New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-12

and W. Hall Griffin. b. A.. Professor OF Eng
isn sera,urs sn al 4qe s Tme Under james l.
PIP. XIV ASS. Cassel & Co.
The interest in this book centres about the fact
that 1t contains the last Of Professor Morieys
writings upon the task which he had set hmsen
OF making a complete history OF English n'er-
ature Considerably more than two-thlrds OF 'he
present volume Is the work Of Morley, and OF
these 240 pages the greater number receiVeo
fnai correction from his hand before his dea'h.
An indirect announcement retained OF ihsei'eu
by Professor Griffin seems to show that the "orA
will not be left as a fragment. ending win 'he
early years OF the Stuart period put VIII NC
continued to some later time. perhaps 10 'he
present day. In general outline PROFESSOR MOT
LEWIS plan IL not difficult to initiate. To BIZ
ographical account and critical estimate Vi "u-
thors he added in smaller type more or less
elaborate analysis of their works as nearly DIS
possible in chronological order. With men whose
activity was wholly literary. these analyses we're
naturally massed together. There was nothing
in the biography Of the men to interrupt the
discussion OF their writings. But In the case
of a man like Bacon, whose writings occupied
only his leisrre-some years of leisure. OF course
being forced upon him-the studies Of books ran
into their respective places in the midst OF
narrative Of events. While Professor Morley is
moderate In his expressions. he evidently shares
the feeling Of condemnation for Bacons con-
duct In life which flames so luridly In Mac
aulay's essay and is so CALAMITY but perhaps
vainly opposed by SPEEDING. On the other manu.
he seems to put higher estimate on Bacon
achievements IN science than many men or SCI
ence are inclined to do-not. however. without
glancing at the fact that in very important mat
ters he was anticipated by the unfortunate Fran
ciscan, Roger Bacon. His admiration OF the
"Essays' Is very great and he does not raise
the question which may we'll be raised as 10
Bacon's obligations to preceding literature not
merely for material but for the form OF these
tiny studies Of life which now constitute the
main support Of his fame.
Naturally in so large a work Professor Morley
had opportunity to deal with books and authors
that are unknown to the pages of most histories
Of English literature. The present volume Is
no exception TO his practice in this matter. In
the study Of 'Troilus and Cressida," the whole
history Of the treatment OF the tale Of Troy is
traversed briefly from the Latin poem Of Joseph
Of Exeter, product Of the twelfth century. down
to Shakespeare. Latin writings not excluded
from the scope of Professor Morey's narrative,
and there Is specially good reason for restoring
to memory works In learned tongue which
had their share In moulding the thought Of Eng
land on the practical affairs OF Church and
State. King James's own royal position has
saved him from oblivion a writer. but prob
ably few at the present time remember far
ADLER man to whom the King had the good
sense to intrust his controversy with the Pope
and with Cardinal Bellarmine as to the obliga-
lions Of Catholics In England. on the one hand
to the Throne. the other TO the Holy See
Lancelot Andrewes was even in his own day
deemed a curiosity. because he chose to walk
back and forth when he had opportunity be-
tween his home in London and his residence In
Cambridge. Nevertheless. he continued the prac-
tice until he was made Bachelor OF Divinity.
when he took to riding horse. "in unwilling
Difference to the worlds notion Of dignity" He
was a prize winner in Greek and Hebrew from
the beginnings Of his school days. and he de-
veloped as he grew older special aptitude as an
adviser in cases of conscience Those were days
when such a man. what with Catholic recusants.
and with people who had prejudices and con-
victons on almost every conceivable topic con-
nected with the practice Of religion. could easily
have his hands full OF cases OF conscience II he
undertook to deal with them. Andrewes dis
.tinguished himself by series Of lectures on the
Ten Commandments, afterward published under
the sententious title The Moral Law Expounded.
!. Largely. 2. Learnedly. 3. Orthodoxy" or
course that was only part Of the title. The re-
mainder was anything but sententious. Mean
while. 1t should not be forgotten that he was
fellow-student with Edmund Spenser at Penn
broke College and that the two men, whether
they were acquaintance not. were alike In
the deep interest they took in religion. Spenser
read the Bible and the poets. Andrewes delved
among the Fathers until he became the first man
Of the English Reformed Church who could meet
learned Catholic theologans on their own ground.
He became Of the translators OF the Bible.
When the Kings controversy with the Pope de-
seconded to Bearmine 1t became improper to
match the royal purple against the cardinal red.
all the more because the Cardinal wrote In
the name OF his secretary. Tortus. This name
was good one to play upon. one sees in Tor
tura Torti." the first title Of Andrewess reply. and
in the remark. "tortus certe est. quis-quis est"
Nobody will have to go to the dictionary for this,
II ne will just think OF the familiar English legal
word tort" Lightly and easily. yet with real
mastery. he handled his theme In a style equal to
that OF the Roman Cur.a, and with fash Of
humor now and then which even his Latin could
not prevent. He was followed in a year by John
Doune. not yet the satirist he to be. in
English. And so the battle went on that meant
freedom for England not all in English. nor In
poetry. but everywhere with every literary weap
on that came to hand
The unity Of this volume Is maintained by the
chapters on the works Of Shakespeare. beginning
with Measure for Measure and ending with
Professor Griffin's temperate study Of the "Son-
nets" Without being told most readers would
probably pass unconsciously from the last word
of Professor Morley. which refers to Ben JON
son, to the account Of Beaumont and Fletcher
with which Professor Griffin takes up the work
But he might observe In time that more than the
usual enthusiasm had been infused into the dis
cussion of mooted minor points In chronology
and authorship. These were matters in which
Professor Morley often dryly sceptical. to the
great annoyance Of those who had theories. The
volume contains an elaborate photography under