New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-25

pure and simple" art Nor is ne satisfied WIN
exaggerated encomiums upon such excellent
stories as Frederick Random" and Humphrey
CIinker": he would have accept Smollett as
one of England's great historians 1t Is unfortu-
nate that Mr. Smeaton could not have subsu-
tuted for some OF this exaggeration Of Smo-
lett's genius more specific account OF the man
personal virtues. especially OF his impetuous gen
erosity toward his friends Sincere in whatever
he did he could he among the heartiest as well
as the most brusque of all benefactors, ana
could dissociate friendship from sentimentaiity
as emphatcally as could the most rugged OF MS
contemporaries. or Mr.. Smeaton's style littie
can be said 1t Is simple enough to he clear Out
It shows little discrimination and less art IL
seems to convey to the reader however. many
concrete fact and some interesting anecdotes
One of these, quoted from Dr. Moorc's life or
Smoett. deserves repeating for the spice with
which Dr. Moore has seasoned It:
ION a winter evening when the streets were
covered with snow. Smollett happened to be en-
gagged in a snowfall fight with few boys OF MS
age. Among his associates was an appren-
tce OF that surgeon who is supposed to have
been delineated under the name OF Crab In
'Roderck Random He entered his shop while
his apprentice in the heat OF the engage
ment. on the return of the latter the master
demonstrated with him severely FOR his negil-
gence in quitting the shop. The youth excused
himself by saying that while he was employed
in making up prescription a fellow hit him
with a SNOWFALL in the teeth and that he had
been in pursuit Of the delinquent. "A mighty
probable story, truly said the master IN an
ironical tone. i wonder how long | should
stand here. he added before it would enter into
mortal mans head to throw SNOWFALL at me-
While he was holding his head erect. with most
scornful air. he received n very severe blow in
the face by a SNOWFALL. Smollett, who stood
concealed behind the pillar at the shop door, had
heard the dialogue. and, perceiving that his
companion was puzzled for an answer, he ex-
tricated him by a repartte equally smart ana
apropos.'
All OF which goes to show that the child Smol-
lett was father OF the man, that wherever he
head he HIT IL.
Like misery, the exgencies OF publication
make strange bedfeows. In the same series
with Mr. Smeaton's life Of the coarse grained
Smollett appears Mr. Blaikie's life Of the devoted
Scotch preacher. Thomas Chalmers. The vol.
ume consists OF an unpretentous succession vi
clerical anecdotes and personala. From the
nature Of the subject 1t could nardiy ne any
thing else. Into a study Of Dr. Chalmers the
ology the lay reader OF to-day will hardly care
to enter Much Of his natural theology has been
displaced during the last fifty years by su9tler
metaphysics The nature of his Biblical theology
is indicated by his reconciliation of the supposed
cosmogony Of Genesis with geology, on the
ground that Genesis attempts to fix. not the
antiquity of the globe, but only that OF the hu-
man race The strength of his testimony to the
truth Of religion lies in the earnestness and self
consistency of his life and the vigor, not the
subtlety of his thought: Many OF ms IDEAS IN
the shape which they took are as obsolete as
DR. JohnsOns, but in the humanity and sense
of reality which pervade them they are to-day
as vital as ever. For those who wish to escape
for a time from the shibboeths Of current
thought with all their complacencies and certi-
tudes few heartier companions could be found
than Dr. Chalmers