The herald., 1894-03-04
[BY L. BEHYMRR.l

q little volume Dy bran0eE MhttuoHH
entitled Studies of the Stage. tits issued
in the same series and style as his we'll
known volume on Americsnisms and
Criticisms, with Other Essays on Other
Isms. These essays in Mr.. Matthews
volume upon theatrical subjects differ
from most other papers about plays and
playwrights, mainly because OF the
writer's different point of view. While
the theatrical critic in general looks at
the drama from bis seat in the orches.
ira, Mr.. Matthews standpoint has al
ways been the stage itself. Being him
self writer OF plays, he is able, there
fore. to consider the art of the dramstist
with an intimate sympathy and full
understanding of its technic; certainly
to greater extent than is possible to
those rho know the stage only from the
far side OF the footlights. Tbs purpose
of this volume and ite contents may be
taken ss a clever argument in favor of
the contention that dramatic literature
must approve itself as drama first be-
fore it need be discussed as literature.
Among the subjects discussed are /:
The Dramatizstion OF Novels, q very in
teresting essay The Dramatic Outlook
in America shows that as q people the
Americans are hard to amuse and that
in this country the future of the dramatic
art depends On the same condition as
the future of our institutions-on the
enlightened common sense of our Amer
Jean people. The Players, an article on
the home-the club of the actor, of the
theatrical manager and the dramatic
author, contains a beautiful tribute to
the memory of Edwin Booth, and q his
tory of the manner in which the club
has prospered since the deed Of gift was
made over amid the clangor OF the bells
on midnight of 158S-89, when the play
ers gathered about Mr.. Booth, before the
broad fire with its blazing yuie.log
and beneath Sully's noble portrait Of
Junius Brutus Booth, looking down with
ewes of tenderness and pity, received
the title of their sumptuous clubhouse.
The article also contains full descrip-
ton of the artistic decorations, its lux
urious furniture, ample equipment, its
library and indieputable comfort.
Charles Lamb and the Theater, is a
pleasant reminiscense of the English
writer, whose shrewd, keen and witty
efforts keep step to @ Yankee tune and
make him favorite in America as we'll
as England.
In another article M. M. Francisque
Sarcey and Jules Lemaitre as Theatrical
Critics are treated in a very clever man
ner. His closing article is Asides. in
Guiding Shakespeare, Moliere and Mod
ern English Comedy.
x#~
One OF the new books from the Boston
publishing house of Roberts Brothers is
by Philip Stafford Moxom, entitled The
Aim of Litess. Plain Talks to Men and
Women. The opening chapter is de-
voted to the subject OF life and it's trs-
mendous possibilities it's objects and it's
purpose. Character is next considered;
not what a man is thought to be. but
what man really is; not the opinion,
but the fact. This subject is well hand
led and gives 8 clear idea of how the
character is formed, some of it's princi-
pal elements, its purity. its atesdfastness
and its worth.
Habit is described as a mode of action
by which one is held 30 that he has a
fixed disposition to act according to that
mode.
Companionship is considered under
two heads, The Influence of Compan-
ions, and The Choice of Companions,
both OF which are thoroughly debated.
Chapters are devoted to the subject of
Temperance, Debt, The True Aristoc-
racy, Education, and Saving Time.
These are considered from a Christian
standpoint, surrounded by a thorough
knowledge of the world, it's people, its
ways, morals, habits and actions. One
OF his best chapters is devoted to that
word which In that marvellous prose
idyl, the 18th chapter of First Corin-
thians is translated as meaning love-
the word charity. He teaches that
charity ia something more than a benev-
olent disposition to supply the temporal
needs of men, though it certainly is that,
Tor it is love expressing itself in helpful
action.
Ethics of Amusement ia taken up and
fully considered, followed by a careful
analysis OF reading-what we read, how
we read, when we read, and also what
we should read and when to read it. He
shows thai the human instinct for max
ing records of experience and observa-
tion is sort of universal reporter whose
pencil never pauses. Art, science, war,
travel, commerce, government, religion,
law, pleasure, crime, love, hate, all have
their memorial in books.
He shows that erything that men
think and feel snd do come time gets re-
ported, so that a single library may
epitomize the experience of the race.
and make Us aharers in it.
AS we read his descriptions and ana
lyze bis gems OF thought We readily see
that time AMI space are ami
hilated for Us by books; and
as we ait by our freside
enjoying this instructive and we'll writ
ten volume, we think Of the choice
books upon our book shelves and soon
we are with Homer. gazing upon the
battle-swept plain Of Ilhum; or with
Eschylus we wander by the bl1e, re.
splendent Aegean, listening to 1.-THE
multitudinous laughter" of its waves,
or kneel with Orestes in the shrine at
Delphi shadowded by the inescapsble
Furies with Plato we discourse of Rea-
500 and the Ideal amid the groves of
the Academy; with Caesar We penetrate
the forests of Gsul and Britain, and
watch tbs hordes OF white-limbed
ssvages fly before the iron legions of
Rome; with Saint Luke and Saint John
We journey from Bethlehem to Ma
zareth, and from Cspernaum to Calvary
in company with Jesus; with Paul
the Apostle, we traverse Syria and
Aeia Minor, and hear the gospel
preached in the bosy streets of Ephesus
or on the tempted Acropolis OF Athens
with NeWfnn and Prnetor wa aWnan tho