New-York tribune., 1897-11-06
LITERARY NOTES.

Mr Marion Crawford's new novel. "Coreone,"
promises 10 be one OF the popular books Of the
season. and one which will be awaken in
creased interest In its authors approaching lecture
tour. The subjects he proposes 10 treat are all
Italian. aud include italian Home Life In the Md
die Ages" The Italy Of Horace" THE Early Ita-
ian Artists" and Leo XIII in the Vatican
Tennyson among all the Victorian poets. leads in
the accuracy OF his knowledge Of nature The critic
Of The Saturday Review" does him more than
justice In saying I'VE have tested Tennyson
knowledge of natural phenomena carefully. and In
every case merely 10 be amazed at It's exactitude."
The average minor poet who is submey Indifferent
TO fact would probably consider this carefuness alb
surd
One must in justice to Miss S. B. Elliott chronicle
a decided advance In her work as a story-teller
THE Durket Sperret" has a naturalness. vivid
ness and an Of movement that we have not
observed In her earlier tales and that almost serve
TO make the reader forget the too heavy handicap of
dialect.
Sir Joshua Fitch in his recent book on Thomas
and Matthew Arnold, and Their Influence on Eng
lish Education" has this 10 say about book
which has fame largely through what has
been supposed be It's accurate representation OF
English school life:
The truth is that the Arnoldian tradition, which
has become slowly evolved and has fixed Itself In
the minds 3f most Engsh people Is 6ssd mS5e
The aca s ssbse se, Srn IN ss aSy and sp
tied book and is peryaded throughout with sense
Of humor. a sympathy with boyhood and a, a love love
vigorously told. and has been deservedly admired.
But Matthew Arnold once said 10 me, IL has
sde s and that not the best Side of Rugby school
life or Of ArnOlds Leaves GTnosS out OF
school 1t gives the reader the impression that II
is the chief business of public school to produce
n
companions and faithful friends, to foster in him
and and a for the scb9 si to 9nS
but more 1t is to be feared that Hughess
Rugby There were in his time Lake, {. J.
Xangnan CHA sa1fy Baqy snS Tboma
but of these, and of the intense intellectual strain
in the sixth form and the upper schoolhouse set
Hughes appeared to have little or no knowledge.
His typical sehoolbGy is S seen deghng in Wa1d9H be
from a farmyard. distinguished frequently by in,
s2ny 10 but no b. oe Work or By amy
interest In intellectual pursuits Ii is after all
Spse aha a1S W IT ek Sn~ S boy
tive the point Of hon1r refusing to blab or
CRIBS % and syuguses' and other devices by which
masters could be hoodwinked or deceived.
Now, 1t Is quite true that erroneous IDEAS about
Commenting upon Sir Joshua Fitch it alludes to the
passage just cited. and says:
Now, 1t IS quite true that erroneous Ideas about
Arnod's attitude with regard TO athletics are com
ISns of e aa is
something 10 do with originating them. But IT is
to blame He did not pretend 10 draw picture of
the INTENSE Intellectual strain in the sixth form
n1 sar more moe Useful He took much more Common
type OF young humanity than is suggested by ne
names which Sir Joshua enumerates. lie took the
and amusement indferen, 70 learning but moved
how the lower nature in this boy Was got under eT
was not what is commonly called clever boy. In
elIeesna stress not thing % in which 81 ne bs6 had
the Englishman who conquers the world is made de.
great schoolmaster lay not in training this or that
clever pupil to be great scholar or thinker but IN
ss honesty and truth it is for such boys that the
freedom of public school may be either curse or
t. sT # s and 1f6 rob sa b and
5sSss ha, o n se ss1ye hss on ss
OF the book which he Is censuring, that he says
these things A.S da he meyer m hear that ~. Ag dc
ure is idealzed Stanley could never have been put
into the Rugby eleven. But Arthur represents The
type, and it is nothing less than astonishing that
Sir Joshua with this ,S most s element ,bh Of he
Stanley of the set Of whom Hughes had little
no knowledge
Mr c. D. Glbson's series OF sketches. THE
Seven Ages OF the American Woman" which are
to appear during the coming year in "Scri5ner,
matronhood But how can she be in truth the
American Woman? Agreeable they are, we
must beg leave decline to consider Mr.. Gibson's
young heroines as representative of tho typical
American. These smart" sharp-featured. hard
eyed darnsels arc interesting to observe, and
doubtless existent In this country In this town
But the American Woman--noi
II is 10 be hoped that Andrew Lang will use his
very best powers IN executing his proposed task.
the writing Of a history OF Scotland. 1t offers an
opportunity for writing moro brilliant than any
with which Mr. Lang has heretofore provided US.
Tho chances OF the auction room are illustrated
by a recent occurrence Mt Putt!ck Simpsons. in
London. King Justa Edoyardo King Wangrago,
NOR by r. Bedford Cantab-igiae. $685. &c. 8
yos"-so read one Of the entries. 1t was started
at one shilling Then some one discovered that
one Of the lot was Milton's "ObseQuies TO the
NsEoris Of Mr.. Edward King" That contains the