New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-26
in some sort an official exposition Of his life and
work for English speaking people

in some sort an official exposition Of his life and
work for English speaking people
The Cambridge edition of the complete poeti-
cal works of John Keats. which Houghton,
Mifflin g. Co are about to bring out. will have
the usual biographical sketch, notes and in
dexes. and to these will he added considerable
number OF Keats's letters.
In his recent address on Shakespeare and
Moere NJ Jules Claretie repeated the story
told OF John Kemble at the banquet given to
him in Paris by his comrades OF the Coincide
FRANCHISE
The conversation at table turned upon the
tragic poets of both nations. With lively elo-
quencc kemble pointed out that Shakespeare
was inanifestly superior to Racine and Cor
nellie Under the influence OF politeness-maybe
Of conviction-the French comedians were grad
ually giving way to him, when Michot, the
actor suddenly exclaimed $50 be IT. we are
agreed; but what do you say to Moliere?" Smn-
ing. Kembie replied. "Moliere? That is another
question. Moliere was not a F1enchman.
Those present protested vehemently NO,
continued Kembe, "Moliere n man. One
day II pleased the Almighty to permit mankind
to taste. in all their perfection and penitude'
the joys OF which Comedy is the source Forth
with He created Moliere. and said to him: Go,
depict men. your brothers and amuse them; II
you can. make them better than they now are?
Then he cast Moliere earthward. On what part
north or the south-on this or that side of the
Channel? Chance allotted him to France: but
he belongs much to us as TO yourselves No
people or age can claim him as its own he be-
longs to all time and to every nation
You may be acquainted" added NJ. Claretie
with this just and humorous judgment. pro-
nounced by Kemble but you are probably un
aware that our celebrated historian Michelet
cherished a theory OF his own in relation to
Shakespeare. Did he record it on any page Of
his published works? | doubt IT, But one day
he told me-and l quote this opinion of a gifted
writer as a paradox-that Shakespeare. by his
mothers side. was Welsh-that is TO say. partly
French-and that as all children, especially of
the male SEX take after their mothers, the
Welsh woman's son inherited from her the
French temperament and genius. I well re-
member the vexation of Victor Hugo when our
friend Castelar,. proud to recognize the Spanish
Inspiration In Hermann and 'Ruy Bias said to
him: Dear master. you are Castilian genius!
Hugo replied: 4 do not know that I
genius; but I do know that l a French
man, In the land of shadows. Shakespeare
may have replied to Mchelet: 4 am an English
man-deeply and essentially an Englishman"
DR.. Georg Brandes's critical study OF Shake
speare, translated by Mr.. W. Archer, is to he
rendered more accessible to the general reader
in a new and cheaper edition in one volume.
The Macmillans will soon publish this edition.
new encyclopedia is announced as in prepa-
ration by the Funk & Wagnalls Company. 1t
is to bear the title of STANDARD" and accuracy,
simplicity and condensation TO be specially
consulted in the making Of the work.
writer for "The Nineteenth Century" as
Stunning that modern brains are deteriorating,
holds that il could hardly be otherwise, modern
education and modern environment being what
they are. Modern education. he declares, is
greatly open to the objection that it tends TO
cultivate the purely receptive faculty too much
and the reasoning. imaginative inventive and
creative faculties too little and he adds that
Ito make really great man we require the
cultivation OF originality. and OF certain alb
straction and devotion to an independent line
OF thought fully as much as II not more than
the general all around development OF brain
power" He laments. as regards novel reading,
that thousands of readers run through novel
in such a careless and slipshod way that they
never get any real grasp of the book for what
II may be worth. and would be unable when
they have finished it to write down the story
in any detail .l
They merely titillate the surface OF the mind
with it as they read and waste brain energy
which might be devoted TO some good purpose
This habit Of mental impatience combined with
unthInking receptivity, is growing fast, and
threatens TO become universal II CROWDS the
mind and occupies its energies with constant
stream OF transtory Impressions. no one OF
which is properly digested examined and MADE
food for any Independent and original thought.
It must involve a progressive deterioration or
all real brain power.
Both the impatience and the mental habit or
mere receptivity are partly. has been said,
due TO a reaction from brain worry and over
pressure. They are partly also as l think. due
to mental ideness, especially among Britons.
The Anglo-SaxOn race is emphaticay race or
workers rather than thinkers. We now ma
ourselves confronted everywhere with vast
masses Of literature and potential food for
thought in every direction. In this situation
our minds. and especially the more idle and
undisciplined minds among us. tend naturally to
choose the line Of least resistance and minimum
fatigue. This line Is clearly that OF discursiVe
and purely receptive attitude. For we should
spend more brain energy in ten minutes In really
studying and thinking out any one subject so
as to come to an independent Judgment upon
1t. than in running rapidly over dozen DIFF
ferent subjects for hour, without stopping
to consider or come to any conclusion of our
own upon any one of them
'Brassey's Naval Annual" has been pub
lished for thirteen consecutive years. 1t con-
stantly improves in value as record OF the
navles Of the world and of the improvements
made In naval architecture naval engineering
and naval ordnance. The layman hardly real
ICES that the improvements in the last twelve
months have been Of special significance, but
with Lord Brassey's book before him all that he
has read In the newspapers from time to time
IL recalled. The American will also be reminded
that a very large and important part Of the
worlds naval progress is accredited to the Navy
Department Of his own country. 1t is a book
that embraces important facts in every depart