Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-27

proved.
understanding of the life of the early
settlers of New York. The most popu-
lar is. probably, The Bow of Orange
Ribbon by Amelia E. Barr. Perhaps
the most aluab of the novels of James
Fenimore Cooper are THE Chainbearer'
and "~Satanstoe," into which ne probably
put more of his soul than any other
These books and In the Valley by
Harold Frederic. though the latter deals
with revolutionary days, give a clearer
idea of the e%ssentia a%ntagonism between
the Dutch and the English colonists than
can easily be found elsewhere.
THE HOMER CLUB.
At their first meeting in November,
the Homer club discusses the genius of
Frederick the Great, and the literary
work of Leasing and Chamisso.
The great Frederick seems to be one
of the few characters in history whose
whole nature was changed by the train
ing he received and by the demands Of
the position that he occupied. There has
always seemed to be a streak of insan-
ity in the makeup of the Hohenzollens,
and to this may lave been due some Of
the eccentricities of the great elector.
Yet it is doubtful whether the career of
his son would have been SO renowned, or
so useful to his country, had his early
life been regulated more, by what we
might call rational methods. Yet always
the character of Frederick seemed to be
full of contradictions. There was a con-
slant struggle between a taste for the
refinements of life and a recognition of
its stern realities. W native VAN
ity and his sound common sense. The
strangest thing in all his history is prob
ably the fact that the prince whose first
military experience opened Upon him the
ridicule of all Europe, could become the
great military hero and tactician of his
day. The secret of his career was that
underneath all his vanity and faults, he
was actuated by a sound principle of pa
triotism and never lost his power of
learning from the results of such mis-
takes as he made.
There have been many lives of the
great Prussian king. The most author
itative is that by Carlyle, whose special
forte was an apprehension of the true
philosophy of the subjects that he dis
cusses. The most unreliable is. of course,
the Work by Abbott. The most brilliant
y written is the short essay by Lord Ma
eauleg. The most tandard historical
treatise on his period is Tuttle's ifs
tory of Prussia under Frederick the
Great The work for which he best de-
served the title great, was what he ac-
complished for the well being of his peo-
pie during the long years of peace. But
he is better known to the world for his
unfaiiing resource and the genius mani
facta1 ll.rinr the Gave, w., ,~, -,,o., IN
best known history of this war was writ
ten by Schiller, but the work of the poet
is far inferior to the recent history by
Gindley. OF particular interest is also
the kings own account in his postum
nous History of my Own Times"
The careers of Leasing and Chamisso
are fully dealt with in treatises on Ger
man literature. Important biographies
of the former author also have been pub
lished. But each has produced such an
original and valuable literary MASTER
piece, that it is too bad to obscure the
effect of these by details concerning the
lives of the authors, or even by criticisms
of their other works. Peter Schlemihl'"
is too little known, and as for Nathan
the WISE 1t deserves reading and COM
ment as do very few masterpieces of the
great writer's of any literature.
THE WEST SIDE SHAKESPEARE
CLUB.
The Shakespeare Club are true to their
name and spend most Of their time in
studying the works of the poet, whom
the universal testimony of English
speaking people has placed in the top
notch of the temple of fame. But their
regular work is relieved once in a while
by the Introduction of a lighter topic, On
Tuesday next they will devote the entire
session to a study Of the poet Who proba-
bly, comes nearest the hearts of the
American people. This statement Is not
only true, but it is also said, and the au-
thority is no other than Clement Shorter,
the editor of the Illustrated London
News th1t Longfellow is the most popu-
lar poet in England today. But the Gull
ture, the breadth and the gentleness of
the poet who sang so sweetly is well
worth consideration. He appeals the
more to his readers, from the fact that
perhaps, more than any other of our lit
erary men, he was himself influenced by
his environment, and let his w soul
breath out more freely through his verse
Longfellow was always and every
where a poet, but some Of The best Of his
al work, however. "a pen. A livery 4
y between Russell Of Georgetown.