The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11


cal literature which has appeared
for a long time Mr.. Harrison's criticism is
distinguished by its breadth, sanity and
balance. As writer he is strong rather
than brilliant. He sees men and their works
Iucidiy and talks Of them without prejudice.
Born in 1s31, he has taken part In the
great Intellectual movements OF the CEN
fury. and few men are so thoroughly quail
fled for the task Of passing Judgment, in
some sort final. upon their contempor-
aries.
The volume. most OF whose contents hrst
saw light IN the Nineteenth Century or the
Contemporary Review. was planned as a
series OF systematic estimates Of some lead
ing influences on tho thought Of our time.
His summing-up Of Tennyson win appear
absolutely just to most discriminating
readers Of the present day. though to the
older generation who held the late laureate
~ the strong poetic enthusiasm OF their
youth II may seem something cold.
To Ruskin Mr.. Harrison does magnificent
Justice, both as one of the few great mas
tiers OF English prose. and as prophet and
evangelist. Believing as devouty in the
nineteenth century as did Ruskin In the
thirteenth. Mr.. Harrison looks for a century
to come which will combine the best OF all
ages in one and reconcile the age Of Steam
and the age Of Faith and Beauty. His
euloxy OF Ruskin comes with the best grace
possible from one who. as he says little
sadiy. has not the shadow OF a claim to
speak as his disciple. Mr.. Harrison In one
of English leaders Of Positivist thought
I'm one sense, no do,fnt. stand at an
opposite pole OF ideas, and In literal and
direct words I could hardly adopt any one
OF the leading doctrines of his creed. As
TO mine, he probably rejects everything I
hold sacred and true with violent indlgna-
fton and scorn, Morally. spiritually, az seen
through a glass dsrkly. ] believe his teach
ers and my teachers are essentially one.
and may yet be combined In the greater
harmony that Is 70 be"
Mr. Harrison holds. as regards the beau
~ OF Ruskins writing. that even yet full
justice has not been done to "his consum-
mate mastery over the English tongue
and he analyses at length certain passages
10 show their suhtlety OF musical assonsnce.
or correspondence Of note. In which Ruskin
excels oven De Quincy and Sir Thomas
Browne whose harmonies are perhaps more
obvious and more quickly felt by the gen.
erai reader
But even greater than his unsurpassed
gift OF prose has been tho stimulus he has
given to a high Judgment OF nature and
life. Ills teaching about art has always
been sort OF preface TO his teaching of
honesty. purity. discipline and religion. II
he Inherited great wealth II was only TO
fling II broadcast to the public or the poor
When he had gathered In priceless treas
ures. he gave them away with reckless
muninccnc~. When no drank In things
OF beauty IN distant lands. II was not to
revsi In them himself. but 10 share his Joy
IN them with all Corners. What do
we care for mistakes failures. hluuders.
even foIiesr Were Christ or Buddha or
St. Francis such thorough men OF business.
such models Of wisdom Ruskin and good
business. Ruskln and common -ense-taka
different paths. He IL content 10 follow his
own genius in pursuit OF beauty and the
good Of human life through thorny and
stony ways. and even where few dare To
follow. great French writer. whose book
II entitled "Ruskin and the Religion OF
Beauty" tells us that Ruskin discusses
morality. industry and religion IN order to
lead us IN TO higher sense OF art. "
would be more true 10 say that John Ruskin
began by preaching TO us higher sense
OF art In order TO lead us up 20 truer
understanding OF morality. industry. rel.g-
ion and humanity"
Other chapters OF the book are devoted
TO the consideration OF the widely differing
historical methods OF Froudc and Free.
man. 20 the complete edition OF Gibbons
Letters and Memoirs" 60 Matthew Ar
noid MN and John Arlington Symonds
There ~ also q memorable essay ''On
English Prose" delivered before the Bod-
ley Literary Society az oxford In which
the essayist AYERS that the secret Of style
cannot, be taught. but gives priceless sug-
Eoations of negative nature as to its
achievement, The truth seems to be
that style IL n disease whose seeds must
be In a mans own constitution II he
Is. as physicians say. susceptible 20
style, he Is In danger OF acquiring good
one without knowing u--likc the atniahie
gentleman In the French comedy who
had spoken prose all hts life without be.
ing aware OF the fact. Assurcslly, the
ronsummatc example 81 a good English
style Is in the hands Of everyone, though
few arc thoy who proat by Il. The
book which begot English prose still re-
mains its supreme type. The English
Bible is the true school OF Engiish hsers.
tnre."
tssrennyson. Ruskin. Mil and Other
literary Estimates BY Frederic Hsr-
r,son. The Macmillan Company. S.
Fer sale by isewman q Hanferd.}
Perhaps the most delish,tul % all Mrs.
rarle's studies Of colonial life IS her latest
book, child Life In Colonial Days. -
Everyone knows how eShaustively and
how charmingiy this writer performs her
chosen task of suppicmenting history BY
giving us the quaint and homely details
Of intimate human life, which alone can
make the past live for US. The present
volume Is the result OF long study. Mrs.
Earle Acknowledges "a constant and dis
,inet search for many years, combined
with an alert watehflilness, for items or
even hints relating TO the subject during
AS many years Of extended historical