New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-03
NEW BOOKSAND NEW EDITIONS.

We have received from +. W. Chrstern La Re-
lgion," by Andre Lefevre. Professor in the school
OF Anthropology, Paris NJ Lcfevre is a thorough
going, uncOmpromsng materisst. and the end he SETS
in view is the complete elimination Of the super
natural. Between Fetichsm and Christianity he
recognizes other difference but that OF degree All
religion he holds to be superstition. Spirituality IN
his view Is simply the effect OF ignorant Inauguration
and no matter what form ii takes is but PROOF Oh
defective education and development Man accord
ing TO the Professor, has no high destinies lie IS
animal who has ecpsed the gorilla and has earhcd
great many things. but after all he Is only an animal
The divine Is foolish dream. 1t has no existence
Science is the reality and science knows no'hihs
and believes nothing OF any other than physician lie
aud q material universe. These views are set lo7h
with much erudiuon, and In the dogInatc fhaiiier
affected often by extreme materialsts Boti 'ie
matter and the manner Of VI. Lefcvre's book recall
Buchner whose " Force and Matter though it was 70
settle everything has already been VOL hisn 10Y
gotten. Our learned anthropological Professor VIII
find that religion is not to be given It's quietus IN
this abrupt fashion.
The sixteenth volume CT the Banlside Shakespeare
(The Shakespeare Society Of NewYork contains the
play Of Henry tie Fifth, the Players text OF 1000
with the IIcminges and Condell text OF l623 II
has Introduction by the Rev. Henry Paine StoReS'
NJ A. NJ. L.. touching the history Of the Ouarto texts
and the of the first folio text OF the play MT
Stokes points out the many curious Emergencies OF
the Quarto texts, which seem to suggest that the re-
porter reporters of the play could not appreciate
the noble speeches Of the serious characters and so
clipped and muiated these parts rescrvng all their
carefuncss for the comic parts and making few mis-
takes when they had to do with Falstah, Pistol,
Burtolph Nym, etc. The theory is TO say the least
Ingenious and certainly the state OF the texts lends
support to 1t.
j. b. Lippincott Co. have published the ninth vol
ume OF Horace Howard FurIesss variorum edition OF
Shakespeare 1t Is devoted to "The Tempest and Is
fresh aud brilliant example Of the thoroughness with
which Mr.. Furness does bis work. No commentary or
criticism Of the play has been overlooked and as no
play Of Shakespeare has been more commented upon,
The amount of subsidiary matter brought together by
the editor is necessarily great. We glad TO find
that Mr.. Furlcss takes broader and higher view
OF Callban than the majority Of the critics have done,
md what lie has say this subject should be
fully studied An interesting feature OF the volume is
the insertion Of Drydens version OF The Tempest 1t
Is put in the appendix. the editor observes. "an
objectlcsson OF prime importance for he thinks
rightly that would take the trouble Of looking
up in Dryden's works. and sunless We read 1t no I'm
aginaNon, derived from mere description, can adc-
Quately depict its monstrosty-to be fully hated II
must be fully seen. Than this version, there IS,
think, in the realm OF literature no more fragrant IN
stance to be found OF 'lcscmaesty Another inter
esing feature % the present volume is the rccaptna
ton OF the argum-ns-principlly OF German criticism
support OF the theory that Shakespeare obtained the
main ideas OF "The Tempest from old German
comedy called The Fair Sidea,' which was unearthei
eighty years ago BY Tlcck. Those who follow this con-
troversy will probably conclude, with Mr.. Furness.
that 1t cannot be said that there Is really any ground
common to The Tempest and to The Fair Sdea.'
One two mere points OF contact there are. but they
are points OF altogether minor, nay. of minimum, I'M
porancc.' The examination OF the play from all
points Is not merely full it Is exhaustive.
Morrill,, Higgins e. Co.. Chicago publish a new book
BY Edgar Saltus. with the title Imperial Purple"
il may be characterized modernized version OF
the most scabrous details Of Suetoldus. Tacus etc.
concerning the lives OF the Caesars PetOnius Arbtcr
Juvenal. Propertus and possibly La Vie Privee deS
Douzc Caesars may have been called for conIlbu-
TONS with effects which might have been anticipated
What Imperial Rome was has long been toerably well
understood ard IL hardly worth the while Of any
one to make copy" at this late day Of crimes and
foulncssss which the profcsscd historian finds il
necessary either TO pass unnotced to veil his
illusions to them In learned tongue. There IS
thing morbid in Mr.. Saltuss feversh Sketches and they
assuredly not to edlhcation.