The Portland daily press., 1890-01-25

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40, 70 teachings of this book
40, Whole hisI,eout universal. They mark
Ls:.ovement of a denomination of active
fnd enterprising Christians from a contro-
versial starting point. where the term uni
versalist" was popular and sectarian, toward
the broad ground of common reason and
necessary belief, where the term "Univel-
salist" demands another construction with
reference to the universal re violation of God
and the universal faith of man. The men
who give us their thoughts here are not oc-
cupied about petty issues, not carried to and
fro by any capricious wind of doctrine, but
are borne onward by one steady inspiration
which they share, and desire to share more
fully, with their fellow-men. 1t is this COM
mon inspiration, which marks these writers,
in the language of Lord Gifford's will, as
liable reverent men, true thinkers, sincere
lovers of and earnest enquirers after
TRUTH" be they ''of any denomination
or of no denomination" And a num-
Der of essays might be selected from
this volume equal to the number of Profess
sor Max Muller's recent lectures in Glasgow
on the Clifford foundation, which would fur
nish reasonably coherent and effective
illustration Of his definition of Religion-as
consisting sin the perception of the infinite
under such manifestations as are able to in
fuence the moral character of man." while
a considerable number have special refer.
ence to the nature, value and proper use of
the Scriptures, under the light of modern
criticism.
might indicate the quality of thought in
these essays by many choice morsels, did
space permit. shall venture to give but
one selection, however, and this for the sake
of its profound significance as against GER
tain materialisiic and mechanical tendencies
10 the thinking of our day. 1t is from Dr.
Pullman's 'Series of Hints on the .Ele-
ments of Religion"
sThe miracle is the essential antithesis to
law, speaks of realm higher than law,
stands for that very Indebtedness which
Is the condition of all energy and spOnta-
neity-stands for the transcendence of per-
sonality above all modes of force. Law is
not God, it is only one-and that not the
highest-cf the methods of Goa.
Even the invented miracle is, as Martineau
points ont, the human product of the same
truth that compels the assertion Of miracla
by the highest minds-the possibility of
Divine entrance upon human conditions"
E. G. Q.
Asolando. Fancies and Facts. By Robert
Browning Authors Edit on. Boston:
Houghton, Miffin & Co. Portland: Loring,
Short & Harmon.l 1t is pleasant to be able
to write with genuine enthusiasm concern
ing this last utterance of the great poet, who
so recently passed ito where beyond these
voices there is peace" For this is the vol
ume which appeared ON his death-day. 1t
was of this, and its reception, that he said:
1T is very gratifying" Surely one could
hardly find it in ones heart to make very
severe criticism upon this last fruit of the
dead poets brain.
Asolando is written in what the artists
would call Mr. Browning's ''earler manner"
1t is, fortunately, more in the style and
spirit of the men and Women" and Ora
mats Person@," than after the fashion of
those sad later volumes; "Pachiorotto,"
THE Inn Album" "Red Cotton Night.cap
Country" and other (by us) unreadable pub
locations. 1t has in it semething-at times
good deal-of the old lyrical sweetness and
dramatic power that made the name of
Browning one to conjure with. For many,
many years he has given US nothing so good
as the ripe wisdom of the prologue" the
passion and fire of love-songs like "Summum
Bonum," "a Pearl-A Girl" Speculative
and Humility" OF course these are not
quite so perfect as Love Among the Ruins"
There's Woman Like Dewdrop," and
fifty other lyrics that make Browning the
great poet of love; but they are greater.
more full of unique quality, more rich and
passionate and tender than-shall we say?-
the poetry of any other modern writer.
Browning knew that love was the glory of
life, and that without it the world was
poor affair.
There is considerable dramatic power, a
touch of the old splendor, in several of the
bad Dreams" Some one has said that the
poorest work of great man has in it
higher quality than you can find in the very
best production of one of ordinary talent
The note of greatness distinctly sounds
through these extraordinary and fantastic
dreams" Ruskin might have erOwied out
the conclusion of the one on the unfortunate
union Of Nature and Art. There is genuine
wit in the group of Papal poems, but it lacks
something of the old Browning flavor. There
is hint, too, Of the wonderful skin in dra-
matte monolOgue which we have had ia "An-
drea del Sarto" and Fra Lippo Lippi," in
beatrice Signorini." But the strongest of
all these dramatic poems is the "Imperante
Augusta Natus est" with its vivid picture of
Rome under the great emperor, and its SOL
emn questioning at the close.
BrowniDg's boundless optimism-what did
a recent writer in the Atlantic Monthly mean
by calling him pessimist ?-never shone
out more LUMINOSITY, more irrepressibly.
than In some of the noble verses found in
this volume. His oft-repeated thought that
this world is good place in which to test
mems faith and courage and heart-whole-
ness is echoed in "Rephan."
tHaye you no assn ance thai, earth at end,
Wrong will prove light? VINO made shall mend
LII the higher sphere 10 which yearnings tend?"
While yeritable bugle-note of courage, of
undaunted faith that good, and not evil, is
the end of all, sounds through "Reverie,'
perhaps the finest poem in the "Fancies and
Factt." 1t has the brave, thrilling ring
which we found in "Prospice," "a Gramma-
rian's Funeral," and rabbi Ben Ezra
some of the grandest poems in the English
language, of faith refusing apparent to be
overcome by doubt and apparent defeat No
better word could we have, none more fitting
10 be his last word than is uttered in these
brave lines:
have faith such end will be:
From the first, Power was-I knew
Life has made clear TO me