The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-18


careful student, and his work will richly repay the
reader. With simple dash OF the pen ne dis-
poses OF the Mosaic dispensation, while the nrsr
chapters OF Genesis sink away from his criticism
Is though they were conscious frauds. The Bib
lical account of creation IL put aside very much a.
. giant would put pigmy out OF his path saying,
"There. my dear little boy. don't bother me any
moro with your pratte," in the following words:
"The statement that civilization Is the necessary
product Of human nature may be regarded as
inconsistent with the Mosaic account OF creation,
which was, until Of late years. generally accepted
IS historically true; but 1t Is now regarded by all
tho ablest scientists, and by many. II not most,
leading Biblical critics. q record OF ancient ira
ditons which do not agree with each other or with
trustworthy information derived from other
sources, and are, therefore, not to be accepted"
We have often heard the Biblical account respect
fully questioned but have never known 1t to be
so completely set aside as q time-worn and moth
eaten garment, Mt only for the rag bag or beg
gar's back. Proofs OF his assertion are not want
ing. however. That piece OF fossil ivory found at
Madelaine in 1854, with the picture OF mammoth
rudely drawn on II, Is brought into the witness
box and displayed. That poor skeleton which was
discovered near New Orleans, covered by the re.
mains OF four successive cypress forests each OF
which had died out, the earliest more than $4,000
years ago. opens his neshless mouth to
evidently iavors Darwinism. He thinks
the difference between the Oborgos, who are
q little over four feet, and the Bushmen, who av.
erage about four and q half ieet high and the
genuine orang-outang, Is really not worth speak.
ing about. He ventures the assertion that the
above-named aborigines. whose chief food consists
OF vermin and wild fruits, have no conception
whatever OF religions and this being the case. they
are OF course, at the remotest remove, first cous-
Jvar tho hpun yxyhn ne
change their fore feet into hands. What pity 1t
Is that some one, say OF the tnousandth, or to be
more exact, or the 896th generation back, could
not have been delegated to gather Information on
this subject OF the successive ages as they swept
by, and leave his diary with the astute scientists
OF the present day Then these FOSSIL bones might
rest undisturbed, and Iyndall and Huxley need
not have spoken at that Belfast meeting. 1t is
pretty evident that something is wrong
either Moses did not know as much a. he
thought he did or modern science IL on
the wrong trail. The latter supposition is, how
yer, too absurd to be entertained for moment
Mr.. Hitte traces the race through Its long Pc
Rods OF savageism and barbarian, then hesitates
for while amid the streets OF Athens, or lounges
about the Roman Forum, after which he gets
thoroughly excited and prophetic over the press
age and the steam age. He Is careful In his state
ments. somewhat generous in his criticisms and
always clear in his arguments. We have read his
work win great deal OF pleasure. and cheerfully
commend It as An intellectual stimulant.
THEOLOGY OF THE ENGLISH POETS. BY Rev. Stop
ford A. Brooke. D. Appleton CO.
Whatever Stopford Brooke cares to say 10 worth
saying and well worth hearing. He Is an uncom.
mon man, and his thoughts now IN q channel new
70 literature. His style is clear and his knowledge
Of his subject perfect. He has way, too, OF talk
ing. which interests and instructs the ordinary
n Sv>
and conservative English Church. Feeling that
Sunday Is to be used as day OF recreation, and
that much good might be done by putting
aside the hackneyed topics which make
the Sunday afternoon dry and wearisoma
no took pains to get out OF the beaten
track and discourse of the poets His congrega-
ton increased in size and the religious interest OF
his people did not decrease. We have often won
dered that ministers have not taken this matter
In hand before, and instead OF giving as dsserta.
tlons on theoloatcal theories discOursed on topics
OF public interest," with a direct moral purpose in
view. Of course, and used the day ior instruction
concerning the drift and tendency OF history and
society. 1t might at first be regarded as inva-
sion and possibly denounced as q heresy but a
series Of sermons to the people on some OF the
more important phases OF American life would
have good effect on the morals Of the people.
Sleepy congregations would open their eyes and
dull ears would grow quick Of hearing. This Is
thrown out merely a. . suggestion, and yet with
the hope that some one will follow the lead
Of this sturdy Church OF Engander. The
nrst two chapters OF the book are given to
. careful review OF the elements OF British poetry
before Cowper. The author divides poets into
three general classes, city, country and theolog-
cal. Up 10 the time OF Cowper poetry consisted
largely OF descriptions OF city life and manners,
the cOmoemoration OF great historic events and
the laudation of heroism and heroes. Even Pope's
verse halted when he attempted to describe
landscape, ana his lines are what Mr.. Brooke calls
q concoction rather than q composition. Nature
to the earlier poets was an unknown quantity, a
geometrlc problem, stin dry and stately. The
true pastoral spirit and all the enthusiasm which
enlivens modern verse, was wanting. POpe's
description OF Windsor Forest, where
Thin that Show each oher SHADES
Ii so unlike the work which ordsworth would
have done that lone can scarcely imagine the
physical discomfort which Pope's Belinda and
Her Court would have suffered II they had been
placed side by side with wordsworth:-
when from the naked top
. mn SSd ba ths w We Sshed a the sun
Nature and theology entered into DO etry in tho
days OF Cowper and since that time they have oc-
cupIed so important place that in Robert Brown
ing we md long theological essays, and in Tenny-
son constant references to the dogmas and the
spirit OF the Church. Cowper effected this change
in British poetry in the following olt-quoted lines.
which are thoroughly characteristic OF the transi.
ton In the themes chosen by those who aspired to
poetic fame:-
Twas a stricken deer that left the herd
Long since; with many arrow, deep In fixed,
My painting side was charged, when withdrew
10 seek tranquil death in distant shades.
There found by who had imsef
Been hurt by the archers. In His side He bore,
And In His hands and feet, the cruel scars
Mr.. Brooke follows this change In all Its
various phases through Coleridge and Words
worth in several lectures, which are so attractive
to the general reader that we can easily under
stand the enthusiasm with which they were re-
ceived by his afternoon congregation,
The last two Lectures OF the book are on the
"Poetry OF Man." as 1t Is represented in Burns.