New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-28

NJ A., with Introduction by A. H.; BuiIen
Three volumes. Pp XXXL. 900; SO2; O4l Mac
milan 4 Co.
Doubtless there are those who will censure
Mr.. Shilleto for translatng in his notes SO
much OF Burton's Latin as he has done. But
II Is not certain that the readers OF The
Anatomy of Melancholy" are to be found chiefly
among those WHO can co9strue all his out
landish quotations at sight on the contrary,
many arguments can be given for believing
that almost every person who reads Enghsh
has an attack OF Burton sooner or later. just a.
II he were catching like tina measles or the
whooping cough: 1t Is the youth who reads,
but the quaint sayings OF the eccentric
OLD university man cling TO the memory
In maturity and in age. and sometimes they are
very healing TO a wounded spirit. But Just
because the large proportion OF Burtons readers
know little OF medieval Latin literature. they
are apt to think OF him as without an eXamplar
and without imitatOr. He can be compared
only in outline with Sir Thomas Browne or
MontaigT,e or Sir Philip Sidney Yet they too.
are echoes Of a literature which Is now forgot
ten With q trihing relapse for moment
into the pedantry Of the Middle Ages. and or the
revival of learning. Burton's true relationships
can easily be discovered. His style, racy
English, irregular in movement. with Latin
phrase always just in the right place TO attract
attention. is too familiar TO require illustra-
ton. But II one takes the trouble TO turn some
OF these sentences wholly into Latin or wholly
into English. he will that the eccenticty is
in form rather than in matter. One OF the
most characteristic passages in The Anatomy
is the discourse in which the author inveighs
against the claims OF high birth by way OF
consoling some base-born and unhappy but
capable man. In general the argument is an
appeal TO what other men have said. and briefly
to examples OF men who have risen from OBJ
security TO renown by their efforts. OF
course 1t would be difficult to find another
writer who possessed Burton's delightful skill
in playing with quotations. One would not
expect to find In another that satircal fervor
which flames with mock earnestness now
one side, now the other, of disputed ques
ton But he might easily find, If he hit upon
the right book. discussion OF the topic quite
in Burton's Manner far as learning is con-
cerned He would find the author OF this
book gravely raising the question which after
him Burton also raised whether merit was
equivalent to high birth and virtue kind Of
nobility by itself But while Burton APP
preached the subject from what he would have
thought the scientific side. the earlier author
looked at 1t one familiar with the rules OF
Roman law. OF all this legal literature. Burton
knew nothing. Setting that aside. there IL
enough left to show how thoroughly Burton's
method worked out before he came to the
Of 1t. Remember Burton's plan and then
trace the scheme Of the older author. Andreas
Tiraqueau. whose writings were we'll known TO
him, and must have had influence upon him.
The whole OF TiraQueaus long essay the
subject Of gentle BIRTH as well as other writings
Of his; might be worked oyer. with little trouble
into a parody of Bystdn's book. Merely for the
sake Of the argument, consider the aspect OF
these sentences. not quoted. but remodelled
from the profuslon Of Tiraqueau's borrowings
"Some will have 1t that virtue needs the addi-
ton Of riches for Kentility sake. but others set
wealth aside as convenient. not necessary, agree
ing therein with these verses. vulgar but not
TO be despised:
Nobilitas homnis mems est, details Image
Nobilitas hominis vlrtutum clara propago. etc.
For we are all Of the same parents according
TO the flesh, and he that scOrneth thy birth Is
truly ignoble to thee. Thus. nobility OF blood
IS naught, and rightly Is 1t said. Nobilitas sola
est, anmum quae moribus ornat. And he that
said this was much OF Theodectus his mind in
that place OF Aristotle, Politicon, Lib l., Cap A.
where he would have other bounds between
gentle and ignoble than between virtue and
vice. Menander. also. If the verse be his de-
clared that good man could not be ignobe. and
Eurpdes made mind the test OF gentity say
ing. Whoever Is unjust ignobilis mihi censetur.
though he have better than Jove to his father
AS said Epicharmus, he that Is by nature turned
to good is well born, even OF an Ethiopian
mother 1t was enough for Tully to flourish in
his own deeds. and he cared not maJorum
opinione niti. Nor Is that saying Of Phalaris
to be despised in answer to Axiochus who would
know what he thought Of the matter that he
knew other nobility than virtue and good
fortune and that 1t best to indulge the
praises Of the mine. laudibus animae not those
Of ancestors now extinguished in an obscure
Such sentences these may sug-
gest to the reader Of Burton that when he scans
the pages OF his favorite he Is not porting over
unique book but is examining a specimen
saved from the mass Of a forgotten literature.
Tiraqueau belonged to the times Of reforma-
ton and renaissance. He was therefore, one
Of many in whom a modern purpose actuated
literary methods that were wholly OF the past
He was a voumnous writer yet he was after
all only a connecting link In literature. But