New-York tribune., 1889-12-25
NOTES ON BOOKS.
LORD CARNARvOyS NEW CfIESTERFTrr n
THE MELBOURNE PApERS-MURRAy
VS. ER-NIAYGROvE-THg
CLARENDON PRESS

London, December A.
The new Chesterfield Letters, edited by To-
CarnarvOn, are clearly not meant for the mass..
They are published at the Clarendon Press IN !.
luxurious quarto volume, at two guineas and
half, about sl3: sum likely to be doubled \.
the time the book lies on the counter OF Nev
York bookstore. There was period when In,s
Chesterfield may be said 10 have gone ONT -
fashion. He has come in again. His letters we,.
imagine, always read both by those in search a,
information about the manners OF his time a,A
by that large class who, without much carr "a,
social history as su%, like 10 know what wen,
on above them, as tRey still do; what still go.x
on in kind of society TO which they have ma.
the key There are popular editions OF Lod
Chcster1eld's Letters TO His Son. The Stanea,d
Library edition has long been scarce and dea,
book The demand in the two worlds is not equal
but there is always a demand and this new sern
to his godson will some day be reprinted
Lord CarnarvOn has chosen in the first nstsn.
TO crafty his own taste. lie is lover of boob
as well as reader Of books a student who has,
natural sympathy with what is elegant VIII
valnes refinement for its own sake: who IN
carried his love for that which is select and h.
diydual so far as to sacrifice 10 conscientiou
Scfuple an interesting anu ulntiHkulShcu pJlIueal
career lie has not and he will not pretend a
have, much liking for modern English democracy.
and he comedies no more to it in literature than
in affairs Yet it is not man like Lord Chester.
field brilliant though his parts were whom Lord
Carnarvon would accept as chss-leader lie
began, he tells us, with prejudice against his
author which. however, presently gave place to
respect and sympathy. The change is due.
imagine, to the fact that underneath Lord Chester.
fields rather open professions Of cynicsm, hs
who cares to look may discern genuine sincerity
of nature. Lord Carnarvon is himself man Of
profound convictions. The scepucism OF the day
has not touched him: his power Of belief in what
he deems vital truths whether religious political
or social is as great as if he had lived in the last
century, or in this century before science had
affected the whole intellectual life of the period
and its attitude toward all great questions by the
imperious demand for evidence.
Nothing is more curious than that such a man
should occupy himself with Lord Chesterfield, II
the current notion about Lord Chesterfield were
entirely correct Lord Carnarvons memoir pre-.
faced to this volume tells the story. The newly
printed letters were addressed by Lord Chester.
field 10 his godson, the Philip Stanhope who
succeeded him as fifth Earl of Chesterfield. Lord
Carnarvon married. his granddaughter as his frn
wife, and thus it was that the manuscript, long
mislad and lately recovered, came into the present
editors hands. The letters contain much gossip
about the affairs of the day, well precepts for
the improvement of Master Philip Stanhope's mind
and manners; precepts which proved none too
efficient in his case To the substantial merits
of Lord Chesterfield, both In literature and in
public life, Lord Carnarvon does ample justice
and the memoir is not the least valuable part of Q
valuable book
Lord Melbourne will always be an intereatins
figure. and his Papers, which Earl Cowper has Just
given to the world are an interesting supplement
to the not first-rate biography of him by Nh.
McCullagh Torrens. Mr. Lloyd c. Sanders is the
editor. but Lord Cowper has done Preface which
proves that he though Peer, can write. He
paints Lord Melbourne's portrait in couple Of
sentences:
can only myself remember him when j was Z
boy and after he had been attacked by his first
paralytic stroke, and have visions OF q somewhat
massive though not corpulent figure, reennlng 10
an armchair, a white or nearly white head, Shaggy
eyebrows, and singularly keen and kindly eye,
fits Of silence occasionally broken by an incisiye
and rather paradOXical remark accompanied Dy
genial laugh and a rubbing Of the hands together.
/ remember also noticing how easily the tears came
said, at anything tender or affecting as at the
expression of a noble generous sentiment
The book contains Lord NIelbournes journals and
correspondence in sufficiently consecutive and
readable form. Mr. Sanders has done his editing
fairly well and such editing is not easy to do
Even were il i'll done, it would still be pleasant
to renew ones acquaintance with Whg Pnn
Minister who did not feel bound to see everything
through Whig spectacles of the last century-A
poltician who kept his mind open. TO use Liner
sons phrase, by reading patriotic theology. ana
nerhaps the best and most useful friend the Queen
ever had Lord Cowper thinks it was fault IN
him TO be able to see almost too clearly both sides
NJ every question 1t is fault so rare in public
men that il may well be excused in Lord Mel
bourne. He knew how to take things easily; he
was not intense he had a sense of humor; he for
bore TO make parade of his convictions. lie DID
NOT ostentatiousv seek q basis for his politics IN
religion. and he was not deeply concerned to VIM
dicate his own consistency in public life. Po'teuT
has rewarded him by a kindly good Will, which
this volume cannot diminish and may even IN
crease
Mr.. John Murray and Herr Baedeker have been
discussing in presence of a public indebted 70
both the merits Of their respective guideoooNs
/" | WAS first in the field" says Mr.. Murray ana
Herr Baedeker borrowed my idea lrue'
retcrts the German, you were before me- Ou'
not the first and no more borrowed from y~
than you did from your predecessors And
points out with justice what different mns
the guidebook has become since he apphea v
the making of ii that solid German method wncl
il not scientific, is at least systematic. l@
Englishman seldom shines in method. Mr. Mar
rays Handbooks, good as they are-and the new
are much better than the old-put the traveDa
to much needless trouble in hunting for w%
he wants to know. Baedeker's guides are r
emnenty orderly and clear The patient oe's
has thought out his subject and wrought w.
He arranges his facts, puts them always
same place, and his information about hoteh'a
cabs. and galleries and the rest, is coLes y.
under separate heads, each easily found IN s
matter of maps, plans, indexes, and riei''.