New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-18
MODERN ESSAYS.

PROSE NAsTERPIECES from Modern Essayisrs. 3
vols. 16mo. Pr. VIII, 32j; 2Gs; 1875. &. T. futh'ms
Sons.
The ANONYMOUS editor of these pretty volumes, in
presenting specimens of the best writers OF essays
English aud American from Irving to the present
dav has attempted to illustrate the characteristics
of the several authors as well as to select fine
amples of English prose He has also undertaken to
group the papers, as far as practicable according
TO the connection Of their subjects the clOsncSs
of their authors intellectual kinship." In certain
cases this last named purpose has been well carried
ont. For example, the essays on history by Car
lyle Macaulay and FrOude are happily placed to-
p.ther and other selections fall INTO an asso-
citation which if less obvious is at any rate natural
This idea of classification, however is not really
i,oportant. and we suspect that it has now
and then had an unfortunate influence upon
the editors choice-that he would have taken
something better from Leigh Hunt than
l." Tbe World of Books if he had not been anxious
10 find a companion piece for Washington Iving's
"The Variability of Literature y; and that the
specimen from Sydney Smith has controlled the
specimens from Lander. Landors Petition OF the
Tmgsn ought not to be here. 1t IS neither re-
rnarkable piece of English prose, nor a sample OF
Landor's highest achievement, nor i'll any sense one
of his characteristic essays; and those who know
Iandor only from these volumes will have
give him such a remarkable place in English
literature. When we think of some of the
exquisite essays by which this great master prose
might have been exhibited. high pOetical thought
in language of perfect dignity and beauty, the
choice of these spenetic pages seems melancholy in
deed. Mr.. E. A. Freemans paper on Race and
Language mates with Mr.. Gladstone's on Kin
Beyond Sea ," but the claim of Mr.. Freeman to any
place in a collection of the great modern writers
of English prose seems TO us extremely doubtful.
Mr. Freeman is a distinguished historian, in spite Of
an incorrect and ungraceful style-thc style
of a writer who is so intent upon driving
his words into our memory and fixing them there,
at whatever expense of time and trouble, that he
can give no thought to literary polish. With Mr..
Freeman this laxity of style. or perhaps we had
better say this want of style, is great Flemish.
He tires and provokes u.s. he is so prolx careless
end so ugly.
Mr. John Morley, who is represented by a lecture
delivered before the Midland Institute at
Birmingham, shows how effective compost
ton can be made without rhetorical arts
His address is destitute of literary Orna-
nent, and is disfgured by some little I'M
conscious tricks Of expression which belong 10 the
platform style of the easy popular speaker but il is
50 clear, 80 direct, 80 compact so forcible, that
every paragraph exactly fulfls its purpose. Our
interest does not flag in reading; and close the
book with perfectly distinct impression of the
authors thought, aud at all OF his style.
That is rs much as 20 say ihat he has good prac-
teal working style. which is Just what We should
expect MIR. John Morley's style TO be. Mr. Morley
may be taken a type Of the modern pro-
cressiye, Independent, liberal, cultivated utili-
1arian schools and practical correct working style
exactly suits the definite purposes of that school,
Fitness FOR practical uses is the distinctive excel
fence Of III. style. Bat III tuning oyer these pages
Y . shall 10 led 70 doub. whether TIE purely liter
ar chr., is not fading ont of the writing of our
ta, a. l:tcraurc il eli cassS aside the imaginative
ouaI'ty - become the servant OF scientific investi-