New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-09
LITERARY.


LITERARY.
M Taine, the author of a popular French
work Oh the History Of English Literature" gives
ZONE account by way OF explanatory appendix OF re-
cent visit TO the "fastanchored isle" in which he In.
duges In certain rather raoy comments on the English
character and institutions His impressions Of the ell
nate and scenery are stated with considerable strength
The ,horc is deeply eaten into" he says, the waves
gain ground. trees disappear, the ground has been
washed away by ncesant rain and the ocean Is always
there wild ard unconquerobo. Even on fine Summer
day tie sea is never brighter than pale slate and the
clouds rise up in pale wan way Ike coal smoke. The
sky 10 an enormous gray cupoa. Whom the nations
OF tie Southtba H. tie Romans-arTVed there Tor the
first time they must have thought they were In he'll
His remarks, as quoted by London reviewer, on the
English temperament and manners aro equally raey.
"Tho Englshman is very dun, but then be does not
mind being dull and even by the very fight lie makes
against adverse circumstances gains sort OF victory
over dulDess. English life is 80 quiet so monotonous'
that Engsbmen have lost all notion OF real enjoyment
When you have lived all your life upon turnips' III.
Taine remarks you do rot mind not having orangeso
An Enghhman this theorst continues, resigns himself
without the slightest difficulty TO hear fifteen sermons
running on tho same subject, 20 ask during twenty
years Tor the same reform to read moral treatses 20
teach in Sunday Schoos and to bring up dozen chill
dren. His nerves are always perfectly calm, and.
therefore pitlcs never sweep him into revolution. In
the upper classes this phlegmaiic temperament is re-
.ve1 BY tie national love OF outodoor exercise but
the vorlngmen and women OF every class absorbed
in their work. ard have no thought enjoyment be-
yond Il, More especially is this in the women Of
4 Frt.. .l1v In env.
mmptve looking. with hollow eyes. with peaked
noses and their skin marbled with red; they have all
gone through too much had too many children and have
worn patient resigned look which 10 say that
much ns they have borne they could still endure
with The English clergy n Taine processes hinself
much delighted. Except that they wear white chokers
and occa sona bands they exactly Ike aymen ana
the Partisan man OF the world finds that they are per-
sons capable Of conyersing with him. Nor does En-
glsh religion with 4 notice q which nj. Ia;ne con
concludes his sketch find mDch less favor In Lis eyes
Il s exclusively directed. he says. and with some Just
Ice 10 producing moral effect to building up ahar-
neter that shall be based fIed principles, and shall
resist temptation There s nothing In 1t Of byzantine
sup,letes the curious specuatous OF Germany find 10
place In Il Tho feminine soness Of Catholicism Is not
20 DO ionnd In IL There is nothing like tho Spouse OF
the Soul the Consocr and Friend dreamt Of 1t In the
tender reveries Of the InaiiO Chrsii Ii bears the
impress Of the Old Testament and the stern Hebrew
Pslms and the Same spirit the looking FOR justice and
tho triumph Of the God Of Justice. breathes through
the bymHs that sung with enthusiasm In Engish
churches. Although Frenchnan N. Iaine con-
cudcs by saying. and born In different creed, list
ened 10 tbese hymns with sincero admiration and feel
ing. They seemed 70 be high pitched and serious
poems, which gave glimpse into the infinite and ap-
poarod fit 70 satisfy the deep pootca instinct the vague
>.ro for TIE sublime and the melancholy Of tho English
race"
After tho lapse Of nearly thirty years since
the publication OF tho Life Of Jesus by Dr. Strauss
the author now issues new work on tho subject for
popular use. addressed to "the Great German
pootlo. the people Of the Reformation" whom
he invites 20 follow hin in the path which
Martin Lntler opened for them moro than
three centuries ago. The method adopted in this volume
is the reverse Of that presented In the former work
His process than was purely critical working from the
oh. toward the kernel aad snboctng the various
ditions which hal grown around tho life Of Jesus 10
sharp sEdysia His design now is TO construct IN
Authentic image Of thnt bfo bys synthetic joining
tocether Ct tho sc altered fragments Of historical truth
Assuming thel ground that we row know for certain
whst jesus was Lot and did not do. that is. nothing
superhuman sup rnstura" he undertakes 20 sketch
at least an ogtlne Of what he and what lac did. He
traces tue process by which the idea OF the resurrection
of Jcsus implanted in the minds OF tie disciples radu
ally aca nird ronrth and consistency and at last pro-
duced 90 luxurious growth Of unlstoriol ohshoots."
The M, OF Jesus is treated in the first place Lisor
cal and iu The second nyt thcal The different alleged
mythsnrc grouped according to their subjects oonmeno
Ing with he idea OF Jesus the promised Messiah and
ending with his Ascension. The theological views Of Dr.
Strauss remain unchanged except that be inclined TO
recognize more conscious and intentional invention in
the Gospel narratives than he Was ut st disposed 10
admit but not TO such extent 10 affect their myth
cal character He isyery complimentary TO NJ Renan
whose work he says. has immense merits and trivial
faults ard he stretches forth 10 it the hand Of follow
thip from a,ross the Rhine. The conversion Of Dr..
Strauss, witch has been paraded with considerable
polat in many Of the religious journals Of this country
does not ap.oar To be mach ~ boar. OF.
"A second edition." says London jognal,
has appeared of Sebastian Brunners Excursions IN
Germany, France England and Switzerland The
chapters which he has devoted TO country are ,
greatly enlivened by the scraps Of our language with
Which they are eopously adorned for he evidently ad
nires our speech ~ much our stout ale lie s elo