The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-02-04
Literary Notes.


trated on this central figure of literature as now.
We have the Furnivall Edition ofShakespeare;the
Avon Edition; the Halliwell Edition, the Leopold
Edition the Hudson Edition, and many others
so that if our great Dramatist is not understood
it is from no lack of research on the part OF his
commentators. And yet how little, after all DO
we know of this prince of Poets Absolutely, we
have far more facts in regard to the lives OF hu-
ripides. Sophocles, and the old Greek dramatlsts,
than of this man, who lived in the heart OF Lon
don only three hundred years ago.
Here is another Study Of Shakespeare, by
George H. Calvert, (Lee q Shepard, Boston,
which aims to gather together, not only all au-
thenticated traditions, but some that are not so
well authenticated We are always glad of
works from Southern pens and accept gratefully
this graceful addition of Southern scholar to the
Shakespeare Literature. But Mr. Calvert en-
tertains his imagination with a good many
hypothesis, especially with reference to Shake
speare's youth He sends him to a grammar
school, and makes him a law student; he reads
his entire life in the Sonnets; he is more certain
than other biographies of his London successes;
though of his London life, John Richard Green
says: " Not one of the jests spoken at The Mer-
coniectural differences thus run through Mr. Cal
vert's entire study. Of course he rejects the
poaching myth, oddly enough, declaring he
would "as soon associate the idea of theft with
St PAUL" We must give up Landor's exquisite
morceau of the Sir Thomas Lucy Trial
There are some passages of comparison which
we would be glad if the author had withheld
that (e g. on pages ll6 and III, where Socrates,
Jesus, and Shakespeare are contrasted as typcs;
and where Christ is spoken of as if He were like
Buddha, only the Great Renunc,ator Evil
IDENTIFY, Mr. Calvert sees no Atonement in the
work of our Lord. Nor can we quite agree with
him in his estimate of the Sonnets 1t requires
much credulity to so read between the lines as
to find Shakespeares life there, especially to ac-
cept as prophetical utterance the language of
Sonnet LV The critical chapters on the vari-
Gus Dramas are very discriminating and valua-
bic, and will assist many reader more than
more learned commentaries
From Messrs. Lee & Shepard also, Isl, Bos-
ton, we have delightful little volume of 100
pages-a translation from the German of Ferni-
nand Gregorovius, by Miss Lillian Clarke
daughter of DR. James Freeman Clarke, of Bos-
ton. 1t is taken from the authors large work
WandeUahre IN HaLica, and is entitled The
Island Of Capri. This wonderful amethyst of
an island-for it seems to be always wrapped in
purple lights-is the very gem of the Nediter
ranean, and has been so considered from the
days the Phenicians first founded colonies there
down to our own times. 1t is still the enthusi-
and the despair of tribes of artists, who are
forever trying to capture its marvellous atmos-
Pheric effects its sapphire SEAS its olive-crowned
Tberian ruins, and the enchanting Greek beauty
of its young -spinners, its AntOnieilas, and
C0ncettas, and Costanziellas for such are some of
the names of the peasant girls. Our German
traveller completely falls in love with the
dreamy, Arcadian life of the Capriotes, and leads
his reader to believe with him, that there could
be nothing better than to bid the world fare
well, and planting in the earth the pilgrim staff
build here hermit's cell" The whole island is
overhung with memories and traditions of that
monster ofrefned cruelty, the Emperor Tiberius
The very children in the streets of Capri, curse
with his name, and so thickly do the traditions
still bristle with his enormities, that it would
seem vain attempt for later historians to try to
whitewash his name The author represents the
inhabitants (only about 1000 in number) as the
most industrious gentle, contented poverty
SlulJIeH people ne ever SaW-Jne men spending
their days in toilsome fshing-the women spin
ming silk from sunrise till sunset-the Young
girls carrying great blocks of granite on their
heads, the only =" beasts of burden" and all as
merry as were ever any children of the SUM-
With all its hard poverty the glamour he spreads
over life at Capri, is most enticing. The beauty
Of the women is of positive Greek type; moth
ing about them was lovelier than their teeth of
pearl, so perfect. he fanoed, because they had so
little to bitel Miss Clarke's rendering seems
faultless we do not trace German idiom in
the book
Mr.. Frederick A. Obers Camps IN tie CariJ-
bees, Lee & Shepard, $500 is an exceedingly
attractive volume of travel and adventure
among the Lesser Antilles Mr.. ODER was sent
out under the auspices of the Smithsonian Inst-
tute, on an pathological search, and it was well
rewarded for he had the fortune to bring back
with him large number of specimens Of new
and unknown birds The book is as entertaining
as novel, and supplies a fund Of information
about these islands that is of vast Importance
We can only call attention to the work here as
one of special interest to Naturalists, but as we
have spoken Of tlargely elsewhere, we will only
commend it as in every way delightful.