
M.R.C.P. 8vo., pp. 263. Paper, 75 cents ; cloth, $1.25.
In Case of Accident. By Dr. D. A. Sargent. Pp. 127. 60 cents.
MISCELLANEOUS
Eve's Daughters; or, Common Sense for Maid, Wife nd
Mother. By Marion Harland. New edition. Pp. 454. $1.50.
Electric Illumination. By J. Dredge, Dr. M. F. O'Reilly,
and H. Vivarez. Edited by J. Dredge. With Abstracts of
Specifications having reference to Electric Lighting prepared
by W. L. Wise. Vol. II. Quarto, pp. 455, and appendices pp.
cccxcix. Illustrated. $7.50.
Phallicism, Celestial and Terrestrial, Heathen and Christian.
Its Connection with the Rosicrucians and the Gnostics, and its
Foundation in Buddhism. With an Essay on Mystic Anatomy.
By H. Jennings. Issued to subscribers only, and limited to a
very small edition. The series of plates is nearly ready, and
will be supplied gratis. 8vo., pp. 298. Half Levant. London.
Net, $15.
The Architect's and Builder's Pocket-Book. By F. E.
Kidder, C.E. Pp. 586. Leather, tuck. $3.50.
History of the Ilinois National Guard, from the Organ-
ization of the First Regiment to the Enactment of the Mili-
tary Code. By H. O. Collins. Paper. $1.
* Books in this list will be sent by mail, poetpaid, on receipt of
price, except those marked "net" (which require ten per cent.
additional for postage), by JANSEN, MOCLURG & Co., Chicago.


280
[Feb.,
THE DIAL
THE
VIRGIL'S ÆNEID,
Popular Science Monthly.
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THE DIAL
CONTENTS.
GEORGE ELIOT'S LIFE. Rossiter Johnson
289
291
PRESIDENT PORTER'S MORAL SCIENCE.
John Bascom 294
AN AMERICAN PATRIOT.
Wm. Henry Smith
- 296
DICKENS'S READING TOURS -
- 299
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS
301
Civil Service of the United States.-Davidson's New Book
five years.
LITERARY NOTES AND NEWS
304
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS FOR MARCH
- 307
BOOKS OF THE MONTH
307
Vol. V.
MARCH, 1885. No. 59.
the lines half an inch shorter. Wherever the
book is opened, we have, at the heads of the
pages, the year and the place of residence or
sojourn at the time, while the running titles
tell, as nearly as possible, what the page treats
of. A summary of each chapter is placed,
OUR WORKING CONSTITUTION. Albert Shaw
not at its beginning, but at its end. All
this sounds very obvious and mechanical.
But so was Columbus's breaking of the egg.
It
is to be hoped that if any more letters and
journals are to be published, the compilers will
make them readable by taking Mr. Cross's
De Candolle's The Origin of Cultivated Plants.-The work as a model. These remarks, however, do
Johns Hopkins University Studies in Historical and Po not apply to the cheap edition, in which the
litical Science.-Knortz's Representative German Poets,
dates and side-notes are omitted.
Ballad and Lyrical.-Marion Harland's Eve's Daughters.
- Woodberry's Biography of Poe.-Masson's Life of
George Eliot's whole life was an admirable
Richelieu.-Bancroft's History of the United States, Re preparation for the works by which she has
vised Edition, Volume VI.--Comstock's Manual of the been known to the reading world for twenty-
She was born in 1819, on a farm in
of Kings.-Young's History of the Netherlands.-Duval's
Artistic Anatomy.-Mrs. Lynch-Botta's Handbook of Uni-
Warwickshire, where her father, Robert Evans,
versal Literature, Revised Edition.-Price's Energy and was a surveyor and farm manager. It is said
Motion.--Little Arthur's History of France.---Tayler's that some of the notable traits in her "Adam
Studies in Animal Painting.
Bede” and “Caleb Garth” are drawn from his
character. Mary Ann Evans spent the first
twenty-one years of her life there in the heart
of rural England, learning thoroughly the nicest
arts of the housekeeper, reading enormously,
becoming proficient in music, and studying
GEORGE ELIOT'S LIFE.*
diligently, especially in languages. She was
brought up in the established church, and was
The first thing that strikes one on opening devoutly religious, but at about the age of
these volumes is the remarkable skill displayed twenty began to question the absolute truth of
in what may be called the typographical edit- the orthodox faith, and in the course of a year
ing. A book made up of letters and extracts or two was so far astray from it—by way of
from journals is usually a dreary thing for the doubt, if not of actual disbelief--that a partial
eye to encounter, whatever pleasure it may be estrangement from her father resulted. But,
capable of giving to the ear and the under-after a year or two, she resumed attendance at
standing Mr. Cross has caused the entire church. Whatever may have been her intel-
body of his book to be printed in type of one
lectual belief in after years, it seems plain that
size. He has boldly struck off all the dates, her early religious life had an enormous influ-
formal addresses, and signatures of the letters. ence on her character. In 1843, a friend of
He has taken as much or as little of each as hers, a young lady, who had undertaken to
was proper for publication, and, while appar translate Strauss's Life of Jesus into English,
ently leaving out family affairs as a rule, has was married, and the work was turned over to
exercised a wise discrimination in retaining Miss Evans, who completed it. The translation
numerous bits of such when they serve to com was published in London in 1846, and marked
plete the portraiture of the character set forth. the beginning of her literary career. The state
He has placed these extracts in chronological of her opinions at this period—if not for the
order, without any tangle of quotation-marks, rest of her life-seems to be shown in a passage
indicating the exact date and origin of each by from a letter written in the autumn of 1843,
unobtrusive side-notes in small type. Wherever while she was at work upon the translation.
it becomes necessary to insert a paragraph of She says:
his own writing, to make the narrative contin “The first impulse of a young and ingenuous mind
uous, he uses the same type, simply making is to withhold the slightest sanction from all that
contains even a mixture of supposed error. When the
soul is just liberated from the wretched giant's bed of
NALS. Arranged and edited by her husband, J. W. Cross.
dogmas on which it has been racked and stretched ever
New York: Harper & Brothers.
since it began to think, there is a feeling of exultation
(The same, cheap edition, Franklin Square Library.)
and strong hope. We think we shall run well when we
* GEORGE ELIOT'S LIFE, AS RELATED IN HER LETTERS AND JOUR-
With
Illustrations. In three volumes.


290
[March,
THE DIAL
have the full use of our limbs and the bracing air of Spencer, George Combe, Robert Mackay, Car-
independence, and we believe that we
shall soon
obtain something positive, which will not only more
lyle, Miss Martineau, Charles Knight, W. R.
than compensate us for what we have renounced, but Greg, George Henry Lewes, and other literary
will be so well worth offering to others that we may workers. Herbert Spencer seems to have been
venture to proselytize as fast as our zeal for truth may especially fond of her, and for a long time his
prompt us. But a year or two of reflection, and the
attentions are so marked that if the book were a
experience of our own miserable weakness, which will
ill afford to part even with the crutch of superstition, novel the reader would expect him to develop
must, I think, effect a change. Specnlative truth be-
into its hero. But at the end of a year he
gins to appear but a shadow of individual minds. brought Mr. Lewes to call on her, and this
Agreement between intellects seems unattainable, and
determined very nearly all her future. From
we turn to the truth of feeling as the only universal
bond of union. We find that the intellectual errors
this time she had a long stretch of hard edi-
which we once fancied were a mere incrustation, have torial work, enlivened by frequent attendance
grown into the living body, and that we cannot, in the
majority of cases, wrench them away without destroy literary receptions.
at theatres and picture galleries and socio-
The acquaintance with
ing vitality. We begin to find that with individuals, as
with nations, the only safe revolution is one arising out
Lewes grew into intimacy-for in all their
of the wants which their own progress has generated. studying, writing, and thinking, they were in
It is the quackery of infidelity to suppose that it has a very close sympathy--and in 1854 (he being
nostrum for all mankind, and to say to all and
then thirty-seven years of age, and she thirty-
singular: ‘Swallow my opinions, and you shall be
whole.' "
four) they assumed the marriage relation.
An extract from a letter written by Mrs. But they were obliged to forego the marriage
Cash, of Coventry, to Mr. Cross, gives the view ceremony, since a technicality of English law
of this turning point in her life as it appeared
still bound him to his former wife, though he
to her intimate friends at the time:
was abundantly entitled to a divorce.
In passing over this matter with few words,
“Miss Franklin dwelt with much pride on Miss Ev Mr. Cross makes what at first appears to be the
ans's mental power, on her skill in music, etc. ; but the
great recommendation to my mother's interest was the
one serious mistake in the book. Not that he
zeal for others which had marked her earnest piety at should hasten to gratify an indelicate curiosity
school, where she had induced the girls to come together --which, in this case, is but a trivial considera-
for prayer, and which had led her to visit the poor most tion-but because George Eliot is now insep-
diligently in the cottages round her own home. Many
years after, an old nurse of mine told me that these arably connected with English literature; her
poor people had said, after her removal: “We shall works are of such a nature that her life and
never have another Mary Ann Evans.' * * * It was character become an interesting study in con-
not until the winter of 1841, or early in 1842, that nection with them; and if there is anything
my mother first received the information that a total
change had taken place in this gifted woman's mind,
that requires explanation, the numberless
with respect to the evangelical religion, which she had
readers who admire her and love her would
evidently believed in up to the time of her coming to like to see it treated frankly, fully, and authori-
Coventry, and for which, she once told me, she had at
tatively. Still, he says with great dignity, and
one time sacrificed the cultivation of her intellect and
a proper regard to personal appearance. *** On perhaps with conclusive force: “In forming a
one occasion, at Mr. Bray's house at Rosehill, roused judgment on so momentous a question, it is,
by a remark of his on the beneficial influence exercised above all things, necessary to understand what
by evangelical beliefs on the moral feelings, she said,
was actually undertaken, what was actually
energetically: 'I say it now, and I say it once for all,
that I am influenced in my own conduct at the present achieved; and, in my opinion, this can best be
time by far higher considerations, and by a nobler idea arrived at, not from any outside statement or
of duty, than I ever was while I held the evangelical arguments, but by consideration of the whole
beliefs.'
tenor of the life which follows, in the develop-
Her father, whom she had attended closely ment of which Mr. Lewes's true character, as
during his last, lingering illness, died in 1849, well as George Eliot's, will unfold itself.” She
after which she travelled with friends on the speaks for herself on the subject, in a letter
Continent, and spent some time in Geneva. written to her intimate friend Mrs. Bray, a.
Her poverty at this time is indicated in numer little more than a year later:
ous passages in her letters, as when she writes :
“If there is any one action or relation of my life
“Do you think anyone would buy my En-
which is, and always has been, profoundly serious, it is
cyclopædia Britannica at half price, and my my relation to Mr. Lewes. * ** No one can be better
globes ?” On her return to England she wrote aware than yourself that it is possible for two people
an article or two for the “Westminster Review,"
to hold different opinions on momentous subjects with
and made the acquaintance of the publisher, their respective opinions are alone the truly moral
equal sincerity and an equally earnest conviction that
Mr. Chapman, and in the autumn of 1851 she If we differ on the subject of the marriage laws,
became assistant editor of that periodical. I, at least, can believe of you that you cleave to what
She was taken into Mr. Chapman's house, you believe to be good; and I don't know of anything
where also Frederica Bremer was boarding, from believing the same of me. *** Light and easily
in the nature of your views that should prevent you
and rapidly made the acquaintance of Herbert I broken ties are what I neither desire theoretically
ones.


1885.]
291
THE DIAL
We are
of her pen.
nor could live for practically. Women who are satis than half appreciate “Jane Eyre,” but goes
fied with such ties do not act as I have done. That any
unworldly, unsuperstitious person who is sufficiently Hannah More and all her works; she greatly
into raptures over “ Villette"; she detests
acquainted with the realities of life can pronounce my
relation to Mr. Lewes immoral
, I can only understand admires Hawthorne and Mrs. Stowe; she begins
by remembering how subtle and complex are by disliking Americans, and ends with deep
influences that mould opinion. *** We are leading interest in them and their country; she speaks
no life of self-indulgence, except, indeed, that, being well of “a Mr. Huxley,” not then famous.
happy in each other, we find everything easy.
working hard to provide for others better than we pro I have left myself no space to speak of
vide for ourselves, and to fulfil every responsibility George Eliot as a poet—which is just as well,
that lies upon us."
since I do not consider that she was a poet. It
Lewes and she led a busy life, always hard is said that she was more interested in her
at work, not only to support themselves, but to versified works than in her novels; which is not
take care of his three boys and educate them, improbable. Authors, like mothers, are often
to do which they practiced a great deal of self- fondest of their least promising offspring. It
denial before fame came to George Eliot and is an amiable weakness, and if the poems add
gave her command of large pay for the product nothing to her achievements, neither can they
Like Walter Scott, she did not subtract anything from the fame of the ablest
write a novel till she had arrived at that matu- and most gifted of all the women that have
rity without which no really valuable novel is ever put pen to paper.
ever written. At the age of thirty-seven she
ROSSITER JOHNSON.
contributed to “Blackwood's Magazine” the
stories that bear the collective title “Scenes of
Clerical Life." It is amusing to read the com-
OUR WORKING CONSTITUTION.*
ments made upon them by numerous authors
and critics, and the impressions as to the au-
Even if Mr. Wilson's book were of indifferent
thorship. Dickens was the shrewdest guesser. merit as regards its accuracy, its manner, and
He wrote: “I should have been strongly dis-
the pertinence of its conclusions,—whereas in
posed, if I had been left to my own devices, to all these respects its excellence is noteworthy,--
address the writer as a woman. I have observed it would, nevertheless, mark an era in our polit-
what seemed to me such womanly touches in ical writing by reason of its method. It is the
those moving fictions, that the assurance on the first critical analysis of the mechanism of our
title-page is insufficient to satisfy me even now. living and working Constitution that has been
If they originated with no woman, I believe published. From 1787 to 1885, a period of
that no man ever before had the art of making ninety-eight years, those masterly papers which
himself mentally so like a woman since the collectively. we call “The Federalist” have
world began.” The way to literary eminence stood unique and solitary, as the only extended
was now open. Blackwood was eager for a
work which dealt with the machinery of our
full-sized novel. Not her genius only, but her political system as with a tangible objective
studies, her life experience, and her editorial
fact. “The Federalist” does not concern
drill and skill, had prepared her for the produc- itself with the expounding or interpreting of a
tion of a masterpiece; and this was forthcom-
document; it discusses with critical nicety a
ing in “Adam Bede," published in 1859, which proposed system of government, its diverse
placed her in the front rank of novelists. With parts, and the correlations of those parts. “The
the succession of works that followed it, the Federalist” is like an architect's drawing: a
reader is of course familiar. It is gratifying picture of a house before the house exists, a
to know that they brought her wealth as well
as fame, and that the career that began with projection from plans and specifications: And
weary translation and was continued through
even to our day, because ho subsequent delinea-
laborious editorial “washing” of manuscripts tor has given us a picture drawn from the
for a review, ended with a series of brilliant object itself. Even assuming that the builders
novels, the two longest of which returned their had succeeded in erecting a house which in its
author a profit of forty thousand dollars each.
entirety and in every particular was the coun-
But if she had never written any novels, terpart of the architect's ideal sketches, is it
these volumes of her letters would still be in- reasonable to assume that after a century's use
tensely interesting. Besides exhibiting her own
no parts have fallen into decay, no additions or
moral and intellectual development through subtractions have altered the symmetry of out-
life, they give us a great many glimpses, line, and no changes in modes of living have
through her eyes, of famous people. Thus, on
so remodelled the interior parts that the archi-
meeting Emerson for the first time, in 1848,
she says: “I have seen Emerson-the first
By Woodrow Wilson, Fellow in History, Johns Hopkins Univer-
man' I have ever seen." She does not more
sity. Boston: Houghton, Miffin & Company.
* CONGREB8IONAL GOVERNMENT. A Study in American Politics.


292
[March,
THE DIAL
tect's drawings would no longer faithfully repre- with the belief that the nature of the Union
sent the building ? The figure is a faulty one, was a matter of doctrine, of metaphysics, of
because the real constitution of a country is a political ethics, of logical interpretation, and
living and growing organism which is under. not, as it really was, simply a matter of fact.
going constant change by virtue of the vital It need not seem strange that our constitutional
forces inherent within it, and is not merely the literature has been totally incomprehensible to
passive subject of attritions and accretions, and European minds, when we reflect that John C.
of mutations wrought by the hand of time. Calhoun is its most characteristic representa-
The first century of our constitutional litera- tive, and that so practical and objective a
ture will be a strange and puzzling subject for matter as the status of the South after the fall
the political students of coming generations. of the Confederacy was dealt with in thick
It would not be in place here to discuss the volumes as a subject for metaphysical hair-
curious conjunction of circumstances which led splitting. Dr. O. A. Brownson soars through
to the apotheosis of the written Constitution. clouds of transcendental reasoning in his
It had become a fetish before Washington "American Republic,” and tells us that he has
retired from the presidency. To question its discovered and proved that we are a nation.
sanctity and perfection was blasphemy; and John C. Hurd, in an octavo volume of 550
the political parties were rival devotees. Its pages (" The Theory of Our National Exist-
fundamental arrangements were deemed the ence”), which is a marvel of erudition and
very essence of political wisdom. Its division incomprehensibility, grapples the question:
of power among three distinct agencies, execu “How do we know our political existence to be
tive, legislative, judiciary; its perfect and per a fact?” It is, indeed, a strange spell which
petual equipoise of federal and state govern has bound the writers on our Constitution.
ment, "each sovereign in its respective sphere"; They have bewitched and bewildered their
its elaborate system of “checks and balances," fellow-countrymen into the belief that our
by which the equipoises and distributions political system is something absolutely apart
should be automatically sustained;-all these and not comparable with any other system, nor
arrangements constituted a system which was susceptible of study by the matter-of-fact
accepted as axiomatic in its universality and observational” methods which the modern
perfection. The blind worshippers of the paper political investigator is learning to use in com.
instrument never thought of examining the mon with the whole modern scientific world.
every-day constitutional machine, to ascertain From the superstitions and legal subtleties
whether the plans and specifications had been of the jurists, and the metaphysical disserta-
carried out. No person doubted for a moment tions of the political mystics, it is indeed a
that the theoretical constitution was the actual relief and a refreshment to take up a book like
constitution of the Government. The distinc- this by Mr. Wilson, which deals altogether with
tion was not perceptible. So long as this delu- objective facts, and ushers in the new and
sion should prevail, it is manifest that there rational constitutional criticism. Waiving pre-
could be no genuinely critical analytical account conceived theories, and rejecting documentary
of our system of government as it was actually advices as to what he ought to find, Mr. Wilson
operating at any given period. Consequently, approaches the constitutional machine of to-day,
in all our voluminous constitutional literature prepared to examine the concrete thing and to
we have had no book which was not based upon describe its working parts from the disinter-
the paper instrument of 1787. We have scores ested standpoint of a scientific observer. This
of lesser commentaries, which are mere ampli- is the same service which the newer writers on
fications of the text, and contain the “literary the English Constitution, conspicuously Mr.
theory” of the Constitution. In men like Walter Bagehot, have rendered. Mr. Bagehot
Marshall, Webster, Kent, and Story, we have a shows us that the literary theory of the British
succession of great “expounders ” and “inter- | Constitution, if it ever agreed with the facts, is
preters" of the instrument, whose business it now obsolete. The central fact of the British
has been to develop it into a legal system and Constitution is government by party, through
to apply it to the determination of specific the device of a responsible ministry which links
problems. They deal only with the theories, together the legislative and executive depart-
conceptions, and fictions of law. But, above all, ments. And yet the “literary theory” knows
we have what may be called the casuists of the nothing of parties or ministerial responsibility
Constitution—the dialecticians, whose logical to the Commons. Unhampered by rigid writ-
subtleties and whose refinements of theory and ten documents, the British Constitution has
definition have no parallel except in the meta been silently revolutionized within a century;
physical theology of the schoolmen. It is and nobody fails to perceive that this is so, now
undoubtedly true that up to the close of the that the facts have been pointed out.
late war a majority of our people were imbued But in
a country whose constitution is


1885.]
293
THE DIAL
reduced to writing, and where the written actual British Constitution, although unknown
instrument is most scrupulously and ostenta to the theoretical Constitution, so the standing
tiously respected, it is less easy to perceive those committees of the House, equally unknown to
subtle but constant and inevitable changes our “literary theory,” are in Mr. Wilson's
which, behind the documentary screen, are judgment the cardinal feature of our working
taking place in that developing organism constitution. These committees constitute so
which is the real constitution. Mr. Wilson's many “little legislatures,” each having cogni-
opening chapter deals with this contrast between zance of a limited number of subjects; and they
the written and the actual constitution. It make possible that abnormal inquisitiveness
describes what, in the main, are the departures which has given Congress ascendancy over the
from the "literary theory," or from the system administrative departments. Some corre-
which the convention of 1787 intended, and sponding House committee overhauls and super-
which “The Federalist” describes. It dis vises the smallest details of every part of the
covers that the elaborate system of checks and executive service. And through the constant
balances has practically broken down. The interference of the committees in the plans and
theoretical equipoise between the federal and conduct of the departments, Congress rules
state governments has no objective reality. the President. The author's whole account of
The central government, being sole judge of how Congress works is an exceedingly lucid
the extent of its own powers, has made steady and brilliant piece of descriptive and critical
inroads upon the residuary sovereignty and writing, and its value is much enhanced by the
jurisdiction of the state governments. Again, introduction of vivid parallel pictures of the
Mr. Wilson finds that the alleged equality and House of Commons and the French Chamber.
independence of the three “coördinate" The contrast between the tangible and respon-
branches of the federal government is little sible operations of those single ministerial
more than a myth. He finds that Congress is conmittees which have undisputed leadership
supreme. Practically, though of course not in the English and French legislative bodies,
theoretically, the legislative department pushes and the hap-hazard, contradictory operations of
its authority into the uttermost detail of our multiform committee system, is sharply
administration. The President and his Cabi drawn.
net are in point of fact only the heads of the Mr. Wilson could not have chosen a better
civil service, for Congress forces its own policy way to present the system concretely than by
upon every bureau and branch of the adminis- taking up the subjects of revenue and supply,
trative system. And even the judiciary, in the --those ever-present topics in every legislative
ultimate analysis, has no independence as a body,--and examining our mode of financial
political department of the Government. The administration. There is certainly a painful
Supreme Court acquiesces, and not even makes contrast between the simple and efficient Eng-
ineffectual attempts to check the career of Con- lish way of making budgets, granting supplies,
gress. In a rapid but massive array of facts, and devising ways and means, and our complex
Mr. Wilson illustrates and pretty soundly estab- and wholly unbusiness-like methods. Twenty-
lishes the proposition that we are now living four distinct committees of the two houses of
under a system which the title of his book fitly Congress have charge of various branches of
defines as
Congressional Government.” legislation pertaining to revenue, expenditure,
Our author next proceeds to analyze “Con and currency. By the time the original esti-
gressional Government,” with a view to discov mates of the departments have been whimsi-
ering all its wheels and cogs, and its precise cally mutilated by the standing committees of
modus operandi. Beginning in the House of the two houses, having been further disfigured
Representatives, he devotes 135 pages to a in running the gauntlet of the committees of
careful study of that body. He finds that the the whole, and have gone to a conference com-
House does nearly all its work through its mittee for the hasty compromise of egregious
forty-eight standi ng committees.
These com-
differences between the two chambers, the ses-
mittees claim his most profound attention. In sion has generally drawn near its close, and
their private meetings all matters of legislation the appropriation bills are finally passed with-
are digested, and each one works for and by out any knowledge of their contents and with
itself without any sort of coöperation or general slight reference to the exact needs of the
understanding with the rest. Mr. Wilson's departments.
elaborate discussion of this committee system, A bicameral Congress is, of course, a part of
and of the extensive code of House rules under our actual as it is of our theoretical Constitu-
which the system is operated, is the most valu-tion, and it does not belong to Mr. Wilson's
able and original part of his book. As the present undertaking to discuss the propriety of
English Cabinet, which is simply a committee the arrangement. His chapter on the Senate
66


294
[March,
THE DIAL
that body and the Executive. It points out establishing themselves as realities." Such
the manner in which, by magnifying its func- divided responsibility admits of no govern-
tions of “ratification” and of “advice and mental policy as the English or French
consent,” the Senate has made large encroach- understand that term, and renders it impossi-
ments upon the appointing and the treaty- ble that there should be much Congressional
making prerogatives of the President.
“Sena- debating of a high order, for the reason that, as
torial courtesy," so-called, has practically Mr. Wilson says, “there is no policy to be
obliged the President to permit Senators to attacked or defended, but only a score or two
name the federal appointees for their respect of separate bills.” And those bills have been
ive states. And the President's treaty-making reported from committees made up of both
power has come to be of very little account. parties. There are no recognized leaders of
If the administration is so audacious as to policy, and none upon whom can be fixed any
enter upon negotiations without having first definite responsibility for things done or