The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-22

quite sensible; but 1t il never the fruit OF fresh
thinking and the essays soon grow wearisomc
to the last degree.
DR.. Hollands style II In keeping with his mat
! ter. 1t is colorlcss, without vigor, and without
viyacty His sentences now on easily, and the
ideas thoy contain are go diluted that thoy may
be- takcn on the wcakcst intellectual stomach,
while nothing will be found in them to agitate
the most timid sui. Tho SUBJECTS he discusses
in his essays are Cmost invariably throadlnrc.
! He is fond of saying. rs something now and strk
| ing. what IL obvious 10 every cducltcd mind:
and he sclcmnly cxpounds and defends views to
which no sort of objection can be taken ms IL
they were new and radical ideas Just cast before
an aatonisbcd world. He IL entirely lacking in
humor; fucts are serious matters with him,
and he is incapable of throwing out mere sug-
gcstion, but must always tell at length all he
knows. and show the processes OF his reason
ing. This probably helps to make him popular
viii inl.Asai ard commonplace minds. which
are really never wide aWako, Iil -~--id irT-rr--
haps. be in danger of arrangement If they were
once thoroughly walked up. To such persons
DR.. Holland comes "a u welcome guest. He
tuks on n level with their thinking. never
goes outside Of what they are capable Of under
standing and says what they might have said
themselves If they had the knack he has Of
slrlnbllE S'nbnceb tORctner. Incre IL some
thing fatcring to the commonplace mun in
gravely comparing views with him as IL he was
Il philosopher
Ia Every Day Topics Dr. Holland exhibits
conspcuously the poverty. the mcdiocrity. the
shallowncss and the fairness Of his mind. He
treats all sorts OF subjects. and does II well
enough. says nothing which is palpably wrong.
and maintains throughout u seriousness OF tono
which indicates that he fccs that the world
stands In great need Of his teachings. He is
conscientiously trying to say his say, and
preach his stale sermons in order to do good.
The impression he makes Of desire to
benefit people il. in truth. too heavy. He seems
to infer that his readers could not get along
without him; that their moral and spiritual
welfare depend on his advice and discussion.
Let ~ pick out some Of DR.. Hollands words
Of wisdom. both 10 show his style and 10 indicate
in what channels his intellect runs. We open
the book anywhere. One essay is Just about as
good us another. one page not a bit weightior in
thought than another For instance. writing
about girls practice Of music. piano playing
especially. he. Of course. says the old thing
that when they stop taking lessons they stop
advancing in the art:
In how many families in this great Of New York
sirl ne found who i capable going with her
practice alone and pcrecuny herself IN an art the rudi
w we sn-or Ec do n i' Nov Of one fhe uni,cr.S
ceases
Now music is an art in which proficiency
can only be- obtained and maintained by con-
slant practice. The period of schooling in il is
indeed never over. Yet that there are hum
drels II young women in New York who with
and without teachers are making steady prog
ress in music everybody who is at all we'll
informed knows. The advance in musical taste
in our chief cities has been great and continu
.ua IN ring tho lrct nftann nr twenty md
II has been largely due n the zeal of women.
DR.. Holland is perhaps right 80 fnras concerns
country boarding school girls; but he shows
that he knows nothing Of the musical culture
SO frequently to he found in New York. Boston,
and Cincinnati. and that among young women.
who couldtea DR. Holland moro ideas about
the beautiful art than he has on any other sub
jet. They have learned music thoroughly.
are its competent critics and Jealous students.
while no who assumes 10 preach 10 them knows
nothing except specifically.
DR.. Holland is fond Of writing about what he
calls the literary class for which he seems to
speak IA n shining example. H. thinks his lit
crary class is too much inclined to hide its light
under bushel. to " hold its gifts In service of
itself" that the golden age Of American liter
ature can never dawn until the world has
learned to look upon the literary class as its
helper. its inspircr, its leader in culture and
thought Now. the literary cllss probably
writes what 1t can. and the best il can. and with
tho idea Of selling the work prontaby or
gaining desired reputation thereby. OF course.
tho- ~h~.ii L-i- -..i ni7ruv Tue .-o.iv,
IL they can do it-instruct amuse. or stimulate
them. rs the case may be; and II their
readers like what they write they will
buy their books without thinking much
about their being leaders in culture
and thought. The best advice We can
give tho literary class. as DR.. Holland calls it,
is 10 do good work of i,s kind. and II any Of the
class wish TO make much money TO see to it that
the kind is what large number OF people want
No more than other people can they expect to
escape the operation Of the law Of supply and
demand II they serve the public as 1t wishes
10 be served they will do well but il they write
only to please themselves, without any refer
ence 10 the popular taste they cannot expect to
make their fortune.
But We have given enough OF DR.. Holland
| He is a well-meanng man. and makes a hand
some living out OF writing. which shows that in
literature. as in other business. very ordinary
talents may sometimes win substantial success.