New-York tribune., 1891-12-31
A HEARTY LOVER OF BOOKS.
FAR FROM ENTHUSIASTIC OVER THE PRES
ENT FORMS OF LITERATURE

WRITERS AND READERS. BY George Birhbeck
Eiill, p. c. L. Pp all. c. p. Putnam's sons.
The reninI student Of DR.. Johnsons nfe and works
has shown IN this volume thoughtfu apprec@uon Oh
many diverse phases English literature He does not
seem 10 care much what preceded Shakespeare and
spcnser and for the most widely characteristic fornt
OF literature In the present he cares not nj all
a Nourishcd,s SAYS no, Gas ! have chiefly been' Oh
writer's Of very different school, may see too clearly
and attack too strongly the faults of school wmoh
dctest. what he denounccs particularly in the books
Of today arc tho anectaton Of doep thinking beyond
the power OF clear uttersnce the proslon Of epites
apparently chosen at random, and an aruhc'ai
brileucy after she fashion Of coveret that is made
up by piecing together tho gaudcst snippinss, the
entherings Of many years" Practically tnese counts
mako up an indictment OF insinceriy But a1ter all is
that what the times are really guilty OF! Is there
not sincerity enough. II 1t were only concerned ABOUT
sreat mattorsl IN times OF scientific accuracy. OF the
pto4orraphc study OF details the minute speculation
about phenomena, and the exact reproduction OF ex-
ternnIs as n they the only realities, true realities
escape unnoticed. II socrates had not dcspsed ana
neglected the minntae of physical science, the world
would never have known the magnificent romantcism
Of P,sso The fact Is the world cannot eat Its cake and
have H. This generation is In effect gathering the raw
material for Others to work upon. Its men OF best
genius arc placing those facts In array which sooner
or latcr under tire wand OF future magician VIII
spring up like living things. But such master spirit
IAN only be awakened in an age OF stern convicuon
and Of divine eanestness This is the lesson OF the
past Amid all the petty Quarrels about what kind OF
novewritins is the proper thing, this lesson Is the
only one worth needing. In an age OF small things
rest works OF genius cannot be expected except In
some field like TINT OF architecture physical
science where mutitudes can work together under
ono mighty, silent directing mind. The pyramid
NJ one END OF the worlds history and the mighty fabric
OF evolution at the other are examples OF what the
many can accomplish when the one who can tell
them has told them what to do. In this view OF the
case one can easily consent to the remark OF DR..
Hill: "Ihere is / believe, the same number OF good
brains horn into the world In every generation and
OF the same quality, too Every age might be
Ellrsbethan were the children who belonged to 1t
equally favored BY their surroundings But surely
the world is not vet so decrepit and and so
near its end that 1t may not hope again to witness
mighty outburst OF noble curiosity like that which
followed on the discovery Of the New World the trans
lation of the Bible and of the great masterpieces OF
Greece and Rome The world is still bewildered by
a multitude Of facts; II must have time to survey
the field which science and realism have opened
Let us hope for a new ideasm that shall unite the
new knowledge In living forms.
The book is composed OF papers read In oxford
before the Teachers University Association. and
;aturally some other matters In modern life come up
for censure. DR.. Hin is earnestly opposed to the
system which has made athletics so marked feature
in the competitive life of schools and universities. He
has scant praise for marks and coaches and examiners
Instead of spelling the taste OF the young for good
poetry he would put bad poets to the only use he
thinks them TT for that is, he would make their
writings textbooks for teaching pupils what to avoid
In one pertinent anecdote he even to hint that
he would welcome the exclusion OF Virgil from the
list of requisites for examination In the hope that
then this poet would be read and admired where
he is often only studied and hated.