New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-27
WRITER'S AND BOOKS.


LEY-MR. FRASER RAEs WAY OF
PROVING JUNIUS NEGATIVE
MR. GOSSE'S PREDICAMENT-
NEOLOGISM AND LITERA-
TURE IN A HURRY.
London May IL.
II Is remarkable that there should be sudden
revival Of interest in Coleridge at time when
the influence of Coleridge and his school was
thought to be dead. Mr.. Dykes Campbell gave 1t
an impetus with his mastery memoir. and now
come two big volumes Of ColeriJges Letters
edited by Mr. Ernest Hartley Coleridge and pub
lished by Mr. William Henemann II is still
more remarkable that such book should be re-
viewed at length-one might say In proportion to
It's own length-by the daily press Immediately
on its publication. Mr.. Campbelrs memoir was
originally prefxed to a Globe edition Of the
Poems published by Messrs. Macmillan then re-
published separately. Yet it was observed at
the time that the greater part OF Coleridge's
Poems formed part Of the living poetic litera-
ture of this generation. Such. evidently, was the
opnion Of neither editor nor publisher. And only
the other day some writer, beyond doubt an
advanced" writer OF the newest school ana
fear Journalist. declared. apropos of the Letters
that Coleridge only known as the author Vi
''The Ancient Mariner and of "Kubla Khan
On all grounds. therefore, these volumes OF
Letters are to be welcomed. If there is no DAN
ger that a great writer be permanently forgoteh
there is always a danger lest he be opscureu oy
the mass OF contemporaneous Writing whlch the
prcss nours forth: writing which attracts atten-
ton because It Is contemporaneous because IL Is
new. that is and because there are always per
sors N whon nevness Is a supreme merit. Their
view OF literature corresponds to the view OF 'he
shonman touching his wares The novelty Is
everything: the comparative beauty or excellence
Of the old and new designs does not concern MIN
The editor OF these Letters apologies for them
They lack style he tells us. The fastdious cri''c
who touched and retouched mis- exquisite Lyrics.
and always for the better (Which is doubtfup'
was at no pains to polish his letters he writes
TO his friends as II he were talking tc then'' anu
he let's his periods take care OF themselves IL
&c too strongly expressed but no praise could be
higher. In letters written with one eye on 'he
nuhIjc there is always something irksome to the
reader They ought to be cJloquial. easy, fanii-
lar. and to some extent in undress. An inaccu-
racv is not always a fault. An error Of syntax
may be hardened TO a man who pours out MS
soul The essential thing is that he should In
truth be talking freely 10 his friend. or thinking
aloud as we may say. Coerdge is not an IDEAL
letter-wrter but he is far better in these vol
umes than II he had polished and pruned and
used his critical microscope on his own produc-
tons.
His Is a full mind which overflows. If is also
diseased mind or in a morbid state do not the
phvsiologists aver that the laws OF disease are as
heautiful as the laws Of health? His one Of
the most interesting intelligences known TO U.s.
From these newly published letters We know
little more Of him. He has not much 10 ada 10
what he had said in print. positive contribution
IN the stock Of knowledge to make. except little
N our knowledge of Samuel Taylor Coleridge; and
that is precisely the kind Of information by which
neone of the present day seem to set most store
Often he wore his heart on his sleeve often
there are in his own words profound touches OF
the human heart" What are we If not psyche
logical? What do We want to know II not the IN
ner facts OF mans life. his spiritual nature. the
true history of a mans mind. the workings OF a
mans mind? Those are what here come out
They may or may not add to our respect for Cole
ridge the individual But the Coerdgc who has
a place apart alike in poetry, in metaphysics IN
literature and in what he less often had credit
for in knowledge of the word-witness MS iaple
Talk"-he Is nearer to us than he ever was before
The now well-known book on Social Evolu-
ton by Mr. Benjamin Kidd appears to-day IN
new and cheaper edition at 81 % II has been said
that this book was first offered BY Mr.. Kidd to an
other publisher and by him rejected; then ac-
cepted by Messrs Macmillan, who have printed
$4,000 copies of it thus far If II has not been ex-
actly an epoch-making book, 1t has taken hold of
some sections Of the public mind, and perhaps
\ kept hold Mr.. Kidd is young man who has
thought more than he has read and never had the
least hesitation In announcing the result OF MS
thinking II might or might not be in accord
with the accepted or authoritative view. That In
no wise disturbed him. partly. in some cases. be-
cause he did not seem aware Of the accepted view,
nor very familiar with the vast literature OF his
subject except at second hand. That need not be
disadvantage. except to the writer himself. II
man Of vigorous mind will apply his mind to
great subject without first subjecng himself to
the overmastering influence OF other great minds.
he is likely to produce very novel and proba-
bly, valuable results. He must bear the charge OF
not knowing what others have said He will 60
over their ground make their mistakes anew, and
perhaps reconstruct the pons asinorum and other
demonstrated propositions, as Pascal did at SIX
teen, all unwittingly, the first thirty-two OF Eu-
cid No matter The world as l said, is likely
10 gain Mr. Kidd is not perhaps great writer
or thinker, but he is thinker. and his book on
Social Evolution" has the merit of that kind Oh
originality.
The passion for cheapness has reached almost
its last expression in the reprint by Messrs
Constable Of the Waverley Novels in what Is
called the Authors Favorite edition. The edi-
ton referred to has long been not the author
only but the readers, favorite edition, In forty
eight volumes, foolscap, Svo. egible. handy. and
considering the time when It appeared well Illus
intellectually far better than Mr.. Andrew
Lang's recent edition. The original. published
some sixty odd years since, though never
scarce has been rather a dear book In
good condition, and not easy 10 find IN
really good condition. Now Messrs. Con-
stable reissue it at is pence. net, per
volume. with paper covers; about S6 cents Th'y
q original nla and YignettcS."