The New York herald., 1876-11-26
OUR BOOK SHELF.


VAN LAuN's HISTORY OF FRENCH L1rERA-
TURE.
TIKI LIFE OF JoHS LOCKE. BY II. r Fox Bourne
Harper Brothers.
Tho letter press of this work s all that could be de-
SIRED and its general appearance is very attractive
law ought to bo passed., however, condemning to sol
tary confinement Tor term Of years any publisher
who sends out book with uncut pages No ones
penknife is sharp at tho right moment and q ragged
leaf Is exquisite agony.
Mr.. Bourne has done his work with conscientious
aiihfulness His style is seldom brilliant but always
clear and strong. He has bestowed the subject
hand an amount OF patient toll, and Of dslving and
digging among piles Of dusty, worm-eatcn and forgot
ten manuscripts which makes instnctively lift
hat respect for who find happiness in that
direction. He examined all the papers pos
scsscd by the earls Of Shaftesbury, consisting
OF innumerabe letters written by Locke on all sub
ecs from grave gay, and from reform Of the cur
rency TO the Monmouth treason He worried through
the Board of Trade papers, for John Locke Of
the most energetic Of William III. 8 Commissioners Of
Trade Ho spent weeks IN the British Museum, the
Bodleian Library and the Remonstrant's Library at
Amsterdam, secluded city to which Locke retired
whom England became too warm for him. The result
OF all this heroic toll Is the production OF tho best
.sLife Of John Locke' that has ever been published
II will find its way to every Students table.
1t seems very strange to some of us who have read
carcfuy-and, forgive us, sometimes weary-the "Es-
say Concerning the Human Understanding" and who
have concluded that such work must have occupied
whole lifetime, to learn that n simply the result
Of leisure hours. II was written at odd times during
years taken up with politics, plots which had smack
Of treason in them and the arduous labors of trade
commissioner.
John Locke both physician and metaphy-
sican Hc wrote learned essays the various dis
eases to which flesh her, and delighted in the Of
Peruvian bark in OF ague He studied chemistry
with intense ardor, and at the same time pro.
nounced such decided opinions on the tho
ology Of the Romansts, the Calvnsts and tho
Presbyterians tina. he became black sheep In tho
religious flock. STILL in spite Of his doctrine OF olcra
tion he did good during the plague and stood
at his post when others lied ioE. safety. when Lord
Ashley's dolt OF son was to be married Locke
intrusted with the delicate duties Of selecting wifo
and making all necessary arrangements for the
mony When Now Providence, Of the Bahia
mas was be coonized by Englishmen, Locke seems
to have put a few hundred pounds into the venture
but how much he made from the speculation II not
known. During tho excitement attending the settle
ment OF Carolina he very noar crossing the At
lantc and becoming American citizen. He q
wonderfully hard student, corresponding regularly
win all the scholars of his tme and seems to havo
had SUFFICIENT knowledge on all POSSIBLE SUBJECTS OF
investigation.
The work of Mr.. Bourne is valuable accession to
our library, and we heartily commend it TO the attcn
ton of the public
HIsronY OF FRENCH LTERATuRI. BY Henri van
Laun. g. p. Puinams Sons.
This is one OF the most important books Of the
son. It's general makeup entirely satisfactory and
a credit to house that issues it. II Is easily han
died and index Isl delight The whole plan OF the
writer is disclosed in It, and take careful
survey OF tho field to be explored before he enters
the task Of following Mr. Van Laun in his do
vious and not always easy journey
The book has 342 pages, and the subject treated Is
divided into three parts Book treats OF the origin
OF the French nation and gives n discriminating
criticism on matter OF interest all scholars-viz
the pecuaritics OF the Gaus and Iberans, the innu
Of tho worship Of Moloch As,are and Bel; that
OF Rome and Greece and that of Christianity ON the
beginnings OF the French nation.
Book III. treats Of tho fcudal society, the origin OF
the literature OF the troubadours and its decline; the
monastic chroniclcrs the union Of the drama with
tho Church and the which the Church msdo Of IL;
the miracle plays and the powerful influence they
erted The people.
Book III. explores the Renaissance and gives
clear and vivid criticism Of It's SATIRE It's moraliss and
its quarres Rnbelais, Montaiene and Calvin
dealt with fairly and yet without favor,
We have been charmed with the book, and, though
were inclined 10 nnd fault twice and to try
conclusions with the author, laid II the shelf
with the feeling that it healthy book for careful
students TO read ana that who deares to trace
tho French people from thoir feeble beginnings 70
their present intellectual and spiritual condision
afford to bo wIhoutit