les, the
ful for the average mind, but rather the contrary Anti-Christ, etc. He was spared to carry out
owing to their leading to confusion. If the his plan to the full; this fifth part of the his-
various
groups
of definitions are to be retained tory of Israel is the final link between the first
for purposes of critical comparison, they should production of his in this critical field, his “ Life
at least be left untouched until the common of Jesus," and the last, devoted to the presen-
reader has set the main ideas firmly in his mind. tation of the beginnings of Israel.
It is pleasant to see that Mr. Roark knows the The strength and the weakness of Renan's
difference between psychology and physiology. method are well known. He writes not as a
He runs some risk of being styled a “ faculty” scholar speaking to scholars. He feels that
psychologist, although he is not so in fact. he commands a larger audience. He is bril-
Expecting ourselves to see a reaction from the liant in generalizations, epigrammatic in phrase-
present tendency to throw aside the word “fac ology. His style is that of a causeur rather
ulty as a psychological term, we are pleased than of an erudite expositor. His books, for
to find him saying:
this reason, have failed to pass muster before
“ Although it is remembered that the mind is a unit, the exacting criticism of the German schools,
and has no divisions, yet the term faculties' is used, of whatever party leanings. It is a mistake to
because there is no better term by which to express the
fact that the mind manifests its activity in different
suppose that the “higher criticism ” welcomed
ways. Dr. Laurie says in his • Institutes of Education,'
in him a sturdy yoke-mate. While Renan ac-
it seems to me quite unnecessary to abandon the use of cepted some of the positions and propositions
80 useful a word.' Dr. Ladd endorses the term by using of this school, he was at other times too strongly
it, and so does Dr. Van Norden. I am content to be in inclined to galvanize old rationalism. He leans
such excellent company, and shall use • faculties as it
has always been used to name collectively the different
to rationalistic interpretations of the miracles
phases of the mind's activity.”
and the miraculous in the biographies of the
B. A. HINSDALE.
Biblical heroes. This tendency of his is due un-
doubtedly to his early training under the influ-
ences of the Catholic Seminary; but he never
succeeded in emancipating himself from the
RENAN'S HISTORY OF ISRAEL.*
spell of these earlier ideas, and to the last his
The fifth and concluding volume of Renan's
books show its traces and always where one
History of the People of Israel” is devoted would least expect it. Such surprises, however,
to the period of Jewish Independence and Judea add spice to his narratives. Renan has been
under Roman rule. The period covered is one
called a novelist; his “Life of Christ”
espe-
of great importance; during the decades herein cially has been described as belonging to the
treated the great religious revolution of the department of fiction.
department of fiction. His other works show
Western World was preparing ; Judaism and the same ear-marks ; in them the novelist pre-
Greece and Rome were in the birth-throes of
dominates over the critic. This verdict is not
the advent. But beyond the great importance pillared on an opposition to his fundamental
attaching to its subject matter, the volume be view on the character and origin of Biblical
fore us has an incidental interest of its own, as
literature. The Dutch and German, and now
it is the last, not only of this work, but also of the English, schools of “ higher criticism
are
the productions of its gifted author's easy pen
still bolder than was Renan in denying to the
and fertile mind. Renan must have died a Biblical documents an exceptional position
happy man. With whatever disappointments among the ancient writings on history. And
his pilgrimage on earth may have been embit yet, the men of these schools have not been less
tered, he had the great satisfaction of knowing, insistent in relegating Renan to the ranks of
before death took the pen from his hand, that
brilliant novelists than are the speakers on the
he had succeeded in completing the ambitious
conservative and orthodox side of the house.
work of his life. To write the history of nas-
But this very weakness in the eyes of schol-
ars constitutes the strength of Renan's method
HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL. Vol. V., Period of
Jewish Independence and Judea under Roman Rule. By
in the forum of non-professional readers. He
Ernest Renan. Boston: Roberts Brothers.!
writes well and entertainingly. He is never


106
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
“ dry as dust.” Subjects under his touch are dual tendency which explains much in the life
given bones and muscles and nerves and hearts; of Judaism that otherwise seems a riddle.
and circumstances are endowed with local col-Renan has on the whole grasped this dual ele-
oring. What if, occasionally, to turn a pretty ment most happily, and yet at times he fails to
and striking phrase, he strains a fact too far? remember it. His characterization of the Tal-
The general reader will enjoy the epigram, mud and the Talmudic dialectic method is in-
though the German professor will shake his deed superficial and one-sided, simply because
head most ominously.
he forgets the dualism of Jewish life. Certain
The volume before us is not to be exempted it is that the Halakha — legal rigorism — and
from these strictures. It shows the hand of its the Haggadah - the poetic ethical element of
author. If anything, it lacks brilliancy and Talmudism are not two currents which at no
vim of style. Whether the English version is time intermingle. The Halakhic Rabbis were
at fault, or the impending shadows of approach also the Haggadists. Nor does Renan remember
ing death had cooled and chilled the impulses that much in the Talmudic discussions is mere
of the vivacious writer, the impression of a cer academic exercise; the extravagances in method
tain languor in the movement of the sentences and matter are due to school logic, and never
and paragraphs becomes confirmed in the either had or attempted to have an influence on
reader as he proceeds from chapter to chapter. the actualities of religious practice or thought.
Of epigrams there is no dearth, and the old At the period of which this book treats, Tal.
habit of misrepresenting facts to bolster a bril mudism in this sense was still in its infancy.
liant statement asserts itself time and again. Renan, as many others, unable to pilot their
The period under discussion gives, it is true, but craft through the breakers of the Talmudic
little latitude to a fancy-possessed historian. ocean, has not strictly enough kept separate the
The ground is well explored. Greek and He successive stages of the Talmudic process. The
brew literature of the day is accessible; the Talmud seems to him to be almost a personality,
material for reconstructing the times as they while it is an encyclopædia of six hundred years,
were is abundant. Renan has had in this field in the making of which many generations and
many predecessors. His book does not advance men had a part.
a single new theory or suggest view-points hith Renan's exposition of the differences between
erto neglected. And yet the volume is a grate the politico - religious parties — not sects or
ful addition to the books on the period. For scho
schools—the Pharisees, Sadduces, and Essenes,
it presents to the general reader, in a very at is on the whole correct. He has here utilized
tractive guise, the results of scholarly investiga- the researches of Jewish scholars. The Phar-
tions hitherto buried in foreign periodicals and isees are the party of national independence,
inaccessible publications.
the party of the learned ; the Sadduces are the
The book is the story of the failure of the priestly aristocrats, with little care or under-
Maccabean house, and the consequences result- standing for motives beyond those of selfish
ing therefrom. It introduces us into the inner class interest. This general distinction is clearly
life of the Jews, and makes us acquainted with brought out. But Renan fails to connect organ-
their party ambitions and the literature which ically with this cardinal difference on the one
is the precipitate of the religio-political con hand the seeming ritualism of the Pharisaic
troversies agitating the Judean world during “school” which had its origin in the purpose to
the tottering years of the Maccabean dynastic make Jewish family life and the synagogue as
reign. It traces the gradually asserted pre “ holy ” as was by law the priestly fraternity
ponderance of Rome in the destiny of Judea and the Temple; or, on the other, the dogmatic
and Judaism ; it gives us an insight into the discussions of immortality, resurrection, and
rise and development of a Judaism denational providence, which in the national scheme of
ized and deterritorialized, its philosophy and Phariseeism have a bearing totally at variance
Messianic outlook, from which Christianity is with the ideas ordinarily connoted thereby.
the ripe off-shoot. We are thus in this one But even in its imperfect state, Renan's pre-
volume invited to the confidences of the Rabsentation will do much to disabuse men of the
binic schools and the intimacy of the Alexan current prejudice that Pharisee and hypocrite
are
of Judaism running toward national exclusive Into other details of this work we cannot en-
ter.
ness, and as strongly toward universal cosmo-
politanism, is brought out most forcibly - a
The concluding chapter shows that how-
ever much Renan may have erred and his schol-


1896.]
107
THE DIAL
arship have been at fault in minor things, he hypnotism and telepathy, the subjective mind
understands the spirit of Judaism, and there has been clearly recognized, and so the highest
fore had the spiritual qualifications to write the step in the evolution of religion has been
history of the people whose passionate appeal reached. The possibilities of the subjective
and pathetic example has been the thought that mind are many and various. “ All good music
earth is not complete until justice be done on it. is a product of the subjective mind "; bad or
EMIL G. HIRSCH. mechanical music is not. But the subjective
mind is not to be trifled with : “ Psychic phe-
nomena are never produced except under the
most intensely abnormal conditions of the phy-
PSYCHOLOGY GONE MAD.*
sical and mental organism "; "all immorality,
The author of “ A Scientific Demonstration vice, crime, and insanity are the direct results
of the Future Life" has made his debut in a of abnormal psychic activity and control over
former work, “ The Law of Psychic Phenom- the dual mental organization "'; “ the degree
ena (reviewed in THE DIAL of June 16, of psychic power attainable by anyone is in
1893); and so far as possible he now outdoes
exact proportion to the intensity of his ner-
himself in extreme statements and illogical, or
vous derangement." Musicians, stenographers,
rather logic-less, arguments. The so-called typewriters, and compositors all unduly develop
" scientific demonstration of a future life" is their subjective powers (and consequently are
based upon alleged thought-transference exper-
“entitled to shorter hours and increased pay"),
iments, and the general “ telepathic” concep-
and are thus liable to nervous and mental dan.
tions that are current. As far as there is a sem gers. Anyone who doubts that the author is in
blance of an argument in the book, it goes about
earnest need only read such a passage as this :
as follows: There are two minds, an object-
“ Is there any reason to suppose that telepathy is so
ive mind and a subjective mind. The objective restricted to any two individuals in a group of three or
restricted in its field of operations ? Why should it be
mind is the one connected with the body and
more? As well might one say that the power of grav-
exercising the ordinary every-day function ity is restricted to two of the heavenly bodies, and that
with which we associate the term rationality.
because it operates between the sun and the earth, it
On the other hand, the subjective mind dis-
cannot operate between the sun and any other planet.
ports itself quite otherwise ; it is subject to sug-
As well might one assume that the moon does not shine
upon the earth, since it is known that the moon derives
gestion, it reasons perfectly and intuitively, has its light from the sun. The logical consequences of
a perfect memory, is the seat of the emotions, these two suppositions would be no more disastrous to
moves ponderable objects without physical con the planetary universe than it is to the mental world to
tact, and telepaths freely and vigorously. Fur-
suppose that B. cannot telepath to C. because A. can
telepath to B. In the one case it leads to planetary
thermore, as all faculties must be of some use
chaos; in the other it leads directly and inevitably into
here or hereafter, and as the subjective mind the dark and dismal realm of superstition.”
does not express itself fully and normally here, It is difficult to take this effort seriously, but
there must be a hereafter; q. e. d.
everyone who has observed popular reasoning
Incidentally to this argument (?) we are re upon such topics appreciates the fact that works
galed by a series of remarkable views. We like this have a distinctly pernicious effect.
become acquainted with the subjective mind" They divert interest from profitable channels,
through “mediums" or "psychics” who are and bring into disrepute lines of inquiry sim-
suggestible, and thus prove the duality of the ilar in name but happily different in scope and
mind as well as the existence of a soul. Re method. Far better the grossest superstition,
ligion belongs to the soul, and is therefore and the most ignorant and crude beliefs, than
psychic science. Moses was a psychic; “ he such a senseless parody of the manner and
subjectively saw the vision of the burning methods of science. It is not strange that an
bush, and he subjectively (clairaudiently) entire absence of the significance of a fact or
heard the voice"; and what he believed to be of the logic of science should occasionally be
the word of God was "objective Moses talk found in combination with the power of putting
ing with subjective Moses.” The prophets were words together in the semblance of an argu-
psychics, and “Jesus himself was the most ment; but it is strange that a reputable pub-
stupendous psychic phenomenon the world has lisher can be found to place his imprint upon
ever seen.
.” * In modern times, mainly through such a riot of logic-aping extravagances, such
*A SCIENTIFIC DEMONSTRATION OF THE FUTURE LIFE.
a protracted mental debauch.
By Thomas Jay Hudson. Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co.
JOSEPH JASTROW.


108
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
as remote as Venezuela will now and then miss
TEACHING THE ART OF WRITING.*
the force of a trenchant paragraph.
Between the text-books in rhetoric of even The book is in four main parts, the first two
ten years ago and the text-books in composition of which, “ Invention” and “ Expression,” are
of to-day there is a gap which to the teacher of outlined in the table of contents conventionally
English is a safely crossed Rubicon. The past enough. The independent treatment, however,
decade has seen the practical application of begins on the first page, where invention is de-
what is at bottom not a startling theory: that fined not as finding out what to say, but as the
the way to teach a student to write is to make
art of putting together what one has to say.
him write. The old way of teaching him to write Under the first head are treated paragraphs
by loading him with rhetorical principles has and the forms of writing (narration, etc.); un-
lost its hold. Text-books of the present-day der the second, clearness, force, propriety, fig.
insist, therefore, that the student shall write ;
ures. One notes, in passing, the stress laid on
and to be successful now, a text-book must ac-
the necessity of observation; the careful and
cordingly be practical, explicit, and stimulating easily intelligible distinction between will and
It is a fact of much significance that some of shall; the proof that our best writers observe
the most distinguished English scholars in the no distinction in the use of who or which and
country have deemed it worth their while to
that as coördinate and restrictive relatives; and
prepare for academies and colleges “ Outlines” the much-needed comment on the historical
and “Handbooks” and “Foundations” of com present: “The historical present presupposes
position. Among these genuinely successful a vivid imagination. Are you sure that you pos-
texts is “ A Handbook of English Composi- sess such an imagination ? Are you really aglow
tion,” by Professor J. M. Hart, of Cornell.
over this particular passage?” The third part
It is without doubt one of the most interest-
consists of practical directions in preparing
ing volumes that has been written on the sub-compositions for the classroom, together with
ject of writing for many a day. It reads so a series of composition subjects suggested by
well, in fact, that a teacher might perhaps won-
means of stimulating questions on familiar
der whether it was suitable to use as a class books. The relation between reading and com-
drill-book. But, to use stage lingo, it not only position is set forth so plainly here that even
reads well, it acts well : it stands the test of
a careless student must mark the unity that
the class-room. Take it through and through, runs through his course in English. The last
it is the best thing of the kind that has ap- part of the book is given up to an interesting
peared. To justify completely this sweeping discussion of the kinds of poetry - including
statement calls for a detailed analysis such as
questions of metre, of oratory and debate -
would be out of place in THE DIAL. But some and to a brief historical sketch of the language.
of the excellent qualities of the book may easily The volume is a genuine handbook - a book
be noted. It is written in a style clear, pre for the student to keep close at hand in the
cise, and fluent; its directions are never vague, knowledge that reference to it will always be
are numerous enough to apply to many cases, helpful. The general reader, unfortunately,
yet not so numerous as to be confusing ; its has little interest in rhetorical textbooks; but
instances are drawn almost entirely from books should this one fall into his hands, he will prob-
that every student is likely to have read ; it is ably be led to read a good deal in it before he
both sound and original (a sufficiently rare
puts it down.
MARTIN W. SAMPSON.
combination) in its treatment of the problems
it sets out to solve. It is, moreover, fully as
helpful to the teacher as to the student, espe As the publications of the Browning Society are
cially to the teacher who has been brought up mostly out of print, it has been thought desirable to re-
in the inadequacies of the old system and is
produce some of the more valuable critical papers read
painfully working out his own salvation. Such
before that organization during the twelve years of its
existence. Mr. Edward Berdoe has edited a volume of
a teacher will find that no conventional dogma such papers, about twenty in number, and prefaced it
is overthrown by mere assertion of an opposite with a brief account of the society and its work. He
dogma; wherever a reason is needed, a reason speaks, of course, of Browning as the greatest En-
is given. The one possible fault of the book glish poet since Shakespeare," and indulges in other
is that a student to whom rhetorical issues are
critical extravagances, but this does not detract greatly
from the value of the work, which students of English
*A HANDBOOK OF ENGLISH COMPOSITION. By James poetry cannot fail to find of use. A second volume is
Morgan Hart. Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother.
promised in case the first proves successful (Macmillan).


1896.]
109
THE DIAL
resultant cell is then able to produce a plant body.
MORE BOOKS ON BOTANY.*
Gametes are therefore sexual reproductive cells,
In a recent review, attention was called to the fact spores are asexual reproductive cells; and the fact
that in these latter days books dealing with botan that pollen grains are sexless bodies may be a sur-
ical subjects are appearing with remarkable rapid prise to some. Kerner also describes in a most fas-
ity. This statement finds further confirmation in cinating way the wonderful devices for securing
the fascicle that has again accumulated for review. cross-pollination, that almost sensational region in
The completion of Mr. Oliver's translation of the economy of higher plants opened up by Darwin.
Kerner's “Natural History of Plants” is a matter The means of attraction and protection, the marvel-
for congratulation. This important work, in two lous intricacies of adaptation between flowers and
large volumes, appeared almost without notice, and insects, the origin and dispersion of species, are all
American botanists have been agreeably surprised chapters of intense interest that deserve more than
to receive an edition of their own. The illustrations botanical attention.
and typography leave nothing to be desired, and One of the notable books that have just appeared
scientific treatise so intelligible to the general reader is Campbell's “Mosses and Ferns.” Dr. Campbell
has not appeared in many a day. Although deal has long been a student of the “Archegoniatæ," so
ing with a somewhat miscellaneous range of sub named on account of the peculiar female sex organ
jects, and not at all coordinated after the style of a
called the “archegonium." These groups of plants
text-book, it chiefly emphasizes the newly recog are the intermediate ones, with the maze of Thal-
nized and newly named field of “ecology,” which, lophytes below them, and the Spermaphytes (“flow-
freely translated, means plant sociology. The sub- ering plants ") above them. This position gives
jects treated in the first volume have already been them exceptional interest to the student of the evo-
mentioned in this journal. The second volume, now
lution of the plant kingdom. Dr. Campbell pre-
before us, deals with reproduction and the history sents a great body of facts dealing with the embry-
of species. The most brilliant recent advances inology of these forms, and then discusses their genetic
botany have been in our knowledge of the phenom- relationships. The mosses are represented by two
ena of reproduction, and to have this knowledge well-known groups, the liverworts and the true
presented in a popular way is a service to the sci mosses. We see now that liverworts have devel-
ence as well as to the public. It must be said, how-oped from the Algæ, the so-called “seaweeds”
ever, that Kerner's views concerning the reproduc- among Thallophytes; that the true mosses have come
tive processes are faulty in the extreme, and this from liverworts, but have led to nothing beyond ;
portion of the work should only be read in con-
that another line of advance from liverworts has
nection with Professor Oliver's clear statements led to the fern plants; that the fern plants in turn
later in the volume. The story of reproduction have given rise to the gymnosperms, the group to
in plants is now essentially complete in its outlines, which our conifers belong, but which has led to noth-
perfectly uniform in its principles, but wonder ing further ; while another line from the fern plants
fully varied in its expression. In general, in all has developed into our ordinary "flowering plants."
plants there are two kinds of cells specialized for
Such views broaden our conception of the processes
reproduction. One kind, the spore, is capable of of evolution, and emphasize the fact that many
germination alone, and unaided can produce a plant groups of plants represent finished lines so far as
body. These spores are not restricted to the lower their present display is concerned, and that the
groups, as is so commonly supposed, but are com “main axis” of evolution is a relatively short one
mon to the highest as well. The “pollen-grains" after all.
of flowering plants are spores having the same pow The Seaweeds have just received treatment at the
ers as the spores of mosses and ferns. The other hands of Dr. George Murray, of the British Mus-
kind of reproductive cell is the gamete, incapable of eum. Our ordinary text-books, being compelled to
germination alone. Two gametes must coalesce, give a general account of the plant kingdom, can
the process being known as the sexual act, and the do any special part of it but scant justice. Courses
in general morphology form the foundation of our
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. From the German
of Anton Kerner von Marilaun, by F. W. Oliver. New York:
botanical training, and in these courses seaweeds
Henry Holt & Co.
play a very prominent part. This is necessarily so,
THE STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF MOSSES AND
not merely because training begins with them, but
FERNS. By Douglas Houghton Campbell, Ph.D., Professor chiefly because the whole plant kingdom is rooted
of Botany in Stanford University. New York: Macmillan in them, and no proper conception of the higher
& Co.
groups can be obtained without their study. No
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF SEAWEEDS.
general text is full enough to do justice to the sub-
George Murray. New York: Macmillan & Co.
ject of algæ, and Mr. Murray has done valuable
INDEX KEWENSIS. By J. D. Nooker and B. D. Jackson,
assisted by the staff at Kew. London.
service in supplying this lack. It is to be regretted
EXPERIMENTAL PLANT PHYSIOLOGY. By D. T. MacDougal.
that he chiefly deals with seaweeds literally; that is,
New York: Henry Holt & Co.
the brown and red forms of our seacoasts. These,
ELEMENTS OF PLANT ANATOMY. By Emily L. Gregory. in a sense, seem to be “finished lines " of algæ;
Boston : Ginn & Co.
while the abounding green algæ of the fresh waters


110
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
are looked to as the forms from which the higher
· RECENT BOOKS OF AMERICAN POETRY.*
groups
have come.
The most notable event in the domain of syste Something of a surprise — albeit a welcome one
matic botany is the completion of the great “Kew was the little volume that came not long ago
Index.” The four large folio volumes of 1300 | bearing as a precious gift the “ Last Poems” of the
closely-printed pages contain a list of the names of man whom all serious Americans have loved only
all flowering plants that have been described up to
“ on this side idolatry” for the past forty years.
1885, together with their authorities and countries. Professor Norton, who has performed the function
The work is of incalculable benefit to “systemat- of literary executor for so many good men, and who
ists,"
,” and is another proof of the sagacity of Charles always performs it gracefully and with faultless
Darwin, who left a bequest to be applied to its pre taste, has gathered into this slender sheaf what blos-
paration and publication. The amount of biblio soms of Lowell's hitherto unpublished song seemed
graphical work involved is almost beyond computa- worthy of preservation.
worthy of preservation. There are but ten pieces
tion, and could hardly have been possible except altogether, some occasional and playful, others en-
with the staff and library at command at Kew.
tirely serious and of permanent value. “The Ora-
Physiological Botany is also represented among
* Last POEMS. By James Russell Lowell. Boston: Hough-
the recent books. This subject has barely been ton, Mifflin & Co.
introduced into American universities, both from POEMS OF NATURE. By Henry David Thoreau. Selected
lack of properly trained teachers and the time con and Edited by Henry S. Salt and Frank B. Sanborn. Boston:
suming character of the work. What was needed
Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
POEMS OF HOME AND COUNTRY; also, Sacred and Miscel-
was some laboratory guides to show instructors
laneous Verse. By the Rev. Samuel Francis Smith, D.D.
how much could be accomplished in very simple Boston : Silver, Burdett & Co.
fashion. That plant physiology, which deals with THE VACANT CHAIR AND OTHER POEMS. By Henry Stev-
the life phenomena, is of supreme importance, is
epson Washburn. Boston: Silver, Burdett & Co.
beyond question. The wonder is that we could have POEMS. By Elizabeth Stoddard. Boston: Houghton,
been content so long with dissecting plant corpses.
Mifflin & Co.
THE SINGING SHEPHERD AND OTHER POEMs. By Annie
The study of the phenomena of nutrition, growth,
Fields. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
irritability, reproduction, must be considered funda-
FOLIA DISPERSA. Poems of William Cranston Lawton.
mental in any biological work. Mr. MacDougal, New York: The Corell Press.
of the University of Minnesota, has supplied us with THE HAWTHORN TREE AND OTHER POEMS. By Nathan
an elementary laboratory guide. Experiments are
Haskell Dole. New York: T. Y. Crowell & Co.
,
MIMOSA LEAVES. By Grace Denio Litchfield. New York:
G. P. Putnam's Sons.
SONGS FROM THE GOLDEN GATE. By Ina Coolbrith. Bos-
liquids, movements of water, absorption of gases, ton: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
respiration, and other forms of metabolism, irrita THE LEGEND OF Aulus. By Flora Macdonald Shearer.
bility, and growth. It is to be hoped that this book San Francisco: William Doxey.
and others like it will work a revolution in our bot-
IN UNKNOWN SEAS. A Poem. Written by George Horton.
anical teaching, and will help change the point of
Cambridge: The University Press.
POEMs. By Ernest McGaffey. New York: Dodd, Mead
view from the plant as a form and a structure to the & Co.
plant as a thing of life.
SONGS OF NIGHT AND Day. By Frank W. Gunsaulus.
In our swing away from the dead plant, we are Chicago: A. C. McClurg & Co.
in danger of losing sight of the fact that physiology UNDER THE PINES AND OTHER VERSES. By Lydia Avery
and ecology are both based upon structure. Plant
Coonley. Chicago: Tay & Williams.
anatomy has been called the “ dry bones” of the
THE TOWER. With Legends and Lyrics. By Emma Hunt-
ington Nason. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
science; and perhaps it is, but the “bones
First POEMS AND FRAGMENTS. By Philip Henry Savage.
the less necessary. Miss Emily L. Gregory, of Bar-
Boston: Copeland & Day.
nard College, has reminded us that anatomy is still THE OLD-FASHIONED GARDEN AND OTHER VERSES. By
to be studied, though the most of us are teaching it John Russell Hayes. Philadelphia : John C. Winston & Co.
as an incident to morphology rather than as a sub BALLADS OF BLUE WATER AND OTHER POEMS. By James
ject that can stand by itself. Her book is naturally Jeffrey Roche. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co.
divided into anatomy of the cell and anatomy of POEMS. By Joseph O'Conner. New York: G. P. Put-
the tissues. The organization of a living cell, espe-
nam's Sons.
APPLES OF ISTAKHAR. By William Lindsey. Boston:
cially one capable of division, is complex beyond
Copeland & Day.
any conception of the uninitiated; and the modifi-
DUMB IN JUNE. By Richard Burton. Boston: Copeland
cation of these cells and their massing into diverse
& Day.
tissues will illustrate the possibilities of the com A DORIC REED. By Zitella Cocke. Boston: Copeland &
plexity of results that can arise from a unit struc Day.
ture. Miss Gregory describes and illustrates the
THE WHITE WAMPUM. By E. Pauline Johnson. Boston:
Lamson, Wolffe & Co.
prominent facts of plant anatomy, and the book
The Magic HOUSE AND OTHER POEMs. By Duncan Camp-
will be useful as a reference to those who need direc-
bell Scott. Boston: Copeland & Day.
tion in the demonstration of various kinds of cells
BEHIND THE ARRAS. A Book of the Unseen. By Bliss
and tissues.
John M. COULTER. Carman. Boston: Lamson, Wolffe & Co.
illustrate the general principles of absorption of a
are none


1896.)
111
THE DIAL
cle of the Goldfishes” is the longest of the poems, the main devotional, patriotic, and occasional. There
and lightly embodies a ripe philosophy of nature is no question of inspiration in such verse as this ;
and man. Probably the verses “ On a Bust of Gen it is commonplace in sentiment and pedestrian in
eral Grant” will be best remembered and most movement, but it was doubtless pleasant to compose,
cherished. They limn the character of the “strong, and doubtless gave pleasure to the circle of those
simple, silent" captain with the same sympathy and for whom it was intended. A number of illustra-
unerring judgment that are displayed in the “Com tions add to the attractiveness of Mr. Washburn's
memoration Ode" portraiture of Lincoln. An volume.
etched photograph of Lowell, Æt. 70, provides the Passing from these collections to Mrs. Stoddard's
volume with an appropriate frontispiece.
volume, we are in the presence of poetry in a more
Mr. Henry S. Salt and Mr. Frank B. Sanborn serious sense. It would be difficult to do justice to
have done literature an excellent service in selecting the intensity of noble feeling that throbs beneath
from Thoreau's writings a little volume of “ Poems the stern grave simplicity of these poems.
of Nature.” Fifty pieces are thus brought together,
"Idle poet, a word with you :
from “The Dial,” “ Walden," and other sources.
You sing too much of love's sweet wrong,
Thoreau was not a poet in any finished sense, and
Of rosy cheeks, and purple wine;
Give us a loftier song."
even his friend Emerson had to admit that “he no
doubt wanted a lyric faculty and technical skill”; From this reproach, at least, Mrs. Stoddard is free,
but he was a genuine literary force, and the poetic for her song rarely fails to reach into the very heart
aspect of his thought is not without interest. Most of nature and of life. Let an exquisite lyric of
of his verses were written when he was very young
“March” witness to one aspect of her thought.
from twenty to twenty-five and none of them
“Ho, wind of March, speed over sea,
are remarkable; yet we may say, with one of his
From mountains where the snows lie deep,
critics, that there is “a frank and unpretending
The cruel glaciers threatening creep,
nobleness" about them, and that they have some
And witness this, my jubilee!
measure of ripe fulness of thought, gravity of tone,
Roar from the surf of boreal isles,
and epigrammatic terseness of expression." They
Roar from the hidden, jagged steeps,
Where the destroyer dever sleeps ;
sometimes faintly suggest Emerson, and sometimes
Ring through the iceberg's Gothic piles !
Emily Dickinson, and have a nook of their own
“Voyage through space with your wild train,
among the works of the Concord School.
Harping its shrillest, searching tone,
Most readers, we fancy, will be surprised to learn
Or wailing deep its ancient moan,
that the late Samuel F. Smith, whose “ America”
And learn how impotent your reign.
we all know, was the author of sufficient verse,
“Then hover by this garden bed,
sacred and secular, to fill a volume of three hundred
With all your wilful power, behold,
and seventy-five pages. Yet such are the dimensions
Just breaking from the leafy mould,
My little primrose lift its head.”
of the collection just published, under the editorial
supervision of General Henry B. Carrington. There The impression of Mrs. Stoddard's work, as a whole,
are in this volume poems for all sorts of domestic is a sombre one, but she has the power to compel to
and public occasions -- including a number written her mood by sheer force of sincerity; the poetic
for the famous Harvard class of 1829 all sorts of
vision is hers in a remarkable degree, and the power
patriotic songs and nature lyrics, all sorts of hymns to impart it. If we may use a figure that seems
and other sacred pieces. "The morning light is
"The morning light is peculiarly appropriate to the occasion, we will say
breaking” is, of course, as familiar in its way as that these poems are suggestive of the sea after a
“America,” and one cannot help noting the fre storm, before the calm has wholly supervened. We
quency with which the author prepared new sets of feel that the waters have been stirred to their depths,
words to go with the tunes to which his two best and that peace has not yet been fully wrought oat
known songs are sung. These pieces are too mod of passion. In all our choir of American singers,
est to challenge technical criticism; they accomplish there is no woman's voice more distinctly individual
all that their author expected them to accomplish, than this, or more compulsive in its appeal.
and we are less sensible, in reading them, of their In turning from Mrs. Stoddard to Mrs. Fields,
defects as poetry, than of the transparent simplicity, we pass from turbulence to tranquility of soul.
kindliness of heart, and genuine religious feeling “ The Singing Shepherd and Other Poems" is a
that they embody. Dr. Smith is secure of a place sheaf of song preserved from the harvests of some
in our national affections, and this volume affords thirty years, and winsome with tender hues. A
the best possible memorial of his long, active, and quick sensitiveness to all that is beautiful, a strong
helpful career.
undercurrent of religious feeling, and a fair mas-
Mr. Henry Stevenson Washburn is, like Dr. tery of the rhythmical art, are the characteristics of
Smith, the author of one set of verses familiar to the pieces which Mrs. Fields has brought together
every American, and his volume is appropriately in this her latest volume. As a favorable example,
named “The Vacant Chair and Other Poems.” we may quote the opening stanzas of Death, Who
His work is not unlike that of Dr. Smith, being in Art Thou?"


112
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
The poems
“Thus questioned they who watched the Ægean Sea
“Peace? peace? How sweet the word and tender!
Stretch up white arms to drag the diver down,
Its very sound should wrangling discords still !
And they who waked to find Thermopylæ
And I might find it if I would surrender
Scarlet and white with glory overblown.
Myself and my will to His perfect will."
"Tears dropped, even then, in that far early world, - It is a pity that one of these lines should be scant,
Dropped on the soft face of the fresh-turned earth;
but the defect is easily remedied. The sonnet we
And curses gathered by despair were hurled
By mortal sorrow in her primal birth.
wish to quote is the second of two on “ Beethoven.”
“But the young runner grasped his wreath, and died ;
"I love the ocean's glorious symphonies
Antinoüs loved, and plunged him in the deep;
In nature's everlasting solitudes ;
The goal attained,- world's glory and world's pride,-
The deep adagio of its peaceful moods ;
Life held no more, they said, and sank to sleep."
Its light allegro when the white-caps rise ;
Its minor when the sunset zephyr dies;
The refined feeling and good taste displayed in
Its mighty major when the storm-cloud broods
these verses are qualities that they share in common
And sweeps the straining harp-string of the woods,
with most of the contents of the volume in which And far on high the foaming water flies !
they occur.
“So when Beethoven's magic music swells,
Professor W. C. Lawton has collected the verses
Like voices of the angels heard in sleep,
that a vagrant and impulsive Muse have from time
My spirit to its utmost depths is stirred
As though a more majestic sea I heard,
to time constrained him to write, and published
As though some sunken city's silver bells
them in a volume of marked mechanical individ-
Swang palpitating in the purple deep."
uality. A series of illustrative cuts, happily fitted
Mr. Dole's verse has melody rather than harmony,
to the various texts, add to the attractiveness of the
little book. Occasional pieces, classical reminis fancy rather than imagination, wit rather than hu-
mor; but its command of these lighter qualities is
cences, and impressions de voyage are the chief con-
easy, and its utterance nearly always pleasing.
tents of a collection distinguished for culture, ideal-
ity, and a certain naïveté that does not detract from
Miss Litchfield's volume is well named “ Mimosa
the general charm. As well as anything, perhaps, Leaves," for its every page gives evidence of a sen-
we like the graceful tribute to the memory of Pro-
sitive nature, and the tremulous quality of the verse
fessor Merriam, from which this extract is made:
is one of its noticeable characteristics.
“ Far and far away
- mostly short semi-impulsive pieces — reveal an
The sun is bright on Hellas' hills to-day;
outlook upon life somewhat saddened, yet tempered
And he who best of all our eager race
by a faith that the dark mysteries of sorrow are
The deep-cut word, the artist's line, could trace,
Has reached the city of the violet crown,
somehow part of a divine plan, and that the heart
Only in dreamless sleep to lay him down.
of things is not pain. This attitude finds its fullest
Too soon completed is his absent year,
expression in two poems, “In the Hospital” and
He knows not time nor distance, far or near:
“ Beyond the Hospital,” too lengthy to be used for
Perchance in loving thought he is among us here."
illustration. We select instead the characteristic
Professor Merriam, it will be remembered, died a stanzas entitled “ Courage."
little over a year ago, at Athens, whither he had
“Hast thou made shipwreck of thy happiness?
gone to spend his " sabbatical year" of vacation
Yet, if God please,
from Columbia College. It is true of Professor Thou 'lt find thee some small haven none the less,
Lawton's verse that
In nearer seas,
Where thou may 'st sleep for utter weariness,
“Every chord has rung a thousand times
If not for ease.
To the firm touch of masters new and old,”
but this is no reason why they should remain un-
"The port thou dreamedst of thou shalt never reach,
Though gold its gates,
plucked by the hands of the younger generation,
And wide and fair the silver of its beach,
and it is safe to add that they are not likely to suf-
For sorrow waits
fer such neglect.
To pilot all whose aims too far outreach,
Mr. Nathan Haskell Dole has practised many
Towards darker straits.
forms of the literary craft, bringing to them ail “Yet so no soul divine thou art astray
On this cliff's crown
capacity and serious purpose. But none of his other
Plant thou a victor flag ere breaks the day
ventures (as far as known to us) have been a source
Across night's brown,
of quite the satisfaction with which we have read And none shall guess it doth but point the way
his recently-collected volume of verse. It includes
Where a bark went down."
four sections songs, sonnets, vers de société, and
Miss Litchfield's versification is often faulty, and
pieces “in more serious mood,” — and it would be
she has not been well-advised in making the ana-
a pleasure to illustrate them all. Space failing, we
pæstic measure her favorite form. It is the most
will be content with a sonnet and this pair of qua difficult of all our fundamental rhythms, and the
trains upon a familiar text from Dante
" In la failure to handle it is conspicuous in the present
sua voluntade è nostra pace.”
instance.
“Peace? Can we find it in this world of trial,
Where battles fierce and every form of ill
That the poetic tradition of California, so well
And pain and sorrow and hard self-denial
established by Mr. Harte, Mr. Stoddard, and Mr.
Our checkered lives from birth to death must fill? Miller, has not been permitted to lapse with the


1896.]
113
THE DIAL
passing of those men to other scenes is a fact made “Hum till I come to you, wild honey bees!
very evident by such a book as Miss Coolbrith’s
Bide till I hide in you, bloom-billowed seas !
Save but a cave for me, Hesperides !"
“Songs from the Golden Gate.” Her work has
poetic sensibility and vision, besides command of a
More frequently we have such a sensuous nature-
considerable variety of lyric forms. There are, of
cameo as this:
* Majestic hills, whose lofty inspiration
course, occasional literary echoes in her work, no-
Broods o'er the soul until it upward springs;
ticeably in the case of “Oblivion,” which is sure
A languid clime, where passion's exaltation
to recall Christina Rossetti’s “ Dreamland ”; but,
Like wine the blood to lyric frenzy stings;
for the most part, Miss Coolbrith transmutes the
And boundless seas that tempt imagination
gold of other singers into metal of her own. We
Afar from shore to try her petrel wings."
cannot do better than quote her lines on “The It was only about three years ago that Mr. Ernest
Poet."
McGaffey published his first book of poems, and
“He walks with God upon the hills !
revealed a mind in sympathy with many aspects
And sees, each morn, the world arise
New-bathed in light of paradise.
of natural beauty, full of the lore of bird, and flower,
He hears the laughter of her rills,
and forest. A second volume from the same hand
Her melodies of many voices,
now recalls the first, and deepens the impression
And greets her while his heart rejoices.
that it made. That the author does not take lightly
She, to his spirit undefiled
the service of the Muse is evident from such heart-
Makes answer as a little child;
Unveiled before his eyes she stands,
felt couplets as the following:
And gives her secrets to his hands."
“Nay! dive thou deep in Nature's heart,
And tear her leaves and grass apart;
A series of drawings by Mr. William Keith, the
“ Wander thou forth in sun and rain
artist of " fields a-thrill with motion and with light,”
To tread the paths of joy and pain ;
provide the book with illustration in a very attract-
“Live, toil, and strive, and keenly scan
ive and unusual sense.
The mystery of thy fellow.man;
Another volume of song, not obviously inspired,
And, most of all, know thou the spell
Of Love's high heaven and dungeoned hell, -
but at least graceful and refined—comes to us from
“And then, if on thy natal morn
California. Miss Shearer's “ The Legend of Au-
A singer's soul was in thee born,
lus" includes, besides the long titular poem, a num-
“Perchance the anguish may be thine
ber of sonnets, ballads, and lyrics, the breathings
To touch the lips of song divine."
of a sensitive and delicately-attuned spirit. Every If Mr. McGaffey has not quite “touched the lips
poet pictures, at one time or another, some “ city
of song divine,” he has at least written gracefully
of the soul" in contemplation whereof is peace of
and melodiously upon a considerable variety of
mind. Miss Shearer's picture is suggested by the themes. He is best in his treatment of nature, and
romantic wonderland of Shakespeare's creation. there is not as much of nature in this collection as
“What soft enchantment wraps my soul away?
we could wish there had been. A favorable exam-
The magic juice hath sure been spilt on me.
ple of his work is this stanza :
Behold the sunken ships within the bay !
Prospero weaves his web of glamourie, -
“On summer nights the yellow stars
Imprisoned Ariel struggles to be free, -
Shine through the watches held on high,
Miranda with her Prince talks heart to heart.
Suspended from the countless spars
This is the isle where I have longed to be,
Of cloud-fleets anchored in the sky,
Most subtly tinted by the Master's art;
And wafted past upon the breeze
Here let me rest, nor ever from these shores depart."
Slow winding down from distant heights
There comes the roll of faroff seas
As for “ The Legend of Aulus,” it is a narrative
On summer nights."
poem of the early Christian period in Rome, based
This bit of easy verse is typical of the whole. The
upon a story in the “Gesta Romanorum,” sympathet author is too fluent a writer to touch the deeper
ically conceived, but somewhat pedestrian in move chords of feeling, and a large fraction of his work
ment.
bears no evidence of the labor lime that no poet
Chicago has its share in the poetical product of should spare, even in his least ambitious flights.
the past few months, for no less than four of the The Rev. F. W. Gunsaulus, in his “Songs of
volumes upon our list come from men whom the Night and Day," has experimented in many forms
Lakeside City claims for her own. She claims Mr. of versification, without attaining to mastery in any
George Horton new United States Consul at of them. He is at his best in such a simple strain
Athens — by virtue of his old connection with Chi as “ Harvest and Hope,” from which these stanzas
cago journalism, and of his “ Songs for the Lowly,"
are taken:
published some four years ago.
6 In Unknown “The tall dry reeds that pipe with tune
Seas,” the modest sheaf of stanzas he now sends us,
What time the lyric breezes come,
embodies suggestions of travel and artistic fancies
Were erstwhile flower-crowned loves of June,
Yet in their richer days were dumb.
in gracefully-turned phrase, and is a creditable little
“Dear days agone, when all my world
book. Sometimes we come upon a curious semi-
Of dream and truth and love's desire
Swinburnian metrical effect, as in the following
Lay like a blossom closely whorled
triplet :
Within a soft green vase of fire -
-


114
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
9
“Freed now by blooming, through the days
“We know the twilight brought thy soft caresses,
Of summer sun and Nature's need
But toil forbade us, and we might not rest;
I blame not any strange delays;
We saw wbite poppies braided in thy tresses,
Life comes at length to be a seed.
We breathed their fragrance, leaning on thy breast;
• Beyond the white and stormful dearth,
“We dared not stay, lest, drowsy at its coming,
Through snows and rain, comes fairy Spring;
We mock the midnight- and the watch was set;
Then autumn-seed will greet warm earth,
We longed to clasp thee, but some chill, benumbing
And dear old birds again will sing."
Presence withheld us, and withholds us yet."
Unfortunately, Mr. Gunsaulus is not often as good We should like to give other examples of the au-
as this. Much of his work is mere pretentious ver thor's strong and melodious work, particularly the
biage, with little display of rhythmical art, and beautiful poem “ Transmigration," or a part of the
some of his pieces are too obviously occasional – Homeric suggestion entitled “Two Faces,” but
with all of haste and crudity that the term implies enough has been quoted to illustrate the quality of
to deserve preservation.
a singer who has been happy in the selection of her
The modest disclaimer which prefaces.“ Under
themes, and singularly effective in finding for them
the Pines and Other Verses ”.
suitable expression. The volume is one of the most
noteworthy of the season.
“They have no plan, no moral hid,
No prize for one who delves ;
Mention of Mr. Savage’s “ First Poems and Frag-
They came from out a happy heart,
ments” has been long delayed, but it shall be none
And seemed to sing themselves".
the less cordial for that. Mr. Savage is a lover of
is enough to disarm criticism, even with the critic nature in the truest sense; other minor poets allow
who feels it his first duty to detect flaws of work their fancy to play with nature, and attune them-
manship. Having never construed criticism to mean selves to it with more or less of effort, but the pres-
that ungrateful task, we are all the more free to ent writer penetrates into its deepest moods, and
welcome these simple and unaffected lyrics. They writes of it with almost Wordsworthian passion.
breathe many a tender sentiment, and point many Listen to him for a moment:
a minor moral, in verse that is smooth and refined.
“I have learned
These lines to “September” are as good as any More from the hush of forests than from speech
thing that we can select.
Of many teachers, more of joy at least,
And that quick sympathy where joy has birth;
“While autumn days grow brown and old,
A thousand times called outward from myself
A wizard delved in mines of gold;
By life at every point, ten thousand things
No idler he,- by night, by day,
Speaking at once in tones so sharp and sweet
He smiled and sang and worked away.
Their voice was pain, but pain as life is pain
And, scorning thrift, with lavish hand
Beneath the over-chorus of the sky;
He cast his gold across the land.
In silence finding joy to know myself
“The maples caught it ere it fell ;
Deep in the heart of nature and the world."
Witch-hazel turned before its spell;
Mr. Savage's poems are sonnets, groups of quat-
The goldenrod's high plumes of green
rains or other stanzas, and snatches of rhymed or
Were feathered with its yellow sheen;
While barberry bush and bitter-sweet
unrhymed heroics ; they are carefully wrought, for
Wore berries golden as the wheat."
the most part, and even when they are not, there is
A graver note is sounded in an unusually successful
always some felicitous phrase to arrest the attention.
The volume, for a first one, is more than promising;
paraphrase of the Ninetieth Psalm :
it represents a considerable measure of solid achieve-
“Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place
ment.
Through generations past;
Before the mountains were brought forth,
A sheaf of sonnets, impressions de voyage, and
While earth was chaos vast;
dainty conceits, together with a long poem called
Thou art from everlasting known
“ The Old-Fashioned Garden,” make up the con-
To everlasting - God alone."
tents of Mr. Hayes's modest volume. It is nearly
The imaginative note is boldly sounded in “The all good work, albeit conventionalized and literary
Tower," which prefaces Mrs. Nason's collection of of inspiration, and the title-piece is really a lovely
poems, and recurs frequently in the pages that fol poem. We may find room for a single stanza:
low.
"Nor lacks there music in this lovely close, -
“I am the tower of Belus — the tower of old am I!
The music of the oriole's soft lute,
Under the rifting lines of the gloaming's tremulant sky,
The gush of cadenced melody that flows
Under the shifting signs of the ages circling by,
And echoes from the blue-bird's fairy flute;
I stand in the might of the mighty-the tower of Belus, I !"
And here beside the fountain's mossy brink
There rings the lilting laughter of the happy bobolink."
Mrs. Nason's strains are not all trumpet-blasts like
This stanzaic form almost amounts to a new discov-
the above, and we soon come upon contrasting pass-
ery. Its effect, repeated nearly fifty times, is inde-
ages, such as are offered by a “ Slumber Song":
scribable; the lengthened closing verse seems to
“Calm, unimpassioned in thy wide dominions,
react upon the preceding heroics, and to bestow upon
Wilt thou relentless stay, and staying keep
The restful shadows of thy purple pinions
them a new and entrancing rhythmic movement.
Aloof from mortals, O sweet goddess, Sleep?
The characteristic things in Mr. Roche's “Bal-


1896.]
115
THE DIAL
lads of Blue Water" are long poems descriptive of “Two rough-hewn timbers, crossed against the sky;
An awful form outside the city gate;
episodes in naval warfare, and cannot be illustrated
A ghastly sign of vengeance and of hate,
by a brief quotation. Suffice it to say that they are
To fright the errant slave's averted eye;
stirring, but not noticeable for finish or poetical dic The last harsh Couch, whereon pale Crime doth lio,
tion. “ A Business Transaction " is the amusing Seeking in vain a glance compassionato ;
story of a sea-fight between the French and the Symbol of death most dreadful dealt by Fate,
Until, one April day, they lift on high
Dutch, in which the Frenchman, having run short
• A thorn-crowned King, who dies upon a cross,
of powder, buys a fresh supply from his opponent,
Then bows a world before the sign of death,
and fights merrily on until overpowered.
The curse is changed to blessing in a breath ;
"The great States-General, solemn folk,
Its gleaming red lines knightly shields emboss;
When old Van Dam came home next day,
On woman's breast it lies; no day dawns bright,
With his prizes in tow, forgave the joke,
But gilds a cross-crowned temple with its light."
Or never perceived it - who can say ?
Many of Mr. Lindsey's pieces are in light vein, and
There is some excellent fooling in “ A Sailor's embody sentimental conceits in a pleasing way.
Yarn,” which opens with these stanzas :
And there is a note of sincerity in his work that
"'T was the good ship Gyascutus,
partly atones for the technical shortcomings.
All in the China seas,
With the wind a-lee and the capstan free
“ The Oaten Stop" series is the title given by the
To catch the summer breeze.
publishers to a collection of small volumes of Amer-
“'Twas Captain Porgio on the deck,
ican verse, announced to appear at irregular inter-
To his mate in the mizzen hatch,
vals. The first two volumes of this series are at
While the boatswain bold, in the forward hold,
hand, being Mr. Richard Burton's “ Dumb in June"
Was winding his larboard watch."
and Miss Zitella Cocke's “ A Doric Reed.” Mr.
After this overture we need not be surprised at any-
Burton's pieces are for the most part mere snatches
thing
of song, in which the graver notes of the “ “ lyric
Mr. Joseph O'Connor writes from experience of cry" are distinctly discernible.
men and books, and has an eye for a poetic theme, “ There is only rest and peace
but his treatment does not often rise to the height
In the City of Surcease
of the occasion. “Bringing the Fire from Delphi,”
From the failings and the wailings 'neath the sun,
And the wings of the swift years
for example, is a great subject, and calls for less
Beat but gently o'er the biers,
pedestrian and commonplace verse than this:
Making music to the sleepers every one.
“They set within Diana's fane a simple stone to say
There is only peace and rest ;
Who ran to Delphi and returned within a single day:
But to them it seemeth best,
A gallant course! Who would not wish for strength and skill
For they lio at ease and know that life is done."
so tried ?
The author's mind is richly resonant to the notes of
For loyalty and will to hold the path until he died ?
For powers so disciplined to do the hests of strong desire ?
natural beauty, as the following autumnal stanza
And best of all to run for Man and carry sacred fire !”
will illustrate :
A number of poems inspired by our Civil War oc-
"Now is the year's recessional, for though
Her robes are richer wrought than in the spring,
cupy the forefront of this collection, and into them
What time the proud procession paced slow
the author has put much of his best work.
Up the vast church of Nature's fashioning,
Soon moans — these pulsing pomps left far behind -
“ Apples of Istakbar" is the title given by Mr.
Down unillumined aisles the requiem wind."
William Lindsey to his poems, and explained by Mr. Burton's work is promising, although he has not
the following quatrain :
been quite successful as yet in differentiating the
“Life, like the apples of old Istakhar,
diction of the poet from that of the prosateur.
A fruit half sweet, half bitter-baned doth bring ;
Shade-cursed and sun-caressed by turns they were ; Miss Cocke's verses are upon the level of ordi-
Shade-cursed and sun-caressed the songs I sing."
nary magazine poetry, dealing with familiar themes
Writing of “A Chance Shot,” the author says: in a way too graceful to give offence, yet never
“I shot an hundred arrows carefully,
arousing more than an emotional ripple. A favor-
And hit not once the disk of yellow gold;
able specimen is “The Comfort of the Pines."
I pierced it after, shooting fast and free,
“I fain would seek that brotherhood,
With hurried aim an arrow bent and old.
The monastery of the wood;
“In vain I labored with an earnest pen
Earth-bound and tempest-tossed, yet given
To tell the truth a sunlit second found;
The blessed calm and peace of heaven!
Long after came a careless mood, and then
"Tall hooded monks, in solemn band,
A few fit words the prisoned truth unbound.”
Uplifting prayerful arms they stand,
The application of this parable to Mr. Lindsey's
Intoning whispered orison
verse is not exactly that he is most successful where
And glad triumphant antiphon."
least careful, for his pages are often marred by neg Miss Cocke, like all other versifiers nowadays,
lect of the most elementary principles of verse writes sonnets, and a group devoted to several of
writing, but rather that he does not hit the target the great musical composers evinces a genuine love
very frequently. It seems to us that he has hit it of music. She even ventures a sonnet upon the
in " The Cross," a sonnet.
sonnet, comparing it successively with a jewel, a
:-


116
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
come
the Vatican.
tone ?"
magic flute, a wreathed shell, a rose, and a night-
“And Hack was blind, and Hew was dumb,
But both had the wild, wild heart;
ingale. It is very well done, especially the ending,
And God's calm will was their burning will,
“A captive nightingale in golden bars,
And the gist of their toil was art.
Singing a song of rapture to the stars."
“They made the moon and the belted stars,
Three Canadian singers come last upon our list.
They set the sun to ride;
The poems of Miss Johnson derive an adventitious
They loosed the girdle and veil of the sea,
interest from the fact that they are written by an
The wind and the purple tide."
Indian girl, the daughter of a well-known Mohawk Mr. Carman has shown himself many times to be
chief. As might be expected, these poems are dis- possessed of the true afflatus ; he has also shown
tinctly outdoor songs and ballads, and the barbaric himself capable of much hasty and ill-considered
strain of passion is not lacking. But they have also work. The patient toil of the file is what he most
claims to consideration on their own account, for needs to practise, and those who wish him well can-
they display delicacy of sentiment and felicity of not but view with apprehension his willingness to
expression in a remarkable degree. We open the print work that is entirely unworthy of his better
volume almost at random, and upon
such verse
genius.
WILLIAM MORTON PAYNE.
as this :
“The velvet air, stirred by some elfin wings,
Comes swinging up the waters and then stills
Its voice so low that floating by it sings
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS.
Like distant harps among the distant hills."
6 Velvet air ” is a locution of which any poet might
For many years past Miss Eliza
The frescoes of
be proud, and it is but typical of the turn of phrase
Allen Starr has been an important
that enables many of these pieces to produce a really
factor in the intellectual life of Chi.
striking effect. We like particularly “The Flight cago, having in many ways contributed to the ad-
of the Crows," from which one stanza may be taken.
vancement of the city in culture. Her work, whether
“O'er what vast lakes that stretch superbly dead,
as a writer, a lecturer, or a social influence, has
Till lashed to life by storm-clouds, have they flown? been quietly and unobtrusively performed, but has
In what wild lands, in laggard flight have led
earned the gratitude not only of the large circle of
Their aërial career unseen, unknown,
her personal friends, but also of all who have had
'Till now with twilight came their cries in lonely mono-
at heart the growth of an interest (so sadly needed
in Chicago) in the things of the spirit. As a liter-
Mr. Douglas Campbell Scott's volume deserves
far more attention than our space permits upon the
ary worker, for example, she has published, in
“Songs of a Lifetime,” one of the most graceful
present occasion, and a few words of emphatic and
and genuine books of verse that have yet come from
cordial praise must stand for the detailed examina-
this huge human hive. It is, however, as a lec-
tion of its beauties that it would be a pleasure to
turer upon the history of art, and particularly of
make. Mr. Scott's poems are mainly nature-lyrics, Christian art, that her activity has been most note
and often attain to marked nobility of imaginative worthy, and it is in connection with this phase of
diction, as in these lines to Winter:
her work that she has just published the sumptuous
"Then heap this sombre shoulder of the world
volume to which we now wish to call attention. All
With shifting bastions; let thy storm winds blare ;
Drift wide thy pallid gonfalon unfurled;
visitors to the Vatican are of course familiar with
And arm with daggers all the desperate air." the frescoes of Raphael in the Camera della Seg-
natura - the four symbolical figures representing
Mr. Bliss Carman, too, deserves better of us than
this tag-end of an over-grown article, although one
Theology, Poesy, Justice, and Philosophy, with the
feels, in the case of his new volume as in the case
accompanying paintings of the Dispute, the School
of Athens, Parnassus, and Jurisprudence. Miss
of his earlier one, that his best work is still left un-
collected. What he gives us just now is something Camera della Segnatura of the Vatican,” and is
Starr's book, which is entitled “ Three Keys to the
less than a score of pieces ; some so lacking in fin-
published by the author, gives us half-tone repro-
ish and lucidity that it seems a pity they should have
ductions of these eight frescoes, with descriptive
been published, others carefully thought out and har-
monized, and all charged with poetic energy of high drawings intended to serve as “keys ” to all of the
text, and, what is more to the point, includes outline
potential. “Beyond the Gamut" is a long and
beautiful poem, musical in theme and treatment, figures but two are purely symbolical. The author
groups except the Jurisprudence, in which all the
beneath which we should hardly be surprised to see
the signature of Robert Browning. This poem will
has taken much pains with her identifications, and
has followed good authorities for the most part.
not bear excision, but we may do such violence to
She has accepted a few comparatively recent sug-
“ Hack and Hew” without serious danger to its
vitality :
gestions in this matter of identification, the substitu-
tion of Simonides for the traditional Ovid, for ex-
“Hack and Hew were the sons of God
In the earlier earth than now;
ample, in the Parnassus, this upon the authority of
One at his right hand, one at his left,
the late Heman Allen, of Philadelphia. Miss Starr
To obey as he taught them how.
lays no claim to credit for original investigation in


1896.]
117
THE DIAL
A romance
her work," the discriminating, conscientious follow. species are capable of emitting aromatic odors,
ing of acknowledged authorities being the only agreeable and otherwise, and others are able to pro-
ground upon which I could venture to present it to duce clicking or rustling sounds by striking their
the public or to those who have the care of educa- wings together when mentally (?) excited. The
tional interests everywhere." "How many stand be eggs of butterflies under the microscope reveal fea-
fore these pictures in the Vatican," she says, “ with tures of wonderful beauty. Mr. Scudder even talks
out recognizing more than a few prominent person of the “ butterflies as botanists,” but then he is an
ages, and without
any clear idea of the intention of enthusiast—and few who read this fascinating book
the artist in their arrangement, the story of the hu will wish him otherwise.
man mind and the grand march of intellect through
all ages, 80 wonderfully set forth in them, being, in Stories and
Matthew Arnold's complaint of the
consequence, wholly or almost lost.” The “ keys
sketches of profound Gemeinheit of our Amer-
New Orleans.
now provided will enable a student to examine the
ican cities must have been modified
paintings, or reproductions of them, intelligently, by an emphatic exception had he visited New Or-
and many lovers of art will be grateful to Miss
leans; for the Crescent City certainly possesses a
Starr for affording them this needed assistance. We fair measure of the æsthetic charm which is born
should add that the work is a quarto, beautifully
of a storied past, picturesque traditions, variety and
printed, and highly creditable, from the mechanical richness of local color, and an exterior not yet
standpoint, to Western bookmaking.
ground down to the purely industrial and utilitarian
dead level. In her “ New Orleans : The Place and
Mr. Samuel Hubbard Scudder is the People" (Macmillan), Miss Grace King sketches
from the world widely known in American science the history of her native place, and sounds its praises
of butterflies.
as the author of an exhaustive work with pardonable enthusiasm. In the first, and to
on the “ Butterflies of the Eastern United States our thinking decidedly the best, half of the volume
and Canada." Its cost necessarily limits its distri the treatment is historical ; after this the writer
bution and usefulness to the few fortunate ones who lapses gradually into the descriptive, anecdotal, and
are able to obtain it. For the benefit of the general reminiscential, giving her pen the loose rein, and
reader, the author has recast into a single volume leaving the reader little room for doubt as to her
the most interesting and detachable portion of his personal leanings during the “late unpleasantness.”
elaborate treatise, and presented the new work un- | The opening chapters sketch concisely the history
der the attractive title of “ Frail Children of the of the early Mississippi River explorations, the
Air” (Houghton). The sections thus severed from colonization of Louisiana, the founding of New
their context are complete in themselves, while each Orleans, and the rapidly shifting fortunes of the
is independent of the rest. As a whole, they con city under the successive French, Spanish, and
vey a comprehensive idea of the character or history early American domination. An interesting chap-
of the most conspicuous and lovely group in the ter is devoted to the buccaneers, and a stirring and
entire insect tribe. We are wont to consider but graphic, if slightly flamboyant, one to Jackson's de-
terflies as stupid creatures, living their lives, pursu feat of the British in 1815. The story of New Or-
ing their ends, with the smallest stock of sensibility leans during the Civil War is entertainingly told,
and intelligence. But Mr. Scudder corrects this false due justice being rendered to General Butler's
opinion, by attributing to them astonishing quali- somewhat drastic pacificatory measures -- from
ties. He goes so far as to treat of the psychology which, it seems, recalcitrant fair ones were by no
of a butterfly, giving an entire chapter to the novel means exempt, the General ungallantly acting up to
subject. He even speaks of their individual tem his famous maxim, “ The venom of the she-adder is
perament, and of their ability to become compan as dangerous as that of the he-adder.” “The little
ionable to humankind, or at least of their attempt children in New Orleans," the author says, "when
to become so. They have their playful moods, it they are very good, are treated by their grand-
would seem, in which they sport with each other as mothers, not to the thrilling adventures of Blue
lambs and kittens do. Some of the species are Beard, but to tales of the Federal General in com-
noted for their pugnacious disposition. The Amer mand of the city during the war.” The book is ac-
ican Coppers (Heodes hypophlæas) Mr. Scudder curate and gracefully written, and the illustrations,
pronounces actually vicious. Some species are timid by Miss Frances E. Jones, are acceptably done.
by nature, others fearless, and others cunning. It
excites a desire to begin an immediate study of
William Dalton Babington's "Falla-
Fallacies of
these flying flowers, to discover for oneself their
cies of Race Theories" (Longmans)
remarkable capacities. The wondrous creatures, it
is a well-written and interesting little
appears, have a keen and delicate sense of smell, book, consisting of seven essays upon historical sub-
detecting odors unperceived by human beings; but, jects, intended to prove that what are usually called
what is equally strange, their sense of vision is dull. national characteristics are variable and acquired
They recognize color only in masses, it is supposed ; rather than inherited. As a whole, the essays are
hence the beauty of their wings cannot have resulted a protest against the extreme view, 80 well exem-
from natural selection, as Darwin argued. Certain plified in Mommsen, that race or national pecu-
race theories.


118
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
mance.
"The Midsummer
of Italian Art."
liarity is the potent factor in history. Babington in this short sketch, made his sister live once more
has died since these essays were written, and Mr. for us, the exquisite, high-minded woman whom he
H. H. G. MacDonnell has arranged the material remembers. She remains an abstraction; we have
for publication in book form. In his preface the here merely a note, a memorandum, which we must
editor
says
of the author: “He denies [that] take on authority. Aside from this one point, the
the present qualities of groups of men [are) almost book has a great deal of interest, as we have already
wholly dependent on those of their ancestors long remarked, for the pieture we have in it of the author
centuries before, and ... have been transmitted himself. The reminiscences of his early days, of his
by heredity down to this generation, from the re studies, and of the development of his ideas, the old-
mote past. It should be observed, however, that he time portrait by Henri Scheffer, the sketches by Ary
does not enter at all ... into the very different Renan of his Breton home and of his resting place
question how far merely physical peculiarities are in Palestine, the account of his sister's last days
transmitted.” These statements and quotations suf and of his own illness,—these, taken perhaps rather
ficiently indicate the purpose and character of the as one would take fiction than as one takes history,
book. In it, many bright things deserving careful will give real pleasure to many who can be content
consideration are said. The argument is, however, without the fierce and fiery interest of modern ro-
as extreme as the theories opposed, and will as little
For such readers there will be a delicate
stand criticism. Hatred of German claims (quite interest in the group of people whom we have here
justified, we believe) leads to constant tacit admis the privilege of seeing for a moment, — a group
sion of what in argument he constantly denies—viz., where there was genius both in science and in art,
the existence of some true Germanic characteristics. but so very, so curiously, different from anything
The admission by the editor (and presumably by which we American readers are ever likely to know
the author) that there exist well marked and hered from experience.
itary ethnic physical types, necessitates logically the
Mr. Frank Preston Stearns's “The
types.
minds of widely diverse physical types must differ.
Midsummer of Italian Art” (Put-
That nation is not a synonym of race, everyone
nam), contains five scholarly and
ought to recognize; almost everyone but Germans
well-considered appreciations of the works and the
do recognize it. Not every man born in England
distinctive gifts of Fra Angelico, Michel Angelo,
will present a definite English type. Many peoples
Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Corregio, together
have dwelt in England, and are to-day mingled in
with an introductory paper on Mediæval Italy. Mr.
its population. But the physical types of these peo-
Stearns has plainly written con amore, and his work
ples still exist; with each is a mental type equally throughout bears the impress of delicate observa-
persistent. To underrate this is as great a blunder
tion and analysis. The volume contains five pho-
as to overstate it. The book is a deserved rebuke tographic plates, which impress us (with one excep-
to a misused historical method ; but after perusing tion, a lovely head after Leonardo) as being, in
it, the reader will do well to take a little of Beddoe point of execution, considerably below the merits
and Miss Simcox.
and requirements of the text. Three brief papers
are appended, in one of which the writer breaks a
Most readers will turn to Renan's lance, on the subject of the Sistine Madonna and
A sidelight
short eulogy of his sister (“My Sis the Reading Madonna of Corregio, with that inge-
ter Henrietta ": Roberts) with more nious critic, Giovanni Morelli-scouting the latter's
curiosity as to Renan than as to her whom the vol. statements as to the profuse restorations visible on
ume especially commemorates. And most readers, Raphael's matchless canvas, and refuting pretty
too, as they go on, will be more interested in Renan effectually his absurd attribution of the Reading
than in his sister, and at the end will probably have Madonna to Van Der Werff. With all respect to
a more adequate idea of him than of her. The his almost German erudition and conscientious pur-
book has many of the qualities of his genius : it has suit of truth in his special brand of art-criticism,
touches of his sensibility, of his creative imagina-Signor Morelli seems to us to have peered into a
tion, of his somewhat patronizing analysis; here rather inexcusable number of mares'-nests. Of the
and there it has the glow of his style. But it quite spirit of paradox, and ambition to upset long.current
fails, we must think, to give us a vitalized concep beliefs, we note no trace in Mr. Stearns's
pages.
tion of his sister. His sister, he tells us, was an
eleet soul, a woman of extreme distinction of char-
“Modern German Literature” (Rob-
acter and fineness of appreciation, a woman distin of modern erts) is the title of a pleasantly writ-
guished, even remarkable, although unknown.
ten book by Professor Benjamin W.
much can the historian inform us in black and Wells, the purpose of which, to quote the preface,
white; but it needs more to make us thoroughly is “ to further literary appreciation and enjoyment.”
realize the character of which he speaks, to make it The book is accordingly addressed, not to the spe-
alive for us with all the sweetness and power which cialist, but “to the great majority of our college
he feels so strongly. And here, curiously enough, students," and attempts to tell what a well-educated
the great historian has not succeeded. He has not, man cares to know about German literature. Per-
upon Renan.
A short account
German literature.


1896.]
119
THE DIAL
and Arnold.
haps the author has fairly well accomplished this of disputed points. But the evident desire to avoid
purpose. In view of the admirable translation of wounding the susceptibilities or encountering the
Scherer's “ History of German Literature," how prejudices of Southerners has made the narrative
ever, the raison d'être of the first chapter, entitled colorless. This is, of course, infinitely better than
“ The Origins,” which in a compass of thirty-seven a wrong or partisan coloring. Both sides are pre-
pages reviews the literary history of Germany down sented, and presented as if they were both right;
to the accession of Frederick the Great, may fairly the scholar who learns from this book will be able
be questioned. The treatment is certainly too brief to be just to the other section, even if his confidence
to satisfy even the general reader; and especially, in his own side is not weakened. The authors have
considering the title, the same space devoted to a no special gift at presenting the solid matter of our
survey of the political, intellectual, and moral con history in such a way as to win the attention and
dition of Germany in 1740 would have seemed in interest of children; and in this respect the book
better proportion. The greater part of the book is suffers by contrast with some of its rivals. The
devoted to Lessing, Goethe, and Schiller. The ac- style is rather heavy, and the ordinary child of
count of them is clear, and shows the author's thirteen will be repelled by the dry paragraphs that
knowledge at first hand. It is said that Grimm would be excellent in a book addressed to adults.
himself no longer insists upon his theory that the The maps, illustrations, and pedagogical apparatus
first thought of Iphigenie auf Tauris was due to are good, and will enable the good teacher to get
Gluck's request for the text of a cantata, and the excellent results from the book.
author might well have emphasized the tragic neces-
sity of “ Maria Stuart” rather than its obvious pa-
In Professor Hugh Walker's study
Tennyson,
thos. The chapter on “ Faust” is clear, and should Browning, of three “ Greater Victorian Poets ”
prove to the student a useful analysis of the two
(Macmillan) the author estimates
parts of the drama. The treatment of Heine is
Matthew Arnold along with Tennyson and Brown-
also satisfactory and suggestive. Indeed, it may ing, on the ground that Arnold “is so exquisite
fairly be said of the whole book that the author has within his range that he can be placed nowhere ex-
realized his ambition of being “helpfully suggestive cept in the first rank.” The order of the book is
to the lovers of pure literature."
to follow the chronological consideration of the poe-
try of each author, with a treatment of the relation
The comely volume entitled “ Wild of these poets to the spirit and thought of their time.
Wild places
in England.
England of To-day" (Macmillan), by Separate chapters are consequently devoted to illus-
Mr. C. J. Cornish, is not unworthy trating and discriminating their feeling for nature,
of a niche in the library shelves beside the works the influence of contemporary science upon them,
of Richard Jefferies ; and indeed one could easily
their social and political aspects, and finally the re-
select passages from it that might well have come ligious faith and doubt of each, as found in their
from the pen of the inspired naturalist of Cote works. The method is that of the expositor, not
Farm. There are, even in populous England, patches
the controversialist nor the appraiser. In general,
enough of the earth's surface where Nature bids statements are supported by the evidence of liberal
man keep his distance; while since the repeal of the quotation. The language, too, is clear and suffi-
Corn Laws, and the consequent rise of what Ricar- ciently exact. There are numerous examples of
dians call the margin of cultivation, the increase of felicity of phrase, in which the point of view is set
waste heath and pasture-land has gone on apace.
forth in a few vivid words. While the superior
The wild places described by Mr. Cornish, under greatness in range, and possibly in power, of Ten-
such chapter-headings as “ The Southern Cliffs," nyson and Browning is acknowledged, Arnold is
“The Pine and Heather Country,” “Surrey Scenes,” discovered to be the poet of the three whose feeling
“ Round the Great White Horse,” “In High Suf for nature is most unalloyed, who shows most ob-
folk,” “Somersetshire Coombs,” “ Climbing In En-viously the influence of the scientific appeal to rea-
gland," etc., range broadly from the Southern Cliffs son, whose interest in society is always deep and
to the Yorkshire Fen. Mr. Speed's drawings are strong, and who reflects most fully the skeptical
mostly spirited and well-conceived, while the purely tendencies of his age. He is called “the poet of
photographic plates are notably good. For a friend doubt, stretching his hands through the dark towards
who loves men like Jefferies and our own John Bur a faint far-away glimmer.” No ordinary student of
roughs, Mr. Cornish's book will not be amiss. the Victorian era will fail to find his vision of these
poets clearer, and his impressions better defined,
Still another school history of the after assimilating this book.
school history.
United States is added to the recent
excellent manuals of Messrs. Fiske,
The series of graphic papers on what
Mr. Julian Ralph's
Thomas, and Montgomery, by three Southern writ-
may be called the New South, written
ers, Messrs. Cooper, Estill, and Lemmon. The
by Mr. Julian Ralph for “Harper's
present work (Ginn) differs from some of the his-Magazine " and " Harper's Weekly," have been col-
tories used in the schools of the South, being schol lected by the publishers in a handsome volume en-
arly, temperate, and usually fair in the treatment titled “ Dixie; or, Southern Scenes and Sketches."
A Southern
Southern sketches.


120
[Feb. 16,
THE DIAL
The book is an exceedingly readable one, lively, ical Outlook.”. The address is now printed in pamph-
anecdotal, and picturesque, and a solidly-informing let form, and in a limited edition, with one of the copies
one withal — containing a store of suggestive, well-
of which we have been favored. The main object of
verified facts as to the economic condition and pros-
the address is to indicate the dangerous and the hope-
ful tendencies of modern botanical research. The for-
pects of a section of our country that now seems
mer are described as the tendencies towards narrow.
destined for a career of prosperous industrial activ-
ness, towards certainty, to mistake power of acquisition
ity undreamed of under the past régime. The sal-
for power to do something, to immature research, and
ient aspects of life in this New South are presented to what the author calls “ ritualism." The latter are
by Mr. Ralph with a dioramic distinctness that the tendencies to regard botany as a biological science,
leaves the reader with an agreeable sense of having to study in the great laboratory of Nature, to specific
journeyed thither himself. The book is profusely demonstration, to use the imagination, and to regard
and charmingly illustrated.
plants as resultants. Upon each of these topics, the
author delivers himself at length, preaching the sound-
est of doctrine in the clearest and most forcible way.
Many students and teachers of history will be grate-
BRIEFER MENTION.
ful to the Directors of the Old South Work for repub-
Texts for the study of English literature multiply
lishing their “Old South Leaflets” in volume form.
apace. Macaulay's essay on Milton, edited by Mr. J. They are bound together, twenty-five leaflets to a vol-
G. Croswell, and Webster's “ First Bunker Hill Ora-
ume, and two volumes have thus far been sent us.
tion," edited by Mr. F. N. Scott, are admirable additions
There will doubtless be enough for a third volume be-
to the “ English Classics" of Messrs. Longmans, Green,
fore very long. It is an almost priceless boon to the
& Co. Messrs. Ginn & Co. send the most satisfactory
teacher to place in his possession, at so moderate a
edition we have yet seen of Defoe's “ Journal of the
price, these collections of original documents, and the
Plague Year," edited by Mr. Byron S. Hurlbut. From
good work deserves the most cordial recognition.
Messrs. Maynard, Merrill, & Co. we have Burke's Among recent French texts and manuals we note the
“French Revolution,” and the first chapter of Macau-
following: An abridged edition of Les Misérables"
lay's “ History of England," anonymously edited, and (“ episodes and detailed descriptions only omitted”),
therefore open to grave suspicion. Messrs. G. P. Put edited by M. A. de Rougemont; a “ First Course in
nam's Sons publish an excellent edition of Irving's
French Conversation,” by M. C. P. Du Croquet; and
“Sketch Book," edited by Mr. W. L. Phelps. “The “ La Frontière," a tale by M. Jules Claretie, edited by
Vicar of Wakefield,” with editorship unacknowledged, Dr. C. A. Eggert; these three published by Mr. W. R.
comes from the American Book Co. Messrs. Silver, Jenkins. From the American Book Co. we have an
Burdett, & Co. publish as a poetry reader for children, “ Academic French Course," in two volumes, the work
“Nature in Verse," compiled by Miss Mary I. Lovejoy.
of M. Antoine Muzzarelli. Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co.
A number of German texts for school and college use
publish a small volume of “Selections for French Com-
have recently appeared. Messrs. Henry Holt & Co.
position," prepared by Mr. C. H. Grandgent; and a
publish “German Historical Prose,” edited by Dr. Her-
reader called « Lectures Courantes," with exercises, ed-
mann Schoenfeld; Lessing's “Nathan," edited by Pro-
ited by M. C. Fontaine.
fessor H. C. G. Brandt; “ Ein Besuch bei Charles Dick-
ens im Sommer 1857,” by Hans Christian Andersen,
edited by Dr. Wilhelm Bernhardt; and a new edition of
LITERARY NOTES.
Mr. L. M. Stern's “ Studien und Plaudereien." From
Messrs. D. C. Heath & Co. we have Scheffel's “ Trom « The Life and Adventures of George Augustus
peter von Säkkingen," edited by Miss Carla Wencke Sala” (Scribner) is now republished in a form slightly
bach; Lessing's “ Emilia Galotti," edited by Dr. Max different from the earlier one, and with no indication of
Winkler; and Bendix's “ Die Hochzeitsreise," edited by the fact that it is not a new work.
Miss Natalie Schiefferdecker. The American Book Co. “The National Cyclopedia of American Biography ”
send three stories by Herr Heinrich Seidel, edited by makes an authorized announcement of the fact that the
Dr. Ernst Richard; while from Messrs. Maynard, Mer “ Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc," published last
rill & Co. we have “ Das Deutsche Ordensland Preus-
year in one of the magazines, were written by “Mark
sen,” by Herr von Treitschke, edited by Mr. W. S. Lyon. Twain."
A new edition of Sir George Dasent's “ Tales from
Guerber (American Book Co.) are written for beginners the Fjeld”- that is, from the Norwegian of Asbjörn-
in French study, with the design of making it more of with more than a hundred illustrations by Mr.
a pleasure and less of a bugbear than it commonly Moyr Smith, has just been published by Messrs. G. P.
proves. The stories are from the folk-lore and fairy Putnam's Sons.
tales of many nations, and take as wide a range as from “ The Modern Readers' Bible," edited by Mr. R. G.
the English nursery favorite, “Les Trois Ours,” to “Une
Moulton, now includes an edition of “ Ecclesiasticus,”
Drachme de Langue"—the Slavonic version of the an otherwise known as “ The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of
cient story which appears in another form in Shake Sirach” (Macmillan). Some readers will rub their eyes
speare's “Merchant of Venice." Each volume is sup at this, but Mr. Moulton deserves cordial praise for thus
plied with a simple but adequate vocabulary, and the directing attention to one of the most important of the
books
may
be recommended as fulfilling their purpose. apocryphal scriptures.
President Jobn M. Coulter of Lake Forest Univer Madame Stepniak intends to prepare a record of the
sity addressed the Botanical Seminar of the University life and work of her husband. Prince Kropotkin will
of Nebraska last May upon the subject of " The Botan edit and arrange the Russian section of the memoir;
Two volumes of " Contes et Légendes” by H. A..
son -


1896.]
121
THE DIAL
and Professor York Powell, Mr. Edward Garnett, and
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS.
Malatesta, the Italian Anarchist, will contribute chap-
ters, respectively, on “Stepniak” as a critic, “Stepniak'
February, 1896 (Second List).
as a political writer, and “Stepniak” in Italy.
Africa, Development of. Henry M. Stanley. Century.
“ A Tale of Two Cities” and “Edwin Drood” are Botany, Books on. John M. Coulter. Dial (Feb. 16).
brought together in the latest volume of the “ dollar” California Republic, The. Overland.
Dickens published by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. The
Chamberlain, Joseph. Review of Reviews.
Chavannes, Puvis de. Kenyon Cox. Century.
same publishers put together into a single volume of
Composition, The Art of. M. W. Sampson. Dial (Feb. 16).
their library of standard English fiction what are prob-
Crime, Abolishment of. Nathan Oppenheim. Pop. Science.
ably the best two of Thomas Love Peacock's novels,
Cripple Creek, The Story of. Cy Warman. Rev. of Reviews.
“ Headlong Hall” and “ Nightmare Abbey," with an Diplomacy, Palmerston Ideal in. E. M. Chapman. Century.
introduction by Mr. Saintsbury.
Draughtsman, The Young. James Sully. Popular Science.
The Department of State at Washington has begun Educational Books, Recent. B. A. Hinsdale. Dial (Feb. 16).
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Evolution, Lord Salisbury on. Herbert Spencer. Pop. Sci.
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BIOGRAPHY AND MEMOIRS.
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E. J. GOODWIN.
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EDWARD CAPPS.
III. The Direction of Writing on Attic Vases FRANK B. TARBELL.
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CARL D. BUCK.
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UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO. All subscriptions and correspondence should be addressed to
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, University Press Division, Chicago, Ill.
THE DIAL PRESS, CHICAGO.


THE DIAL
a Semi-Monthly Journal of Literary Criticism, Discussion, and Information.
PAGE
.
.
.
.
.
THE DIAL (founded in 1880) is published on the 1st and 16th of
THE CRITIC AS PICKER AND
each month. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 a year in advance, postage
prepaid in the United States, Canada, and Mexico; in other countries
STEALER
comprised in the Postal Union, 50 cents a year for extra postage must
Certain of the abuses of contemporary peri-
be added. Unless otherwise ordered, subscriptions will begin with the
current number. REMITTANCES should be by check, or by express or odical criticism are energetically set forth by
postal order, payable to THE DIAL. SPECIAL RATES TO CLUBS and
Mr. William Knight in the February issue of
for subscriptions with other publications will be sent on application ;
and SAMPLE COPY on receipt of 10 cents. ADVERTISING RATES furnished
- The Nineteenth Century.” Mr. Knight's pa-
on application. All communications should be addressed to
per is entitled “Criticism as Theft," and dis-
THE DIAL, 315 Wabash Ave., Chicago.
cusses the various forms of filching, more or
less disguised, by which the journalistic hack
No. 233. MARCH 1, 1896. Vol. XX.
gets the attention of the public, and profits at
the
expense
of those
upon whom he preys. The
CONTENTS.
author sometimes strains a point to bring the
abuse with which he is at the moment occupied
THE CRITIC AS PICKER AND STEALER . 129 under the category of robbery, as when he says
THE SONNET. (Poem.) A. T. Schuman
131
that the author who makes a valuable contri-
bution to literature is entitled to a reward, and
COMMUNICATIONS
131
adds: “If the return of that reward is pre-
“ The Midsummer of Italian Art.”. Some Cor-
rections. G. B. Rose.
vented by capricious, or ignorant, or reckless
Some Recent Japanese Literature. Ernest W. criticism, the critic has stolen from the author,
Clement.
quite as truly as if he had robbed him of his
LITERARY ANECDOTES OF THE NINETEENTH purse. But if this practise is not theft, it is
CENTURY. E. G. J.
132
something quite as bad, and deserves all the
THE EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA.
censure bestowed upon it. “ The robbery of
Charles H. Cooper
135 a just reputation is much more serious than is
the theft of money, or of material property ;
DANTE IN SPENSERIAN VERSE. George M'Lean
Harper
136
and the unjust praise and the false dispraise
of the critic is one of the worst kinds of theft
SEVEN BOOKS OF TRAVEL. Hiram M. Stanley . 138
that this world has had to endure.” Coleridge
Hughes's Vacation Rambles. — Bicknell's In North-
ern Queensland. - McCormick's An Artist in the
took much the same view of this matter when
Himalayas. - Wilson's Persian Life and Customs. he thus characterized critics of the wantonly
Mackay's From Far Formosa.— Tristam's Rambles
in Japan.-Slatin's Fire and Sword in the Sudan.
malignant type :
“No private grudge they need, no personal spite :
RECENT BOOKS OF AMERICAN HISTORY.
The viva sectio is its own delight!
Francis W. Shepardson
. . 140
All enmity, all envy, they disclaim,
Grinnell's The Story of the Indian.-Donoghue's The
Disinterested thieves of our good name:
Iroquois and the Jesuits.-Craighead's Story of Mar-
Cool, sober murderers of their neighbor's fame."
cus Whitman. — Drake's Campaign of Trenton. -
The abuse becomes even more serious when
Mrs. Johnston's George Washington Day by Day.
- Brown's The Pilgrim Fathers of New England. -
not merely ignorance or reckless Alippancy,
Cartland's Southern Heroes.
but partisanship or personal bias inspires the
review of some book. This is what Mr. Knight
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS ..
142
Reminiscences of Concord and Appledore.- On things
says about it: “Many a review-philosophical,
in general.- From the Spanish of Echegaray.-- Two political, scientific, theological, and literary -
books of advice and precept for young men. - Ten-
has hitherto been tainted with this bias.
An
nessee's constitutional development. — Short essays
on literary topics. - Some bits of literary history. a priori judgment has been passed on the mer-
"A House-boat on the Styx."— The story of a great its of a book which the critic had not read. It
soldier.
has been judged by its title, its contents, its
BRIEFER MENTION
145 | preface, or its author's name. Every literary
LITERARY NOTES
man must have seen scores of such notices, pert,
146
opinionative, shallow, useless ; or, on the other
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS
146
hand, fulsome, and therefore worse than use-
LIST OF NEW BOOKS
147 less.” We may once more back Mr. Knight's
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


130
[March 1,
THE DIAL
66 As soon
me."
opinion with a passage from Coleridge — this deal of this sort of fraudulent criticism afloat,
time a prose selection, but for that none the and some writers acquire a critical reputation
less vigorous in its impeachment.
based almost wholly upon the cleverness with
as the critic betrays that he knows more of which they succeed in “showing off” with the
his author than the author's publications could subject of some book for a text. The passage
have told him; as soon as from this more in- just quoted reminds us of an incident recently
timate knowledge, elsewhere obtained, he avails related. A journalist who had seen a good
himself of the slightest trait against the au many
varieties of life at close quarters spent an
thor ; his censure instantly becomes personal evening with an eminent novelist. After a
injury, his sarcasms personal insults. He ceases while, the novelist said to his guest: “I want
to be a critic and takes on him the most con your opinion of a story I have just written.”
temptible character to which a rational crea The story was read, and approval duly ex-
ture can be degraded, that of a gossip, back pressed. “But,” said the journalist, “ the sub-
biter, and pasquillant: but with this heavy stance of your story seems strangely familiar to
aggravation, that he steals the unquiet, the de-
“Yes,” replied the novelist, “ you told
forming passions of the world into the museum; me the story yourself.”
into the very place which, next to the chapel Perhaps the only sort of " criticism” that
and oratory, should be our sanctuary and se may in the strictest sense be accounted theft is
cure place of refuge ; offers abominations on that in which the reviewer relies mainly upon
the altar of the Muses, and makes its sacred the reviews already published by others of his
paling the very circle in which he conjures up craft. To parade as one's own the opinions of
the lying and profane spirit.” Anyone who others, to catch the drift of criticism as ex-
has occasion to do much reading in contem- pounded in the more authoritative journals,
porary criticism may often discern between the reproducing its leading ideas in slightly altered
lines of a review some such syllogism as the form, is a practice for which no defence is pos-
following: No person holding certain opinions sible. The critic who takes his profession se-
upon politics, or art, or religion, can possibly riously will, of course, carefully refrain from
say anything worth heeding upon any subject reading what others have said of a book until
whatsoever. N. N. is a person holding such he has framed his own independent judgment
opinions. This book of his upon, let us say, of the work in question, and even then will
hydraulic engineering, must therefore receive have to be constantly on his guard to resist the
short shrift and no mercy. This illustrates, it is natural impulse to make his dicta conform to
true, an exaggerated form of the evil under dis- those which he cannot keep from filtering into
cussion ; a more common form is that in which his consciousness in a hundred insidious ways.
some unimportant passages in the book, obnox- Even the shifting currents of public opinion
ious to the critic, is singled out for attack, while upon the larger aspects of literary art are a
the substance of the work is utterly ignored. constant source of danger to the critic, how-
Another form of current“ criticism,” which ever conscientious he may be. When current
comes nearer than those as yet mentioned literature shows a distinct trend toward real-
to being theft in the literal sense, is thus de- ism, or romanticism, or didacticism, or sexual-
scribed by Mr. Knight: “A critical .notice,' ism, it is difficult to avoid being swayed by the
written to display mere deftness or nimble movement, however fixed may be the critic's
ness of wit, ingenious repartee, power of sar canons, and however stoutly he may be pre-
casm or rejoinder, is not criticism at all. Sup- pared to do battle for the lasting as against the
pose a nimble - witted person skims a book; ephemeral. We still get a good deal of bell-
turning its pages in a listless mood, he finds wether guidance,even from the best-intentioned,
some information that is new to him. He notes for critics are as gregarious as other people,
this, and goes on to read more. He finds some and find it quite as hard to run counter to the
errors, and then proceeds to use the informa- prevailing literary fashions.
tion, which he has received from the book itself, With one part of Mr. Knight's argument we
against its author; just as a clever surface are unable to agree. He condemns the review
society-talker, wholly ignorant of a subject, can which is frankly descriptive and extractive on
often pick the brains' of one who knows it, the ground that it is a theft from both author
while he is speaking, and give him back in a and public; from the former because it injures
torrent of verbosity the very ideas he was slowly his sales, from the latter because it deprives
and modestly expressing.” There is a good l of the opportunity of knowing, “ in its integ-


1896.]
131
THE DIAL
rity," what the author has to say.
It is a cu-
COMMUNICATIONS.
rious logical twist that can find robbery in the
act of summarizing a book for readers many "THE MIDSUMMER OF ITALIAN ART."-SOME
of whom are too busy to get at it in any other
CORRECTIONS.
way. As far as our observation goes, such
(To the Editor of THE DIAL.)
précis-writing stimulates rather than retards
I have just finished reading Mr. Frank Preston
Stearns's “Midsummer of Italian Art," a very enter-
the sale of the books selected for treatment;
taining book, noticed in the last issue of The ĎIAL. I
the persons who are content to accept the part do not wish to criticize the author's criticisms, though
for the whole are mostly those who would never some of them are sufficiently remarkable,--for exam-
dream of purchasing the book concerned, while, ple, the criticism of Raphael's “ Miraculous Draught of
Fishes on the ground that the boat is too close to shore
on the other hand, the number of those who are
to catch respectable fish: a singular limitation upon onr
by a skilful summary made curious to know Lord's miraculous powers. But there are some physical
the book, and actually purchase it, make up facts to which attention may be called.
many times over for the few who might have On page 50, and again on page 80, Mr. Stearns states
become purchasers had it not been for the
that the « Head of the Medusa,” attributed to Leonardo
da Vinci, is in the Tribune of the Uffizi. It is now in
friendly offices of the reviewer in selecting for
the second room you enter, far from the Tribune, and I
them enough of its contents to satisfy their curi have never seen it there. Was it ever in the Tribune ?
osity. So far are we from deprecating this form On page 85 he says that Michelangelo's “ David ” was
of review, that we wish there might be a great
removed into the Palazzo Vecchio some twenty years
deal more of it.
ago. The only removal recorded by history was its re-
More, perhaps, than from
moval in 1873 to the Accademia, where it now stands.
any other cause, popular criticism suffers from
On page 96 he says that one of Michelangelo's “Cap-
the feeling of the critic that, however lacking tives” is in the Louvre and the other in the Boboli Gar-
in knowledge, he is bound to take the judicial dens at Florence. Both pieces have been in the Louvre
attitude, and, instead of giving his readers an
whenever I visited it, and as far as I can ascertain both
idea of what the book is really like, he must haven Page: 130 et seq. he says, in speaking of the Tombs
express a decided opinion upon its merits. As of the Medici, that the statue called “Il Pensieroso"
it is obviously impossible for the newspaper
is Giuliano and the other Lorenzo. All other writers
reviewer, called upon to deal with books upon
reverse this. Have the bones of these worthies been
all sorts of subjects, to have an opinion of any
changed, or any new light thrown on the subject ?
On page 233 he states that Raphael's “ Dispute on
value concerning most of them, it would be a the Sacrament” is on the ceiling of the Stanza, and on
decided improvement for him to remain con page 234 he states that the altar in the picture is in the
tent with the descriptive summary that almost
centre of the ceiling. When I was there last, a few
any fairly intelligent person can make. In
months ago, it was still where Raphael painted it,
firmly frescoed on the side wall, while the ceiling was
other words, the work of judicial and authori-
covered with other frescoes equally famous. Has an
tative criticism should be left to the reviews earthquake turned the venerable edifice upon its side ?
that can command the services of hundreds of On page 311 he says that from the windows of the
specialists, and are known to entrust to com-
Antecollegio in the Doge's Palace, where are Tintor-
etto's “ Marriage of Bacchus and Ariadne” and Paul
petent hands the books sent to such reviews for
Veronese's “ Rape of Europa,” you have a beautiful
examination.
view of the Adriatic and the Lido. When I was there
you could see nothing from the windows except the
court-yard of the Ducal Palace. If the rest of the
building were thrown down (and I have not heard of
THE SONNET.
such a disaster) you might see the Adriatic, but as these
windows, which are on one side, turn away from the
As, poised on slender stem, some perfect rose
Lido I do not understand how that could be seen.
Unfolds its delicate petals to the air,
In his preface the author says that he had years of
Till lo! a little rounded life is there,
study and experience before beginning to write the
Amid the sweetness that its breath bestows;
book; but as I read these things, I wonder whether I
Even thus, within the sonnet's classic close,
have been wandering in a dream or the amiable author
Beyond whose limits it may never fare,
has written his book in the comfortable seclusion of a
The thought should shape itself until it wear
New England village without troubling himself to visit
A rhythmic garb of tumult or repose.
the places he writes about so well. G. B. Rose.
A sonnet is a lover's laughing song;
Little Rock, Ark., Feb. 18, 1896.
A sigh, a symphony, a lyric brief;
A throb of mighty music from the sea;
SOME RECENT JAPANESE LITERATURE.
It seeks the stars, or brook-like bounds along;
(To the Editor of THE DIAL.)
'Tis now a cry of passion-throated grief,
Three or four brief specimens of recent Japanese
And now an epic in epitome.
classic literature may possibly be of interest to the con-
A. T. SCHUMAN. stituency of THE DIAL. The death of Prince Kitashira-


132
[March 1,
THE DIAL
kawa naturally called forth many literary memorials.
One such production may be translated somewhat as
The New Books.
follows : " Alas! the water of the White River' is
gone forever, for man's life is like a floating bubble,
which soon disappears. We knew such an end would
LITERARY ANECDOTES OF THE
come to men; but we did not expect it for the noble
NINETEENTH CENTURY.*
Prince so soon."
The initial volume of Dr. Nicoll's “Literary
Another lament over the death of that beloved Prince
is attributed to the pen of Mr. Konakamura, “one of Anecdotes of the Nineteenth Century,” a
the best living authorities on Japanese classic litera- tempting olla podrida of waifs and fragments,
ture.” This has been roughly translated as follows: literary, epistolary, biographical, and anecdo-
“ Pitiable is the life of men. It is like the water of a
flowing stream, which goes, but never returns. Troubles tal, presents, amid a good deal that is mainly
of sickness are common to all. Distinctions of rank
curious and out-of-the-way, a fair amount of
make no difference here. The sad memories of the important and instructive matter. The work
Prince are too many to be conceived of in our hearts, was suggested by Nichols's familiar “ Literary
too great to be uttered by our tongues.” A Japanese, Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century"; and
writing in " The Japan Evangelist," while commending
the style of the original of this, condemns the general the editors intend to provide in it fresń matter
tenor of its thoughts as “quite unsatisfactory as a
illustrative of the life and work of British au-
healthy expression of sentiments awakened by such an thors, including the less-known ones, of the per-
despair and pessimism of these two productions with iod, recourse being had mainly to manuscript
the optimism and inspiring hopefulness of Tennyson's sources, and to inaccessible texts and fugitive
“Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington.” This writings. It is proposed to supply concise biog-
same contrast serves only to emphasize the sharp differ-raphies, letters hitherto unpublished, additions
ence between the influences of Christianity and of Bud from manuscript sources to unpublished works,
dhism upon human thought. The latter teaches that together with a series of full bibliographies of
eternity is oblivion and life a bubble; the former, that
life is worth living and is full of hope.
the writings of the greater authors — rather
Not at all pessimistic, however, were the poems writ-
more than a third of the opening volume fall-
ten by Their Imperial Majesties of Japan, at the New ing under the heading, “ Materials for a Bibli-
Year's poetical fète, on the subject, Congratulatory ography of the Writings in Prose and Verse of
Poems in Connection with Mountains.” I quote from
the “Japan Mail”:
Robert Browning.” Illustrations and numer-
ous fac similes will be furnished in each vol.
“The Emperor's poem ran as follows:-
• Ame no shita
ume; and only one thousand copies of each are
Nigivo yo kosu
to be printed, two hundred and fifty of them
Tanoshi kere;
for America. The book is handsomely made,
Yama no oku made
Michi no hirakete.'
and contains an especially attractive pictorial
[Happy the age when
feature in the form of a fine portrait (frontis-
The country prospers; for then
piece) of William Blake, after a rare plate
Does truth reach the remoteness
etched by William Bell Scott from Phillips's
Of remote mountains.]
life-size oil sketch. The initial volume includes:
“The Empress composed the following couplet:
• Amatsu hi no
• The Trial of William Blake for Sedition".
Hikari wo ukete
being a detailed account of the curious episode
Kurai Yama;
mentioned in Gilchrist's life of the painter-poet,
Mi no hodo-hodo ni
Noboru Mi-yo kana.'
together with transcripts of original documents,
[The rays of the sun
the speech of Blake's counsel, etc.; “ Arthur
Of heaven reach to the dark
Henry Hallam as Advocate of Alfred and
Mountain recesses.
Auspicious age! Each in
Charles Tennyson,” comprising two hitherto
His sphere happily prospers.]
unpublished letters written by Hallam to Leigh
“In His Imperial Majesty's poem there is a play on the Hunt, one of them enclosing and commending
word michi (road, way, truth), while the play in that of Her the two volumes published by the Tennysons in
Majesty's turns on the phrase kurai"yama (mountain of rank
- dark mountain)."
1830, the other concerning mainly Shelley's
ERNEST W. CLEMENT. Masque of Anarchy”; “ An Opinion on Ten-
Tokyo, Feb. 3, 1896.
nyson,” by Mrs. Browning ; “ Thomas Wade,”
by Mr. H. Buxton Forman, a critical and bio-
"The Monroe Doctrine and the War Spirit in the graphical sketch, followed by some fifty of
United States,” by Professor Felix Adler, and “The
Wade's sonnets, together with his longer poems,
Venezuela Question,” by Mr. William M. Salter, are two LITERARY ANECDOTES OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
“ Ethical Addresses" in pamphlet form, published in Edited by W. Robertson Nicoll, M.A., and Thomas J. Wise.
Philadelphia under the auspices of the Ethical Society. Illustrated. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co.


1896.]
133
THE DIAL
“ The Contention of Death and Love,” and The second Hallam letter (1832), thanking
“Helena”; “ The Landor-Blessington Papers”; Hunt for a copy of the “ Masque of Anarchy,
“ A Brief Account of Richard Henry Horne,” contains an allusion to an episode of Cambridge
by Mr. H. B. Forman, followed by Horne's life familiar to lovers of Shelley, and known as
“Ballad of Delora,” as originally printed in the Revival of 1829:
“ The Monthly Repository”; “ Hawthorne in “While at Cambridge I partook largely in the en-
the Shadow of Johnson "— mainly a pleasant
thusiasm which animated many of my contemporaries,
and indeed formed us into a sort of sect in behalf of his
little essay on Uttoxeter originally written by
character and genius. If I have since somewhat tem-
Hawthorne for “ The Keepsake,” and after-
pered that enthusiasm in so far as it extended to some
wards embodied by him in a chapter of “ Our of his peculiar opinions, I have not ceased, and shall not,
Old Home"; "A Dramatic Scene," by Charles to regard him as one of the most remarkable men and
Wells, with a biographical note on the author by
greatest poets whom this country has produced.
Mr. H. B. Forman; “ A Bundle of Letters from Of the Landor-Blessington Papers ” (let-
Shelley to Leigh Hunt” an interesting and ters, and pieces in verse and prose lavished by
representative series, of which the editor says: the poet on his fair correspondent for use in
“Not one of them was written in the year when the her Annuals) the chief constituent is a literal
true Shelley was born, the year 1814; only one was writ transcript from a bundle of papers in Landor's
ten before that year, namely in 1813, the year of Queen
Mab,'the last and best work of the preliminary or por-
autograph. On some of these documents biog-
tentous Shelley; and all the rest are alive with the raphers have already drawn, and much of the
heart's blood and intellectual ferment of that unique
verse has been collected into Landor's Poetical
personality that started suddenly into fulness of life Works. It may be noted here, touching Lan-
when it came into contact with a notable personality of dor's Citation and Examination of William
the other sex, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.”
Shakespeare,” the manuscript of which he sent
The first of the Hallam letters (1831) was
to Lady Blessington, in care of N. P. Willis,
written, as already said, to Hunt a propos of that while her ladyship derived yearly from her
the two Tennyson volumes (“ Poems Chiefly
“Keepsakes ” and “Books of Beauty” an in-
Lyrical,” by Alfred, and “Sonnets and Fugi-
come of £1000 to £2500, she was unable to
tive Pieces,” by Charles) of 1830. Hallam
get the “Citation " printed except at the au-
was then at Cambridge, and Hunt was editing thor's cost. Some of the letters to Lady Bless-
“The Tatler.” The former wrote:
ington are rather in the “Boythorn
Boythorn” vein,
“ Will you excuse the liberty that a perfect stranger
notably one giving vent to some explosive views
to you takes in sending you two little volumes of Poetry,
with which I cannot but think you will be pleased ?
on social progress
a theme, be it said, which
They are the compositions of two brothers, both very
the writer was singularly unfit to handle:
young men, and both intimate friends of mine. The “ . . . He (Dr. Verity) tells us, what I cannot think,
larger volume was reviewed in the last number of The that civilization has always been progressive. If it has,
Westminster Review' (I believe by Dr. Bowring), and it has for ages and ages been in the gout and on crutches.
the high praise bestowed upon it by the reviewer is not The wild North-American hears in dignified silence the
higher in my opinion, and I hope in yours, than its mer scoffs of those vile barbarians who deal in slaves. He
its demand. I flatter myself you will, if you peruse never interrupts the person who is speaking, and re-
this book, be surprised and delighted to find a new serves all violent gestures for the tomahawk, after a
prophet of those true principles of Art which, in this solemn declaration of war. Yet a member of the Brit-
country, you were among the first to recommend both ish or even of the French parliament would have the
by precept and example. Since the death of John impudence to tell me that his assembly gives evidence
Keats, the last lineal descendant of Apollo, our English of higher civilization. The very opposites to the North-
region of Parnassus has been domineered over by kings Americans are the Chinese. In internal policy they far
of shreds and patches. But, if I mistake not, the true heir excel the Europeans; and altho highly commercial, the
is found: if ever truth were pregnant by circumstance, government consents to lose incalculable revenues rather
that which
you
hear
you 'll swear you see, there is such than admit a drug which demoralizes the people. Which
unity in the proofs. The mantle and the jewel about affords the higher proof of civilization — the casting of
the neck! The letters whose character is known! The opium into the canals of China or the erection of gin-
majesty of the creature in resemblance of its father, the shops in the streets of London? In fact, no nation is,
affection of nobleness, and many other evidences pro or ever was, half civilized. How the Arts flourished
claim bim, with all certainty, to be the king's son. in the reign of Elizabeth, and the Sciences in George
I do not suppose that either of these poets is likely to IV.'s! Yet what odious monsters !- without one vir-
become immediately or extensively popular: they write tue. Henry VIII. was warm in friendship-Mary, both
not to the world at large, which • lieth in wickedness' in love and religion. Nearer our own times, look at
and bad taste, but to the elect Church of Urania, which Swift and Rousseau - Moralists ! Philosophers ! Two
we know to be small and in tribulation. Now in this such scoundrels are nowhere to be found outside of roy-
church you have preferment, and what you preach will alty. Henry VIII. and Nero would never have acted
be considered by the faithful as a sound form of as Rousseau did, when he permitted the poor girl bis
words. ..."
fellow-servant to be punished for his theft — and tho


134
[March 1,
THE DIAL
-
With you,
they might burn seditious sectaries, would never have matized and unpopular a name as mine. You will say
lighted up those sad slow fires which consumed Vanessa that it is not thus,—that I am morbidly sensitive to what
and Stella. Where and what is our civilization ? ..." I esteem the injustice of neglect—but I do not say that I
And so the testy old lion goes on growling at
am unjustly neglected,--the oblivion which overtook my
little attempt of Alastor'I am ready to acknowledge
gods and men - little reflecting that, but for
was sufficiently merited in itself; but then it was not
the social progress, with its attendant increased
accorded in the correct proportion considering the suc-
freedom of speech and opinion, which he de cess of the most contemptible drivellings. I am unde-
nied and to which the “scoundrel” Rousseau
ceived in the belief that I have powers deeply to inter-
est, or substantially to improve, mankind. How far my
materially contributed, he, Walter Landor, Es-
conduct and my opinions have rendered the zeal and
quire, one time of Tachebrooke, must infallibly ardor with which I have engaged in the attempt inef-
have been laid by the heels (to name a very fectual, I know not. Self-love prompts me to assign
But
moderate penalty) for a tithe of his habitual much weight to a cause which perhaps has none.
thus much I do not seek to conceal from myself, that I
railings at the existing order. Noisy social and
am an outcast from human society; my name is exe-
political malcontents who rail unpunished should
crated by all those who understand its full import,—by
have the grace to admit that the modern State those very beings whose happiness I ardently desire. I
has at least one cardinal virtue tolerance. am an object of compassion to a few more benevolent
Among the Landor - Blessington papers is a
than the rest, all else abhor and avoid me.
half-sheet, unaddressed, containing two pun-
and perhaps some others (though in a less degree I fear)
my gentleness and sincerity find favor, because they are
gent stanzas referring to Wordsworth little
themselves gentle and sincere; they believe in self-
tokens of good feeling toward a brother-poet. devotion and generosity because they are themselves
The first one needs no comment; the second is self-devoted and generous. Perhaps I should have shrunk
plainly levelled at Wordsworth’s amazing lines, early life, of opposing myself in these evil times and
from persisting in the task which I had undertaken in
"... Almighty God!
among these evil tongues, to what I esteem misery and
But thy most dreaded instrument
vice; if I must have lived in the solitude of the heart.
In working out a pure intent
Is man arrayed for mutual slaughter?
Fortunately my domestic circle incloses that within it
Yea ; Carnage is thy daughter"-
which compensates for the loss. . .
(to which Shelley also paid his respects in In a letter from Naples, dated Dec. 22, 1818,
* Peter Bell the Third ") in the “Thanksgiv. Shelley draws a comparison between the social
ing Ode on the Battle of Waterloo.” We sub and human Italy, and what may be termed the
join the stanzas :
Byronic or the Gæthean Italy, in which the
“Tho Southey's poetry to you should seem
chiaroscuro is amusingly strained :
Not worth five shillings (as you say) per ream,
"... There are two Italies one composed of the
Courage! good wary Wordsworth! and disburse green earth and transparent sea, and the mighty ruins
The whole amount from that reluctant purse.
of ancient time, and aerial mountains, and the warm
Here, take my word, 'tis neither shame nor sin
and radiant atmosphere which is interfused through all
To hazard . . . throwing all your own stuff in.
things; the other consists of the Italians of the present
“No more on daisies and on pilewort fed
day, their works and ways. The one is the most sub-
By tiresome Duddon's ever troubled bed,
Lo! Grasmere's cuckoo leaves these tranquil scenes
lime and lovely contemplation that can be conceived by
the imagination of man; the other is the most degraded,
For cities, shovel hats, and dandy deans,
And, prickt with spicy cheer and portly nod,
disgusting, and odious. What do you think? Young
Devoutly fathers Slaughter upon God."
women of rank actually eat-you will never guess what
-garlick! Our poor friend Lord Byron is quite cor-
Passing to the Shelley letters (to Leigh rupted by living among these people; and, in fact, is
Hunt), we may cite first an eloquent passage going on in a way not very worthy of him.”
in one dated at Marlow, 1816, wherein the That his lordship added garlic-eating to his
writer dwells painfully on the fatal discrepancy other Italianate iniquities does not appear;
between his high humanitarian aims and ideals, but we find Shelley declaring in a later letter
and his position before the world resulting from that “particular dispositions in Lord Byron's
the view the world not unreasonably chose to character render the close and exclusive inti-
take of his conduct and opinions.
macy with him in which I find myself intoler-
“... Next, will I own the · Hymn to Intellectual able to me.” Shelley's insensibility to music (a
Beauty'? I do not care—as you like.* And yet the strange flaw in one of the most melodious of
poem was composed under the influence of feelings
which agitated me even to tears
, so that I think it de poets) is well known ; and one gathers from the
serves a better fate than the being linked with so stig- following passage that he had, like Tennyson,
* The question (of signature) here alluded to was settled
an imperfect appreciation of pictorial art:
thus: the poem appeared in " The Examiner," Jan. 19, 1817;
“... With respect to Michael Angelo I dissent, and
and, though Hunt had previously announced it to come out
think with astonishment and indignation of the common
over the signature" Elfin Knight," it did finally appear over notion that he equals, and in some respects exceeds,
that of Shelley.
Raffaele. He seems to me to have no sense of moral


1896.]
135
THE DIAL
speare ?”
dignity and loveliness; and the energy for which he
has been so much praised, appears to me to be a cer-
THE EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT OF
AFRICA.*
tain rude, external, mechanical quality, in comparison
with anything possessed by Raffaele, or even much in The most important movement of the last
ferior artists. His famous painting in the Sixtine Chapel
half of our century, the most far-reaching in
seems to me deficient in beauty and majesty, both in
the conception and the execution. It might have con-
its influence upon the future of the world, is
tained all the forms of terror and delight — and it is a
undoubtedly the opening of Africa to civiliza-
dull and wicked emblem of a dull and wicked thing. tion under the auspices of the powers of West-
Jesus Christ is like an angry pot-boy, and God like an ern Europe. Even such unlovely sentiments
old ale-house keeper looking out of window. He has
as French chauvinism and English jingoism,
been called the Dante of painting; but if we find some
of the gross and strong outlines which are employed in
and their German equivalent, are working out
the most distasteful passages of the Inferno, where shall
for the world beneficent results that may per-
we find
your
Francesca - where the spirit coming over haps induce us to view their existence with tol.
the sea in a boat, like Mars rising from the vapors of eration if not with satisfaction. What are the
the horizon — where Matilda gathering flowers, and all
the exquisite tenderness, and sensibility, and ideal questions about which the Great Powers con-
beauty, in which Dante excelled all poets except Shake-
tinue to excite themselves — the balance of
power between the nations of Europe, the pos-
The Herculean forms that still loom in their
session of small provinces, tariffs, and commer-
craggy grandeur from the smoke-dimmed vault cial rivalries — but petty and insignificant as
of the Sixtine Chapel certainly have little in compared with the work of opening and pre-
common with the exquisite, æriform shapes paring for civilization the vast regions of the
which peopled the reveries and haunt the verse
Dark Continent? Twenty years ago there were
of Shelley; and one may reasonably find them but two white men in Central Africa; to-day
lacking in grace, and even in beauty. But to it is apportioned among the nations
of Europe
,
pronounce the works of Michael Angelo defi each in its “sphere of influence” opening up
cient in majesty of conception and execution routes of commerce, pushing forward railroads,
seems a judgment too hollow to be imputed to putting steamers upon the lakes and rivers,
imperfect sympathy alone.
stamping out the slave-trade, teaching the sav.
A poet of a temper widely different from that ages the elements of civilization and order.
of Mr. Arnold's beautiful and ineffectual an-
South Africa has seen the same swift progress,
gel” was erratic Richard Henry (or Hengist) mainly under the spur of British hunger for
Horne, best known, we need scarcely say, as land and gold. No part of the continent, ex-
the author of “ Orion, an Epic Poem.” Horne cept Morocco and a portion of Sahara, is left
was a man of varied talents, and, while it can
without its European owner or protector.
Dek-
,
nish material for a most interesting volume,
he wrote some good verse that has been unduly and Mrs. Latimer has made good use of her
slighted by the anthologists. We may perhaps opportunity in her work on “ Europe in Africa
agree
with our editors who predict that “sooner
in the Nineteenth Century.” Her book was
or later he, who enjoyed much well-merited needed, for there is nowhere a full and clear
fame of many sorts in his day, will have one
account of this movement as a whole. She has
day more. In the present volume Horne’s interpreted her title generously, and given a
“ Ballad of Delora, or the Passion of Andrea sketch of the modern history of those countries
Como,” a romantic production greatly praised that have a past, as well as America's little
by Browning, is printed entire. « Delora"
contribution to Africa in the state of Liberia.
seems to us a singular mingling of fire and fus- This is not the book of a political philosopher
tian, elevation and bathos - gold and dross in nor of a scientific historian, but of a bright wo-
pretty even proportions. But there is a fine man of wide experience and knowledge of the
ballad ring, a strain of wild harmony and wilder world, who has told what interested herself, in
passions, in the quaint stanzas ; and we are glad the hope that it would be interesting to other
to see them rescued from obscurity.
people. It has the interest of remarkable per-
Dr. Nicoll's work will probably comprise six sonalities, in the work of Livingstone, Stanley,
volumes ; but these will be separately indexed, Gordon, Cecil Rhodes, Mehemet Ali, and Ab-
and each may be regarded as complete in itself. * EUROPE IN AFRICA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. By
The slender quota set apart for America should Elizabeth Wormeley Latimer. Chicago: A.C. McClurg & Co.
CHRONICLES OF UGANDA. By the Rev. Robert P. Ashe.
be promptly exhausted.
E. G. J. New York: A. D. F. Randolph & Co.


136
[March 1,
THE DIAL
del Kader; the interest of variety in life and dividends or displeasing the directors, has led
character, from the savage to the saint and the even well-disposed agents into courses of action
high-spirited university man; and the interest that have greatly hindered the prime work of
we have already spoken of, that of a great de introducing civilization. It may have been nec-
velopment in the history of man. It would be essary under existing conditions, but it was
ungracious to note flaws and deficiencies in the none the less unfortunate. Recent events have
author's work after the modest disclaimer of shown the same results in South Africa. And
her preface; and the task she set herself is so one cannot but feel the absurdity of making
difficult that we can only be grateful for the treaties, and applying the civilized theories of
useful book she has given us. Its usefulness international relations to blood-thirsty savages,
and attractiveness are greatly enhanced by the as was done in Uganda, and of making great
three maps and twenty-three full-page portraits interests depend upon such treaties.
which the publishers have provided.
CHARLES H. COOPER.
Mr. Ashe's book on Uganda is an excellent
complement to Mrs. Latimer's general work.
It is of about the same size, yet treats only of
one little spot under the equator, giving in full
DANTE IN SPENSERIAN VERSE.*
detail those events and processes at which the Dante is so great in the untranslatable qual-
general account can only hint. Uganda fur- ities of style — in musical successions of sylla-
nishes a typical example of the work of mis- bles, in phrases which suggest the true thoughts
sionaries, traders, explorers, and chartered
by their sound — that every new version of the
companies, among a purely savage people. Divine Comedy needs an apology. It requires
Three faiths have contended for supremacy in but a few weeks of easy work to learn enough
Uganda—Mohammedan, Roman Catholic, and Italian to read in the original this most stu-
Protestant; and the strife of Arabs, French, pendous art-work of the human spirit. Helps
and English has been keen, if not wholly ex of all kinds abound, so that one may begin
emplary. Heroic service has been performed with no very heavy equipment of grammatical
by Mackay, Hannington, and their associates, acquirement, and yet be able to appreciate the
of whom Mr. Ashe was one; and much noble fine appropriateness in diction, the delicate and
Christian character has been developed, faith-noble constructions, and, above all, the singing
ful even unto death. Yet the story is almost qualities of the poem. The scholar, and the
throughout one of intrigue, cruelty, and war, lover of poetry who possesses leisure, will have
the weak king and a great number of his fol.
none of your translations, being well aware that
lowers becoming Protestant, Catholic, or Mo- the exquisite essences of a poem can only by
hammedan, according as their greed or their
the greatest skill and the most remarkable good-
passions were most liberally encouraged. luck be transferred from one language to an-
The study of such a narrative makes one other. A literal prose rendering they may
very doubtful whether this people, or any Cen- indeed find useful as a help to understanding
tral African peoples, can ever reach a high de- difficult passages. But for readers ignorant of
gree of civilization, or whether any immigrants Italian who wish to feel somewhat of Dante's
to that region who can endure the climate of beauty and power, a literal prose translation is
the torrid zone can maintain such civilization. disenchanting and wholly unsatisfactory. The
The elements of civilization can supplant sav only thing to be done for them is to make an-
agery ; slavery and the slave-trade can be abol-
other poem, reproducing the general effect of
ished ; certain kinds of production can be de Dante's as far as may be, and containing his
veloped there ; but any large part of the world's thoughts as much as possible, but especially
work can hardly be done in Africa, except in giving an impression of his symphonic move-
those regions north of the desert and south of
ment, his volume of harmonious sound. Long-
the Zambezi.
fellow's versified and yet exceedingly literal
An instructive feature of this book is the rendering does not belong to either of these
light that it throws upon the methods of the two classes, and it is difficult to see to whom it
chartered companies to which some of the pow can be useful now. No metrical translation can
ers have committed the development and con-
be sufficiently literal, after all, to help the
trol of their portions of the Dark Continent.
* DANTE: THE INFERNO. A Version in the nine-line metre
The irresponsible position of these companies,
of Spenser. By George Musgrave, M.A., St. John's College,
with the necessity upon their officers of making | Oxford, and Barrister-at-Law. New York: Macmillan & Co.


1896.]
137
THE DIAL
scholar who knows Italian. Yet to follow the with which the rider of the phantom Pegasus
original closely, Longfellow has often sacrificed at the service of translators urges forward his
grace and clearness, so that one has to refer to unwilling steed. And to consider specially the
Dante to translate the translation. Mr. Nor-requirements for translating Dante, it must be
ton's prose version should supplant all met borne in mind that there are certain effects of
rical ones in the use of scholars. And for a grotesqueness, and a wide range both of harsh
popular book, to be in the hands of persons and gentle notes, which the rhyme, because of
who cannot hope ever to taste the incommuni its concreteness, is better able to express than
cable poetical essences which are and must be metre, which bears the same relation to rhyme
lost in translation, Mr. Musgrave has the right that Time does to Space.
idea. His intention is to represent Dante as Blank verse is out of the question. When
much in the music of words and lines as in his made by an excellent poet in his hours of
thoughts. This is a translation for people who strength, there is no mightier music than En-
want to be pleased fully as much as they want glish blank verse. But the labor of a trans-
to be instructed, and who will not receive in lator can in few cases be limited to these rare
struction unless it is pleasingly conveyed. intervals. It must go on through weak moods
For a poem which is not only epical but lyr- and strong. Rhyme will cheer up the tired
ical, the Spenserian stanza is a remarkably spirits and put marching humor into weary feet.
suitable form. It contains possibilities of har- That which in a work of creation might be a
mony within itself, second only to those in the vexatious cause of delay is indispensable in a
sonnet. The oft-recurring and intricately in work of artifice.
terwoven rhymes enable it to ring with the en Critics who forget the wants of common,
during complexity of a musical chord; while busy people, may deal severely with Mr. Mus-
the length of the lines, and the additional syl- grave for his occasional expansions or contrac-
lables of the ninth, impart dignity and per- tions of Dante's ideas. But the strong point
mit of a full slow cadence. It is less evident
of this translation is one which makes it fit for
that this stanza is a good form for long narra readers on whom minute accuracy would be
tives. For its adaptability to this purpose we wasted; it is a vigorous, musical rendering,
have the testimony of Spenser's own successful in the spirit of mediæval art. The rhymes
employment of it, not to mention Byron's. But
are abundant and melodious; the best of M
we might as well admit that while it very well Musgrave's effects are produced with triplets
renders the lyrical music of Dante, it does not so of feminine rhymes interlinked with the char-
happily reproduce the deep continuous orches-
acteristic English masculine rhymes. The
tration of his epical movement. The only form metre is sometimes bad. The English language
of verse which combines both properties is the has reached too great fixity for a poet to per-
terza rima which Dante himself used. It is
mit himself such licenses of ellipsis as Mr. Mus-
astonishing that English poets should venture
grave occasionally employs. There are also
still to try to render him in any other form. infelicitous and even incorrect translations.
But the terza rima Mr. Musgrave has “dis But this was inevitable.
carded as too alien to the genius of the English
GEORGE M'LEAN HARPER.
tongue.” Having seen fit to do this, he has
made some amends by adopting the next best
-the one in which the combination of rhymes
most nearly approaches terza rima. Linked MR. L. A. WADDELL's work on “ Lamaism" (Allen,
and repeated rhymes are essential to any rep-
London) is one to make scholars of Northern Buddhism
the so-called Mahayana school - nothing less than
resentation of the sound-effects of Dante. A
thankful. To extensive personal acquaintance with the
translator in verse cannot afford to throw away people and literature of Thibet, the land of Lamaism,
any means of musical charm, especially when the author adds thorough acquaintance with the Euro-
the original is Italian, for by no possibility, pean authorities on the subject, and has thereby pro-
duced a comprehensive treatise — not a compilation
using both rhyme and rhythm to the utmost,
which simply supersedes all previous ones. Noticeable
can he hope to equal the harmony of Italian also is the rare and invaluable combination of literature
poetry. Moreover, in rendering into verse, a and archæology in elucidation of the theme. The nu-
process wherein personal inspiration must often merous and very beautiful illustrations are most appro-
be intermitted, there is needed all the artificial priate in treating a religion so dominated by ceremo-
nial. Nothing better need be expected for decades, or
help available, and the constant stimulus of
until foreigners enjoy the freedom of travel and re-
seeking rhymes is one of the two golden spurs search in Thibet hitherto denied them.


188
[March 1,
THE DIAL
it is a most readable and companionable book,
SEVEN BOOKS OF TRAVEL.*
and we hope it is only the first installment of
Mr. Thomas Hughes, the well known and the letters of Thomas Hughes.
well beloved author of Tom Brown's School-
In the next book on our list, Mr. A. C. Bick-
days,” gives us in “Vacation Rambles " a series nell gives an account of his travels in North-
of letters of travel descriptive of his European ern Queensland. Mr. Bicknell has knocked
and American trips during the last thirty years. around the world a good deal, with varied ex-
Most of these letters are reprinted from “ The periences ; but not having the gift of style
Spectator,” the remainder being letters to his as he himself acknowledges
nor yet that of
wife from America; and all are edited for this close and trained observation or careful reflec-
volume by his son. Mr. Hughes flits so rap- tion, he produces a book of only mediocre qual-
idly from place to place that little consecutive ity. His style may be excusably uncultivated,
interest is possible ; but when, as at Dieppe, he but it has no right to be slangy, which it often
makes some connected description, it is very is. If such Australian terms as “sundowner,"
agreeably done. American readers will be
“swagmen,” “squatter chairs," etc., must be
most interested in the letters written during his used, they should be explained. Nor can we
various excursions to “the States." He finds pardon such carelessness as this, in speaking of
us “ the most silent and reserved of any race a kind of geese as "rare, and found only in
he has visited. “ Emerson is perfectly delight- Northern Queensland. Enormous numbers
ful: so simple, wise, and full of humor and sun-
may sometimes be seen in a single flock." In
shine.” Of Lowell he says: “He has not a this book we get some light on prospecting,
grain of vanity in his composition, but is as mining, and on various phases of Australian
simple and truthful as the best kind of boy. frontier life, which much resembles the life in
I found him much better than his books."
our Far West. Much extraneous matter creeps
The second series of Mr. Hughes's American into this book, as the stories of Nicaragua life,
letters gives some account of the Rugby colony Ecuador experience, and other tales, sufficiently
in Tennessee. The chief charm of this book interesting perhaps, but out of place. The vol-
is an intimate revelation of a thoroughly hon ume has neither map nor index. It is illus-
est, large-souled, genial Englishman, of the best trated with wood-cuts of slight pretentions.
type. The style is the man, brisk, bright, In “ An Artist in the Himalayas,” Mr. A.
sturdy, and of a healthy and hearty humor. D. McCormick, who was a companion of Sir
There is no sting in this book, and none of that Martin Conway in his famous tour in the Kash-
self-conscious intellectual brilliancy and liter- mir region, gives by pen and pencil his impres-
ary smartness that mar even the letters of James sions of the trip. The book is not in any
Russell Lowell and Matthew Arnold. This
sense a general account of the expedition, but
volume could be improved by adding a portrait is merely a personal narrative, and that of a
of the author and an index. But on the whole rather slight order. Notwithstanding the au-
* VACATION RAMBLES, By Thomas Hughes, Q.C.("Vacuus thor's modest disclaimer that his book “has no
Viator"). New York: Macmillan & Co.
pretensions to be literature, an art by no means
TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND.
within my province,” he yet writes in a very
By Arthur C. Bicknell. With illustrations by J. B. Clark,
from sketches by the author. New York : Longmans, Green, agreeable and bright fashion. The real artist
& Co.
in one kind of art is rarely a sloven in another
AN ARTIST IN THE HIMALAYAS. By A. D. McCormick.
kind. Mr. McCormick describes no very start-
Illustrated by over one hundred original sketches made on
the journey. New York: Macmillan & Co.
ling adventures, but he gives us interesting im-
PERSIAN LIFE AND CUSTOMs. With Scenes and Incidents pressions of the beauty and grandeur of the
of Residence and Travel in the Land of the Lion and the Sun.
great Himalayas. One of the grandest land-
By the Rev. S. G. Wilson, M.A. With map and illustrations.
Chicago : Fleming H. Revell Co.
scapes he saw " was composed of valleys with
From FAR FORMOSA, The Island, its People and Missions. glittering ice walls, their sides ribbed with av-
By George Leslie Mackay, D.D. Edited by the Rev. J. A.
Macdonald. With portraits, illustrations, and maps: Chi-
alanche tracks, and away in the hot, hazy dis-
cago: Fleming H. Revell Co.
tance, peak after peak topped and overtopped
RAMBLES IN JAPAN, THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN. By each other in bright tones of pure pearl.”
H. B. Tristram, D.D., LL.D., F.R.S. With forty-five illus Again, he says:
trations by Edward Whymper, from sketches and photo-
graphs. Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Co.
“At the entrance to the Astor Valley I learned what
FIRE AND SWORD IN THE SUDAN. A Personal Narrative the grandeur of the mountains really meant. We were
of Fighting and Serving the Dervishes, 1879-95. By Rudolf in the bottom of a narrow valley, in which great grey
C. Slatin Pasba, C.B.; translated by Major F, R. Wingate. rock cliffs rose high up on either hand, and disappeared
Illustrated. New York: Edward Arnold.
in the mist at the end of the gorge, across which the


1896.]
139
THE DIAL
clouds trailed, when someone shouted "look up, Mac,” China coast about twice the size of New Jersey,
and away in the heavens above I saw three great ice
and contains nearly 2,000,000 inhabitants. As
peaks, like towers of polished silver, which the passing
a result of the late Chino-Japanese war, it has
cloud shadows dimmed and brightened as when one
breathes on bright metal. The colors that played in the
been annexed to Japan. Mr. MacKay explored
depths of this blaze of light can never be imagined nor North Formosa quite thoroughly, and was very
described. I gazed spellbound. I never saw anything successful in interesting the natives in Chris-
which had such an effect on me in all our journey as
tianity. His drawing card was teeth-extracting.
this. I had eyes for no other scenery that day, for I
had seen heaven, and the great white throne."
At one place his record is : "Before dark I
extracted five hundred and thirteen teeth and
The pencil sketches which illustrate the volume
addressed an immense throng."
are slight enough, but they have some quality.
Very vigor-
The work is pleasantly written and will serve
ously, plainly, and piously, he narrates the
as an agreeable companion for an idle hour.
story of his pioneer missionary experiences.
In " Persian Life and Customs,” Mr. S. G. prophetic prose from the chapter on Bang-kah:
As a specimen of his style, we quote a bit of
Wilson, a Presbyterian missionary in Persia,
• The citizens of Bang-kah, old and young, are daily
gives a popular and summary sketch of the coun-
toiling for money, money-cash, cash. They are mate-
try, with some account of his travels therein.
rialistic, superstitious dollar-seekers. At every visit,
However, as the author's way was chiefly along when passing through their streets, we are maligned,
he
jeered at, and abused. Hundreds of children run ahead,
to have had any exceptional sources of infor- yelling with derisive shouts; others follow, pelting us
with orange peel, mud, and rotten eggs. For hatred to
mation, his book contains little that is new.
foreigners, for pride, swaggering ignorance, and con-
During one of his journeys Mr. Wilson sees ceit, for sensual, haughty, double-faced wickedness,
multitudes of lizards, and this is the rather Bang-kah takes the palm. But remember, O haughty
strange account he gives: “Lizards, both nu-
city, even these eyes will yet see thee humble in the
dust. Thou art mighty now, proud and full of malice;
but
eye. There are literally millions of them. Thy filthy streets are indicative of thy moral rottenness;
They are divided into believers and infidels. thy low houses show thy baseness in the face of heaven.
The latter it is lawful to kill.” Mr. Wilson Repent, О Bang-kah, thou wicked city, or the trump
found in his travels that a few Persian inns
shall blow and thy tears be in vain !”
were paying some special attention to the wants We may add that Bang-kah did“ repent,” and
of Europeans. A Kasvin hotel “ even excelled the missionary scored a great triumph. Mr.
in providing not only combs, but also tooth- MacKay is a true nineteenth century prophet
brushes and night-caps for the public use!' and apostle. On the whole, this book is a very
Further, the author elsewhere says : “ The min striking and interesting record. It is provided
ing of coal at Teheran, the use of Russian with good maps and illustrations.
petroleum throughout the country, and gas and In “ Rambles in Japan,” Canon Tristram, a
electric light in the public squares of the cap- practised traveller and writer, gives us his im.
ital, are all signs of progress.” Yet, on the
Yet, on the pressions of a short sojourn in that beautiful
whole, he concludes that “the present outlook land. The prime object of his "rambles” was
is not favorable to a speedy reception of nine to investigate missionary work, but he also paid
teenth century ideas in the way of commercial much attention to field botany and zoology and
exploitation, or to any marked change in the
to nature in general. We had not thought it
religious beliefs of the people.” Perhaps the possible that
a fresh book on Japan could be
best chapter in the book is that on the little written, but this may fairly be called so, as it
known sect of the Ali-Allahis. This book is
shows much original and close observation.
rather dry in style, largely because the sen. Canon Tristram's style, while not very viva-
tences are cut too short and the statements are
cious, is by no means dull. Mr. Whymper's
too bald. It has a fair map, and some photo illustrations are well done and interesting.
graphic illustrations of interest.
Both the secondary title and the preface of
Another Presbyterian missionary, Mr. G. L. his work convey the idea that Slatin Pasha's
MacKay, gives us in “ From Far Formosa” an book, “Fire and Sword in the Sudan," is
account of his extended stay in that island, and merely a personal narrative, whereas we find
adds some notes on natural history and anthro- that fully one-half of the material is general
pology. This book is concerned almost entirely history. But the commingling of these two
with North_Formosa, which is a very distinct subjects is apt to confuse and tire the reader,
division. Formosa is a tropical island off the and as the volume is rather unwieldy, the best


140
[March 1,
THE DIAL
disposition of the material would have been, went out, to follow barefoot. However, he was
one volume to narration of his own experiences, allowed some huts for himself and servants,
and a second volume to the general history of and on several occasions, to his great distress,
Mahdism. This at least is the division we shall was presented with wives by his lord and mas-
make in this review. Slatin was a young lieu-
ter. Slatin was in this slavery for more than
tenant in the Austrian army, when in 1879, by ten years before he escaped in February, 1895.
invitation of General Gordon, he went to the On his return to Egypt, the Khedive bestowed
Sudan. Here he was soon appointed Gov on him the title of Pasba. Next to Slatin
ernor of the province of Darfur. At the open the most prominent figures in this book are the
ing of the Mahdist revolt he held Dara for Mabdi and Khalifa Abdullahi. We have much
some time against the insurgents, but after the new information concerning the Mahdi, which
destruction of the Hicks Pasha expedition he corrects such reports as we find in common ref-
was obliged to surrender. As Slatin had al erence books like Chambers’s Cyclopædia. A
ready made a profession of Mohammedanism, glossary of African and Arabic terms would
and appeared obedient, he was for some time be a useful addition to this book, and the index
well treated by the Mahdi and by Khalifa Ab might be much improved. The author's style
dullahi, in whose service he was. But at length, is simple and direct, and in general correct,
suspicion having fallen upon him on account though it sometimes shows signs of haste. “Re-
of a letter he had written to Gordon, he was covered his defeat” (p. 84) is an instance.
put in chains and rigorously guarded. In this This is so good a book that we only regret it
condition, and filled with hopes and fears, he lay was not bettered by a clear literary plan car-
in his ragged tent during the siege of Khartum ried out deliberately and artistically. But as
by the Mahdists. The night of the twenty- it is, we have a very interesting narrative of
fifth of January, 1885, he describes as the remarkable and thrilling adventures, and a
“ most excitingly anxious one in my life.” most important contribution to the history of
“If only the attack were repulsed, Khartum would the Sudan and to the history of African Mo-
be saved; otherwise, all would be lost. Utterly ex hammedanism.
HIRAM M. STANLEY.
hausted, I was just dropping off to sleep at early dawn,
when I was startled by the deafening discharge of thou-
sands of rifles and guns; this lasted for a few minutes,
then only occasional rifle-shots were heard, and all was
quiet again. . . . Soon shouts of rejoicing and victory RECENT BOOKS ON AMERICAN HISTORY.*
were heard in the distance; and my guards ran off to
find out the news. In a few minutes they were back
The scope of American history-writing is con-
again, excitedly relating how Khartum had been taken stantly widening. There seems no limit to the pos-
by storm, and was now in the hands of the Mahdists. sibilities for earnest workers in the rich fields, to
Was it possible the news was false ? I crawled out of be found in the West as well as in the East. One
my tent, and scanned the camp; a great crowd had col may investigate the work of the Pilgrim Fathers in
lected before the quarters of the Mahdi and Khalifa, New England, another the toilgome privations of
which were not far off; then there was a movement in
the heroic Roman Catholic pioneers among the Iro-
the direction of my tent; and I could see plainly they quois, and a third the sufferings of the Protestant
were coming towards me. In front marched the three
black soldiers; one named Shatta, who formerly belonged missionary in distant Oregon,
and each may con-
to Ahmed Bey Dafalla's slave body-guard, carried in
tribute much to the story of American achievement
his hands a bloody cloth in which something was wrapped
and American development. Mr. Grinnell's “The
up, and behind him followed a crowd of people weep- Story of the Indian " is about another kind of pio-
ing. The slaves had now approached my tent, and
It is the first volume in a “Story of the
stood before me with insulting gestures; Shatta undid
the cloth and showed me the head of General Gordon.
* THE STORY OF THE INDIAN. By George Bird Grinnell.
New York: D. Appleton & Co.
The blood rushed to my head and my heart seemed to
stop beating; but, with a tremendous effort of self-
THE IROQUOIS AND THE JESUITS. By Rev. Thomas Don-
ohoe. Buffalo: Catholic Publication Co.
control, I gazed silently at the ghastly spectacle. His
THE STORY OF MARCUS WHITMAN. By Rev.J.G. Craig-
blue eyes were half-opened, the mouth was perfectly
head, D.D. Philadelphia : Presbyterian Board of Publication.
natural; the hair of his head, and his short whiskers,
THE CAMPAIGN OF TRENTON. By Samuel Adams Drake.
were almost quite white."
Boston: Lee & Shepard.
Soon after the fall of Khartum, Slatin was re-
GEORGE WASHINGTON DAY BY DAY. By Elizabeth Bryant
Johnston. New York: Baker & Taylor Co.
leased from imprisonment and became one of
THE PILGRIM FATHERS OF NEW ENGLAND and their Puri-
the body-guard of Khalifa Abdullahi, who was tan Successors. By John Brown, D.D. Chicago : Fleming
one of the three Khalifas or vicegerents of the
H. Revell Co.
Mahdi. It was Slatin's duty to be constantly
SOUTHERN HEROES; or, The Friends in War Time. By
Fernando G. Cartland. Poughkeepsie, N. Y.: Published by
on guard at Abdullahi's door, and when he the Author.
neer.


1896.]
141
THE DIAL
West” series, which is to be concerned with strictly simple treatment. It is that which makes valuable
Western types, such as the Indian, the cowboy, the the monographs by Mr. Samuel Adams Drake,
miner, the soldier, the trapper, and others who have which he has grouped under the general title,
played a prominent part in the history of the trans “ Decisive Events of American History.” He has
Mississippi country. Mr. Grinnell, who is an adopted treated the "Taking of Louisburg,” the “Burgoyne
chief of the Pawnees and also of the Blackfeet, and Invasion of 1777,” the “ Battle of Gettysburg";
who has published hero-stories and folk-tales of his and now he gives us the “Campaign of Trenton.”
favorite tribes, tells his story in an attractive man The story begins with the movements around New
ner. The daily life of the wigwam, the sports, the York which forced Washington to retreat through
avocations, the food, the prejudices, and the passions the Jerseys, and ends with the rejoicing over the bril-
of the Indian, are well brought out, not the least in- liant achievements amid ice and snow, as the Ameri-
teresting being the description of the course of love can army at Trenton and Princeton found the year
making and marriage. Perhaps the most striking of 1776 blending with 1777. There are various
chapter is that devoted to an account of the com helpful diagrams and footnotes, and the volume,
ing of the white man into the Indian-life, a chapter which may easily be read through at a short sitting,
especially suggestive in connection with the general will appeal to everyone who examines it as worthy
title of the series, of which this is the initial volume. of a place upon the shelf. Mr. Drake has written
The book is full of interesting stories, and must much for the young, and it is a feature of his writ-
prove a popular one with young or old who desire ing that, while what he describes is always intelli-
to appreciate the part played by the Indians in the gible to the boys and girls, those of more mature
history of the West. A supplementary chapter on mind never fail to find enjoyment and intellectual
the North American Indians is furnished by a mem refreshment as they follow his leading through the
ber of the Bureau of Ethnology, and adds much to fields of American history.
the value of the work, because of the information The campaign of Trenton displayed the charac-
regarding the red men in all stages of our history. ter of George Washington to better advantage,
Every American has some notion of the import- perhaps, than any other series of movements of the
ant labors performed by the Roman Catholic mis Revolution. But every where he proved his right to
sionaries among the Indians east of the Mississippi. be considered “an indispensable man,” as Goldwin
Francis Parkman has told the story in words of Smith has so well put it. Turning to the dainty
great power, which make deep impress upon the bit of book-making called “George Washington Day
mind of the reader who follows him in his descrip- by Day," this idea is emphasized, for in it, classi-
tion of the development of New France. His “Jes fied according to the days of the year, the student
uits in North America covers the ground quite may find countless reasons for disagreeing with Mr.
thoroughly, and yet the subject is so interesting that McMaster in his statement, “George Washington
it must have appealed strongly to Mr. Donohoe, as is an unknown man.” There are biographical data
he delved into the antiquated tomes which contain of pleasing interest, showing the little details of the
the “Relations de la Nouvelle France,” in search life of the most illustrious of Americans; there are
of material for his “ The Iroquois and the Jesuits." | important public acts of the great commander; there
But his book contains little not to be found in Mr. are sentiments of a patriotic nature from distin-
Parkman's works, although there can be nothing guished admirers of the Father of his Country;
but good results from the publication, in simple lan there are illustrations of famous houses and public
guage and with devout spirit, of the tales of the buildings connected with our early history, some of
pioneers of the Church among the Iroquois. the ornamental chapter-headings being as sugges-
Recent movements for the establishment of some tive as the more elaborate full-page engravings.
form of memorial for Marcus Whitman have greatly The book was written primarily for boys and girls,
increased the interest in the story of his relation to but it is a veritable mine of information, and does
the settlement of the Northwest boundary. Dr. not deserve classification with mere juveniles, since
Barrows, in his “Oregon” (“ American Common- | it is written in the best style, with each reference
wealths” series), gave by far the best account of the carefully identified, and each quotation carefully
matter, and later writers have but repeated his story credited.
in other words. Despite the efforts of those who In a certain passage Mr. Morse says that Thomas
would eliminate from history everything that seems Jefferson, under particular conditions, did not hes-
to indicate providential leading, the work done by itate to speak respectfully of the Constitution — and
Whitman has become recognized as important in then disregard it. This has often been the fate of
its day, and as far-reaching in its influence. The the Pilgrim Fathers. Every American is inclined
little book by Dr. Craighead is well worth having, to believe in the great obligation due to the foun-
since it gives a succinct account of the early history ders of New England, but there has been little in-
of the Northwest Coast, and puts in convenient com terest in them, except as their quaint and curious
pass and in clear language much that, otherwise, lives have furnished materials for writers on social
can not be ascertained, except by examination of life, who have emphasized the amusing features.
numerous volumes. There are hundreds of events Those who have attempted description of the foun-
in our history which afford opportunity for just such dations of the society have too often been so influ-


142
[March 1,
THE DIAL
..
enced by the heavy themes of theology that their the Union, but also found their faith against war at
volumes have not been readable. Such criticism a time when and in a region where every able-
can in no way be made of the new work by Dr. John bodied man was needed in the service of the Con-
Brown, " The Pilgrim Fathers of New England.” federacy, and who were tormented and persecuted
Long familiar with the homes and haunts of the in every possible way, many of them suffering un-
Mayflower settlers, he has written in charming style told horrors under those who had charge of the
of the movements in Old England which led event- prison pens at Andersonville and Salisbury. There
ually to the establishment of the New. The vol are occasional digressions to show the work of the
ume readily divides itself into two parts, exactly Friends elsewhere, the two chapters devoted to the
half of it being devoted to the history of the Pil "underground railroad” being a very interesting
grims before the sailing of the Mayflower. The contribution to the history of that famous highway
first half is by far the more important. Every sin to freedom. The volume is one long protest against
gle inch of New England history has been traversed war, and it gives the reader a stronger regard for
again and again; every stone has been rolled over the peace-loving people who, by precept and exam-
and over, until some of them, as if to disprove the ple, since the days of George Fox, have been help-
ancient proverb, have gathered moss. But we do not ing to hasten the coming of that glorious day when
remember to have found elsewhere that familiarity men shall beat their swords into ploughshares, their
with life in the old world which is afforded by this spears into pruning-hooks, and learn war no more.
most admirable work. The reader gets accurate im-
FRANCIS W. SHEPARDSON.
pressions of the homes and the home life, of the steps
toward separation from the established faiths, of
the actual beliefs of the leaders of the Pilgrim move-
ment;
and he goes on board the Mayflower for the
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS.
famous epoch-making voyage with clearer notions
of the purposes which animated those godly men
Reminiscences
Mr. Frank P. Stearns's “ Sketches
and women, whose heroic courage and deep-seated of Concord from Concord and Appledore" (Put-
devotion have been honored for nearly three cen-
and Appledore. nam) is a really delightful book,
turies by all who cherish the heritage of American about evenly compounded of reminiscence, anecdote,
citizenship. The second part is written in the same and criticism. There are nine papers in all : “Con-
interesting style, and is necessary to the complete-cord Thirty-odd Years Ago”; “Hawthorne”; “Em-
ness of the monograph.
It contains many sugges-
erson Himself ”; “ Matthew Arnold's Lectures ";
tions for students of the origin of the Constitution, “ Whittier"; " David A. Wasson ”; “Wendell
and is a distinct contribution to the literature of Phillips,” etc. Mr. Stearns says in his preface
American history. It strikes one as a little
pecu that his especial object is to attract public attention
liar that, while other secondary sources are men to the lives and works of Mr. Wasson and Mr.
tioned in the select bibliography which accompanies Phillips, “two distinguished men, one of whom has
the volume, the author does not seem to have heard hitherto been little appreciated, and the other
of Goodwin's “Pilgrim Republic," or of Ellis's “The greatly misunderstood. Mr. Stearns's plea for his
Puritan Age and Rule in the Colony of Massachu two friends is forcible and sincere, if perhaps not
setts Bay."
altogether convincing. The reminiscential and per-
Mr. Fernando G. Cartland has used a somewhat sonal portions of the book are fresh and interesting,
misleading title in his “Southern Heroes.” One affording us some instructive and amusing glimpses
expects stories of Robert E. Lee or Stonewall Jack of the distinguished coterie of New England writ-
son, or of the boys in gray who sadly turned their ers whom it was the author's privilege to know more
faces southward after the mournful meeting at Ap or less intimately. Hawthorne's shy, inscrutable
pomattox. But the sub-title, “ The Friends in War face peeps out perhaps most frequently. Some ten
Time," at once calls attention to the fact that not years after his death, a friend, looking towards
alone are those heroes who actually fight in war. the Hawthorne house, asked Mr. Bronson Alcott,
George Washington was a hero, “day by day,” as “Would you be surprised, Mr. Alcott, to see Na-
he carried on the campaign of Trenton, but so was thaniel Hawthorne some day gliding past your rus-
Isaac Jogues, the Jesuit, who gave up his life while tic fence as he used to do?” “No, sir, I should
preaching to the Iroquois, and Marcus Whitman, not,” replied the old philosopher, “for while he
who made the long journey over the mountains to lived he seemed to me like an apparition from some
carry to the Flatheads the story of the white man's other world. I used to see him coming down from
God. The Pilgrim Fathers were heroes, as they the woods between five and six o'clock, and if he
sought a faith’s pure shrine, and so were the Quak- caught sight of anyone in the road he would go un-
ers, as they raised their voices for Freedom and der cover like a partridge. Those strange, suspi-
lived their quiet lives of protest against War. cious side-glances of his! They are not anywhere
“Southern Heroes " is a compilation of materials in his writings.” Alas, the “getting under cover"
for history, rather than a history itself. It is the and the “suspicious side-glances" may well have
outcome of a desire to preserve the record of expe been not remotely connected with the approach or
riences of Southern Friends, who naturally favored proximity of the wordy philosopher himself—from


1896.)
143
THE DIAL
whom, it is recorded, even the patient Emerson get the best out of everything. Such a necessity
would sometimes flee in dismay. After the latter's may be rather a strain for some people. But then,
death, the domestic, doing the honors of the unten as we have remarked, whatever one gets is likely
anted homestead to curious pilgrims, used to point to be rather good.
to a certain low window and say: " That is the win-
One of our strong literary interests
dow Mr. Emerson used to jump out of, when he From the Spanish
of Echegaray.
at present is in the drama as litera-
saw Mr. Alcott coming down the garden path."
ture, not only in English but in other
So, at least, runs the story. Mr. Stearns's volume
languages. So we have the curious productions of
contains a number of illustrations, comprising Con John Davidson, Oscar Wilde, William Sharp, and
cord views, and portraits of Hawthorne, Miss Al-
turn with pleasure to Ibsen, Sudermann, and Mae-
cott, Miss Thaxter, Mr. Whittier, and others. We
should be sorry to have conveyed the impression
of the Spaniard Echegaray. Whether he turn out
that the book is a mere pleasant medley of chat and for us English-reading people merely a transitory
reminiscence. The author's appreciations of works
“discovery” or a new planet in our ken, the two
and characters are often singularly just and discri- .plays of his just translated—“ The Great Galeoto,"
minating
and “Folly or Saintliness" (Lamson, Wolffe & Co.)
Almost everybody has pretty good
- are very striking things. The translation is made
On things
ideas nowadays, which may be the
by Hannah Lynch, who also supplies a singularly
in general.
reason why people always talk when discouraging preface. On reading this preface one
they get together, and especially why they make so gets rather a low-toned conception of the merits of
many occasions to get together with nothing else to the dramatist, and it is with no little rebound that
do but talk. It may also explain the number of one finishes an act or two of the first play and feels
columns and departments in the periodicals, called
assured that things are on the whole better than the
“Standpoints,” “Men and Things,” and so on. Peo-
translator seems to imagine. Echegaray's plays
ple read them, not because they want information are often set in romantic periods, but these two are
on any definite topic, but because they assume that plays of modern life, which is perhaps one of the
the ideas, on whatever subject, will be good; the reasons why they are more attractive than some of
particular subject is of minor import. Very often
the others on which the translator comments. In
they are not disappointed ; if one gets one of the
them Echegaray handles a subject by no means
collections of such writing, he generally finds that new, the conflict of the modern conscience with
the author has a good deal that is interesting. So
the world. But he handles the topic with a sort of
it is with “ Cousin Anthony and I” (Scribners). vigorous power and much originality. There is a
One has no idea to start with as to what Mr. E.Ś. refreshing simplicity and directness in the way in
Martin and his “Cousin Anthony" will talk about, but which he works straight ahead, without novelties of
assumes that there will be some original or amusing
expression or eccentricities of conception. He at-
ideas, some new things neatly put, some old things
tains his end by what seems really dramatic art.
newly turned. Nor is the book a disappointment
Character is not his strong point, nor humor, nor
to such expectation. Mr. Martin's quality is pretty imagination, of the ordinary type at least,— things
well known and liked, and this book is quite up to
which are good in the drama as elsewhere, but not
“ Windfalls of Observation.” In one respect, how-
of its essence. His effort seems to be to imagine
ever, this book has a characteristic which, as we re certain people and certain circumstances, and then
member it, the other had not, namely, the ingenious
so to manipulate them that some idea, some concep-
way in which bits of writing on diverse topics are
tion, shall be brought to white heat before the spec-
dove-tailed in together and made to seem as though
tator. At any rate this is what he does most suc-
they really had some connection. It would often cessfully in - The Great Galeoto,” but well also in
puzzle the higher criticism to take the essays apart
the other. Some of his plays have been already
and tell why and when each separate bit was written.
translated, but the two in this book are stronger
The result is, rather unfortunately for some readers work and probably more representative of their
perhaps, to emphasize the diffusive effect of such author.
reading. It is interesting to think of the mental
Mr. E. W. Bok's “Successward
Two books of
condition of the reader of such a book. He begins advice and precept (F. H. Revell Co.) is addressed to
with a willingness to think any thoughts that“Cousin
for young men.
the average young man - the
young
Anthony" and Mr. Martin may have had; the intel man, we take it, of office, shop, and “dry goods"
lect is in a state of readiness for anything, blank store ; and we cheerfully assure the average young
but on the alert. When the reader begins a partic man that he will find its maxims sound and prac-
ular essay he can concentrate a little ; he can get tical, its ideals within reach of a mental Zaccheus,
down to “ Civilization and Culture” or “ Ourselves and its philosophy of life a good, plain, durable fab-
and Other People.” Still he must be able to gather ric, that will wear well and suit all seasons. The
in the application to one subject of “ English and central object of the book is, as its title implies, to
American Homes," “ Tips," "Japanese Manners,"
," " Japanese Manners,” point out to the average young man the general line
“ French Traits"; he must be mentally ready to of conduct he is to pursue in order (to adopt the


144
[March 1,
THE DIAL
as
66
Short essays
young man's own phraseology) to “get there” in life, needs, for its full development, the form of local
and possibly to become a “magnate " of some sort self-government by which New England democracy
or other. Mr. Bok, however, has a good deal of ad became so successful ; and he urges that an early
vice to offer on topics less severely practical, such constitutional revision in Tennessee shall abolish the
6. Social Life and Amusements," Religious outgrown county system and erect upon its ruins
Life,” “ Attitude towards Women,' “ Matters of the township system. His account of the early jeal-
Dress,” etc. Mr. Bok's little book contains much ousy of the Tennessee settlers toward their courts
sound precept tersely and plainly put; and it may and judges shows that in Tennessee, as well as un-
be read with profit by those for whom it is meant. der the national constitution, the power of the judi-
Another book similar in character to Mr. Bok's ciary has been a growth from feeble beginnings.
is Mr. Orison Swett Marden'g“ Architects of Fate" Mr. Caldwell would have made this part of his
(Houghton), described by its author as "a book thesis more clear by reference to the official oath
designed to inspire youth to character-building, self first prescribed for her judges, by which Tennessee,
culture, and noble achievements.” It is a compan in imitation of North Carolina, sought to furnish
ion volume to Mr. Marden's “ Pushing to the Front,” backbone for the development of a truly independ-
which has run through several editions. Mr. Mar ent judiciary.
den's method is largely the time-honored one of
We do not have much literary criti-
teaching by examples; and of these he has got-
on literary topics.
cism nowadays, except in homeo-
ten together, and classified under such headings as
pathic doses. Few of our magazines
“ Dare,” “Self-Help,” “Clear Grit,” “ The Will
have anything of the sort; Travel, Art, Politics,
and the Way," etc., a most bewildering variety from Questions of the Day, Biography, Fiction, are more
sources the most diverse. Mr. Marden's labors, of interesting to the public, and so are provided in
the excerpting and arranging order, must have been larger quantity. So there is
something really appalling; and one is glad to re-long articles, and then it is easier to write short
flect that his method was one which relieved him
ones. In England it is still the tradition that some
from the additional strain of severe and continuous
literary articles are to be included in the monthly
thought. A notable feature of the volume is the
reviews, but even in England much of the best writ-
portraits of eminent people — Columbus, Walter
ing goes into the comparatively short articles of the
Scott, Hamilton, Lafayette, Irving, Ruskin, Blaine, literary weeklies. For these reasons we have lately
Edison, Clay, and so on. Mr. Marden's style is
had several collections of short essays, of which“Im-
rather spasmodic, and his reflections are sometimes pressions and Memories," by Mr. J. Ashcroft Noble
trite; but his book is, in the main, an excellent one
(Putnam), is a good example. Too short for more
for popular reading, and should repeat the success than a pleasant resumé or a judicious noting of a
of its predecessor.
few salient points, such essays are rather unsatis-
In a convenient volume entitled
factory in book form.
Tennessee's
One can hardly put them
“Studies in the Constitutional His-
on the shelf along with more solid literary criticism:
development.
one reads them and is apt to forget them. But
tory of Tennessee” (Robert Clarke
aside from the inevitable disadvantage of form,
Co.), Mr. Joshua W. Caldwell of that state presents
these particular essays are excellent,-a pleasure to
many of the more prominent features of its consti-
tutional development. He begins with the early member. There are a few essays on general critical
read, and, as often as not, with something to re-
attempts at the establishment of an independent subjects, particularly a very interesting one on “The
government in the western wilderness : Watauga,
Music of Prose.” There are also, though less success-
1772; Cumberland, 1780; and Franklin, 1784. He
ful in giving a definite idea, one or two bits of direct
calls due attention to the distinctive characteristics
criticism, as on Christina Rossetti, or Dr. Holmes.
of these early constitutions, chief among which were
But the greater number are on what would be called
general suffrage and religious freedom. His criti-
cism that the Franklin experiment at state-making
in a general way “literary topics "_" The Charm
in 1784 is, in historic importance, inferior to its two
of Autobiography,” “The Hypocrite of Fiction,"
and so on,-and answering probably to the mem-
predecessors, seems hardly justified by the facts
which the author presents, showing it to be a step
ories” of the title, are several sketches of places
pleasant in themselves and made noteworthy by the
in a continuous evolution. In his claim that the
life of some man of letters.
Watauga settlers “were the first Americans to estab-
lish absolutely free and democratic institutions,” he
No suggestion of its contents is given
Some bits of
seems to ignore the earlier example of Rhode Island.
in the title “In a Walled Garden"
literary history.
The causes which led the New England settlers to
(Macmillan), which is a collection
adopt the township system of government, while of essays and reminiscences by Mme. Bessie Rayner
those of the Virginia group" of colonies preferred Belloc, an advanced woman of her time, a devout
the county system, are tersely set forth. It is a Catholic, and the intimate friend of George Eliot.
part of Mr. Caldwell's thesis that, under present The papers are written in a somewhat disconnected
conditions, the township system should not only be and rambling style, as if they were familiar letters
preferred in the South, but that that region now to a friend ; scattered recollections, odds and ends
constitutional


1896.]
145
THE DIAL
brought forth from the memory of a woman now dition was his first independent command; but his
nearing the close of her life. The essays
—“The success was based upon seventeen years of intense
Modesty of Nature,” “On Living Well to the application to his profession, and every duty as-
Front," and three suggested by the theories of signed him had been perfectly done. The ministry
Count Tolstoy - are mere suggestions of her that sent the young colonel to take the Canadian
thoughts, rather than completed wholes. The rem stronghold little realized the hopelessness of the un-
iniscences, chiefly of people she knew in her early dertaking. Wolfe himself was at the point of despair.
life, have an old-world atmosphere of times not so But he would not fail. To have failed in accom-
far gone by, and are full of interest for this gener-plishing the impossible, if that were set him to do,
ation, particularly the chapters on George Eliot, would have broken his heart. He succeeded, and
Mary Howitt, Lady Georgiana Fullerton, and the by one stroke put his name on the short list of great
one entitled “Montagus and Procters.” One of English soldiers. This little book is a hero-tale
the more recent characters described is Catherine that stirs one's enthusiasm.
Booth, the “mother of the Salvation Army." The
paper on “Dr. Manning of Bayswater” is of especial
interest in view of Mr. Purcell's recently published
BRIEFER MENTION.
life of the Cardinal. “A Chapter of War" and
“The Shoemaker's Story” deal with the Franco-
The new edition of Professor C. A. Young's “The
Prussian War, of which Mme. Belloc had personal able results of the last fifteen years of investigation,
Sun” (Appleton) acquaints its readers with the remark-
knowledge, having been driven from her home in
Bougival by the approach of the Germans. The
and brings the subject fully up to date. We have given
the latest solar parallax determinations, the spectro-
book as a whole forms a pleasant addition to those
scopic work of Professors Hale and Deslandres, accounts
bits of literary history which serve to throw side of prominence photography and coronal observation,
lights on the great people of the world.
Professor Langley's infra-red spectrum investigations,
and even so new a subject as the discovery of terrestrial
Mr. John Kendrick Bangs's humor-
"A House-boat
helium. It is one of the best books of popular science
on the Styx.”
ous extravaganza entitled “A House ever written, and deserves to find a host of readers.
Boat on the Styx" (Harper) has “Karma, a Story of Early Buddhism,” by Dr. Paul
already appeared in serial form, and calls for little Carus, is a recent publication of The Open Court Pub-
in the way of comment or description. Mr. Bangs's lishing Co. It is a prettily-written moral apologue,
device of grouping a lot of more or less celebrated
issued in a form that is sure to attract attention. The
“shades"— Homer, Shakespeare, Confucius, Arte-
booklet is manufactured in Tokyo, printed on a curious
mus Ward, Emerson, Socrates, P. T. Barnum, and
kind of Crêpe paper, and illustrated in colors by Japan-
ese artists. The drawings are very charming, and will
so forth — on board a Stygian house-boat, surround-
repay close study; some of them are full-page designs,
ing them with earthly "modern conveniences,” and
while others share their pages with the text.
making them talk in a flippant, slangy, up-to-date
dialect, is at least a novel one, and the resulting vellous Adventures of Sir John Maundevile, Kt.,” ed-
A new and beautifully-printed edition of “The Mar-
incongruities make us laugh in spite of ourselves.
ited and strikingly illustrated by Mr. Arthur Layard,
Mr. Bangs shows us, for instance, Dr. Johnson, having also a preface by Mr. John Cameron Grant,
“playing pool with Nero," and addressing Shake comes to us from Messrs. Macmillan & Co. We hope
speare with : “Hullo, William! How's our little that this edition may acquaint a good many people, who
Swanlet of Avon this afternoon?”— while Lord have hitherto thought of the work as possessing only
Bacon settles a vexed question by saying: “Shake-
“ Shake- antiquarian interest, with the fact that it offers delight-
speare was my stenographer, gentlemen. If you
fully entertaining reading for both yonng and old. A
want to know the whole truth, he did write Hamlet,'
more fetching dress than this, at least, the work could
not easily have, with its rich covers, its clear type, and
literally. But it was at my dictation.” Mr. Bangs's
its quaintly sympathetic designs.
fun is rather enjoyable at times; but candor com-
We note the publication of two very helpful guides
pels us to say that, in our opinion, a generation
for the reading of the young. One is a “ List of Books
which can relish it in book doses is intellectually
for Girls and Women and their Clubs,” edited by Miss
past praying for. The book is a pretty one out Augusta H. Leypoldt and Mr. George Iles, and pub-
wardly, and contains the quaint original cuts. lished by the Boston Library Bureau. Over two thou-
sand works are enumerated, classified, and briefly char-
Some men are admitted to the calen acterized. Each section of the work is prepared by a
The story of
dar of great men, not on account of specialist, Mr. Krehbiel, for example, writing of music,
a great soldier.
the magnitude and number of their Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller of natural history, and Mr.
achievements, but because of what they have shown
Russell Sturgis of fine art. The comments on books of
themselves to be in the lesser deeds they have had
fiction are by “a reviewer for the Nation'". The
to perform. In Mr. Bradley's life of General Wolfe,
characterizations are terse and usually trustworthy. Our
other book of this class is Mr. W. M. Griswold's “ De-
recently added to the English Men of Action”
scriptive List of Books for the Young" ("descriptiv
series (Macmillan), we have the story of a great
is the perverse way in which Mr. Griswold spells it).
soldier told in a most fascinating way. Wolfe was History and fiction are the chief groups in this bibli-
only thirty-two when he died, and the Quebec expe- ography. Both of these works are simply invaluable.
99


146
[March 1,
THE DIAL
66
subject-head, with a full alphabetic index to the 4847
LITERARY NOTES.
entries. There is steadily growing appreciation of this
“ The Heroes” has just been added to the Macmillan Bulletin by all persons interested in improving state
« Pocket Edition" of Kingsley.
legislation. It is already widely used and helps ma-
The third volume of Mr. James Hamilton Wylie's terially in raising standards and promoting uniformity
in the laws of the different states. This additional
History of England under Henry the Fourth,” cover-
year
ing the period 1407-1410, has just appeared from the
intermediate marginal heads give closer classification
press of Messrs. Longmans, Green, & Co. A fourth
and make it much easier to grasp the contents rapidly.
volume, which the author hopes “ will not be long de-
The great problems of municipal government have re-
layed,” will complete the work.
ceived special attention.
“Coriolanus " and " Troilus and Cressida” are added
Mr. Charles Sprague-Smith is conducting in New
by Messrs. Macmillan & Co. to their “Temple " Shake-
York a series of weekly “conferences upon literature.”
speare. The Roman Forum and the Swan Theatre are
Each conference opens with a paper by Mr. Sprague-
the subjects of the etched frontispieces. The same pub-
Smith, which is followed by supplementary papers and
lishers send us “Enoch Arden” and the second half of
a general discussion. The method is thus described:
“ The Princess" in the “ People's ” Tennyson.
“ Starting with a great epic poem, which voiced the
The beautiful edition of the “ Faerie Queene,” now
thought of a primitive age and civilization, the litera-
publishing in parts, is progressing apace. Part XI., in-
ture of which this poem formed the centre is followed
cluding Cantos 5 to 8 of the Fourth Book, is the latest
in its evolution. Where it has inspired some greater
to appear. Mr. Crane's illustrations are as original and
production, that all recognize as belonging to universal
graceful as ever, and really illustrate the text of the
literature, the attention is centred upon this, and a
poem. Messrs. Macmillan & Co. are the publishers.
comparison made between the new and old expressions
of the ideal. In every conference one of these supreme
The founders of “McClure's Magazine” have under-
moments is considered, and the monument it produced
taken to establish at Knox College new department placed in its historical and literary setting, with the
to be known as “The Abraham Lincoln School of Sci-
ence and Practical Arts.” It is expected that an en-
lines of development traced up to and away from it.”
dowment fund of a quarter of a million dollars will be
raised for this purpose. Knox College will celebrate in
TOPICS IN LEADING PERIODICALS.
October the anniversary of the Lincoln and Douglas
debate.
March, 1896 (First List).
Professor Cowell, of Cambridge, who has just com Africa, European Development of. C. H. Cooper. Dial.
pleted his seventieth year, was presented on his birth American Family Life. Th. Bentzon. Forum.
day with his portrait, which has been painted at the cost
Army as a Career, The. 0.0. Howard. Forum.
of fifty-six of his old pupils and others who in maturer
Bee-Ranching. Ninetta Eames. Harper.
Binders, French, of To-Day. S. T. Prideaux. Scribner.
years have continued to work with him at any of the
Boers, Manners and Customs of the. T. L. White. Forum.
numerous languages Sanskrit, Persian, Pali, Old
British Opinion of America. Richard Whiteing. Scribner.
Welsh, to say nothing of Italian and Spanish — in which Carnations. J. H. Connelly. Scribner.
the veteran professor is thoroughly versed.
Cassatt, Miss Mary. William Walton. Scribner.
Messrs. Way & Williams announce for early publi- College Training, Benefits of. Charles F. Thwing: Forum.
cation « The Lamp of Gold," a sonnet sequence com-
Cretan Pictographs and Pre-Phænician Script. Dial.
Critic, The, as Picker and Stealer. Dial.
posed of forty-nine sonnets divided into seven parts of
Dante in Spenserian Verse. George M. Harper. Dial.
seven sonnets each, by Miss Florence L. Snow, with dec-
Ellsworth, Colonel. John Hay. McClure.
orations by Mr. E. H. Garrett; a collection of stories England, An Alliance with. Sidney Sherwood. Forum.
by Mrs. E. W. Peattie, entitled “A Mountain Woman"; European Situation, The. F. H. Geffcken. Forum.
and a new Irish novel by Mr. Frank Matthew, called Falconry in Art. J. E. Harting. Magazine of Art.
“ The Apostle of Temperance." The same publishers
Florentine Villas. Lee Bacon, Scribner.
say that the interest in Mrs. Wynne's book, “ The Little
History, American, Recent Books on. Dial.
Room and Other Stories," now in its second thousand,
Horse or Motor ? Oliver McKee. Lippincott.
is on the increase.
Household Life in the Fifteenth Century. Lippincott.
Irish, The, in American Life. H. C. Merwin. Atlantic.
The MS. of “Trilby” is preserved in a locked glass Kites, Scientific Uses of. Cleveland Moffett. McClure.
case at the rooms of the Fine Art Society of London. Lakeland, Some Rivers of. E. R. Dibdin. Magazine of Art.
It is written in little exercise-books, each of which cost Leighton, Lord. M. H. Spielmann. Magazine of Art.
a penny, and is not entirely in Mr. Du Maurier's hand. Lindisfarne, The Island of. Eugenia Skelding. Atlantic.
That author has a pet superstition to the effect that all
Literary Anecdotes of the Nineteenth Century. Dial.
the members of his family should take a small part in
Love. Jean Wright. Lippincott.
the work of writing out his imaginings. Consequently
MacDowell, E. A. Edith Brower. Atlantic.
Manitoba Schools Question, The. Goldwin Smith. Forum.
the MS. exhibits various calligraphies. A translation of Money Borrowers. Junius H. Browne. Harper.
“ Trilby" has lately appeared in Russia, with Mr. Du
Nicaragua Canal, Impracticability of the Forum.
Maurier's illustrations. It is printed under the title of Novel, The Decadent. Edward Fuller. Lippincott.
“Katia,” and is ascribed to one “ Teminoff"; and all the Presidency, The, and Secretary Morton. Atlantic.
names are altered to Russian ones — the three immortal Public Schools, Case of the. G. Stanley Hall. Atlantic.
Companions of the Brush being turned into Russians.
Roads in France. Mary H. Catherwood. Atlantic.
Social Departures, Two New. J. M. Ludlow. Atlantic.
The New York State Library has just issued its sixth
Travel, Recent Books of. H. M. Stanley. Dial.
annual comparative summary and index of state legisla-
War, Anglo-American, Cost of an. Edw. Atkinson. Forum.
tion, covering the laws passed in 1895 by thirty-seven War-Ship, Nerves of a. Park Benjamin. Harper.
states and two territories. Each law is briefly de Washington as a Colonel. Woodrow Wilson. Harper.
scribed or summarized and classified under its proper Wedding-Cake, Evolution of the. Agnes Sage. Lippincott.


1896.]
147
THE DIAL
LIST OF NEW BOOKS.
[The following list, containing 50 titles, includes books
received by THE DIAL since its last issue.]
HISTORY.
History of England under Henry the Fourth. By James
Hamiliton Wylie, M.A. Vol. III., 1407–1410; 12mo, un-
cut, pp. 482. Longmans, Green, & Co. $5.
The Union of England and Scotland: A Study of Inter-
national History. By James Mackinnon, Ph.D. 8vo, un-
cut, pp. 524. Longmans, Green, & Co. $5.
Woman under Monasticism: Chapters on Saint-Lore and
Convent Life, A. D. 500 to 1500. By Lina Eckenstein.
8vo, uncut, pp. 496. Macmillan & Co. $4.
BIOGRAPHY AND MEMOIRS.
The Life and Correspondence of Rufus King: Compris-
ing his Letters, Public Documents, and Speeches. Edited
by his grandson, Charles R. King, M.D. Vol. III,, 1799–
1801. With portrait, 8vo, gilt top, pp. 580. G. P. Put-
nam's Sons. $5.
Memoirs of an Artist: An Autobiography. By Charles
François Gounod; trans. by Annette E. Crocker. With
portrait, 16mo, gilt top, uncut, pp. 223. Rand, McNally
& Co. $1.25.
Joan of Arc. By Francis C. Lowell. 12mo, gilt top, pp. 382.
Houghton, Mifflin & Co. $2.
Bayard Taylor. By Albert H. Symth. With portrait, 16mo,
gilt top,
pp. 320. “American Men of Letters." Hough-
ton, Mifflin & Co. $1.25.
Persis Yorke. By Sidney Christian, author of “Sarah : A
Survival.” 16mo, pp. 426. Macmillan & Co. $1.25.
Mariposilla. By Mrs. Charles Stewart Daggett. 12mo, gilt
top, uncut, pp. 268. Rand, McNally & Co. $1.25.
Golden Gwendolyn._By Evelyn erest Green, author of
“The Last of the Dacres." "Illus., 12mo, pp. 366. A. I.
Bradley & Co. $1.25.
Diana's Hunting. By Robert Buchanan. Illus., 18mo, un-
cut, pp. 218. F. A. Stokes Co. 75 cts.
Siegfried the Mystic. By Ida Worden Wheeler. 12mo,
pp. 295. Arena Pub'g Co. $1.25.
Paul French's Way. By Jennie M. Drinkwater. 12mo,
pp. 278. A. I. Bradley & Co. $1.25.
A Whirl Asunder. By Gertrude Atherton. With frontis-
piece, 24mo, uncut, pp. 192. F. A. Stokes Co. 50 cts.
NEW VOLUMES IN THE PAPER LIBRARIES.
Rand, McNally's Globe Library: Stanhope of Chester, by
Percy Andreae ; pp. 285.— The Sea-Wolves, by Max Pem-
berton; pp. 227. Each 12mo, 50 cts.
POLITICS.
A History of Political Parties in the United States. By
J. P. Gordy, Ph.D. In 3 vols.; Vol. I., 12mo, pp. 512.
Athens, O.: Ohio Pub'g Co.
Proportional Representation. By John R. Commons.
12mo, pp. 298. “Library of Economics and Politics."
T. Y, Crowell & Co. $1.75.
THEOLOGY AND RELIGION.
The Spirit in Literature and Life: A Course of Lectures.
By John Patterson Coyle, D.D. 12mo, gilt top, uncut,
pp. 247. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. $1.50.
Visions and Service: Fourteen Discourses Delivered in
College Chapels. By William Lawrence. 16mo, gilt top,
uncut, pp. 235. Houghton, Mifflin & Co. $1.25.
GENERAL LITERATURE.
A History of Nineteenth Century Literature (1780–1895).
By George Saintsbury. 12mo, uncut, pp. 477. Macmillan
& Co. $1.50.
Regeneration: A Reply to Max Nordau. With Introduction
by Nicholas Murray Butler. 8vo, uncut, pp. 311. G. P.
Putnam's Sons. $1.75.
Jewish Ideals, and Other Essays. By Joseph Jacobs, author
of “Studies in Jewish Statistics." 8vo, uncut, pp. 242.
Macmillan & Co. $2.50.
The Literary Study of the Bible: An Account of the Lead-
ing Forms of Literature Represented in the Sacred Writ-
ings. By Richard G. Moulton, M.A. 12mo, pp. 533.
D. C. Heath & Co. $2.
Renaissance Fancies and Studies: Being a Sequel to
"Euphorion.” 12mo, uncut, pp. 260. G. P. Putnam's
Sons. $1.25.
Curiosities of Olden Times. By S. Baring-Gould, M.A.,
author of “Mahalah.” 12mo, uncnt, pp. 301. Thomas
Whittaker. $1.50.
NEW EDITIONS OF STANDARD LITERATURE.
Spenser's Faery Queene. Edited by Thomas J. Wise ;
illus. by Walter Crane. Book IV., Part XI., Cantos
V.-VIII.; large 8vo, uncut. Macmillan & Co. $3.
The “Temple" Shakespeare. Edited by Israel Gollancz,
M.A. New vols.: Coriolanus, and Troilus and Cressida.
Each, with frontispiece, 24mo, gilt top, uncut. Macmil-
lan & Co. Per vol., 45 cts.
“People's" Edition of Tennyson's Poems. New vols.:
The Princess, Part II., and Enoch Arden. Each 24mo,
uncut. Macmillan & Co. Per vol., 45 ots. net.
The Heroes; or, Greek Fairy Tales for my Children. By
Charles Kingsley. "Pocket Edition "'; illus., 18mo, pp.
228. Macmillan & Co. 75 cts.
POETRY.
England's Darling. By, Alfred Austin, Poet Laureate.
With portrait, 12mo, gilt top, pp. 111. Macmillan & Co.
$1.25.
Leviore Plectro (Occasional Verses). By Alfred Cochrane,
author of "The Kestral's Nest." 16mo, uncut, pp. 82.
Longmans, Green, & Co. $1.25.
An Oaten Pipe. By James B. Kenyon. 16mo, gilt top, un-
cut, pp. 133. * Fleur de Lis Poets.' J. Selwin Tait.
FICTION.
The Parson's Proxy., By Kate W. Hamilton, author of
"Rachel's Share of the Road." 16mo, pp. 303. Houghton,
Mifflin & Co. $1.25,
SCIENCE
Elementary Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism.
Founded on Joubert's "Traité Elémentaire d'Electri-
cité." By G. C. Foster, F.R.S., and E. Atkinson, Ph.D.
Illus., 12mo, pp. 552. Longmans, Green, & Co. $2.25.
BOOKS FOR SCHOOL AND COLLEGE.
A Manual of Physics: Being an Introduction to the Study
of Physical Science. By William Peddie, D.Sc. Second
edition, revised and enlarged ; illus., 12mo, pp. 573. G.
P. Putnam's Song. $2.50.
Latin Lessons for Beginners. By E. W. Coy, Ph.D. 12mo,
pp. 330. American Book Co. $1.
Elements of Botany. By J. Y. Bergen, A.M. Illus., 12mo,
pp. 332. Ginn & Co. $1.20.
Robinson's New Higher Arithmetic for High Schools,
Academies, and Mercantile Colleges. 12mo, pp. 506.
American Book Co. $1.
Trigonometry for Schools and Colleges. By Frederick
Anderegg, A.M., and E. D. Roe, Jr., A.M. 12mo, pp.
108. Ginn & Co. 80 ots.
Selections from Carlyle. Edited by Henry W. Boynton,
M.A. 12mo, pp. 283. Allyn & Bacon. 75 cts.
Laboratory Work in Chemistry: A Series of Experiments.
By Edward H. Keiser. Illus., 12mo, pp. 119. American
Book Co. 50 cts.
Milton's Paradise Lost, Books I. and II. Edited by Albert
S. Cook. 18mo, pp. 201. Leach, Shewell, & Sanborn.
35 cts.
Stories from Aulus Gellius. Edited for sight reading by
Charles Knapp, Ph.D. 16mo, pp. 93. American Book
Co. Paper, 30 cts.
Seidel's Herr Omnia. Edited by J. Matthewman. 12mo,
pp. 85. American Book Co. 25 cts.
Ohnet's Le Chant du Cygne. Edited by Arthur H. Solial,
A.B. 18mo, pp. 90. Maynard, Merrill & Co.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Coin Collector. By W. Carew Hazlitt. Illus., 12mo,
gilt top, uncut, pp. 298. “The Collector Series." Long-
mans, Green, & Co. $2.25 net.
Rare Books and Their Prices, with Chapters on Pictures,
Pottery, Porcelain, and Postage Stamps. By W. Roberts.
12mo, gilt top, uncut, pp. 156. Longmans, Green, & Co.
$1.50 net.
66
:


148
[March 1, 1896.
THE DIAL
FRENCH BOOKS.
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THE
Readers of French desiring good literature will take pleas-
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Endorsed by William Dean Howells, Dr. H. H. Furness,
Edward Everett Hale, Frank R. Stockton, Horace E. Scudder,
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H. W. Mabie, R. W. Gilder, Dr. Edmund J. James, and other
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THE DIAL
A Semi-fMonthly Journal of Literary Criticism, Discussion, and Information.
PAGE
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. 157
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THE DIAL (founded in 1880) is published on the 1st and 16th of
each month. TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION, $2.00 a year in advance, postage
A CRISIS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
prepaid in the United States, Canada, and Mexico; in other countries
comprised in the Postal Union, 50 cents a year for extra postage must The public schools of Chicago have, on the
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whole, approved themselves to the intelligent
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similar magnitude, they have done well, and
their management has been liberal, progressive,
No. 234.
MARCH 16, 1896. Vol. XX. and fruitful of good results. They constitute
a well-organized system, fitting their students
CONTENTS.
both for the practical demands of life and for
the prosecution of work along higher educa-
A CRISIS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION .
tional lines. They have construed education
A SONNET OF OBLIVION. Grace Duffield Goodwin 160
to mean something more than mechanical in-
THE NEW "KING ARTHUR." Anna Benneson struction and text-book memorizing, to mean
McMahan
160
rather the development of the whole nature of
COMMUNICATIONS
162
the child, physical, moral, and intellectual.
University Changes. J. H. Hamilton.
The Mother's Influence as a Factor in Teaching
They have enriched their curricula in a note-
Poetical Literature. Mary J. Reid.
worthy degree with those elements of culture
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI. E. G. J.
of which the older public education had slight
164
knowledge, and which the saner modern view
THE PARIS COMMUNE OF 1871. Paul Shorey 167
holds no less essential than the time-honored
ANGLICAN AND CATHOLIC. Tuley Francis Hunt-
fundamentals. They have developed the ob-
ington
169
servant faculties by substituting objects to be
RECENT BIBLICAL CRITICISM. George S. Good-
speed
seen and handled for pages of print to be
Zenos's The Elements of the Higher Criticism. learned. They have encouraged the study of
Green's The Higher Criticism of the Pentateuch.
nature, and have sought to train the mind, in
- Green's The Unity of the Book of Genesis.— Kit-
tel's The History of the Hebrews, Vol. I.- Kent's large part, at least, through training of the eye
The Wise Men of Ancient Israel.
and the band. They have done much, by the
SHORT STORIES BY AMERICAN WRITERS. provision of libraries and supplementary read-
William Morton Payne .
173
ing-books, to make of reading a pleasure instead
Fox's A Cumberland Vendetta.- Wister's Red Men
and White. — Smith's A Gentleman Vagabond.
of a dull formal exercise. They have done
Grant's The Bachelor's Christmas.- Ralph's People away with the old break between the grammar
We Pass. - Whitelock's A Mad Madonna. – Mrs. school and the high school by placing the be-
Wynne's The Little Room. – Miss Marfree's The
Mystery of Witch - Face Mountain. – Mrs. Foote's
ginnings of the higher studies in the lower
The Cup of Trembling.- Miss Guiney's Lovers' Saint grades. And they have done all these things,
Ruth's.
and done them fairly well, for a population that
BRIEFS ON NEW BOOKS.
174 has been increasing more rapidly than in any
Two books by Mr. Saintsbury. – An ideal set of other large city of the United States. Even in
"readers."— Mr. Carr's King Arthur.- A readable
book of memoirs. — The future American literary
the matter of providing accommodations for all
type.- A well-edited edition of an old poem.- The applicants, the Chicago schools have done as
minor studies of M. Jusserand.-Persons and pictures
much as could reasonably have been expected.
of Colonial times.- A charming tribute to Stevenson.
- A noteworthy reference book.
It is true that some buildings are rented, and
BRIEFER MENTION
that others are lacking in modern improvments,
178
but the frequently reiterated charge that ele-
LITERARY NOTES
178
mentary education is not provided for all appli-
ANNOUNCEMENTS OF SPRING BOOKS
179
cants is true only in the sense that some of the
TOPICS IN MARCH PERIODICALS
184 lower grades have « double divisions”; in other
LIST OF NEW BOOKS
184 words, that some children six or seven years of
• 171
•
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.
.
.
•
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.
.
.
.


158
[March 16,
THE DIAL
age go to school for three hours a day instead often be counted upon to lead the attack
upon
of going for five.
whatever is most valuable in a public-school
The Common Council of Chicago, in making system. In Chicago, at least, and probably
its appropriations from the taxes of 1896, has elsewhere, the chief points of popular attack
just seen fit to reduce the estimates of the upon the public schools are three in number:
Board of Education by more than two millions 1. The salaries paid for the higher kinds of
of dollars. Since the taxes for one year are work. 2. The new subjects of instruction that
not collected until the year following, this re the more enlightened educational ideals of re-
duction applies to the school expenses of 1897. cent years have added to the curriculum. 3.
The greater part of the reduction is made in The high schools. The educational interests of
the estimate for new sites and school buildings, every large city are always peculiarly in dan-
but a considerable fraction of it falls upon the ger of being crippled by an attack at these three
estimate for “educational purposes "; that is, points, and what we have to say about them,
for salaries and supplies. It is doubtless un although illustrated by the problem as now
fortunate that the work of providing new build-existing in Chicago, has a far wider applica-
ings should be thus arrested, for it will make tion than to the situation in any one city.
the task of “catching up” all the harder in That the compensation bestowed upon those
the future; but its only immediate effect will be who do the higher grades of work should be
to increase the number of “double divisions," singled out for popular attack simply offers one
which is not, after all, a very serious evil. The more illustration of an intellectual defect that
reduced estimate for educational purposes seems inherent in democracy, of the inability to
is, unfortunately, made absolutely unavoidable understand why one man's services should be
by the constitutional limitation and the dis so much more valuable than another's. The lev-
graceful condition into which the assessment elling tendency that results from this misappre-
system has fallen in Chicago. The tendency hension is conspicuous in all departments of
to lower assessments in order to lower the basis our public life, from the school service of a city
of state and municipal taxation is at work every to the national service of the capital. Almost
where in the United States, but is not often everywhere it is found that the lower grades of
carried as far as it has recently been carried in work receive compensation at a rate relatively
this city. For several years past, the assessed too high, while the higher grades are relatively
value of Chicago property has been declining underpaid. We fail thereby to command the
(while the real value has, of course, been grow best leadership and executive ability, while, on
ing), until it now amounts to about one-tenth the other hand, the evil of place-hunting be-
of what the law directs it to be. That is, prop comes greatly magnified. Yet when, for ex-
erty actually worth in the neighborhood of ample, the cry of retrenchment in the school
twenty-five hundred millions is estimated, for expenses of a city is heard, an outcry is at once
purposes of taxation, as worth less than two made that the burden should fall chiefly or
hundred and fifty millions. Now, the Illinois wholly upon those who, while receiving the
Constitution limits the expenditure of the city larger salaries, are still relatively underpaid in
for “educational purposes” to a two per cent proportion to the importance of their work. It
rate upon this assessment; the appropriation thus often happens that a burden which would
for such purposes has at last reached the full be trifling if equitably distributed, becomes
amount allowed by this rate, and we are con intolerable when loaded upon the shoulders of
fronted with the fact that it is not enough for the few, and the educational work of the city
the educational needs of the city. Hence, it is forced to depend for leadership upon a still
may be said without exaggeration that a crisis lower grade of ability than before, thus becom-
in public-school education is upon the city, and ing weakened at the very points where strength
that the problem of making the wisest use of is most needed. Of all the forms of the socialist
the inadequate amount provided is not easy of propaganda, that which takes the shape of a
solution.
graduated tax is the most insidious and the
When educational affairs become a subject most dangerous. It is the most insidious be-
of popular discussion it is nearly always found cause its effect is so disguised that compara-
that a certain undercurrent of narrow and pre- tively few people take the trouble to think for
judiced or ignorant thought comes to the sur themselves what it really means, the most dan-
face, and has considerable influence in shaping gerous because it subverts a fundamental prin-
the final decision. The newspapers may too ciple of justice.


1896.]
159
THE DIAL
The popular attack upon the enriched mod The arguments directed against the high school
ern curriculum usually begins with stigmatiz- may be reduced to three. 1. Its work is orna-
ing all the new subjects and methods by apply- mental and therefore superfluous. 2. Only a
ing to them collectively some such epithet as small percentage of the school population re-
“fads,” a term especially chosen that the argu ceives its benefits, while all are taxed for its
ment may start with a prejudice in its favor. support. 3. It is mainly an institution for the
The cost of each “fad," such as drawing wealthy classes, who alone send their children to
(Heaven save the mark!), singing, or the study it. To the first of these arguments we may re-
of nature, is then carefully figured out, and the ply that the question involved is one of degree
public is invited to contemplate the frightful and not of kind. No one, not invincible in his
waste of good money upon ornamental work. own ignorance, can safely divide school work
The fact that skilled educators are practically into two sorts, the useful and the ornamental ;
unanimous in regarding such subjects as equal in nor can anyone, subject to the exception before
educational value to any others is carefully con- noted, intelligently assert that the leaven of
cealed from the readers to whom the young men good citizenship (which it is the chief object
who carry on the newspaper crusades appeal; of all public schools to produce), is less suc-
and the other fact that to reduce a school cur- cessfully cultivated in the high school than in
riculum to the simple old-fashioned terms would the school of lower grade. The only question
reduce expenses slightly, if at all, is concealed suitable for the public to consider is that of the
with even greater care. Of course, anyone who number of years for which it is proposed to
stops long enough to do a little elementary support a school system, and the answer will
thinking upon the subject can see that the whole depend upon the economic condition of the com-
question is not one of expense, but simply one munity concerned. If the majority decides for
of educational theory and method. A certain a twelve-year course, those who would have pre-
subject, it is said, costs the city so many thou- ferred eight years, or six, or ten, cannot fairly
sands of dollars annually. Yes, but to do away claim that any question of principle is involved
with that subject would not result in any con in their disagreement. The argument that high
siderable saving. It would simply release a schools being for the few, the many should not
certain number of hours to be applied to other be taxed for their support, may be disposed of
kinds of work in the charge of other instruc in a similar way. Here again we have merely
tors. In any public school system the unit of a question of degree. If a public-school sys-
cost is the schoolroom with its teacher. For tem covered only two years of study, there
every fifty children, say, there must be a room would be fewer children in the second year
and a teacher. Multiply the number of rooms than in the first. Whatever the length of the
by the average salary paid, add from five to ten course, there will be fewer students in each
per cent for supervision, and the result is the year than in the year preceding. Or, taking
total cost for instruction. Starve or enrich the the argument of the few and the many,” as
curriculum as much as you please, the total cost it is sometimes put, it would be just as fair
will be but slightly affected by either course. to select any one school, high or low, in a city
The question is wholly one of educational theory, system, and say: “This school only accommo-
not in any sense one of public policy, and the dates five per cent of the children of the com-
public at large is not entitled to an effective munity, yet all the community is taxed for its
opinion upon a question that nowise concerns support. Behold the monstrous injustice ! ”
the pocket.
Such is the logic with which the friends of
Last of all, we wish to say a few words about public education sometimes have to contend.
high schools. The high school is perhaps the As for the final argument of the enemies of
most characteristic product of American ideals the high school, it more often than not rests
of education, and is so firmly intrenched in the upon a falsehood. We do not know how it is
good-will and sympathy of the vast majority of in all other cities, but we assert that in Chicago,
taxpayers that it may safely be counted upon at least (and the assertion is based upon a
to hold its own. Yet there is no doubt that in quarter-century of intimate acquaintance with
our larger cities a certain numerically small the facts), the high schools are not institutions
but active element of antagonism to the high for the wealthy and well-to-do classes. It might
school as an institution makes itself felt upon very reasonably be argued that if they were,
critical occasions, and succeeds in weakening there would be no inherent injustice in the ar-
the influence and efficiency of high-school work. I rangement, since the wealthy classes pay taxes


160
[March 16,
THE DIAL
remem-
in a proportion greatly exceeding the number
THE NEW “ KING ARTHUR.”
of their children; but there is no necessity for
resorting to this plea. The truth of the mat In selecting the old story of King Arthur and his
ter is that in Chicago parents of all classes very Knights of the Round Table as a good subject for
generally send their children to the public stage treatment, Sir Henry Irving has followed in
schools of primary and grammar grade, but
the footsteps of many previous stage managers, in-
that when these children reach the high school cluding Garrick, Kemble, and Macready; and Mr.
J. Comyns Carr, in writing the play, has had as
grade a considerable fraction of them are taken
out of the public schools and sent to private predecessors William Rowley, John Dryden, and
many less-known dramatists. How far back we
institutions. Hence, as far as any class dis-
should have to go in dramatic history to find the
tinction of patronage exists at all, it operates first play founded on this popular theme is some-
in the direction of restricting the benefits of thing only to be conjectured. That there was an
the high schools to the poorer classes, of mak exhibition of mingled archery and pageantry called
ing them, in the phrase of a popular rhetoric, “ Arthur's Show” in the time of Henry VIII. is
the poor man's colleges." Moreover, the known, and that it continued until Shakespeare's
high schools of a compact and well-organized time and was seen by him is probable from his allu-
system like that of Chicago are in a very real
sion to it in the Second Part of King Henry IV.,
where Justice Shallow says to Falstaff, “I
sense the most important part of the whole.
They not only perform the usual function of Inn) I was then Sir Dagonet in Arthur's Show.”
ber at Mile End Green (when I lay at Clement's
higher schools in holding up the lower schools
Mile End Green was a training-ground near Lon-
to a fair standard of efficiency, in acting as the don, and the troupe consisted of an association of
keystone of the whole educational arch; but archers who personated characters taken from the
they also perform the far more important ser old romance of “Morte d'Arthur,” a magnificent
vice of training for their work nearly all the prose poem written by Sir Thomas Mallory in 1461.
teachers of the lower grades. The expanding But neither was Mallory himself the originator of
educational system of Chicago requires every
these knightly tales. He wrought his narrative from
year some three or four hundred new teachers, old Welsh and Breton ballads and from the “Chan-
and the great majority of them are selected
sons de Geste,” — as Homer wrought his “Iliad”
from the graduates of the high schools. With
from the preceding warlike ballads, or as the un-
known compiler of the “Niebelungenlied ” wrought
this fact in view, it is simply amazing that
his poem from similar ancient sources. Living
anyone should seriously think the high-school when men still wore armor, and so near to the ac-
system of the city either unimportant or orna tual age of chivalry as to be in full sympathy with
mental, that anyone having the interests of the spirit of its fiction, the good knight gave to these
education at heart should not realize that a stories an epic completeness which they lacked be-
weakening of the high-school work would be the fore, and created a group of real men and women,
most serious disaster possible, making its unfor- and not a series of lay figures on a background of
tunate consequences felt, not merely at the time
romance, as were his originals. The characteristics
with which he endowed these individualities have
when it occurred, but for long years to come.
persisted throughout all the centuries since. Kay
is still the man of satirical tongue, Lancelot is bold
and chivalrous, Elaine tender and trusting, Arthur
kingly but adventurous, Guinevere jealous but
A SONNET OF OBLIVION.
queenly, when they step upon the stage to-day as
when they first received the breath of life from
The earth hath holy places, unadorned
Mallory.
With sculpture or commemorative brass;
Across whose ways unheeding footsteps pass,
To speak of Mr. Carr's new play as a dramati-
Whose memories by forgetfulness are scorned.
zation of Tennyson's "Idylls of the King," or to
Well were it if some solemn voice had warned,
judge it, as many seem inclined to do, according as
“ Tread softly; in this dewy, velvet grass
it follows or departs from that delightful poem, is
The daisy grew that Chaucer plucked. Alas, to show a very inadequate understanding of the sit-
Such blossoms spring no more, and few have mourned." uation. The fact is that the mystical figures of
Nature's true heart alone doth now enfold
Arthur and his knights have quite stepped out of
The tree where Herrick carved his Julia's name;
the historic
page and are recognized as the common
Keats' “ little bill " -- forgotten long ago.
property of all imaginative writers. It is no exag-
Yet would that we could bind in grateful gold
geration when it is said of Mallory's “ Morte d'Ar-
The bank of thyme that shares in Shakespeare's fame, thur” that “it is as truly the epic of the English
The path Vittoria trod with Angelo.
mind as the Iliad' is the epic of the Greek mind.”
GRACE DUFFIELD GOODWIN. Whether there ever was an actual Arthur, King of


1896.]
161
THE DIAL
Britain, or not is nothing to the purpose; but the Dryden in 1691, called “ King Arthur, or the Brit-
truth remains that he has appealed to the imagina ish Worthy.” It was received with great applause
tion of English writers oftener, probably, than any at its first appearance, was often repeated, and held
other figure, real or fictitious. Milton long had in its place on the stage longer than any other of Dry-
mind an epic with King Arthur as hero, but aban-den’s numerous plays. Doubtless a considerable
doned it for “ Paradise Lost”; Spenser took his ma part of its success on its first presentation was due
chinery for the “ Faerie Queene” from the popular to the fact that its cast included such actors as Bet-
legends about King Arthur; Dryden wrote a drama terton, Kynaston, and Mrs. Bracegirdle, and that
and projected an epic on the theme; Bulwer wrote the music was written by the foremost composer of
a heavy " King Arthur " which nobody reads; Ten his time, Henry Purcell. Dr. Barney in his “ His-
nyson wrote a series of splendid poems which every- tory of Music” says of this work of Purcell's, “A
body reads, and thus to most people King Arthur century has not injured it, and especially the duet
is the Arthur of the “Idylls of the King.'
of Sirens in the enchanted forest, Two Daughters
Mr. Carr, like his predecessors, has allowed his of this Aged Stream,'and the • Fairest Isle all Isles
imagination to have its way with the old material, Excelling,' contain not a single passage that the best
and has felt at liberty to use such portions as seemed composers of the present times, if it presented itself
to him best suited to his own purposes. This pur to their imaginations, would reject.'
pose being to make a good stage play, the proper Strange as it seems, although the text of the play
test to apply to his work is his success or failure in was published in 1691, this delightful music, with
this respect. At least this must be said of it, that the exception of a few songs, remained unpublished
it is much more satisfactory than the effort of any until 1843, when all that could be collected was
previous playwright, as may be seen by passing the issued by the Musical Antiquarian Society. A copy
others hastily in review.
of this volume, which includes text, music, and his-
It is interesting to note that it is exactly 309 tory of the play, is in the Newberry Library.
years ago — namely, on the 28th of February, 1587 The most important revivals of the play have
that the earliest instance of which we have any been, in 1770, under Garrick, with Bannister, Mrs.
record, a play called “The Misfortunes of Arthur Baddeley, and Thomas Jefferson (ancestor of our
(Uther Pendragon's Son) " was presented before much-loved actor) in the cast, and with additional
Queen Elizabeth at the court in Greenwich. Then, as music by another eminent composer, Dr. Arne; in
now, the cast included Arthur, Guinevere, Mordred, 1784, under Kemble, with Mr. Kemble as King
and the train of valiant knights. The play was
Arthur and Miss Farren as leading lady ; in 1842,
preceded by a prologue, and each act had an argu under Macready, when it had a run of thirty-three
ment, a dumb show, and a chorus. A curious cir successive nights at Drury Lane Theatre.
cumstance in connection therewith is that Francis As for the play itself, it has little to do with the
Bacon's name occurs in the list of writers by whom king and his knights. The scene is laid in Kent,
the dumb shows and additional speeches were and the story resembles a fairy extravaganza; there
“partly devised.” So, whatever may be assumed is an enchanted wood with a Saxon magician and a
concerning the Baconian authorship of the Shake British enchanter, an "airy "spirit and an “earthly”
speare plays, it is reasonably certain that Sir Francis spirit, and many dances.
had something to do with the production and com In 1776, William Hilton, a poet of little merit,
position of at least one Elizabethan play. During wrote a tragedy called “ Arthur, Monarch of the
the same year, it was reduced into tragicall notes Britens,” which he never succeeded in getting ac-
by Thomas Hughes, one of the Society of Gray's cepted at any theatre, and there is a record of a
Inn by whom the play had been presented, and tragedy by E. J. Riethmuller, published in London
afterwards printed. Copies of this book are now in 1841, which seems to have been equally unfortu-
extremely rare; a more accessible reprint may be nate.
found in the little volume edited by John Payne Thus the “ King Arthur” of Mr. Carr, first pro-
Collier, under the title “ Five Old Plays.” There sented at the Lyceum Theatre in London on Jan.
is no indication that the play ever became popular; 15, 1895, and with the cast much the same as now
nor was Richard Hathawaye's play, “ The Life of playing in America, is easily chief among the stage
Arthur, King of England,” two years later, more King Arthurs. He is a flesh-and-blood hero, sur-
successful.
rounded by knights and ladies clearly individual-
One other Elizabethan dramatist,William Row- ized, who, while moving in a world whose manners
ley — was attracted by the Arthurian legends. He are remote from our own, yet appeal to our modern
called his play “The Birth of Merlin.” For many taste and serve to make us realize why this chival-
years this play was attributed to Shakespeare. ric romance was the favorite fictitious literature of
Translated into German, it may be found in the Europe during the three or four mediæval centuries,
Newberry Library, Chicago, included in the first and why it has been such a favorite theme from those
volume of the complete works of Shakespeare in days until now. The action is conceived on true dra-
German.
matic principles. There are no anti-climaxes, no
The first of the King Arthur plays to become superfluous lines, but all the incidents bear upon
really popular was the “ dramatic opera” of John development of the story and push it towards a con-
the


162
[March 16,
THE DIAL
clusion which is both unexpected and thoroughly the midst of such changes. The larger institutions are
effective. It sweeps through a wide range
of
pas-
adding three years to the undergraduate courses leading
sions ; love, jealousy, falsehood, revenge, a manly
up to the degree of Ph.D., and the A.B. is no longer the
and heroic forgiveness, are deftly woven together stopping place in academic life. The recitation system is
almost antiquated in what is beginning to be known as
and compel the interest from start to finish. Less
the university proper. The lecture and seminary sys-
satisfactory poetically than dramatically, it yet con-
tems are coming into universal vogue. These are the
tains
many
fine
passages,
and the last scene between
most characteristic changes of the time, and they are
Arthur and Guinevere will even bear comparison not after the English but the German model. If pres-
with Tennyson's treatment of their parting. Guin ent developments continue, the time is not far distant
evere having called for a champion to do battle when our universities will very closely correspond to the
against Mordred, her accuser, Arthur, who is sup German type. It will only be when the graduate de-
posed to have been killed, enters with lowered helm. partments have grown to such size that what we are
Disclosing himself to Mordred, they fight, and Ar beginning to call the college part of the university may
thur falls wounded to the earth. Guinevere re-
be completely segregated from it, as the preparatory
departments have been segregated from our colleges.
enters, sees the face of Arthur, and falls at his feet,
This development seems inevitable for a number of
crying, “My lord ! my lord !
reasons. Great numbers of our professors are being and
Arth. Whose face was there? I pray you some one say, have been trained in Germany. But the principle rea-
For all grows dark : I know not where I am.
son is because Germany has both reached the highest
Guin. Her name was Guinevere.
scholarship yet attained and the most perfect facilities
Arth.
What sirs? why then,
for imparting it. Her system is designed for mature,
This should be Cameliard.
(Rousing himself with sudden energy.)
self-respecting men. The scholarly temper takes the
See, 't is the spring !
place of the English boating, cricket, and horse-play.
Down in the yale the blossoms of the May
There seems to me to be more doubt about what form
Are swinging in the sun and there she stands
the future college will take than the university,–
That shall be England's Queen!
whether it be large or small, and where it will leave off
Far
up
I hear
and the university begin.
The ceaseless beating of Death's restless wing,
But our universities will have an opportunity to im-
And round mine eyes the circling veil of night !
prove upon the German type. We may expect the secur-
Grows deeper as it falls. Henceforth my sword
Rests in its scabbard. What remains is peace.
ity of tenure of professorial positions, and their grading
(He falls back dead.)
into three ranks, something like the ordinary, extra-
Guin. He's gone, the light of all the world lies dead. ordinary, and docent of the Germans, the salaries being
ANNA BENNESON MCMAHAN.
supplemented by fees according to the number of stu-
dents a professor may attract — appointments always
coming from the class below to the next higher. But we
may improve upon their plan by making it easy for stu-
COMMUNICATIONS.
dents to come. Free dormitories may be considered as
legitimate a use for endowments as that for professorial
chairs is considered now.
UNIVERSITY CHANGES.
The ideal of the greatest
possible dissemination of higher education will be kept
(To the Editor of The DIAL.)
constantly in view, and the fact that universities are
The future development of our universities is a very
fruitful subject, but I am surprised to see by your ar-
designed to serve society and not a class.
J. H. HAMILTON.
ticle of Feb. 16 that you concur with the views of Madison, Wis., March 5, 1896.
some of the Harvard faculty that it is likely to be after
the English model. It is plain enough why Harvard THE MOTHER'S INFLUENCE AS A FACTOR IN
men would incline to that idea. Eastern universities
TEACHING POETICAL LITERATURE.
generally have not the democratic idea of education.
(To the Editor of THE DIAL.)
Their endowments are never turned towards making I trust you will allow a mother to add a corollary to
education more accessible to the masses.
In that re-
your discussion in respect to the best method of teach-
spect there is already much similarity between some ing literature, even if it is but an expression of individ-
of our institutions and the English. It is as impos- ual opinion.
sible for a poor American to go to Harvard or Yalo Bishop Spalding has said, “I have little hesitation in
without some kind of assistance as it is for a poor Eng affirming that our home life, our social and political life,
lishman to take his degree at Oxford or Cambridge with and our religious life have contributed far more to make
out assistance. There is an evident purpose to make us what we are than any and all of our schools," and
them exclusive. But there are many reasons why these with his words in our minds, it might be pertinent to
ideas will not now become widely diffused. In the first inquire, What was the home life of the last generation,
place Harvard and Yale, while progressive along some the generation which is responsible for our present home
lines, no longer set the pattern for the country. Our and social life? Mr. Howells has recorded tbat in
ideals have become, what they should be, cosmopolitan simpler days it was thought quite a proper thing for
and democratic,— that is, the ideals of the growing in young men to read poetry to young women when they
stitutions, which are in the West mostly, but some are made an evening call,— if they happened to be upon
also in the East. The state universities have generally intimate terms with the family. To-day, a young man
but a nominal fee, and the great Leland Stanford Uni who would do such an unheard-of thing would be jeered
versity, in California, has no fees.
at throughout his whole set. Yet I know that at least
But you are right in assuming that we are on the eve of one-third of my early knowledge of the poets was un-
changes to meet changed conditions; we are, in fact, in consciously acquired in this pretty fashion. I was for-


1896.]
168
THE DIAL
tunate enough to have several masculine cousins some poets, as the child's mind develops. Emerson's idea
what older than myself who led me in this wise to Shel quoted in a recent number of The DIAL (Feb. 16, 1896),
ley, Keats, Goethe, and Alfred de Musset. One of “Would you inspire in a young man a taste for Chau-
the accomplishments expected in those days of the edu cer and Bacon? Quote them,” is the ideal method.
cated young man in New York City was the ability The mother who can describe the Canterbury Pilgrims
to read some quotations from his favorite poets with to her child, can relate the quaint tale of Palamon and
fair rhetorical effect. This training was due to the Arcite, or the Clerk of Oxenford's story of the patient
influence of the mothers, sisters, and wives.
Griselda, has given her child a glimpse of Chaucer's time
For some reason, I know not what, although the sexes which the teacher might not be able to picture. Also
are educated together, the old literary and musical sym some of the clean stories from Boccaccio can be told the
pathy between them which existed in the days just after child in the version found in Tennyson's “ The Lover's
the Civil War is gone. The average business man of Tale” or Keats’s “ Isabelle; or, the Pot of Basil.” If to
to-day neither loves poetry nor music. His whole time this were added the story of Petrarch's life, dwelling
and energy are absorbed in the accumulation of money. more upon his tastes as a bibliophile and expounder of the
If he collects a library, it is largely composed of the text of Cicero than upon the story of Laura, the three
gossip of the courts of the times of Charles II. and prominent literary figures of the fourteenth century
George IV., for the modern book-collector is a little would be indellibly stamped upon the child's mind years
too fond of gossip, and he admits the poets simply be before it would be possible to send him to the volumes.
cause he is ashamed to leave them out. How much of When the mother allows the teacher to be the sole quick-
this is due to the loss of mother-training at the fireside, ener of the child's imagination, part of the instinctive
and how much to worldly influences over which mothers mother-love of the child is transferred to the teacher, as
and sisters have no control, it is impossible to say.
But in the notable case of Lady Jane Grey. Yet I happen to
so far as my personal knowledge goes, outside of the know that the young teachers are doing very efficient
literati, the average woman of to-day is no more fond of work in the right direction in the public schools. In a
poetry than the average man. But a few weeks since a family I know and love, a youngster of eight has for sup-
woman-editor wrote me, “I cannot conceive of anyone plementary reading Longfellow's “ Hiawatha.” He can
buying a volume of poems simply for the pleasure of quote more of the verses upon Hiawatha's childhood
reading it.” This remark shocked me, not so much as than any other member of the family. Another boy
the expression of an individual opinion, for we have acquired a love of Lowell in the public schools, but the
scores of writers among us who have no inherent taste eldest (the one who always has the greatest influence
for poetry, but because it voiced the great majority of in forming the literary taste of a family), has passion-
women. On the other hand, the minority, headed by a ately loved Shakespeare ever since his mother read with
few of our women poets, such as Mrs. Dorr in Vermont, him the trial scene of the “Merchant of Venice," the
Miss Ina D. Coolbrith in California, Miss Harriet Mon first reading taking place when he was but ten years old.
roe and Mrs. Coonley in Chicago, are working tirelessly A Shakespeare quotation combat, to which might by
in the women's clubs to revive poetical taste.
What a
added a small prize to the successful competitor; a famile
paradoxical age is ours! The era of women-poets and reading in Plumptre's translation of Sophocles' “ Anti-
the era in which women, for the most part, have ceased gone," or Euripides' “ Iphigenia in Aulis," are not diffi-
to love and be inspired by poetry.
cult things for mothers to manage, and have an untold
Women read too much in their clubs about Dante,
educational advantage. If these suggestions are scarcely
Shakespeare, and the Brownings, and devote too little feasible,
what might a mother not accomplish with Sted-
attention to the words of the great masters. One club man's “ Victorian Anthology” as a guide ? “The Land
I know of in a small Western town, after studying for
of Wonder-Wander"; the ballads; the fresh revelations
three weeks all that could be found in the one free of our time from the Dominion of Canada; Matthew
library in respect to the man, Dante, concluded that the Arnold's “ Sohrab and Rustum ” and “ Balder Dead ";
“ Divine Comedy” and “The New Life” were a little
Edwin Arnold's poems, so attractive to the young; and
bit too hard for them to “ tackle," and went on to some Andrew Lang's fantastic ballades — may all be found
thing easier.
in this wonderful collection.
If we would revive this lost poetical instinct and ap-
If parents would allow their children to express their
preciation, we must take a few lessons from primitive preferences for the poets (however crude) at the fam-
times. It may be a myth that Alfred the Great re-
ily board; with the idea that it does not make much dif-
ceived his first incitement to learning from his step-
ference which side the young person takes in an argu-
mother, or that Shakespeare's teacher in fairy lore was
ment, so long as he has original ideas, and can clearly
Mary Arden; but the stories illustrate the good old
state the whys and wherefores of the faith that is in
Saxon and Norman customs, which made the mother
him,—the young person would be tempted to read more.
light the first spark of inspiration; and perhaps there
The American pater-familias, whatever his virtues else-
could have been no Provençal literature if women had
where, is apt to be a stern, bigoted creature at home.
not invented, for the encouragement of poetical art, the
He has very fixed ideas upon all sorts of subjects, and
“ Courts of Love" where the Trouveur or Troubadour
he does not like to be opposed in his own family. But
was encouraged to express his hidden thought in fault-
the mother should hold her little courts with her chil-
less measure.
dren, if she would preserve the “inner light,” to use
Mothers can scarcely begin to instruct their children
the quaint Quaker phrase. I believe that the vestal vir-
in merry jingles at too early an age. Many a restless gins keeping watch over the sacred fires in the Roman
baby will let a nurse handle him without crying if she
temples, and Vesta's close association with the home as
will but babble the Mother Goose melodies. Mother goddess of the hearth, were but symbols of the watch
Goose should be systematically followed up by the child-
which women must ever keep over the sacred fire of
verses of, say, Eugene Field, Miss Edith M. Thomas, or poetry.
MARY J. REID.
Mrs. Mary Mapes Dodge; then the American and British St. Paul, March 1, 1896.


164
[March 16,
THE DIAL
The New Books.
were commonplace (rather tedious ones) in the
lives of the young Rossettis. The special po-
litical bête noire of the excitable guests was the
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI.*
French king, Louis Philippe -- or “Luigi Fil-
The biographical literature of the current ippo,” as they called him. Says the author :
year is not likely to include any work more fas-
“ The number of times I have heard · Luigi Filippo'
cinating in theme and richer in varied personal Boy. My mind's eye presents a curious group, though
denounced would tax the resources of the Calculating
interest than the two handsome volumes con.
it seemed natural enough at the time. My father and
taining severally a Memoir of Dante Gabriel three or four foreigners engaged in animated talk on
Rossetti, by Mr. William Michael Rossetti, and the affairs of Europe, from the point of view of patriotic
a collection of the former's “ Family-Letters.”
aspiration and hope deferred until it had become hope
less, with frequent recitations of poetry intervening;
Mr. Rossetti's Life of his brother is a frank
my mother, quiet but interested, and sometimes taking
and rather discursive Boswellian record, pro her mild womanly part in the conversation; and we four
fuse of fact and sparing of disquisition, which children — Maria more especially, with her dark Italian
may fairly be said to leave no reasonable ques-
countenance and rapt eyes — drinking it all in as a sort
tion as to Dante Rossetti's career and person-
of necessary atmosphere of the daily life, yet with our
own little interests and occupations as well — reading,
ality unanswered.
coloring prints, nursing the cat, or whatever came up-
Gabriele Rossetti, father of Dante Gabriel permost. Gabriele Rossetti's noble declamation,
and Christina Rossetti, was born at Vasto on taken along with his subject matter, was indeed enough
the Adriatic coast of the then Kingdom of Na-
to carry any sympathizers away on the wave of excite-
ment. His auditors hardly appeared to have any fleshly
ples, Feb. 28, 1783. Proscribed for Carbon-
appetites. Such a thing as a solid supper was never in
arism, he fled from Italy in 1821, and in 1824 question, neither did they ever propose to smoke. They
settled in London as a teacher of Italian, where would come into our small sitting-room, greet the • Sig-
be married a Miss Polidori, and in 1831 was
nora Francesca,' and sit down, as the chance offered,
amid the whole family, adult and semi-infantine. A cup
appointed Professor of Italian in King's Col-
of tea or of coffee, with a slice of bread and butter, was
lege. Gabriele Rossetti is described as a man all the provender wont to be forthcoming."
of energetic and lively temper, sensitive to
The grand concern and magnum opus of the
slight and quick to resent it, devoted to his
elder Rossetti was of course his Dante com.
family, a fervent apostle of Italian freedom and
mentary (in which he proposed to show that the
unity, and effusively grateful to those who bad
“Commedia " is chiefly political and anti-papal
befriended him in his darker hour of exile.
in its inner meaning); and at this task he was
One of the author's most vivid memories is of
the day when the death of his father's benefac- by ponderous folios in italic type, • libri mys-
to be found daily grinding away, “surrounded
tor, John Hookbam Frere, was announced : tici,' and the like,— often about alchemy, free
“With tears in his half-sightless eyes and the
passionate fervor of a southern Italian, my balla, etc.” These labors were contemplated
masonry, Brahminism, Swedenborg, the Ca-
father fell on his knees, and exclaimed, • Anby the juniors with a certain awe not untinged
ima bella, benedetta sii tu, dovunque sei !
with levity; and our author notes that Dante
(* Noble soul, blessed be thou wherever thou Gabriel, so far from being, as fancifully stated,
art!')” The Rossetti household was of Italian, from childhood a lover of Dante, had not, up
not English, environment. The renown won
by Gabriele in his own country as an Impro- lines of him. In fact, the abstruse turn of the
to the age of sixteen, read twenty consecutive
visatore and writer of fervid political lyrics father's Dantesque talk and labors bred in his
("singable" is the term Carducci applied to
children an a priori distaste for the mighty
his verses), followed him oversea ; and the Alighieri
, and even led them to regard him as
Charlotte Street home in London became a no-
a kind of household bogey second only in maligo
table rendezvous for his compatriots of all so-
cial grades, from the titled refugee to the lit potency to “ Luigi Filippo” himself. Says the
author:
eralized maccaroni-man and plaster-cast vendor “ The Convito was always a name of dread to us, as
-waifs and strays, largely, cast up and stranded being the very essence of arid unreadableness. Dante
by the sea of expatriation. These picturesque Alighieri was a sort of banshee in the Charlotte Street
quasi-political gatherings, to which all Italians, house; bis shriek audible even to familiarity, but the
message of it not scrutinized.”
save the suspected spia (spy), were welcome,
Gabriele Rossetti's four children were born
* DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI: His Family-Letters. With
a Memoir by William Michael Rossetti. In two volumes.
in four successive years : Maria Francesca, in
Boston: Roberts Brothers.
1827; Gabriel Charles Dante (Dante Gabriel,


1896.)
165
THE DIAL
he chose to style himself), in 1828; William room and finding the occupant within, he asked
Michael, in 1829; and Christina Georgina, in fiercely, “ Is your name Rossetti, and is this
1830. In 1836 Dante Rossetti, then“ a pleas- your writing ?” An affirmative reply was fol-
ing, spirited-looking boy, with bright eyes, au-
lowed by,
“What do you mean by it?" To
burn hair, and fresh complexion," was sent to this the startled Rossetti mildly answered that
the day-school of a Mr. Paul, and thence, in he“ meant precisely what he had said,” where-
1837, to King's College School, where he re upon the touchy painter, seeing his error,
mained five years, gaining a fair knowledge of warmly granted his admirer's request, taking
Latin and a smattering of Greek, and evincing him as a pupil gratis, and thus founding an
a turn for drawing and rhyming that won him intimacy that led up to the companionship with
a degree of mild popularity, despite his “un Holman Hunt and Millais, and so to the fa-
schoolboylike” ways and rather maidenly mous Præraphaelite Brotherhood,- of which,
avoidance of the rough sports and Homeric bat- however, Madox Brown was never a member.
tles of his schoolmates.
Of this much-canvassed coterie the author gives
Mr. Rossetti notes that he cannot remember an interesting account; but we shall only note
any date at which it was not understood in the in passing that Dante Rossetti, after the fervor
family that “ Gabriel meant to be a painter"; of youth was past, wearied exceedingly of the
and so in 1842, on leaving school, he at once P.R. B., and was disposed to resent any allusion
entered the drawing academy of Mr. F. S. Cary, to it. In 1880 he said to Mr. Hall Caine, “ As
where he remained till 1846, drawing from the for all the prattle about Præraphaelitism, I con-
antique, dabbling a little in anatomy, and, as fess to you I am weary of it, and long have been.
always, following mainly his own bent and Why should we go on talking about the vision-
fancy. “He liked to do what he himself chose, ary vanities of half-a-dozen boys ? What you
and, even if he did what someone else pre call the movement was serious enough, but the
scribed, he liked to do that in his own way.” banding together under that title was all a
From Cary's, Rossetti went to the Royal Acad joke.” To a lady who asked him if he were
emy School; and here, as before, he went on “the Præraphaelite Rossetti,” he replied curtly,
working with much enthusiasm as to the main - Madame, I am not an ite' of any kind ; I
end, and with equal laxity as to the prescribed am only a painter.” Rossetti's first exhibited
means. Holman Hunt has left a graphic sketch picture was “ The Girlhood of Mary Virgin'
of him as an Academy student:
(signed « Dante Gabriel Rossetti, P. R. B."),
“ A young man of decidedly foreign aspect, with long which he sent to the Free Exhibition in 1849.
brown hair touching his shoulders, not taking care to The work was well received by the critics (the
walk erect, but rolling carelessly as he slouched along,*
pouting with parted lips, staring with dreaming
eyes. following year), and was promptly sold at the
storm against Præraphaelitism began in the
.
to the ordinary vanities of young men that he would painter's own price of £80.
allow the spots of mud to remain dry on his legs for Turning to our author's account of the liter-
several days. . . . With his pushing stride and loud
ary side of Rossetti's career, we find that his
voice, a special scrutiny would have been needed to dis first printed poem was “Sir Hugh the Heron,”
.cern the reserved tenderness that dwelt in the breast of
the apparently careless and defiant youth. . . . In these
a boyish attempt imitative of Scott, begun when
early days, with all his headstrongness and a certain the author was twelve, and printed two years
want of consideration, his life within was untainted to later at his grandfather Polidori's private press.
an exemplary degree, and he worthily rejoiced in the
In 1861 appeared his unsurpassed translations
poetic atmosphere of the sacred and spiritual dreams
that encircled him, however some of his noisy demon from “The Early Italian Poets.” In 1867 he
strations at the time might hinder this from being rec-
was attacked by insomnia, accompanied by par-
ognized by a hasty judgment.”
tial failure of eyesight. Disabled thus from
In 1848, Rossetti entered the studio of Mr. the practice of one art, he turned his thoughts
Ford Madox Brown, whose somewhat abstruse more exclusively to the other; and his former
canvases he greatly admired. It is related that vague project of one day issuing a volume of
he had previously penned a note to Brown poems quickly took shape. Those familiar with
(asking to be received as a pupil) so lavish of Rossetti's life will recall a romantic incident
praise that the recipient, believing himself connected with the preparation of this volume.
twitted, seized a stout stick and set out to chas. His wife, to whom he was tenderly attached,
tise the unknown joker. Arrived at Rossetti's died in 1862, after two years of wedded life.
* James Smetham somewhere describes Rossetti as “lolling
This loss seemed to the stricken painter to cover
about, and behaving Ilke a seal on a sandbank."
life with a funeral pall; and in his early trans-


166
[March 16,
THE DIAL
ports of despair he went into the room where seen the light”; and thus was the battle joined.
his dead wife lay, and placed his cherished book Rossetti was not much cast down, it seems,
of MS. poems in her coffin — putting, says Mr. by the “Maitland” article ; but it wiis far
Hall Caine, the volume between her cheek and otherwise when this piece reappeared (..872)
beautiful hair, and it was that day buried with much enlarged and trebly charged with venom,
her in Highgate Cemetery.” “I have often,” in a pamphlet volume entitled “The Fleshly
he said, “ been writing at those poems when School of Poetry, and other Phenomena of the
Lizzie was ill and suffering, and I might have Day, by Robert Buchanan.” As to Rossetti's
been attending to her, and now they shall go." Poems, the pamphlet avers :
In 1869 he yielded to his friends' solicitations “ . . There is thorough nastiness in many pieces.
that his wife's coffin be exhumed, and the MS. A sickening desire is evinced to reproduce the sensual
recovered. This was done on October 10; and mood. Rossetti bas not given us one rounded an i note-
worthy piece of art. He is fleshly all over, from the
he was thus again put in possession of the cor-
roots of his hair to the tips of his toes. Bad rhymes.
rect form of his old poems, and also of some
become the rule, and not the exception. . . . Sonnets
pieces of which he had retained no fragments. 11 to 20 are one profuse sweat of animalism. The
The volume was published on April 25, 1870;
House of Life' is a very hotbed of nasty phraseli.
and the chorus of praise for it was “eager,
In Rossetti's poetry there is a veritably stupendons pre-
loud, and prolonged.” But there was presently Mr. Swinburne merely echo what is vile”— etc.
ponderance of sensuality and sickly animalism. He and
a bitterly dissentient voice. In the “Contem-
porary Review” for October, 1871, appeared
It may be charitably assumed that the writer
an abusive article headed “The Fleshly School
of this precious “ appreciation " was not aware
of Poetry – Mr. D. G. Rossetti,” and signed when he wrote it that many of the compositions
- Thomas Maitland”.
“ Maitland ”soon prov-
which he thus characterized as deliberate and
ing to be Mr. Robert Buchanan. As Mr. Ros- unredeemed filth had once been placed by their
setti lays great stress on this deplorable epi-author as a pious sacrifice in his dead wife's
sode, owing to its averred serious effect on his
coffin. When the pamphlet appeared Rossetti
brother, we shall briefly review his version of it. was in a distressing state, mentally and bodily,
The animus of the “Maitland” article is, he partly from insomnia, but chiefly through over-
states, primarily traceable to a review he himself dosing with chloral. He had resorted to the
had written in 1866. It was in that year that drug as a soporific in 1870; and from eighteen
Mr. Buchanan’s burlesque poem, “ The Session grains nightly, he had rapidly increased his
of the Poets," appeared in the “Spectator,”
allowance to 180 grains! Mr. Gosse states
following the issue of Mr. Swinburne's “ Poems
that "no case has been recorded in the annals.
and Ballads." It contained these lines :
of medicine in which one patient has taken so
“Up jumped, with his neck stretching out like a gander,
much, or even half so much, chloral as Rossetti
Master Swinburne, and squealed, glaring out through his hair, took.” Thus, domestic grief and the strain of
'All virtue is bosh! Hallelujah for Landor!
a restless, teeming imagination had brought on
I disbelieve wholly in everything! There !!
With language so awful he dared then to treat 'em,
insomnia ; insomnia had led to chloral; and
Miss Ingelow fainted in Tennyson's arms;
chloral to depression, with a turmoil of distem-
Poor Arnold rushed out, crying · Saecl'inficetum!'
pered fears and fantasies. When Mr. Bu-
And great bards and small bards were full of alarms :
Till Tennyson, flaming and red as a gipsy,
chanan's pamphlet appeared, Rossetti was on
Struck his fist on the table, and uttered a shout:
the verge of mental collapse ; and this unhappy
To the door with the boy! Call a cab! He is tipsy!'
And they carried the naughty young gentleman out."
screed seems to have finished the work. His
At about this time Mr. William Rossetti was
fancies, says the author, “now ran away with
writing a review of Mr. Swinburne's book; and him, and he thought the pamphlet was a first
the above lines moved him to open his critique crushing his fair fame as an artist and a man,
symptom in a widespread conspiracy' for
as follows:
and for hounding him out of honest society."
“The advent of a great poet is sure to cause a com.
His manifold delusions were thenceforth tinged
motion of one kind or another; and it would be hard
were this otherwise in times like ours, when the advent with this notion. Having received, for instance,
of even so poor and pretentious a poetaster as a Robert from Mr. Browning a copy of his “ Fifine at
Buchanan stirs storms in teapots."
the Fair,” he at once fastened upon some lines
So scored, Mr. Buchanan soon found occasion at the end as being a spiteful attack upon
him-
to "pitch into " an edition of Shelley prepared self; and Mr. Browning was thereupon set
by his assailant, amiably affirming it to be “the down as a leading member of the “ conspiracy."
very worst edition of Shelley which has ever Rossetti was never able to quite rid himself of


1896.]
167
THE DIAL
this fancy. To Mr. Browning was soon joined,
THE PARIS COMMUNE OF 1871.*
as a fellow-conspirator, Mr. Dodgson, whose
wildly absurd nonsense-poem, " The Hunting
The Commune of 1871 can never impress
of the Snark,” the unhappy man declared to be our imagination as does her terrible elder sis-
a pasquinade against himself. Another delu ter of '89. The events are perhaps too near
sion may be recorded, if only as a curiosity in us and the personal insignificance and selfish
mental pathology. While staying at Broad pusillanimity of the chief actors stand out too
lands, a friend's seat in Hampshire, Rossetti clearly in the pitiless glare of modern publicity.
one day became angered at a thrush which Moreover, the Revolution was a justified revolt
trilled its lay in an adjoining garden, conceiv- against an organized system of political oppres-
ing that the bird had been trained by the con sion and caste privilege, and amid all its ex-
spirers against his peace “to ejaculate some travagances and atrocities pursued a definite
thing insulting to him”! Rossetti's illness policy to a successful result. The leaders of
culminated in the attempt at suicide (at the the Commune never made it quite clear to them-
house of a Dr. Hake) to which Mr. Belì Scott selves, their adherents, or the world, whether
has vaguely alluded, and of which the author, they were contending for municipal autonomy,
" rather than leave the matter open to dubious
for the social revolution, or for the temporary
conjecture,” gives a frankly detailed account, command of the luxuries of Paris. And the
saying that his brother's despair impelled him vague social distress and discontent which found
finally to swallow the contents of a bottle of vent through them is a phenomenon concern-
laudanum. “Of course his intention was sui-ing the causes, the justification, and the possi-
cide."
ble cure of which we are still in the dark.
Mr. Rossetti, as we have seen, inclines to
Their sole contribution to the problem has been
view the Buchanan attack
upon
his brother as to strengthen the deep distrust with which so-
contributing largely to his mental upset; and ber men regard any attempts at reform that
his tone throughout the chapter treating of the begin by weakening the restraints which the
matter (even where he mentions Mr. Buchan present organization of society enforces upon
an's final retraction) is charged with bitterness.
the brute beast within the man.
“It is,” he avers, “ a simple fact, that from But though the higher historical imagina-
the time when the pamphlet had begun to work
gun to work tion is not deeply stirred, there is a certain hor-
into the inner tissue of his feelings, Dante Ros- rible fascination in reading of events like these
setti was a changed man, and so continued till taking place, not in the dimly conceived pre-
the close of his life.” It seems clear that the Haussmannic Paris, but in the streets and
pamphlet, appearing when it did, inflamed Ros- squares of that very capital of pleasure and
setti's malady, and determined the peculiar happy hunting-ground of the Cook's tourist that
drift of his hallucinations ; but we must con we know so well how the Place de la Con.
clude, on our author's own showing, that had corde shelled the Arc de Triomphe, and the
Mr. Buchanan never written of the “ Fleshly Arc de Triomphe swept with grape-shot the
School,” insomnia and chloral, acting upon so
Champs Elysées, how fiends in the shape of
sensitive and delicately balanced an organism,
women fired the Rue Royale with petroleum,
must have wrought approximately as they did. how the dead lay in heaps on the floor of La
Mr. Rossetti's narrative is a little jumbled, Madeleine, while the Louvre was encircled with
but it is eminently candid, and full of telling a cordon of fire, and frenzied horsemen gal-
color and detail. It sets before us most vividly loped from the fortress of the Hôtel de Ville to
the true Dante Rossetti — a widely different the armed camp in the Place Vendôme with
figure, let us add, from the affected, fantastic orders to “ blow up everything." It is as hard
Rossetti, half coxcomb, half mystic, as painted for us to realize as it was for the dazed French
by the popular fancy. The letters are famil- trooper whom Ludovic Halévy in his amusing
iar, rather off - band compositions, valuable reminiscences speaks of meeting at the gates of
mainly as reflecting the personality of the the city, and who to all inquiries could only
writer. The volumes form a desirable memo- reply breathlessly: “ It's jess paralyzin' in
rial of that rare genius whose distinction it is Paris-barricades all over the place, and bombs,
to have furnished his time with new and worthy and gun-shots, and pistols going off, it's jess
pictorial and poetical ideals, and to have left paralyzin', even if nothin' hits you."
the world appreciably richer in two arts.
*THE HISTORY OF THE PARIS COMMUNE OF 1871. By
Thomas March. New York: Macmillan & Co.
>>
E. G. J.


168
(March 16,
THE DIAL
This story has just been told by Mr. Thomas of their actions breaks up into a fragmentary
March in bis “ History of the Paris Commune history of committees, departments, and the
of 1871." The book is a somewhat amateur sterile agitations of individual greed or ambi-
ish performance, but merits attention as the tion. Any member of the Commune who could
first attempt in English to present a systematic get control of one of the great departmental
impartial narration of these events based on a buildings was practically master there, unless
study of the sources. Mr. March cites as his he interfered overmuch with his colleagues, or
authorities, and conscientiously uses, the offi- seemed to be compromising the safety of the
cial reports of the French Commission of En. whole. The ultimate test of a man's influence
quiry, the military report of Marshall Mac was his power of "bluff,” or perhaps rather
Mahon, the proceedings of the Conseils de the number of federated battalions that it was
Guerre and a number of other minor French believed would rise at his bidding.
treatises apologetic or explanatory. But his Mr. March confines himself to a plain nar-
main reliance has evidently been the classical rative of the military operations, if they may
work of Maxime du Camp “Les Convulsions be so called, and the legislative action of the
de Paris," first published in the form of arti Commune. He would have made a far more
cles in the “Revue des Deux Mondes.” A readable book if he had availed himself more
brief introductory chapter sketches the rise of freely of the stores of interesting anecdote and
the International and the fomentation of radamusing character-sketches accessible in Max-
ical sentiment by the repressive régime and the ime du Camp and his other sources. Of the
injustices of the Third Empire. The narration real aims and motives of the more serious-
proper begins with the arrival of the news of minded among the leaders, of their justification
the Capitulation of Sedan, and the consequent in their own eyes, he tells us little, and his por-
deposition of the Emperor by an infuriated traits of their characters are slight and not
Parisian mob on the 4th of September. Three always discriminating. He recognizes the es-
or four chapters are devoted to the history of sential integrity of purpose of Delescluze and
the siege, including a full description of the Varlin, whom he calls, “in honor, modesty, and
unsuccessful attempt of the revolutionary party sincerity the noblest .
sincerity the noblest . . . of the entire Com-
on the 31st of October to oust the Government
He does more than justice to that con-
of National Defence from the Hôtel de Ville. temptible dandified bully, Raoul Rigault, when
We are then shown the gradual growth and he pronounces him " the one strong-willed man
consolidation of this party, the federation of of the Commune,” and perhaps something less
the national guards, the organization of the than justice to Jourde, who probably saved the
Central Committee, the daily increasing popu Bank of France, and who at any rate handled
lar distrust and discontent, and the final exas millions without a suspicion attaching to his
peration of the populace by the terms of the honesty.
truce and the German occupation of the Champs The most readable part of the book is the full
Elysées. Only a spark was needed to ignite vivid description in the last hundred pages of
this inflammable material. It was struck from the terrible eight days of fighting in the streets,
a collision of the mob with the forces of the which gradually strained the nerves of the
government in a blundering attempt of the lat soldiers as well as of the insurgents to the point
ter to seize the cannon which the guards had where men become more or less than men, and
dragged up to Montmartre for fear that Thiers culminated in wholesale cold blooded butchery
would abandon them to Bismarck. The failure on both sides. A brief conclusion sketches
of this attempt, and the consequent withdrawal the dealings of the French courts with the 36,-
of Thiers to Versailles, delivered Paris over to 000 prisoners taken, and the fate of some of
the revolutionary leaders, somewhat to their the prominent leaders of the movement. The
own surprise and embarrassment. Of their author's style, though straightforward and not
rule, or misrule, from March 18 to May 21, unpleasant, is unformed and at times incorrect.
when the reorganized army of Versailles reën He abuses the historic present-
a form of vi.
tered the city, Mr. March gives a full, clear, vacity in which only a Carlyle may safely in-
and impartial account. It would not be easy dulge—and now and then relieves his emotions
to lend artistic unity to this part of the story. by naive apostrophes and ejaculatory moraliz-
For among these improvised rulers no man and ings, such as: “Alarmed, no! disgusted and
no party possessing a definite policy exercised humiliated," “ Take heed, ye men of strong per-
effective predominancy; and so the narration | suasions ! ”
"" Speed ye, Versaillais, if ye would
mune.


1896.)
169
THE DIAL
men.
save your idolized city from a frightful calam- familiarized him with the idea that the shortest
ity.” There is a more than Thucydidean license way to this consummation is the seizure of po-
of anacoluthon in the syntax of “and Paris litical power. This reflection will not explain
was shut in upon herself for a few days only the action of the few honest fanatics of the
partially but presently to be absolute.” And Commune, but it contains the entire “psychol-
what Mr. March would call an “undisciplin. ogy” of a majority of its “colonels” and
ary" imagination expresses itself in such met “ generals " and minor officials. The chief
aphors as : “ The hot-headed youthdom which lesson of the miserable story for the student
studies in Paris and becomes the feeding-trough of history — after the obvious warning that our
of successive revolutions,” or “the Commune civilization is only skin deep- is the ruinous
borne into existence by a current of supposed folly of procrastination, of half measures, of
patriotism which was only a cloak,” etc. And drifting with the tide in matters that con-
in addition to these oddities of expression, the cern the passions of the unthinking masses of
reader's attention is now and then startled by Neither the revolutionary nor the gov-
such freaks or monstrosities as : “ inflamma ernmental leaders intended or foresaw in the
gent,” « infuriated simples,” “ arson as a prin- beginning the horrors of the final week. But
ciple of practiques," " light-souled bouncers," both, while playing with the passions of their
Rigault's body was lain beside a barricade,” supporters, allowed affairs to drift until con-
“punctilious for his own safety,” “la deché- cession and retreat were impossible. A series
anse”[sic],“a motley and disorderly parapher- of blunders and untoward accidents intensified
nalia.” General ideas and illuminating phil. the exasperation of the combatants on either
osophic criticism are wanting, unless we can side, and so, to apply a phrase of Mr. Ruskin,
accept as such the sapient observation that they saw “ The resolved arbitration of the des-
“ hasty retributions are swift and often irre- tinies conclude into precision of doom what
mediable iniquities,” or the aphorism “the they blindly and feebly began.”
intolerance of one sect is and ever shall be com-
PAUL SHOREY.
pensated by that of another,” or the apocalyp-
tic final utterance that “only the dumb have
a universal language, and only the outcasts
actual or prospective—of society can own a uni-
ANGLICAN AND CATHOLIC.*
versal republic.”
Mr. Saintsbury recently said that Cardinal
Perhaps no very definite lesson can as yet | Manning “ was less a man of letters than a
be derived from this casual outburst of the ap-
very astute man of business.'
But Manning
petites and envies that are always seething be was much more than even a very astute man
neath the thin crust of civilization. We can
of business, because just as surely as his con-
see that, even apart from the peculiar conditions
sumate diplomacy in ecclesiastical affairs rose
created by the siege, Paris was the predestined at times to the dignity of statesmanship was
theatre of this uprising. For Paris is the one Manning a great ecclesiastical statesman. His
city in which the pleasures of l'homme sensuel life was, indeed, so complete that he once inti-
moyen are most persistently and tantalizingly mated it would require at least three biogra-
dangled before the eyes of the disinherited. phers to write it adequately: “ an Oxford man
And there is no other city in which a little for the first period ; a priest for dogmas and
money is so easily and obviously convertible councils and diocesan business (though I doubt
into those pleasures as Paris. I mean that the if the same one could do the Roman part and
poor devil in the street of Paris has a much
the Westminster part); and for the political
more vivid conception of what it would be like and social questions of my latter days a third,
to descend from his garret to a first floor apart-in rebus vitæ publicæ apprime versatus.'
ment, to sip his absinthe at the Café Riche, dine If Mr. Purcell, therefore, in his new “Life
at the Café Anglais, and enjoy the other de- of Cardinal Manning," was called upon to per-
lights obtruded upon his notice by the capital form the work of three men, he was, on the
of pleasure, than his Chicago counterpart can other hand, given an abundance of material
possibly have of the discreet and sheltered lux- sufficient for at least three ordinary biographies.
ury of a home on the Lake Shore Drive or on Besides having access to diaries, journals, au-
Prairie Avenue. He would know better how
* LIFE OF CARDINAL MANNING, Archbishop of Westmin-
to transmute a purse of money into the pleas-
ster. By Edmund Sheridan Purcell. In two volumes. New
ures he covets. And frequent revolutions have York: Macmillan & Co.


170
[March 16,
THE DIAL
tobiographical notes, and a multitude of letters, to deal with: the one set, those who put their trust in
him
he had constant opportunities of learning from
the ecclesiastical authorities and his own peni-
tents; the other set, those in whom he put his trust
Cardinal Manning himself the story of his life
his intimate friends and confessors. He dealt with each
and the motives of his action. Mr. Gladstone, set from different standpoints: from the one he consid-
than whom no one was more intimately asso ered it his duty to conceal his religious doubts and dif-
ciated with Manning in his Anglican days, was
ficulties; to the other he laid bare, as in conscience
bound, the secrets of his soul.”
also an inspiring source of information. This
invaluable material (and it should be added Although Mr. Gladstone belonged to the
that in his private diaries the Cardinal had former of these sets, there existed between the
revealed the inner workings of his mind with statesman and the churchman a very ardent
unusual clearness) Mr. Purcell has used with friendship. Until Manning's conversion they
utmost liberality, allowing Cardinal Manning were, according to Mr. Gladstone's own ac-
to relate, in so far as was possible, his own life count, “ in close and constant communication”;
in his own words.
in many of the battles of belief they fought
The truth is, Mr. Purcell has been generous side by side. In 1838 they were together in
with his material to the point of indiscretion, Rome.
and, not content with this, he has lingered over “« Ask Gladstone,' the Cardinal once said, whether
the weaknesses of his hero, while he does not
he remembers standing side by side with me in the
Church of S. Luigi dei Francesi, listening to the sermon
seem to have emphasized his greatnesses. But
of a Dominican friar, and saying to me, Such preachers
if this be undeniable, it is just as undeniable
we want at home - eloquent and impassioned, yet sin-
that Mr. Purcell's book throws a flood of light gularly dogmatic in their teachings. This incident Mr.
on matters of importance hitherto hidden in
Gladstone remembered well. • Ask the Cardinal,' he
said in retort, if he remembers how, when we were
obscurity
One of these is the conversion of Archdea-
walking together one Sunday morning in the Piazza dei
Fiore, he rebuked me for buying apples on a Sunday.
con Manning to Catholicism. It has always The Cardinal Archbishop,' he added with a smile, 'is,
been supposed that Manning seceded from the I fancy, far more tolerant than the straitlaced parson
English Church because of the acceptance by
of that day.'
that church of royal supremacy on doctrinal After Manning was received into the Catholic
matters, resulting from the decision in March, Church in 1851 he and Gladstone did not meet
1850, which permitted its priests to deny the for twelve years; their interrupted correspond-
doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. But the ence was then renewed, but it was without the
extracts from Manning's diary, and from his warmth that marked their early friendship.
letters to Charles Laprimaudaye and Robert However, the friendship between Gladstone
Wilberforce, prove beyond a doubt that as and Manning was much more sincere and last-
early as May, 1846, he had intellectually broken ing than that between Newman and Manning.
from the Anglican Church, although there is Between these men a mutual mistrust seems to
not a trace of this rupture in his public utter have arisen after Manning, who at no time was
ances until after the Gorham Judgment. Af very strongly influenced by the Oxford Move-
flicted all these years by conflicting claims of ment, and had, indeed, withdrawn from the
conscience, his faith in the Catholic Church Movement upon becoming Archdeacon of Chi-
steadily increasing, Manning still preached chester, attacked the Tracterians in his Fifth
with as much apparent assurance and author of November Sermon, 1843. This distressing
ity as ever. The only explanation of this seem mistrust was never overcome on the part of
ing duplicity lies in what Cardinal Vaughan, either, and a conciliatory correspondence begun
the present Archbishop of Westminster, has in 1867 resulted in each expressing the not un.
said about Manning. “ Those who knew the humorous resolution of saying a series of masses
Cardinal well,” he observes, “ knew that he for the friendly intentions of the other. Two
had two moods of character. One of great cau years later Newman wrote to Manning : “I do
tion and self-restraint when he spoke or wrote not know whether I am on my head or my heels
in public. Measure and prudence were then when I have active relations with you.” After
dictated by a high sense of responsibility. An- they became cardinals they met but twice. Yet
other, of singular freedom and playfulness of such is the eloquent complexity of man's char-
speech, when he thoroughly unbent with those acter that at Cardinal Newman's death Man-
whom he trusted in private.” Mr. Purcell furning spoke of him as his “ brother and friend
thermore suggests :
of more than sixty years
"!
“Manning had, to put it broadly, two sets of people As a churchman Manning's work was three-


1896.]
171
THE DIAL
fold,- that of the author, of the preacher, and War, the great proroguer of Councils, prorogued the
of the spiritual guide. As an author, his style Vatican Council for an indefinite period."
was sometimes obscure, seldom distinctive, al Unfortunately, all the chapters of Mr. Pur-
ways unpolished.
He was not an original cell's work do not show the really masterful
thinker, nor a profoundly read theologian ; he
treatment of that from which I have just quoted.
was not logical enough to be a successful con The value of the work is seriously marred by
troversialist, nor imaginative enough to pro an unusual quantity of misprints and oversights,
duce literature of lasting merit. As a pulpit and by mistakes in matters of fact which might
orator, a clear penetrating voice added to a dig. have been remedied by a careful revision. Mr.
nified and impressive manner. But with Man- Purcell, moreover, has shown little skill in the
ning, even more than with Matthew Arnold, treatment of his material, and almost no sense
conscience was three-fourths of life, and the of proportion. There are many needless repe-
rules of conduct which he prescribed as a spir- titions. Further than this, Mr. Purcell is un-
itual guide were often extremely rigorous. In justly severe with his hero, and frequently im-
the fulness of his piety he thought more of the putes to Cardinal Manning motives utterly
spirit than of beauty.
unworthy of so good and great a man.
In the larger sphere of public action Man-
TULEY FRANCIS HUNTINGTON.
ning was, with his tact, his diplomatic skill, his
persuasive and conciliatory manners, and his
great tenacity of purpose, everywhere so emi-
RECENT BIBLICAL CRITICISM.*
nently successful, that he was once likened to
“ a pawn on the ecclesiastical chessboard, push American interest in matters of Biblical criticism,
ing his way through hostile lines to the goal of instead of waning, is constantly growing. The the-
his desires." If his methods were sometimes ories of German scholars have not merely become
open to criticism, as in the Errington case (upon
known to technical students, but they are perme-
which Mr. Purcell dwells much too minutely), ating also the atmosphere of popular knowledge.
his conduct was always inspired by pure and
Books are being prepared which the ordinarily in-
exalted motives. His most brilliant honors as
telligent person can read with profit, and which will
enable him to thread his way through the somewhat
an ecclesiastical statesman were won as a Father
devious paths of the Higher Criticism with clearer
of the Vatican Council, where, turning aside view and surer step. As a result, some clearly de-
all opposition, he brought about the definition fined attitudes on the part of a larger company
than
of Papal Infallibility. The meeting of the that of the scholars are easily discernible. There
Vatican Council at which this definition was is, first of all, a small number of those who have ac-
carried is vividly described by Mr. Purcell : cepted, without much study, the most radical conclu-
sions of the most radical of German scholars. These
“On Monday the 18th of July, 1870 [the Vatican
Council] held its fourth and last public session. The
are for the most part clergymen who are proud to
excitement was intense. The moral as well as the ma be numbered among the favorers of all new things,
terial atmosphere was charged with electricity. Men who have accepted these views, not because they
to whom the Faith of the Church was as a breath to their have become convinced by careful study that here
nostrils stood in that hour trembling on the verge of is the only safe ground, but because these theories
future events, they knew not what — revolt, schism,
are destructive of much that has been for a long
apostacy, perhaps the fall, if not of nations and peoples,
time accepted among us.
At the other extreme
as the prophets of ill had predicted, of individuals,
stands the class of rigidly orthodox persons, who
bishops, priests, and even whole communities. The
thunder-storm, the lightnings from Heaven which burst
are equally ignorant with the former class of the real
over the Vatican, as the Council received and ratified
facts in the case, but who are always against any-
the Papal Decree, was but a pale reflex or faint whisper thing that is new. Between these are several other
of the moral storm which agitated the hearts of men, classes standing at varying distances from one or
and shook for a time from their balance the minds of the other. There are those who, having examined
but too many. The more subdued the excitement, the
more intense. The white-mitred Fathers of the Coun-
*THE ELEMENTS OF THE HIGHER CRITICISM. By Andrew
C. Zenos. New York : Funk & Wagnalls Company.
cil, as they took part in the last scene of the moving
drama, were subdued into a silence by a feeling akin
THE HIGHER CRITICISM OF THE PENTATEUCH. By William
Henry Green, D.D. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons.
to awe. Manning was, perhaps, the most silent; but,
THE UNITY OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS. By William Henry
as an eye-witness related, his face was flushed with ex-
Green, D.D. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
citement and transfigured with an indescribable look
THE HISTORY OF THE HEBREWS. By R. Kittel. Volume
of triumph at the unanimity with which the Council, in
I., Sources of Information and History of the Period up to
obedience to the Divine Will, ratified, as he had pre the Death of Joshua. Translated by John Taylor, D.Lit.
dicted, the dogma of Papal Infallibility. On the London: Williams & Norgate.
day after the Definition — Tuesday, 19th of July – THE WISE MEN OF ANCIENT ISRAEL AND THEIR PRO
War was declared between France and Germany. And VERBS. By C.F.Kent, Ph.D. Boston : Silver, Bardett & Co.


172
[March 16,
THE DIAL
in some degree these topics and perceiving their that the Bible was originally a unity in all its parts,
extreme difficulty, are inclined to leave the matter cannot but be regarded as unwarrantable. His
alone until more definite conclusions have been whole discussion is vitiated by this begging of the
reached. Some, having given careful study to the question; and, indeed, we find it difficult to follow
subject, feel that the orthodox position has not been him, since he is constantly making those assump-
seriously disturbed; others recognize that new points tions which should not precede, but follow, a study
of view must be taken, but are not prepared to take of the material itself. The question, e.g., in what
them. There are still others who hold that the re respect the Bible is the Word of God, is answered
sults of Biblical criticism, while affecting the out in the Bible itself, by a study of its own statements
ward form of the Biblical revelation, have not at and contents; one particular theory on this point
all changed the essential truth of it. They either cannot be accepted beforehand and made the basis
reduce the discredited material to moral teaching of argument.
through symbolism, or hold faith and science strictly In his second work, “The Unity of the Book of
apart from one another.
Genesis,” Dr. Green has done some most excellent
Meanwhile, the field is being cleared somewhat service by testing in detail the hypotheses of the ad-
by the examination of fundamental principles. A vanced critics concerning the formation of the Book
little book by Professor A. C. Zenos, entitled “The of Genesis. The volume is not one suited for pop-
Elements of the Higher Criticism,” is of exceeding ular reading, but demands a knowledge of Hebrew.
value in this respect. With steady judicial balance To anyone who is willing to give time and patience
the true meaning and proper methods of the Higher to the examination of this book in connection with
Criticism are set forth, as well as the relation of a book of the other school there will come a clearer
this science to other associated sciences, and the and juster view of the scope and the results of the
dangers that threaten the scholar in his employ work of the Higher Criticism as it has dealt with the
ment of this instrument. The book is a model of book of Genesis.
clearness, and, coming as it does from one who is Such a work of the advanced school is found in
recognized as belonging to the conservative wing of the translation of Kittel's “ The History of the He-
the Presbyterian church, will be of great influence brews.” Professor Kittel is a representative of the
in opening the eyes and clarifying the judgment of 80-called Dillmann school of Old Testament criti-
those who are associated with that party, while it cism,- not the most radical of the German schools.
is of real service to their opponents to have pointed His mediating attitude has been severely criticized
out to them in so reasonable a manner the difficul- | by some modern scholars (notably in a fierce review
ties and extravagances into which one may fall by of the “History” by the late W. Robertson Smith),
an unwarranted use of the Higher Criticism. It is but without reason. The book requires the same
interesting to notice that Professor Zenos draws all detailed study that is demanded by Professor
his illustrations of the methods of Higher Criticism Green's “Genesis," and anyone who hopes to find
from its abuses. One reading his book would be in it an interesting story, such as Stanley gave us
inclined to think that the higher critics have been in his lectures on the Jewish Church, will be disap-
constantly making mistakes, and that the method pointed. It is a book for scholars and for those
has accomplished little or nothing. We can under who can give time to the study of processes.
We
stand the hindrances under which Professor Zenos
are not especially impressed with the excellence of
labored, and, on the whole, think him eminently the translation. Some passages, fortunately not
wise in the cautious way in which he has proceeded. many, are made quite unintelligible, and the whole
It would be of inestimable benefit to any intelligent is not up to the standard required of modern trans-
student of the Bible to read and digest this clear lations. Still, we hail this book with great satisfac-
and valuable manual.
tion, because now for the first time is presented to
Professor William Henry Green is recognized as students the opportunity of studying in English
the champion of the conservative school in Biblical speech a History of Israel, based on the most ap-
study, and from no other writings can one gain so proved results of Higher Criticism and written by
clear an understanding of the merits and the de a learned, devout and candid scholar.
fects of this school than from his two books now Few people know that there was another class of
before us.
In “ The Higher Criticism of the Pen teachers in Ancient Israel besides the prophets and
tateuch ” he has set forth the general principles the priests, but so we learn from Professor Kent's
which should govern any proper study of this por “ The Wise Men of Ancient Israel and Their Pro-
tion of the Old Testament and his criticisms of the verbs.” Merely to call attention to the work of the
methods and results of the progressive school. He wise men of the Old Testament is a sufficient rea-
starts with the acceptance of the unity of the Bible, son for this book. The kernel of its usefulness is
and has here done excellent service in bringing for found in a classification of the precepts of the Book
ward an often forgotten fact, namely, that the Bible, of Proverbs according to their significance rather
as it stands, has a single message, an organized than on the helter-skelter method of the original
character. But it seems to us that the conclusion collection. Dr. Kent has also furnished a series of
which he has drawn from this important fact, introductory studies in which he discusses fully and
namely, that therefore there is presumptive evidence very satisfactorily the work of the wise men, the


1896.]
173
THE DIAL
Bluff".
wisdom literature of the Old Testament, and the only two pages, but is a masterpiece of condensed
peculiarities of the Book of Proverbs. Two supple- dramatic narrative. There is a great deal of dia-
mental studies are also added, the first dealing lect in these stories, but they would be impossible
with that inevitable topic contained in every book without it, and we never feel that it is used out of
nowadays, the social teachings' of the Wise Men," pure wantonness.
Mr. Fox has, in this volume,
and the second handling in a fresh way Jesus' use achieved a distinct success, and it will not take much
of the Book of Proverbs. While there is nothing more of such work to give him high rank among
especially original in the book, it is a clever and our story-writers.
instructive presentation of material which one hith Mr. Owen Wister's “ Red Men and White" is a
erto would have had to go far to find.
collection of frontier sketches and stories, eight in
GEORGE S. GOODSPEED. number, which present with vividness of portrayal
the various types of civilized and uncivilized human-
ity to be found in the far West. Arizona and Idaho
are the scenes of most of these sketches, and the
SHORT STORIES BY AMERICAN WRITERS.* pages are peopled with Indians, cowboys, miners,
barroom-loafers, tenderfeet, and soldiers, all drawn
Every season brings to the library-table a num-
to the life, and all participating in picturesque, ad-
ber of books which serve particularly to illustrate
venturous, or humor