New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-03-31

CIxton. At Westminster the year lfS3 ana Now
by Professor Rhys. and Embeilishei with Many
Original Designs ~ Aubrey BeaTdsey N0I: II.
Royal octave London: j. NJ. Dent co. New
York Macmillan GO. 1921
The second volume Of this valuable publication
does no NOR, than the flrst to persuade the lover
o: Sir Thomas Major that Mr.. Aubrey Bcar"s."y
was the proper illustrator TO have chosen for the
establishment OF the old writer's pages. ON the
contrary Mr Beardscy's work in this edition
seems II anything more superfiuors than 1t did
two years ago whom the projec; FIST came before
the public. Tho appearance Of tho second vol
umc. however. comes at an interesting time. MT
Abbeys extensive mural decorations. painted FOR
the Public Library 90 Boston are a recent mem
ory here and t, reflect upon what NJ and Mr..
Rcardsey have done with the Arthurian legends
IS - start q train ~ thought endless in rs RANT
ncations. 1t is noticeable. though. that m mat
ter how far afcld the student may 90. his sur
m,acs bring him ultimately To- one comprehensive
conclusion. Mallory wae poet and he should ~
illustrated by poet. There il no more use in
denying this elemental fat than in setting
caricaturist To- illustrate Milton.
Tn. poet ''sors life steadily and SECS II whole.
He puts details N their proper place and great
artist does the same. Neither makes very much
Of tho decorative clements in his theme except
n
each motive share the maxi, inherent in its
nc'ghh1r. and in that ono which balances it near
go "a. in tn. design In other words. IT Is the
genera, cNc.t the atmosphere. which IS first 10
%. considered In any work II creative character,
whether IL bc a lyri' or a picture made for the
Illustration - an epic The main point Is u con-
vey a distinct impression faithful 10 the spirit OF
the inspiration which the song or drawing Is
based In tho case ~ Mallory good deal might
he said on tho Other sile = tho question take
the matter . armor II has been urged mat
while the absence of data On this head excuses
the illustrator from attempting anything IKE ac-
curacy in the premises. II is nevertheless desir-
able that he should make his archaeology ialIy
with that - tho story II not with that 81 IN"
time II has been said ~ Mr. Alleys armor ~
his Boston decorations that Il revived the spirit
Of tn. tiale In which his tale was la!d hut dld
not agree with the texts In which the ArthuFian
legend is preserved His armor was simple.
whereas In strict regard for literary precedent ne
sb,ujJ have come nearer the present time for
his models and used the ornate mall ot the FOUR
,c,nth or fifteenth century. Instead OF a style
suggestive of earlier and much more primiuv"
eras Now this is Suggestive pont. Let 1t be
granted that accuracy so far as one can get II,
Is +, be desired. Let It hD granted that by using
NOR. decorative mail Nh Abbey would have
come nearer 10 the literal des rriptions 81 the AT
thurIau stories Would hr have also come nearer
f. the spirit 81 MS theme? In tho face OF his
work It is impossible to say yes. Being poet
i'm his work H. forces You to admit. as the tru"
poet always doe. tnat he is right; not right IN
any close archaco'a gical sense. but right IN tn"
nameIess charm that makes poetry poetic. You
conld not check Mr. Ab6cy's pictures with Mallory
I'm YOUR hand the minute ingcnultcs of the can
vas would not harmonic with the eloquent but
quite casual descriptions OF the book. But rise
from a rcadin; e jhc Morte Dar;hur saturated In
it's sense If wild romance ana tn" rightn"ss OF
Mr. Abbcy's pageant convinccs YOU AT once You
are careless Of what We cal accurac.. After all.
I'm any strict sense. accuracy were Impossible in
such a case as this and why. therefore. trouble
ourselves about any details whatever? some ~
Afr Ahbey's shields it appears are painted with
out regard for the laws of English hcraldry. and
this it is protested. is license beyond that al
lowed by the fact tina, tn" shields OF the particu-
lar herocs concerned are rot recorded anywhere.
Let them be fanclfu. the argument runs but
do not let their colors be combined with indiner-
ence 10 heraldic precedent Here again the critic
Is routed by the great indisputable fact that
when YOU look at tho decorations with the age OF
chivalry living IN yoIr Imagination You do not
care two straws whether the college Of heralds
has been p.acated or noi.
Now what has e.! this To- d. with Mr. Boards
lcy's Illustrations? Simply this, that he may be-
granted for the sake of argument. remai kably
close approximation to accuracy here and there.
AMI yet he has put absolutely nothing Of Sir
Thomas Mallory into his designs. Tho Fonts
piece 10 the present volume Is supposed To depict
The Achieving OF the Saugraal" AS well call
II "The Achieving q the : iark." Certainly
rothing ever written by the inspired author of
the "Jabbcrwocl;y" ever quite cquailcd Nj.
Belrdsl,y for pure unadulteratcd Jabberwock-
ncss. !; Is truly manXs)mc ideal that he pur-
sues. and II Is I'm uiiish thought indeed that
his pictures seem 10 have been DIES gncd. He has
put the knights Il che frontspiecr alluded to in
armor tina, might satisfy tn critic of Mr. Alb
bcy's paintings. but this trium III could mean
little In the long run. 40 one can believe the
sanctihcd bearer OF the Grill To have been the
mixture OF Goth and Oriental Di2arrer" here
10 bc quito su,h phantom thinr as MI Boards
ley has i'm Gncd IT, When the first of these
Mallory Volumes appeared. all possible justice WAS
done t, the conventional felicity of Mr.. Boards
ey's hordc,s aud initial pieces iIc il stlll clever
NJ that sort of thing. But MS ll-pagc illustra
tions are very bad tho fooshest things produC ed
In many long day They well drawn Mr..
Bcardsleys reputation n draughtsman does
not threaten 40 decline IN the least. But how he
ever contrivcd 10 Sc: reputation as an Illus
TRAITOR becomes more and more OF mystery IN
the presence of these ambitious plates. 1t H. not
that they fail halfway. They arc not even re-
motely suggestive OF the narrative they are sup