New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-01
THE LITERARY WORLD.

PARE or SCIENCES; THE NIkopOCii"N Di
PROF. TYNDALL-CLAIMs OF THE SHAKESPEARE
SOCIETY.
tynoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEI
IoXnov. Nov. 16-A volume Of selections from
Maeaulays writings has been edited by his nephew
Mr. Trevelvan and published by MessTs. Longmans
At first sight, this seems quite superiiuous per-
Torrance, and deserving, like most volumes Oh Sc
lecti0ns to be let alone. But second glance SHOWS
that the selections have been made on such system
that the book is not without its usefulness TO young
readers Ii is divided into Historical Scenes Histon
cal Portraits Historical Sketches, Literary CHtcism
aud so ON. A boy who might be dauutcd 10y
having a volume of the History OF England
put into his hand may read with eager relish
euch brilliant fragments as the Battle Of Sedeemoor
and the Battle of the Boyne. Macaulay spite of all
drawbacks is a good writer to inspire boy with a
craving for knowledge. What his final place among
the elders may be-in that year 1000 or even 5000
TO which he tells Us he looked forward in composing
his history-it is too soon decide. His fame GIBBS
and flows Five years ago he stood distinctly lower
than at his death in 1859 The publication OF MS
Life and Letters restored tOshm, perhaps, all MS
old popularity. But there viii always be vide oil
ferences in mems estimates of him. Some may
accept the unmeasured eulogy of his biographer
MANY may ioin i'm the more cautious but still enhu-
siastic admiration Of Mr.. Gladstones belief that he
viii live with Homer, Dante, and Shakespeare,
though con a lower throne, in a less imperial hall
OF the same mansion But it is possible that the
general opinion Of the future may accord more
nearly with Mr. Matthew Anods colder Judgment
end regard Lord Macaulay both the great apostle
of the Englsh Philisines and as born rhetorcian;
agreeing also that he was a splendid and an honest
rhetorician; agreeing still further, however. that
beyond the apparent rhetorical truth OF things, he
never could penetrate; that for their vital truth,
fo f,eE oh call he
lutely no organ; that therefore his reputation,
brilliant as It is is not secIe The passageI quote
may be found in Ilr Arnod's essay On JOubert pub
lishcd not long after Macaulays DEATH
President Whites " he Warfare of Science" has
been republished in London by Messrs. II. s. King
d Co., with a preface by Dr. Tyndall introducing
the book to the English public. infer that its re-
issue here is due to Prof 1yndals suggestion. He
commends it especially to the attention of inteli-
gent Catholics both in England and Ireland; not as
an effort TO win them over to any creed, but as
meant to show them and the world that against
the benefits which religious associations have con-
ferrcd upon humanity stands vast debit Of commit
ted wrong He adds:
In our day the Roman Church, above al others, alma
the revival and Porpeuatiuu OF me %I"hs-slll
else and which, il exercised, could only bring calamity
upon the human race. Ignorance alone can give t any
chance OF success; bur, with Ignorance t. Work anon
her conduct in Spain nay be taken as genlie l4strt
because una5ashed she seems must ascrlbe some
power restraint TO the knowledge that her operations
10 intelligence within her own pale that works IKE
the present more especially appeal II IS ID tha' lnell
sufficient bride TTrtenSons which, II conce'e would
place the sciences tnat have given an knowledge
ais universe at the mercy OF their hereditary Toe
As you know, Mir. Whites essay is scarcely so
aggressive in tone as the preface Of Prof. Iyndal,
and Mr.. Whites position relatively to the church in
general is quite understood here, with you, to be
anything but hostile. The Spectator, which reviews
the book from an ecclesiastical point of view t has
more than One), praises it SIS free from bitterness or
bgoiry. Mr.. White has left London for Paris, as
anybody else would who could, so iDtoleIabc is the
combination of fog and rain and great heat which
London has for some days had to endure.
More members greatly needed" says red
ink printed circular which receive this morning
with the last two volumes Of the Publications OF
the New Shakespeare Society, and / am invited TO
distribute the accompanying prOspectuses among
friends who would be likely to join the society.
This says the energetic Mr.. FUrRiyall, director
would be rendering great service. | hope ! may
render some by suggesting to your and my readers
that they couldn't invest SO so to greater literary
and peCunary advantage than by paying that sum
to Prof. +. j. Child, Harvard COLLEGE, Mass as
yearly subscription this society. The books they
viii get for their money arc worth much more than
sciousness that they are furthcrng the critical
study OF Shakespeare and the spread Of right know
edge about him among all who read him. Each
member receives gratis all the books published by
tie society during the year Of lis subscription; for
the current year 1876 the following:
Series VI @ a. TcllTrothes Newyeares Gift 1893 With
TTotis message ana his Pens Complaint, 1GoN c.
Thomas Powell's Tom o. al Trades, or the Pl&ng
Pathway to PTefeunCHt, 1851. q. TIC Gldssc OF
Cody Lone Q5G9 Presented by three Members
Of the Society Edited by Il. ]. FuTnyal, NJ a.
8. William S,a1Ords Companions or bricc EXamHa.
ton OF certyne o. binary Complaints OF divers OF our
COhntroymcn in these Days, 1871 With an IN
PRODUCTION by f. D. Matthew, esq; edited 10y r. ].
Faruiya, NJ. a. Presented by the Rgat Hon the
a. Painp stubbes's Anatoue Of Abuses, ! May. 1893;
with extracts from his Life Of his Wife, 1891 ed.
Series H. Plays. T. g. The Two Noble Kinsmen, by
Shakespeare and Fletcher; a. A Reprint Of the
Quarto OF 1854 b. a revised EDITION, with Notes,
BY Harold Litlodale, EST, Trinity College, Dublin.
SORTS VIII Ssceilanies The late Prot W Standings
Letter on the Authorship Of the The Two Noble klns
men, On the ClaTaeteIistcs on SlaHSspeSies sYie'
and the secret OF his supremacy pS33l' A new LII
ton, with Memoir OF Prof. SQalding by John liiu
Burton, Ii. D.
All these are well printed volumes in quarto
octave. The publications for each preceding year
of the society's existence, 1874 and 1875, were
about the Same in number. As to their value
need only say that Shakcsperean criticism in En-
gland has taken a fresh start and that nobody who
cares to be up with the latest views, the latest
methods of study, and the latest means of nfor-
nation on many disputed points of tcxtual and
aesthetic criticism can afford to be ignorant of
these books If were writing for Englishmen,
should take pains to point out how much interest in
the society is felt in high quarters, and especially
that one of the societys publications for 1874 was
presented by Prince Leopold and one for 1876 by
Lord Derby, both OF them Vice-presdents. The