The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-01-07


embraced all it is necessary for MS TO know of
this brilliant and hayward child of geniiis.-
Delightfully."- las all who are familiar with Prin-
ciPal Shairps other literary works will be ready
10 oelleve) does the biographer carry us through
'he story OF this rugged and pathetic life Never
was the character ofthe inspired Ayrshire plough
man set forth more tenderly or beautifully
Ii is easy to see that this memoir was written
con aHore. And this has been the aim of the
hdltor-to engage from each hand that sketch
which that hand could give with the most en-.
thuslasm and vigor II will be seen. then. that
the series is unique one. Mr. Morley himself
having made in times past, study of Edmund
Burke, is the author of the life of the preat
statesman and furnishes us with as EXHAUSTIVE.
picture of him and his times as anv ordinary
reader need desire. Edmund Spensers life falls.
very properly, into the scholarly hands of the
Dean OF st. Pauls Anthony Trollope has writ
ten Ihackerays and many is the critic who has
set upon him for the manner in which he has
done 1t. This seems unjust however; fault is
found that Mr.. Trollope has dealt in criticism.
instead of biography But it must be remem
bered that, like Hawthorne Thackerav ex
pressly forbade life of him being written. His
biographor has done the best he could do, under
the circumstances.
Leslie Stephen furnishes DR.. Johnson's-his
ana Gibbons, by Mr.. Morrison, are perhaps
trifie heavy and yet they may be so only rela-
tively-for we had just laid down Gibbons own
autobiography, when we took up Mr.. Mort
sons sketch; and of necessity the comparison
was little disadvantageous. And after Bos-
well, who can hope to say anything new about
the great John Bull of English literature?
William Black, the novelist, writes Gold
smiths Life and does it in his lively. graphic
manner,-giving a likeness from different
point of view from Washington Irving's-the
most genial memoir ever written of the poet of
The Deserted Village. But as Mr. Blacks only
covers hundred forty eight pages, it is hardly
full portrait. A most attractive array of lives
remain to be published B,uyan by Froude:
Milton by Patteson Pattison; Hawthorne by
Henry James Wordsworth by Goodwin Smith;
Cha"cer by Professor Ward, and still others
Altogether the series is a most admirable one,
as far as published, and promises to be even more
SO. The volumes are finely printed we'll bound
and cost only rs cents piece.
Lessons from n,y Masters, is the taking title
of a book of choice criticism from the pen of the
Scotch writer Mr. Peter Bayne with which we
have become acquainted in the columns of The
(London) Literary World Carlyle, Tennygon.
and Ruskin, the Masters in question and
for all readers who desire to have clear under
standing of what these three men have done for
the world of letters we commend them heartily
to this book 1t is not likely that if such read
ers 1--WE are not speaking, remember, of those
who take nothing at second hand) had the op-
portunlty of proving our SartOr ReSartus, and
Hero WorShiPpers and CromtoeU and Frederick
the Great and the rest of Carlyle's books. for
themselves that they would be able to formulate
such caplte resume, as Mr.. Bayne here does
Tor them. lie Is most ardent admirer of Car
lyle though not blind one; and the biogra-
Phical picture which he weaves into his criticism
is wonderfully captivating If any reader COM
plains that Tennyson is sometimes obscure. here
is his commentator Under his deft pen even
Maud becomes understandable disrobed of its
subtle metaphysics by Mr. Bayne's skillful fin
gers IN Me"or'aoa, which he styles 'the super
latlve poem Of the century, glows with I'M
suspected meaning, as he goes over it along with
his reader; and The Ldyls Of the King take on a
new Interpretation. Every lover of Tennvgon
ought to study these pages of rare criticism. Mr.
payne Is an optmlst, and always sees the good
IN everything He will not consent to call
Ruskin frenzied enthusiast, when he writes of
Turner though he agrees that he too often
breaks the neck of his imagination" over "bits"
OF scenery, and rocks, and Alpine aowers-mat-
tiers too small to trip up such writer. Yet he
does full justice to the great word painters pow
er and we have scattered through the critiote
much biographical information not elsewhere to
be found The volume is wholly delightful
The Messrs Harper publish it-price 81, being
large handsome book of $50 pages.
Another of their issues, intended for young
folks, but interesting to any reader, is What
Dar'oln sa'0 IN his Voyage Arou,,d the World.
1t is square, small quarto, superbly printed on
thick tinted paper, and most beautifully and
proiusely illustrated and bound Every me-
chanlcal beauty that could be gathered about it.
has been called in to aid in its artistic perfection
1t IS not the text itself in full but carefully Sc
lected excerpts which are pieced together
sometimes-still preserving, however, Mr.. Oar
WINS own language intact. Boys particularly,
cannot but be interested in this rich and beauti-
ful volume. There is no promulgation of any of