The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-23
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''The Handbook of Greek Soup
ture," by Mr.. Ernest Gardner, M. "A.
previously published in two parts, ap'
pears now in one volume. The value
of this work, either as a text book OF
as a condensed reference book, canno
be overestimated. Scholarly historic:
of Greek sculpture, elaborate and eX'
pensive, are many; so are the curtail-
ed and frequently unreliable tex
books, but a happy medium in the
shape of a handbook, at once condens-
ed and comprehensive, by an acknowl-
edged authority, the student of Greek
archaeology has been without until tbs
publication of this work by Mr.. Gard
ner, a scholar of a long-standing repu-
talon and the former director Of the
Rritis', school of archaeology at
Athens.
If the student of Greek art is fortu-
nate enough to have access to the
standard works on ancient sculpture,
he will find them so complicated with
detail and so filed with the discussions
of disputed points that he will need an
Greek art, its schools and periods,
such as this work furnishes, to
find his way inteIligently through the
mass of material before him. Mr..
Gardner outlines clearly the aim of the
handbook: Il have not in the present
work made any attempt at a complete
or exhaustive treatment of the subject,
but have selected from the great &C
emulation of available examples only
such as seem most useful in illustra-
ton. I have in particular attempted to
confine myself to such facts or theories
as have already met with general &C
ceptance among archaeolOgists, or such
as seem to rest upon evidence that can
not easily be shaken by new discoV-
cries or future controversy This prin-
ciple has precluded the discussion of
many interesting problems that are
still under dispute; but in the case Of
questions which, though undecided, are
of too vital issue for the history Of
sculpture to be altogether ignored, I
have endeaYored to state as briefly as
possible the different tenable views,
and to base no further differences upon
the acceptance of any Of them. In this
way the student will be provided with
a framework into which he can easily
fit all the knowledge that he may ac-
quire from subsequent reading or OBJ
servation; and at the same time he will
not find that he has anything to I'M
learn when he becomes acquainted
with more facts or newer theories"
MIR. Gardeners condensation is so
scholarly and judicious that the hand
"a he nd ri CT
ities of longer work. 1t is no mere
compilation of other mems work but
the result of many years of study and
practical investigation and a long and
thoughtful training in art criticism
added to natural gift for clear and
forceful expression.
The text is illustrated by about 125
satisfactory reproductions from photo
graphs taken directly from the antique
sculpture. The index is so practical
and complete that it helps to make
the handbook one of the handiest books
of reference that we have used.
The series Of ''Hand-Books of Archae-
ology and Antiquities" of which
Greek Sculpture" is one of the first to
be completed, will form handy ency-
clopedia, covering a field broad and
important.
CA Handbook of Greek Sculpture" by
Ernest Arthur Gardner, NJ. A. The Mac
milan company, New York. $3.50. For sale
by the st. Paul Book and Stationery com
pany)
Lorraine" a war romance with more
color and movement in it than one has
come to expect in this kind of fiction,
is the last book by Robert Chambers.
M q NH hoe
horrors of the mysterious, supernatu-
raj sort until the equally curdling hor-
rors of siege and battle seemed too
ordinary to claim his attention. "Lor-
raine" proves beyond a doubt, however,
that baleful magic and ghostly muir
derers are merely luxury on this au-
thors part, and he can get down to
most effective work with tools limited
to the battle, murder and sudden
death furnished by the Franco-Prus-
sian |ar. A strikingly effective pic
ture 1t makes, the backward and for
ward movement of the hostile forces
across the border land, the helpless
struggle of Lorraine, trodden under and
helpless beneath both friend and foe.
The war picture that Mr. Chambers
has drawn is strong one, and lacking
in neither intensity nor horrid terrors.
The men-the bravest of them in the
midst of heroic deeds-no matter how
the plot of the romance pushes them
into prominence, lose their individual
ity before the wrath of nations; and it
is part of the reality of this romance
that, though the men and women who
figure personally in this pictured war
are more than ordinarily brave and
chivalrous, generous and true, the war
Itself is brutal and ungodly, impossible
to gid with their graces
The romance itself while pretty and
soothing, is an Indifferent thing COM
pared with the war-lit background.