New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SOME NEW BOOKS.


The fourteenth volume Of the BanEsde Shakespeare
1.-THE Shakespeare Society Of New-YorlN contains
percles the Players text OF 1900, collaed with the
text OF the Third Folio 1863'64 The INTRODUCTION
by Appleton Morgan, is ingenious II not absolutely
convincing argument for the authorship OF Shakespeare
Like most of Mr.. Morgans shsesp criticism this
Is characterized ty originality Of view and coseness OF
research He reason why shakespeare
should not have written the whole of IT, bad as well as
good and he makes the most OF the consideration that
the great dramatist first Of ALL man OF business
who catered 10 the tastes Of the public ana VINO
sought above all else to put paving plays upon the
stage Now II is certain that "Percles' was one oil
the popular of plays, Notwithstanding or per
haps because Of its defects mere paraphrase OF e
old story OF Appoonus OF Tyre, WITHOUT oranauo
unity or FORM Shakespeare put into the ac"hs Ecr-
sion little more than those touches OF nature which
make II live. Mr.. Morgan has to meet a dincuN IN
dealing with the theory that II was one OF the autors
earliest efforts, for while much OF It Is crude anu raw"
the better portions in truth as mature a. anNthR
shskespeare wrote This has been pointed ont by
Richard Grant White; and Mr.. Morgan has not ap-
parently found sufficient e1pianauoh Vi ono
fact Mr.. Morgans observations npon the causes
Of textiIal corruption form quito uSV'"''
part Of his argument. and are ootn lneeniou
and fresh. He gives q fac-simile OF Shehespc"i0'
will N show how easily the poets very bad manu-
writing might have been misnterpreted by the prhS'
and he gives an illustration OF the Enzabethah "Po
case 10 exhibit the helps 70 error wmch were a'oruou
nv the positions and relations OF the etterboxes A
whole Of this is quite new and very We'll put uous W
course Mr. Morgan is at odds with the majority OF inc
modern school of Shabespearean critics, who prefer 10
sbut their ewes TO the realities Of the poets own ue'
and the probabilities based upon the study OF uoSo
times and sit reading modern meanings INTO Ills "AO
and applying modern standards to his motives we
have no doubt that Mr. Morgan is night IN MS nalii
contention namely, that Shakespeare was, II az al
only incidentally concerned with ethical purposes Ie
no was above all a realist in construction; thaV lo
took human nature as he saw II, ana pun ~ ino MS
plavs that short, to his own words ne mel" Oo
mirror I'D to Nature. But this may be admitted WIN
ont accepting Morgan's position as TO the authof
ship of Percles' and notwithstanding his exceeuhey
bright and clever plea for the canoncal orhouoHy Oh
the play we are Of the opinion that the case Is sun
open and that Scotch verdict Of not proven is Uto
most that can be anticipated.
Another Browning book comes to swell the list
This time is Professor Henry Jones' OF the university
College of North Wales who discusses "Brownlng as
Philosophical and Religious Teacher" Macmllah o.
COY II is perhaps not remarkable that the most
opposte views regarding Brownfngs religion ana
Philosophical and Religious Teacher" (Macmllio~ q
have even gone far as 10 say that ne ma nethef
the one nor the other; and though stated thus broadly
this position involves serious faaces, 1t Is perhaps
NOT far from the truth that his thoughts in these drec
tons never were systematized Nothing further from
doamatc theology than Brownings religious uttennces
coud well be conceived certainly and rs TO phlloso-
phy 1t would be difficult to point out where his afila-
tions ue He was an optimst, beyond doubt, ont ne
never pretended to solved any Of the problems OF
the universe and Ais hope for the future was possibly
more tempeamental than rational in It's origins Pro-
fessor Jones like many Others, has composed volume
by reading his ideas into his author. IL is very
common weakness but it does not tend much to edhca
ton Dldacticism far removed from Brownings
purposes according to those who knew him best. and
hoya liked
pose as either philosophical or religious teacher
Professor Jones has written by no means unnterest
ing book but we do not think he has understood
Robert Browning.
Mr. Joseph Jacobs has reprinted, under the title
EEssays and Reviews" some studies on George Eliot,
Matthew Arnold Robert Browning and Cardinal New
man. (Chares Scrtners Sons) Most OF these appeared
first in "The Atbenaeum," and they include nouceS
written Immediately after the deaths of the authors
dealt with Mr.. Jacobs is a keen and appreciatlve
critic OF the psychological school as contra-dstn-
gulshed from the aesthetic. but somewhat lacking In
sympathy and In Imagination. His critques are indeed
nearly always reasonable and discriminating but he
not seldom seems to seize upon points which are re-
markable rather for their oddty than for their natural
ness The studies of Matthew Arnold we think
better than those OF George Eliot though In the latter
the critics effort to get close to his subject and TO take
comprehensive views of it is sufficiently obvious.
The Newman reviews strike least satisfactory OF
all for Mr.. jacobs quite lduS 10 "elSn WIFI dp-
proaeh to accuracy the really vital question OF New
mans relations to veracity III referring for instance,
to the literary duel between Newman and Kingsley,
he mputes Philstmism to the latter because he could
not understand the Cardinals subtle casustry. Yet
he himself says that Newman had MIST prius" tone
illegal and Guibbling tone,' etc. and he admits that
this du!bbling helped to undermine Newman's infu-
ence from the time OF the appearance of Tract No.
XC.'" Here 1t IS evident that the critics own mind
was not made up when he wrote
Harper & Brothers have published O popular edition
Of Mr. II. H. Bancrofts interesting autObiOgraphical
volume entitled Literary Industries" which has al
ready been reviewed in The Tribune. The new edition
differs from the first solely in Oavfng Introduction
by George Frederic Parsons.
Dr. william J. Role g the editor Of selection Of
"Tales from Scottish History in Prose and Verse;
which appears In Harper Brothers series OF English
Classics for School Reading The plan Of the book IS
similar to that OF the " Tales from English History
The notes rand this refers especially to those at the
end Of the volume-much fuller than is usually found
In books Of this class and the volume Is in all respects
well adapted TO It's purpose.