The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-29
In THELITERARY WORLD
WEEHLY TAIN REQ A
WRITERS AND BOOKS.
A Number of Especially Interesting ruoh-
cations Fresh From Press-Dosi
Christianity.

LITERARY GEMS: "House OF Lie,
Rosseth; "she Stops to conquer
Goldsmith; study OF Poetry Mat,
thew Arnold: Eve OF 81. agnes
Keats: "Conyersation." De Quincy;
"Ideas OF Truth" Ruskin. G. r. Put
MANS Sons. New York. London. 10
cents each. For sale by West John
ston & Co.
These constitute the fifth series OF
number Of editions by Messrs. Putnam
"of productions complete In smah COM
pass which have been accepted as classics
OF their kind and which are ehtitled 10
the most attractive form that can De
given them
Any criticism OF the literary style OF
the authors renresented. OF discussion OF
their several merits as Illustrated by
their special contributions to this series,
| would be a work OF supererogation.
The claims OF Goldsmith, Matthew Ar
| mold. Dante Rosseth, John Ruskin' De
| Quincy and Keats, 10 GIFTS OF the hrst
| order are thoroughly established.
Suffice it, therefore. 10 say that the
composition best embodying the most
| thoroughly characteristic qualities OF each
has been selected by the publishers SO
that the series is well and appropriately
named.
The exquisite imagery that marks Keats
briefest poem and which is as delicate as
his spirit was sensitive; the originality
| and beauty Of style that have established
Ruskin's fame as q master Of beautiful
English Is not always Of good common
sense; the eloquence OF the "Engllsh
Opium Eater" the erratic, but
strong qualities OF Arnold; the passion,
sentiment and extreme grace OF dlction
that are pre-eminenty Rosseth's; the
naive and racy charm Of Goldsmith;-each
Of these is represented in one Of the six
tasteful 30 mo. volumes that make up the
series.
These books are bound I'm olive and
gold, and each contains the portrait OF
the author whose work IL contains, in
photogravure.
The series is OF a character which Will
prove popular with the purchasers Of
birthday or holiday souvenirs, who desire
In gift something more than mere pret-
tiness.
The edition VIII commend itself to all
who are familiar with the qualities which
made the fame Of the authors whose
work it illustrates. for the publishers
have evinced as much judgment in the
literary selections as in the style of their
publication.
STUDIES OF TRAVEL-Greece. Italy:
BY Edward A. Freeman. g. p. Put
MANS Sons, New York. London. For
sale by West Johnston e Co.
''In the life Of cities nothing preserves
like early overthrow; nothing destroys
like continuous life"
THE happiest nations have no history"
But the happiest nations, like the hap
piest women, are not those which attract
us most; 1t is vivid life which creates in
terest. as 1t is vivid life which makes
history.
It IS not possible that Mr.. Freeman's
studies could have identified themselves
with any two other countries so full Of
charm to the imagination OF the student,
80 lowered with the fatal gift Of
beauty" or whose glory is more entirely
a thing ot the past.
The Studies" consist Of papers which |
were the result OF three several Journeys
I'm Greece and Italy" and which were pre-. |
pared for publication by Mr.. Freeman's |
daughter Florence.
The father visited Greece for the first /
time in 1871 but OF the papers written in |
that year, which appeared in the Satur- |
day Review only those on Corfu have |
been reprinted.
since his Greek Journey was made. fresh /
light has been thrown on many ponts by
the German excavations at Olympia as |
well az by those conducted by the Greeks |
themselves on the Athenian Akropolis, at
Eleusis and elsewhere.
1.-THE papers on the two italian Journeys
OF lSl-8 also stand as they were writ
ten, with the exception OF few verbal al
terations which have seemed needful I'm
such a reproduction Of what was original
ly intended for the columns Of a news
paper"
II is not often that matter prepared
for the columns Of newspaper" Is OF so
high n quality or so worthy Of reuroduc-
ton in book form. The Studies" are
marked by an attractive and easy literary
style, and the authors keen powers Of
observation and thorough familiarity with
the history Of the two countries about
which he writes as well as his general
culture, are evident on every page
Each volume contains a helpful index
and that on Greece" an Illustration rep
resentiug the southwest corner Of tbe
Prthenon, after the drawing made by
II. w. Williams in 1922
AN INQUIRY INTO THE TRUTH OF
DOGMATIC CHRISTIANITY: BY
William bearing Harden. G. p. Put
naT1s Sons. New York. London. For
sale by West Johnston & Co.
This book is an endeayor to establish a
series Of seven propositions, the tendency
being toward the demonstration Of the de-
fects Of dogmatic Christianity gin any
OF its phases. Catholic or Protestant"
The propositions are as follows:
THE Church has eXerted. and still
aNerts, a baleful influence upon man
kind (a) by dlscourageing the study OF
nature and suppressing the use of reason,
thereby checking progress and retardng
civilization; and, CO. by insisting that be-
lief is necessary 70 salvation, thereby
driving mary to despair and ruin; and
mans physical, mental and spiritual adj
vaucement has been, and must be.
through skepucism and free thought and
In spite-and not because-of the Church.
1.-THE doctrine Of free will" as I'M
1ally understood and as taught by the
Church. is impossible, IL God be as He is
attributing the origin Of sin
to man is absurd. and the idea OF con-
tinual strife between God and the devil is
III.-iThe councils Of the Church by
which her creeds were formulated. were
not inspired but very fallible. assemblies
n exceedingly natural men: and their
lecrees are conflicting. unreasonable, and
utterly without authority.
IN.-Jesus OF Nazareth was not God.
lor the Son, in the sense OF offspring OF
Sod; He never claimed to be either. nor
lid others claim II for Him until long
after His death: and during His life He
never sought or received divine honors.
lie taught no new ethics: and the ethics
N many Of the "pagans were superior to
hose Of the Jews, and equal 10 those Of
he Church