New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-04
BOOKS OF PLA Us.
AND AN OPINION OF HAMLET"

Mo!lERE; Translated by Katharine Prescott
VOL /. RE Mlsan,hrope lie Bourgeois Gentil-
VOC CONNIE 19mq Fe Les r5scieuse. Rlalcules
George Dauan i2ms pp 3d. ua,,a. ,m,s.
inaire. i2mo. pp $S5 Boston: Roberts Brothers
THE TH MhH 6hb 6SEEh iMArIs SIS bEN J6HsoS
SIa III pSS * c eRa
THE BROKEN HEART. By John Ford Edited
with Notes and Introduction by Clinton, scol-
Holt g. Co
NERO. Part II. From the Death OF Burrns to the
Death Of Seneca Comprising the consp'r,aey O. q
sons Sons and d'. j. = f. bumSHs. New,YorA: Mae
milan & Co.
MARIANA Al 0rspsl p 6s1 In Three ao,s
lated by James Graham. i6mo. pp. 1875 Boston:
Roberts Brothers.
THE son OF DoY JTAS AT oT hnG1. D 6s ps
sens work Entitled 'Gensapere" b. Jose
MIh pp rS1Tf Bos ana S.fsn 20 nS
THE ELEzSnHTHA5AA AxP y
John corbin With Predatory Note b, I.
Mathews. New York: Imported by Charles
Scribner's Sons
Miss Wormeleys modest preface TO her well
come and useful translation Of Moliere. Of which
these three handsome volumes are the first In
stalment. announces In a few words the purpose
with which her good work has been performed
to give. IN English correct general idea OF the
original French. That purpose has been well
accom- pills he'd with judgment. taste and spirit.
Molieres plays neither complex In plot nor
busy with action but they are rich with natural
and widely diversified character. plenteous with
incident. and charming with gentle satire and
playful wit and they are vital and fervid with
the forclble expression OF manly scorn for all
things base and mean. Such they appear In
this fluent translation, which. II 1t does not inn
part all the sparkle and elegance Of the original
certainly conveys all It's meaning Alceste. the
Misanthropc; ArGan. the Hypochondrlac; Jour
dan the silly Snob. and Tartuhe. the Hypocritc.
are actual. In whatever language Depicted they
are as true now as when they were first por-
trayed. and they will be true forever.
This is the strength Of Moliere.-that his char
acters are typical rational and sccordant TO
nature. and that they are made to manifest
themselves under circumstances deity devised.
and with language delcately exaggerated so as
to render them steadily interesting His stories.
which are always simple and told more in
words than In actions and for that reason. some
Of his plays when acted before an English
speaking audience. affect the popular taste as
languid; hut his persons are delightful The pre-
cison with which he preserves each Identity,
the dexterity with which he causes each person
tn speak In character, and the ingenuity with
which he exhibits states Of feeling and the play
Of emotion. --making them sequent on what IL
said and on the arm 81 conduct reveal dra-
matte capacities of the Highest order The world
iong ago recognized this excellence Ia Moere,
and 10 speak NJ HIN In To admire him, His mind
was one ~ noble stature ana splendid breadth,
and his temperament must have been exception
ally gentle. sensitive and lovahle Ills blows are
aimed only a, things which are cvll, his hllthe
humor IN a perennial spring of Joy ana hls
charity aud patience arc neNhaun,lhlc
Miss Warmclcy has prenNed to The plays nal.
sao's sketch ot the lilo Of Mollere and a critical
estimate OF his character and genius by sain,e-
ncuvo--.an estimate which Ia pitched very high.
other critical remarks are furnished from the
writings OF Emile Faguct Charles l.. Livct.
Victor Cousin and Auguste Bracelet and tho
translator adds few notes
Tho Mermaid Series OF selected plays by the
old dramatists Of England now includes twenty
volumes. and II r. Justly esteemed an essential
part OF working theatrical library The au-
,hors represented are Marlowe. Ben Jonson.
Beaumont. Fletcher Massinger. Ford. Haywood.
Webster. Tourneur. Decker. Shirley. wycherly.
Otway. Congrevc. Middleton and Steele. and the
dramatic period covered by the compilation is
that OF 1876 years. from 1864 to 1870. The plays
selected from Jonson have been edited with an
Introduction and Notes. by Mr. Brinsley Nchol-
and Mr.. c. II. Ierford. and the editorial
work has been done with research and taste.
The first OF the Jonson volumes was published
some time ago. The second and third contain
bartholomew Fair" "Cynthia's Revels" "Ss-