Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-02
EDITORS BOOK TABLE
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF 'NTe-
TeRssT TO VlRGlNlANS.
"a Biblical Discovery. Am jew or oen-
tile? Or. tho Created Origin Oh
the Racer Etc.

Literature By WILLIAM REsroN. some
time extension-lecturer TO the scottish
universities, author OF The Logic OF
STYLE" Blghopepool," "Oils and Wa
tcr-Colorsp With diagrams. New York:
CHARLES ScRIBNEB's Sons. 1928. Pages
24s. 81 net.
For sale by WEST. JOHNSTON d Co.
Wa have had a former opportunity 10
refer 10 this excellent series OF uni
yersity.extension manuals which the
Messrs. Scrlbner are publishing. The pres
emit is most useful compendium and re
ference-book. Naturally it is difficult to
compre.s even outlines of English litera-
ture from Caidmon 10 Ruskin and Spen-
Ger and Morris-nay. also, when an appen-
dix adds American literature-within the
compass of a couple Of hundred or so OF
pages. The result is one OF classification
and plgeon-holing rather than OF Discus
sion and exposition.
The most successful short book on Eng
lish literature hitherto has been Mr.. stop
ford Brooke's admirable little prlmer-ad-
mirable because OF its sense OF proper
ton. This is an advantage when the op-
portunity OF condensation IN a sinal VC--
une perTnits. But the volume before us
differs very markedly from Mr.. Brookes
successful effort. There is tuiness re-
marksb!e for space 80 contracted. hence
rigIdity of classification and labelling TO
which. while IL is most interesting ana IN
strnctive. exceptions may stiiI De taken:
Yet as is often the case, the charm ana
weakness of the book arise from the same
cause. The classification and tho analysis
-. brlt ~ fol
lowed 1t too closely II would lead mo
grave errcr.
Take Shakespeare's successors. for In
stance: Ben. johnson is cl2ssed "a an IN
stance of psychology and rhetoric; Mid
dlcton, OF psychology and dramaturgy;
Chapman, of dramaturgy and rhetoric;
Beaumont and Fletcher. OF dramatuFgy
and poetry: Messenger, OF rhetoric ana
poetry: Decker, OF poetry and psychoio-
ey. One at once sees the Danger nom
this PROCEDURE: and yet, within limits,
such an aualysIs-such clear-cut dlstinc-
tIons-giye tho mind something 10 hold ON
by, and enable the student 10 classify phe-
uomena ana to tabuIate results Ali ina
Is well enough 10 inclte an interest and 10
serve a. reference as these manuals ana
lectures are primarily intended; but tho
careful and appreclatiye lovers OF letters
will sacrifice here, aud add on there, ana
tllAlllH every " Iflt- T. - iANN4N 80
TO observe the differences IN the
thought and the expressions OF thought
In different times and ayes. 10 arrive AZ
the fundamental. underlying idea or prln-
ciple controlling an author and pigeon
hole him would ba delightful. and SIMPLE
enough, if we could not so easily make
mistakes RICH, here. The teacher. ALWAYS
too apt 10 dOgmatlZe, would sWay the
scepter with even greater vigOr. Inc cate
L Pei ffffHrn u
SO and so Of such and such an author. We
have here. then. no history of literature,
history Of the life Of thought. but what
the book itself Processes 1t consists OF
outlines. We have spoken plainly, but we
do not hesitate 20 recommend II. The d.
visions and subdivisions and classlhca-
tions are strikIng-manY of them novel
aud original. The diagrams add 70 this
feature. illustrating 10 the eye the distlnc-
tlCns the author makes IN his text. We
feel sure that the historian OF literature
for there can be little Of aesthetic criticism
in q book SO compressed and replete with
absolute dIcta-wlll find II an interesting
volume 10 examine. 1t will serve "a an IN
PRODUCTION Of course, means that
the sfudeh of literature viii use II as
stepping stone to 90 farther.
4 Rio5raphical Sketch. lima Maria Mead
Chalmers. In memoriam. By her son,
EDWARD G. MAD, of keswick, Va. Rich
mond The Everett Waddey Company.
Price. Sl.25.
On the back of this modest little volume
Of 1872 pages we find the name Anna
Mead Chalmers" and on the title-page
what is presented at the head of this no.
tice. Both of these announcements are
unfortunate in that neither Is likely 20
identity the subject of the sketch in the
minds OF many persons who will he deeply
interested ia the contents of the book.
The authors preface Will provo no more
satisfactory TO the average reader Of the
class referred 10, n0r will the first chapter,
which is chiefly genealogical supply the
desider0um. But should he or she turn to
the beginning of the third chapter flood
of men ories will be set in motion. There
will be found the statement that on
October 4. 1S4I, my mother opened her
first school IN q small building on CLAW
street not far from Sixth, where the late
DIR. TaZeWell liyed.n Then the impulse
will be 10 go back. start at the preface
aud peruse the volume carefully TO the
end.
Anna Maria Mead Chalmers was born in
Detroit, Mich. July %, 1899. She was
thrice married. Her first husband was
George Alexander OTIS, ,Jr., OF Boston
her second was Rev. Zachsriah Mead. Mt
one time assistant in 81. Johns, Aonu-
mental, and st. James churches. OF this
city. and her third Sir. David Chalmers, of
Halifax county. But it is as Mrs. Mead
that her name is iudlssolubly linked with
the educational history of Richmond and
touches the most responsive chords. Mrs.
Mead's school is 10 not few Of the
mothers of to-day what the old Richmond
Academy was TO large number of tho
fathers of Richmond Of few years agone,
"a raIfafaI thnaa tUHnonQaa
which constitute the blessing OF many a
Richmond household. In the correspond
ence embraced in the sketch We get a
beautiful insight into the character and
Rttainments of the subject, and are better
able than ever to appreciate her remark
able fitness for the labor to which she so
long devoted herself here.
TO Mrs Mead was brought perhaps as
forcibly as to any other woman IN the
South the fact that the late war was in
many instances a war of brother against
brother. Her eldest soma son by her
first marriage-was in the United States
army and remained on the Union side.
Her youngest son, William Il. Mead her
second son was an invalid-cast his for
tunes with his native State. The first In
timation the mother had of this decision
was in note to her dated not from the
law school of Judge peterborough. at
ItAlDRlOu, Wnctb euppOSbu Htf SOU
was, but from the tented field. Init young
Mead says:
Il have taken this step, dear mother. not
that / loved you less, but my State more.
i feared to ask your permission. as a re-
fusal would have been law to me; but |
am now in my country's service and feel
sure you will sanction my course and give
NE your love and blessing. will try and
be faithful and do my best in my country's
service, with the fear of God and tho love
Of my State before my eyes continually"
Mrs. Mead's sentiments were strongly
against the institution of slavery, but in
reply to this note she wrote: Il honor. I
admire your views as expressed in your
note, and your entire course. God bless
you"
After the first battle of Manassas she
wrote him: You are spared and 30 many
are sleeping in death. Major Harrison is
TO be barred IN Richmond to-day and
Fontaine is dead. James Lee wounded,
and that bright and beautiful boy, John
w. Daniel, wounded but expected to re-
cover. | do not wish YOU to
leave your post of duty one moment before
you think best. Stand by your guns,
dear boy, and do your duty to your
country and to your God. and / can pa
uently bear the separation"