New-York tribune., 1901-11-22

And Realistic Art prefer,
Go then to Photographer.
Mr. Herford's art is worth infinitely more than
that of the photographer; in fact, his drawings
form more of a boon to mankind than those of
the grand, gloomy and peculiar artist are in
a good many cases. He has, too, one quality
rare enough in humorous draughtsmanship,
gentle refined spirit that gives the last touch to
his altogether delightful productions.
Professor David Masson's eminence Is due
partly to his monumental Life Of Milton partly
to his long and sterling services in Ed1ngurgh
University: but to those who have made its ac-
quaintance his brief biography yof Chatterton, the
marvellous boy of Bristol. has always seemed
work equally calculated with his other achieve
ments to keep his name green in English let
ters First published in 1886. in association
with other ESSAYS it commanded sufficient pop
ulartv to Justify its reissue some time later,
but in spite of its temperance, it has for a
long period been out of print. The biography is
now brought out by Dodd. Mead x Co in ne"
and revised edition. printed in volume by IL
self and it must receive everywhere the most
grateful of welcomes. Professor Mason has
framed his portrait of the poet with just enough
matter relating to his time to enable the reader
TO apprehend Chatterton in exactly the right
perspective He shows the incest sense OF pro-
norton in his treatment Of his subjects per-
sonality and works. while his treatment of the
irnnortant and difficult subject OF Chatterton's
ANTIQUARIAN improvsations and forgeries is de-
ligbtfully free from both the prejudice and the
nedantrv which have too often been encoun-
tered in this field of research. He thus vividly
,resants his hero on the threshold Of his ia
nous enterprise:
The date does not seem quite certain. out & II
was probabIv when Chatterton was ABOVE
fourteen years of age, and one of the senior poss
in the Bluecoat School. that ne stepped. one al
ternoon. into the shop of a Mi Buf6uiil PaiF
ner of Mr.. Catcott in the pewter trace,
Il have found out a secret about YOU MI.
Burgum,' he said going Up to the pe"'ereI a'
Indeed What is it?" said Mr.. Burgum
THAT you are descended from one OF the
noblest families in England
II did not know it said the victim
1T is true. though" said Chatterton. and 20
prove il 1 will bring you your pedigree written
out, as 1 have traced it by the help OF oooks' Oh
the peerage and old parchments-
Accordingly, a few days afterward he again
called and presented the astonished pe"teiei
with a manuscript copybook, headed In large
text as follows: Account of the Family OF the
De Berghams, from the Norman Conquest 10
this Time; collected from original Records,
Tournament Rolls. and the Heraids OF March
and Garter Records, by T. Chatterton-
In spite of the atmosphere of purely literary
Professor Mason, who has a keen scent for
whatever is human in historical figure, takes
pains to show that he was not literary mono
maniac, a creature of one faculty. HIS en-
thusiasm for the antique" he says, although
the most remarkable part Of him. was not the
whole OF him The Rowley habit of thought
and expression, though he liked to put it on,
was also a thing that he could at pleasure
throw off. Though antiquarian, and a mid
night reader of Speghts Chaucer and other
black letter volumes he also attorneys s
apprentice, accustomed to small fiirtations, ac-
customed to debate and to brawl with other
attorneys apprentices. In short besides
being antiquarian, and a creative genius in
the element of the English antique, Chatterton
was also. in the year 1I69-'I0, complete and
very characteristic specimen of that long ex-
tinct phenomenon brisk young Englishman or
the early part of the reign Of George III Pro-
fessor Mason diversifies his text with abundant
annotations from the works. and his book pro-
vides in fact, absolutely perfect introduc-
ton to the study of Chatterton Also. it Is
charmingly written, of the most readable
monographs of its kind know. It's only flaw
is an objectionable one-it has no index.