New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-19

when the English version happened to be puphsheo
under a different name
Mr. r. F. Foster, who has published through tne
Brentanos volumes on chess. dice. dominoes ana the
like enthusiastic In tone but lucid In methoc' mas
added n work on Poker" to the list. DeVotees vi
the rame will doubtless receive the news OF TINS
work with due emotion
Professor J. b. Bury progresses slowly in his re-
cension OF Gibbon. and the Macmillan company
publishes only the third of the seven Vo''''''e,
in which this new edition OF the DecHne anu
Fall" is to be completed. In compensation ior 'he
slowness with which the work goes on we nave
series Of notes In which Professor Bury's carelui
scholarship adds TO our appreciation OF the text
His methods and style have already peeh 'a
yersed at length in this place 1t IS suiicieit u
record now the latest instalment or the eo','o"
and to remind the reader that 1t Is puolsheo III
excellent octave form. 1t does not invalidate MIL
man. but 1t Is a useful edition which VIII III
place beside the earlier commentators Vo' lihes'
Mr. w II Frost has followed his Court OF
King Arthur" with another volume IN WHICH u',
der the title OF The Knights OF the l'ounu i"p
Charles ScrIbner's Sons) he deves SIN fuf'her
Inv, bic chosen field OF romance The book is writ
ten Of course In the style OF It's predecessor wch
ie 70 cav that II tells with simplicity ana VIII
warm sympathy for the glamour OF the pas' wv
stories which youthful readers are unlikely 10 seen
out for themselves In Sir Thomas Major! anu '''o
other sources. Mr.. Frost handles WIFI ie'.'."O'
the material OF his masters ana gives d.
ward equivalent for the facts preserved therein.
,ike runs I'm old Ivy. The sketch or Cameiot' .ia'
&c in English Winchester" Is well drawn, ana 50
are the vignettes Of Lancelot. Galahau ua"'''
and the other knights Mr.. Bureigh provides a
number OF clever Illustrations
The editors OF "Poe.-Lore." Charlotte Porter ana
Helen 4 Clarke have prepared new edition OF
..The Ring and the Book" providing paihs'dhi"s
hiographical introduction ano a PREDATORY essay
in which they set forth, somewhat pohipousN' i"e
meaning Of the poem. The publishers i. i. Wv
we'll & Co. have supplied NUMBER OF hah-'o"e
reproductions OF Italian views. frontispiece poi.
trait of Brow ming adds the finishing touch 10 wha'
e on the whole. admirably made DOOR, bu' Is
u worth while? No doubt THE KING ana lhe
Rock" Is a masterpiece. as the poets edi'ors wOu'u
have ia believe but II must be cohlesseo t"a'
there ,s something d.scouraginG about inns 'oiui'c
a, Eve hundred pages. Perhaps 1t IL the length Oh
,ha moan perhaps It Is the solemn'ty with whch
the editors discuss It. perhaps the masterpiece Is
not such a masterpiece after ALL ana pans as .ne
napes are turned But this borders on heres'' we
can only say that cofnely as TINS cdl'ioh 10 "
nevertheless Is anything but an inspiring puohc"-
ton. 49,. I'll,
oI &c not half so hard to deal with as Is the
work Of his commentators. We must respect the
loving industry which has given US from inc p'eSs
OF the Macmillan Company the porty Noiuihe VI
.Roston Browning Society Papers. but, ike inc
1--we that is founded esteem. critical tolerance
founded on respect alone is specous In its benedic-
,on The ESSAYS IN this volume. selected 10 represent
the work Of the society from 1856 to lSJ' are all
TENT and unimpeachably sincere PRODUCTIONS
but canddly. they are a WEAKNESS 10 'he hes"'
There seems TO be something in the verse OF Rob-
ert Browning which drives his commentators 10
dulness Miss Helen Clarke. for example. al whose
uo,x IN the new edition Of THE Ring and tho
Rock" we have just glanced. read paper Deioie
tho browning Society in 1892 on The value Oh
Contcmnorary Judgment" From this 1t appears
that in an age like the Ezabethan contemporary
Judgment Is likely to be appreciative ana thcre-
fore of intrinsic value: in an age ike ropes IL Is
likely to be exaggerated In It's approval, ana OF
lesser value; but when the poet is not SO much
the outcome as the prophet OF coming great age,
and with ideals opposed TO the art conventions OF
his time contemporary judgment Is unequal 10 the
task of approaching him. and is consequently OF
little or no value" In other words, there were
heaven-born critics alive In Shakespeares day.
there were lesser critics not so good and yet not
worthless In the time of Pope. but. OF course when
Browning appeared. the good critics All oed.
Which IS absurd. In sober earnest II may be SAID
that In spite OF the taste and study which have
gone to the making OF more than one essay In this
book the collection as a whole has little 10 say TO
the world which worth rescuing from the ar
chives Of the Boston Browning Society