New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-07
NAGAZINE NOTES.


"Napoleon" is the most important OF the serious
go. IL tho Christmas Century" He shows us
clever studious restless young oficer-onc tui
of ambition. loyal to his povcrty-stricken lahiiy
polite as a boy be. and not too truthful Al
eighteen he was trying to write history OF 'or-
sica a novel. and some short stories. ana ne was
reading not only "Werther' Ave tTes over but
all the serious literature he could lay his hands on
The history OF the East he specially Interested
in England and Germany. adds Professor
Sloane mex. engaged his attention. and toward
the close of his studies he became ardent IN eX-
aiming the mnutest details or French history
II was moreover. the science OF history. and not
its literature which occupied hm-dry details OF
revenue resources and institutions; the sorbonne'
the bull Unigcntus. and Church history In gem
eral; the character OF peoples. the origin OF insu-
tutions the philosophy OF legslation-all these ne
studied and. II the character or his notes - uus'
worthy. with some thoroughness. He also found
time TO read the masterpieces OF French literature
and the great critical judgments which mad been
passed upon them" This is phase of Napoleons
youth which IL not often considered by the average
reader who is apt to think OF the Corsican as
bursting upon the world marvel OF untutored
genius.
Mr. Kipling shows In his walking Delegate.
that his flexible Imagination has assmilated Ameri-
can character and atmosphere to wonderful ex-
tent His differentiation OF traits and opinions IN
the group OF horses from the -four quarters OF the
United States is acutely and surprisingly true
as his differentiation of dialects. He portrays NOT
only the representative characteristics OF the va
rious regions. but phases OF human nature that
are manifest throughout civilized life. His An
archst- Populst walking delegate, the yellow morse
from the West. is brilliant little study. The
sketch a whole is mastery bit OF work.
The Editor OF the magazine contributes the
best OF its dainty and musical strain end
ing thus:
How TO the singer comes the song7
How to the summer fields
Darkness to happy morn? How doth the night
Bring stars? Oh how do love and Hight.
Leap at the sound and sight
or her who makes this dark world seem less
Life Of my life ana soul OF all my sonsl
The magazine IL beautifully illustrated. the
drawings breathing refnemcn; and distinction
delightful to
Anil the poetry. fiction and miscellaneous prose
which go 10 make the December "Scrhner en-
phatically Christmas number there stands out
one paper which gives this issue OF the magazine
high value FOR any time. II is the essay on George
Frederick Watts whose personality and pictures
would make a profound impression 10y themselves
oven II MI Cosmo Monkhouse had written about
them less acutely and sympatheucaly than ne has.
Watts IL an old master. born out OF his time ana
unsupplcd with the manual facility. the purity of
color which his thine might give him. but ne has
high IMAGINATION he has the nobility 81 the old
cause he gives you gllmpscs ~ the unattainab!e.
because he appeals 20 whatever Is finest In ones
nature. Look tho Illustrations TO this article
well made I'm tho main and certainly well selected
See the Death Growing Innocence. the "OrIheus
and EuryIicc" and that sublime conception called
Hope" Beauty-tehuiy 81 the sort which cannot
be analysed or dcscrlbcl-preslles over these Won
dcrful designs Watt IL patronlzed by the younger
men in London they are fonl Of reminding you
that hc cannot paint. but watts can dream he
ca dream on the highest levels known 10 pictorial
ART I'm the present In the past and his visions
have the splcndor which belongs II Michael Angelo
Slgrorelli. hut Watts Is not a master In IN"
realm OF poetry alone. England has hhd no such
portrait painter since Reynolds. and while he Is
far below Reynolds In technique h" II FAR above
him in Imaginative qualities. Men Ike Tcnnyson
Arnold. swinburne Will live hardly more yiyliiy
In their works than In the portraits which
Watts has made Of them IN series. including The
brightest lights Of the Victorian era one can pee
from the reproductions n Mr. Monkhouse's article
what the poriralture - Watts means II IT, obv.-
AZ glance that this PAINTERS brush Is illnni
native. that 1t wrcs's the very heart OF mans
character FROM his face. II We speak thus unrc-
servedy Of Watts. il rs partly because this aricl"
reminds W SO strongly Of his merits and partly -"
cause such sketch II him - It affords has
been needed he e. II Is surprising how many people
have forgotten that we had great Watts "Shl-
bition In the Metropolitan Museum \ fcw years
Ills rctrng genius l. larry ON'floohtb III t"'
clamOr raised Dy the new schools.
THE Atlantic" provides for the holiday season an
attractive group Of stories, az well a. many papers
OF graver character. Mr. William Sharp contributes
an article Walter rater which offers the reader
an excellent portrait In words OF the once
called by Jowett THE demoralz.ng morallzer' NJ.
Sharp recalls many suggestive talks by his friend
and quotes some Of hls opinions. or Browning
Paer said Il think Of him sometimes as IL
superb god OF poetry. 80 proudly needless or teck-
less that he never notices the loss OF his winged
sandals. and that he IL stumbling cumslly whore
he might well Lightly be- lifting his steIa against
the SUBWAY where his eyes set. But | do think
he Will be much read In the future. az ne Is now.
chiefly "A siimulant t. high-heartedness. to hiSh
hope and robust seif-assurance
Mr.. Sharp notes that more and more Pater sought
a rarer atmosphere OF beauty-"outward beauty and
the beauty Of the inner life. His ideals OF conduct
were Spartan rather than what IL 80 loosely called
Epicurean: austerity in clear. lucid. windswept
thought austcrity In the expression Of that thought
even when wrought by 1t to the white heat OF ere
alive emotion. but austerity that came from the
reserve force of perfect and scrupulous mastery.
and from tmldty or GOODNESS or sterllity OF deep
feeling and austerty In lie.
Among Pater's favorlte passages In literature. he
placed foremost the maxim from Plato: Honor
the soul: for each mans soul changes. according
to the OF his deeds. for better or worse
How delightfully."- varied Is the holiday number OF
''IIarpcr's" From the solemnlty o: Mr.. Howells s
poems nd the tenderness Of Miss Scwalrs Christina
verses pass 10 the humor OF The Tanning
OF the Shrew." Mr.. Lang interprcts II In prose
and Mr.. Abbey In pictures. There are some eX-
! qusite sketches OF Japan by Mr.. Parsons and In
! contrast to his pla id idys. accompanied by text
| OF the same gentle nature there are some nervous
and vigorous sketches of THE Show Places ~
Paris" by Mr.. Davis and Mr. Gibson Both artist
and author have hit Off wei the types and atmos-
phere OF the places OF amusement they describe. and
sadly morbid the undercurrent may be to that
which Is described and sketched In this paper. II
must be admitted that It's material is wonderfully
picturesque The night spectacle OF farls IN the