New-York tribune., 1879-06-09
LONDON LITERARY TOPICS.
FRoupE CARNARvON. AND TENNYSON.

ticn which Mr. Froude puts upon the
title page of his new life of Cesar
(Longnsns e Coz, which extends, nevertheless
to nearly 500 closely printed octave pages. In the
preface Mr.. Froude explains that he has called his
work sketch because the materials do not exist
for portrait which shall be at once
authentic and complete. He discards, III
whole or i'm part. some of the authorities on winch
the biography of Cesar has been built mp. Hence
the picture which he has drawn will be found, saws
Mr. Froudo, deficient in many details which have
passed into general acceptance, and he has Deeh
unable TO claim for Il higher title than that of an
outline drawing. To the generality of readers 900
pages devoted to single figure in ancient history
will, perhaps, seem sufficient. 1t is not everybody
who has time or tAnks he has time, to read history
on the scale which Mr. Froude adopts Those who
do read irim know that he likes large canvas and
works with free hand. Restrict him, ana the
charm of his work would perhaps vanish.
The point OF view from which Caesars latest bog-
grapher has treated his hero may be seen from the
last paragraph but one in the book;
He fought his battles 10 establish some tolersble
degree of justice in tho government. OF tins wofH;
and he succeeded, though he was murdered Iof 40
ing IT.
To people who have been brought mp to believe
that Caesar was selfish tyrant, and lirutus the
avengeT OF his couatrys lost liberties shat viii be
surprising sentence. Much more will they be sur
prised by what follows:
Strange and startling resembleuce between thse
fate of the founder of the kingdom of this world and
of the Founder of the kingdom not OF this world,
for which the first was a preparator. I.ach WH7
denounced for making himself q KING. Lach We
maligned as the friend OF pubIc2us and SINNERS
each was botraycd by those whom Ee had loved ana
cared for each Uas put TO death; ana CDstr a4go
was believed 20 have risen again ana ascen0cd lu'o
heaven and become a divine being.
With those wards the hook cOseS Mt FrOudc's
enemies, the pous aud polite Mr. Freeman among
them, may probably strive TO fasten on aim charge
OF bIasphemy on account Of the parallel he draws
between Jesus Christ and Julius Caesar. But lt Is
not the first Uime such parallel has been Drawn,
and since the points of resemblance here touched
on arc uudeniGblC it is difficult 90 see why they
should not be indicated. OF the book as
a whole | am not expressing an opinion /
have only read passages here and there. But
the passages to which turns first bear the
stamp of the same genius winch has ahonc in "a
different icld--orgual, learned, thoughtful, with
great power of historical insight and % but I'M
rivalled gift of historical narrative. The hand
which drew the wonderful picture of the execution OF
Mary Stuart has not lost its cunning. The account Of
the murder of CDsari perhaps less pathetic, but Is
not less brilliant. And you frequently meet the
same curiously modern tone in dealing with ancient
subiects--the turn OF phrase or thought which,
slight in ITSELF brings the reader into close associa-
tion with the old time. OF the cOnspratoTs he says:
"They agreed tn send for Antony aud invite him to
assist In saving society" in putting aside some
legendary calumnes he remarks: " Anecdotes re-
lated of Caesar at patrclu diunor-parties at Rome
as little deserve attention as the information 50
freely given uDou the habits of modern statesmen
in the salons of London and Paris" Many others
might bo quoted. The book issued in q style any
10 r. M
margins. pale INK and other signs of careiesSness
or ignorance.
The Earl of Carnarvon's name is now to be
added to the considerable list of English Peers who
have employed their political leisure in literary
work. Mr.. Murray has Just published his transla-
tiOn of "The Agamemnon' of KschyiuS. That
Lord Carnarvon Is an accomplished scholar has
long been known, not only to his friends but 10
whoever has met him in private and listened to his
varied and often brilliant talk on themes remote
from those topics of the day which give such dry
InonotOny to the creator part of the dinnsr-table
conversation that goes on in society which almost
prides itself on its voousness and It's contempt for
whatever is not of to-day. Mr. Browning not long
since gave us a translation of the "AgamcmnOn,'
bearing every mark Of exact scholarship and Of
almost equal mastery in the two languages. But ne
made no attempt to popularlze his author HIS
version was avOwodly experiment; meant TO
show how far 1t was possible TO 90 the direction OF
assimilatlng the idioms and even the verbal order
OF Greek aud English. 1t needs to be read with as
much attention as the Greek. Lord Carnaryon has
aimed at producing such an Agamemnon as Eng
lish readers unearned in the original, may under
stand and enjoy.
Mr.. Gladstone has once more been recommending
list of books useful for the student of history. lie
tells rs again how highly he thinks Of Mays Con-
& I'm th. yrb1
he has this time quoted accurately. He names
other books, bat he unaccoTntably onIits Black
stones " Commentaries" and the last new spelling
book. Nor docs he include "GadstOae's Clean
ings." Of which two volumes are lately out;
with the Objectionable c0veT-,itle modified into
"Gieanings: W. E. Gladstone"
1t has long been understood tlat early editions OF
Tennyson's Poe:as fetched high prices, aud the
booksellers have made their market accordingly :;
raising il ~ fast aud ~ far they Thought buyers
would staad it, Bat the highest fsares known
were reached last week an auction sale
of the late Mr. j. ". Pickering's books. The
collection waS 10 sCme eXtCnt, booksellers stock
1t hardly be supposed that the most enthusiastic
admirer of enuySOn would care DOWN slX copies Of
the second edition Of IN Menoriam." But il con-
tanned at least example Of every important
edition, and the prices obtained have probably de-
terinined the selling prices over the counter for
some time to come. The first title, Poems by
Two Brothers" alfred and Charles Tenny8on,
boards uncut 12no. London for SimDkins and
Marshall and j. and j. Jackson, LOuth, 1897, sold
for e3 IFS 81. The same on large paper, 81. The
same IN Russia gilt with an inscription, " To dear
little Constance from her AGecti0natc Frond, {.
Tennyson, 6th March, 1885 clio. Two other copies
on large paper. clean and uncut. in boards 4S Js
and 60. "Timbuctoo," the Cambridge prize poem
original edition 1929, Cant. typis, J. Smith, G3
Poems, chiefly Lyrical" by Alfred Tcnnyson
first edition, and the first to which nc put his namo
boards uncut, 12mo. Loudon: Z. Wilson, 1890
two copies, each fS los Poems by Alfred ienny-
so,, b,,r5s IO,Do Tordou = MOXDn. 1898 two