The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-04-14
Literary Notes.


tiers as that of Robert Southey. better son
husband, father, friend, than he vas ENGLAND
could not show in his day and generation but
above and beyond all these, he was the incom-
parable literary man. He loved books and he
loved writing, per and he would have accu
mulated the vast library he did accumulate and
he would have written the numerous volumes he
did write, had no eye but his own poured over
his books and read his manuscripts. This irrev-
erent and somewhat insolent age of ours. some
times turns little of a scornful eve upon
Southeys works. One of the critics who under
took the other day to pass judgment upon Prof
Dowdens Life Of Southey, just issuesA by the
heSss. Harper e Brothers (Frankli,e Square
Neo York-75 cents, opens his review by an
bouncing dogmatically This is an author
rarely read now a days" Did that critic know
that the most learned History Of Brasil ever
written was written by SoutheyH Did he know
that one of the biographies which has become an
English Classic on account of its perfection of
style-LOrd Nelson's Lifes-was written bv
Southey? Did he know that the Life of Weslev
which Coleridge said he had read twenty times
was written by Southey? Did he know that
Ihalada, which will always keep its place as one
of the finest of Oriental poems written in Eng
lish, was written by Southey? Verify, critics
of these days are not so much different from
what they were in Edmund Walters day, when
he spoke of Milton as an old blind man who
had written dull epic not worth the paper on
which it was printed ! Prof Dowden has taken
up his work in a genial, sympathetic spirit. He
evidently is in accord with the dear master of
oil of,
justice as could be expected, to his subject
crowded as the Life is into less than 200 pages
The only way to illustrate Southey's beautiful
inner life, was to give his correspondence with
Grosvenor Bedford, and Sir Henry TAYLOR. and
John May, and Sir Walter Scott and other half.
score of life long friends who were to him like
brothers Talk of women's friendships-if ever
there was human heart that had a qe,ia, for
friendship, it was Southey's. His Correspond.
ence published years ago by the Messrs Har-
pers, gives the best epistolary writing we know
anything of. Horace Walpole's, Madame de
Sevignes, even William Cowper's, all seem pale
compared with his it is so selfdepicting, so
full, so open hearted, so overlooking with kind
ness so sparkling and bubblng with rollic mer
riment so riotously glad, before the sad DAYS of
loss overshadowed it. Surely the reading of
Prof. Dowden's volume, into which but little
comparatively of this peculiar fascination could
enter, will send many reader mot content with
halflength when the whole length is availa-
ble) to the Harpers for Cuthbert Southeys Life.
which we dare take upon us here to saw. is one
of the most delightful purely literary Lives that
ever was written Prof Dowden SAYS there is
one epthet that of all others is best fitted to
Southey-" high souled." He was that from
his rather sorely-tried childhood through the
abuse of Westminster School, through his Uni
versity days, when, like Milton, from his similar
exalted purity of character he was called the
Lazy Of Ballot through his Panti8ocratc "
dreams, of which Love that potentest of rnedica-
ments, cured hIm-through all his early strug
giles, when he upheld upon the point of his brave
pen las 1t were) not only his own large family.
but those Of his two brothers-n law Lowell and
Coleridge, supporting the wife and three chill
dren of the latter for over twenty years without
murmur) through the years of bereavement
and woo-through ALL even to the weary end
did this high souled characteristic cling to
him. How nobly he strained at hack work
month by month How ardently he loved
home How he dotted on wife, children and
simplest pleasures How idyllic and lovely life
was at Greta Hall almost up to the time when
the pitcher was broken at the fountain How
absolute was The spirit of trust and resignation
how all-pervading his Christian love and hope
1t is well in this period of latitudinarianism in
religious belief, especially among literary men,
to have the picture of so God guided, so worthy,
so altogether true life as that of Robert Southev
again presented for the contemplation of an age
that lights it's torches at the fires of a Huxley.
Tyndall, Buckle, an Arnold, and Swim
burne
When such men as DR.. Crosby, Dr. Herrick.
President Seelye, Prof Tyler, Dr. Mark Hop
kins, DIR. w M. Taylor and some half dozen.
Others of like stamp, pass book on to the hand
of the reader with their endorsement of its good
qualities as letter Of introduction facing its
title-page, there would seem to be TO require.
ment that anything more should be said This
has been done for a modest volume of less than
200 pages, which the Randolph firm 300 Broad-
'0ay New York 81 .25) has Just issued called
TIE age Temptation Of american Christians
The work is anonymous, but has an introduction
from The pen of.Dr. Tyler. Dr. Crosby endorses
the treatise as vastly important" President
Seeye says, 1t is work of more than usual