The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-24

work easy reading We are sorry to observe that this
work appears without index, which. however,
equally wanting in the original French edition.
Where work Is simply blocked of into long chap
tiers reference is made difficult.
MATTHEW ARNoLD's ESSAYS.
Under the title of mixed Essays we have from
of Matthew Arnold 1t comprises nine essays on
variety Of topics. They are headed respectively
Democracy" Equality" Irish Catholicism" and
British Liberalism" "Forro est necessarium,
"a Guide to English Literature" Falkland" "a
French Critic Milton" "a French Critic on
Goethe and George Sand" The first essay was pub.
lished twenty years ago as preface to a work on
Continental Schools" and the balance have ap-
peared in well known reviews
civilization is the illumination Of man in soc.
ety." says Mr.. Arnold in his preface loose sound
ing definition which he proceeds to amplify by add
ing :-"Man is civilized when the whole body of soc-
ETY. comes to live with life worthy to be called
human. and corresponding to mans true aspirations
and powers" Some people, he says. look on
civilization as the steam engine and the
penny post. These and like agencies he admits
have done much but he is of letters he
inquiries what share literature claim in the civil
izing process. 1t also has done and can do much
but it cannot do ALL First and foremost Of the nee
essary toward mans civilization is expan-
sion. All that has enlarged and secured mans ex-
istence is due to the working of the instinct of
expansion. The manifestation Of it most priced In
England is the love Of liberty. but another great
manifestation of which England has little love is
that of equality though it is the less desirable
Undoubtedly" he says, "immense inequality of
conditions and property is defeat to the instinct of
expansion; it depresses and degrades the inferior
masses. The common people is and must be. as
De Tocqucville said. uncvilized in aristocratc
countries than in any Others" Expansion, con-
duct. science, beauty. manners-here are the con.
dtions of civilization. the claimants which man
must satisfy before he can be humanized. The
essaysat least the first four-are pitched in the key
of this preface showing here and there. where ma
tions fail in the development of other Of these
desiderata failure which does not compensate for
fulflment in the remainder. English life he finds
afflicted with inequality, with narrow Bblism''
and an Immense ennui.' Biblism is the remains of
Puritanism, deadening to the sense Of beauty the
breeder Of intolerance while is the indifference
the mental inertia, the stumbling block of progress
When one has read through these charming essays,
beyond the suggestive facts clearly criticised one
is impressed with the peculiar prestly character of
this earnest writer What he would have been. If
not priest. in age where dogmatc religion held
ordained priest of . religion of humanity. of which
he has barely laid down the basic outlines, he
is an interesting figure in the literature of to-
day preaching through essays criticisms and POEMS
The essays on Democracy aud Equality" are large
hearted, clearheaded sermons. careful in statement
and conclusions. apprecative in dealing with foreign
nations and unsparing in criticism Of his own. In
the essay "Irsh Catholicism and British Liberal
ism he lances the spurious generosity with which
Englishmen face an important problem Of imperial
politics. He says:-
have never affected to be either surprised or in
dignant ut tho antipathy Of the Irish to us. What
they have had to suffer from in past times all the
world knows. And now when we profess to practise
"a great and genial policy Of Cancellation" toward
the opinion and sentiment Of the British middle
class and Of the strongest part Of this class-the
represent the real mind of our leading statesmen
The ability OF our popular Journalists and
successful statesmen goes to putting the best color
they can upon action 30 controlled.
But dsintcrestcd observer will call it what It is
Going thus behind the pstronizng platitudes of min
listers, rolled with superatves Of unctuous APP
probation by the English press. he unmasks a ma
tional hypocrisy that sustains injustice. With his
patriotic instinct no points the and the rem
edy dinicult as the latter may be to administer.
The gresA failure in actual national life is tho
imperfect civilization OF middle class The great
need OF time is the transformation of the English
Puritan. Our Puritan middle class presents defec-
tive type of religion. range OF intellect and
knowledge, stunted sense of beauty. a low stand
ard of manners.
These brief extracts show how humanity catholic
his mind Isl but all il uttered with calmness and
moderation incisivc though IL be. 1t IL not to such
writers that the listens but he will operate on
those who leaven the mass. and in time his brave
words will tell. Falkland is historical paper,
with view of indicating the claim Of that unfor-
tunate cavalier viscount, who fell at the battle of
Newbury in the civil OF Charles l., the kindly
remembrance of posterity. Tho remaining articles,
except that deals with middle class education In
England. are devoted to literary criticism or euogy
of literary gifts, as in the case Of George Sand.
''TrfE RENAISSANCE OF ART IN FRANCE"
In two sumptuous volumes Mrs. Mark Pattson
has given tho history OF "The Renaissance of Art
in France (scribnor wclford). The work is Illus
trated with nineteen cngravings ON Steel after
famous designs. The author. who has a distin.
gushcd reputation In England for her knowledge OF
art. has been very successful in this undertaking,
and has made q book that will be welcomed as
valuable addition TO renaissance lore She begins by
discussing the conditions under which the French
renaissance Of art was produced. When the inn
prisoned instincts of fifteen centuries burst their
bonds tho moment of revolt left its traces
every where, In art and literature as In life,
and the necessary transition from old forms to
new which gradually took place in italy was in