The Portland daily press., 1875-03-27
Recent Publications.

HOURS IN LIBRARY. BY Leslie Stephen. New
York: Scribner, Armstrong. q 20. For sale by
Loring, Short s. Harmon.
Mr. Leslie Stephen has collected in the vol
ume which bears the title Hours in Library
several articles Of his published in the Cornhll,
the Fortnightly, and Frasers. The collection
is one of the best specimens of literary criti-
cism which has been published since LowelPs
last volume. Unlike that work 1T arouses no
suspicion that critical Judgment is ever sighted
for the sake of saying a brilliant thing. The
reader peruses the essays very likely without
ever once thinking that they have exceptional
merit He finds himself saying every now and
then, ''that is just ''that is a neat way of
stating it, shat is certainly so." The rehec-
tions are so opposite that they seem the only
proper things to say. The judgments are SO
calm, comprehensive, dlspassoDate that we at
once accept them. 1t is only when we get
through that we are aware of how much we
have learned, that we realize how much clear
er and more sharply defined view we have OF
the author treated upon than when we began
our reading The style is pure, easy and en-
tertaning, and we are never left in doubt as to
the meaning Notwithstanding rarer in crit
icsm than may be supposed. Exuberant pa
triotism may lead us to demur little to the
treatment. of Hawthorne, and old associations
may call forth feeble protest against some
things said of Scott; but in the main there is
nothing to question.
The opening article is upon De Foes novels.
The complaint of Charles Lamb, that Robinson
Crusoe has been suffered to cast into the shade
the other novels of equal merit, is traversed,
Mr., Stephen holds that in Robinson Crusoe
De Foe has discovered precisely the field in
which his talents could be most effectually ap-
piled, and that the world has ground for Its
favoritism. He had the most marve ilous pow
er ever known of giving verisimitude to his
fctions. In most of his stories he kept to the
ordinary level of commonplace facts. We can
fndit easy to believe them, but for the most
part they are so deadly dull that we do not care
to read them. In Robinson Grusoe, however,
the situation changes. He cannot be too cir
cumstantial. He cannot tire US with details.
The main thing is to bring out the situation
plainly and forcibly, to tell us of the difficult
ties of making pots and pans, of catching
goats or sowing corn, and Of avoiding auda-
cious cannibals. We have the romantic and ad-
yenturous incidents upon which the most un-
finching realism can be set at work without
danger of vulgarity. 1t is one OF the excep-
tional cases in which the poetical aspect of a
position is brought out best by the most prosaic
accuracy of detail. The faculty of giving veri-
similtude is os the highest use. The same is
true of the Plague in London. The amazing
truthfulness of the style is here in its proper
place; we wish to be brought as near as may
be to the facts. But no such desire possesses
us in reading of the coarse and quite unsenti-
m frtssl crimes of Roxana, and Captain Jack,
and Moll Flanders.
The essay on Richardson's novels is vast
ly more entertaining than the novels them
selves, and to othose who have lead neither we
unhesitatngly recommend the bright sentences
Of Stephen in preference to the prolixities of
the author of "Clarissa.' The criticism is just
and discriminating. While Richardson's gen.
ius is recognized, his immense capacity for
twaddle and the prosaic nature of his angels
receives proper attention. Mr.. Stephen points
out the distinction, too often neglected, be-
tween popularity and celebrity. While every
body knows the names of Sir Charles Grand-
son and Clarissa Harlowe they are few indeed
who have ever read the eght-volumed novels.
Richardson is not singular in that particular
How few have read Paradise Lost or "The
Faely Queen! The fact that Alfred de Mus
set and other French writer's Of the intense
school have waxed enthusiastic over Clarssa
is mentioned by Mr.. Stephen with some sur
prise. Perhaps they, like the rest of the world,
have never read the prolix fiction. One cir
cumstance dwelt upon in the review seems TO
US far stronger proof than anything else ad-
duced that Richardson had the spirit OF the
true artist. During the writing OF his great
work he was implored by many whose opinion
he respected to save Clarissa and make her
happy. But he knew better than they that
| death was the orly escape for her.
The two succeeding essays treat OF Pope, the
| first of the little Twickenham cripple as nov
| elist. the second on Mr.. Elwin's edition of his
works. Pope is charitably yet discriminating
| ly treated. One fact is brought out with con
siderable emphasis. He distinctly recognized
his true vocation in life, and adhered to it with
unfnching pertnacity. He regarded the
| wealth which he had earned as q retaining fee
| not as discharge from his duties. Mr.. Stepher
axes many exceptions to Mr.. Elwin's com
mentary, and says that "the main outcome o