The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-07-05
TREND OF THOUGHT
 ALONG PATHS LITERARY

already alluded to in this column are
 essays in biography of the most scholar
 ly of British statesmen: also of Green.
 the philosopher; Green, the historian;
 Dean Stanley; Bowen. the teacher; Trollope, the novelist; Bishop Fraser and
 Robertson Smith. Such charity of view
 as comes from personal acquaintance
 makes this book interesting. and is an 1 acceptable contribution to the history
 of the intellectual life O. the Victorian age. A glance at the catalogues will disclose great activity on the part of English biographers; and contempora- neously in America, have been written poets and theologians. Standing in ' strong juxtaposition are Emerson and Wesley; as also Disraeli and Gladstone; while Tennyson and Poe. and Wards worth and Byron have been brought to our comprehension with some summing up of their virtues and work in just measurement-as we have been told" The Wesleys. Now when all the English speaking people are interested in a review of the life as well as the work of the Wesleys 1t is well that we take a glance at their position in literature. Our exchanges , are filled with the poetry of the Wesleys father, sons, and grandson. ''The Crucihxion," by Samuel Wesley. Sr., shows in this opening verse the strength of conviction and expression, that is seen in the hymns of his descendants. |, Behold the Savior of mankind. Nailed to the shameful tree! How vast the love that him inclined To bleed and die for thee! Samuel Wesley, Jr., the father of John and Charles, wrote this hymn of the Resurrection.
 The morning flowers display their sweets And gay their silken leaves unfold, As careless of the noontide heats, AS fearless of the evening cold. Nipped by the winds untimely blast, Parched by the suns directer ray,
 The momentary glories waste. The short lived beauties die away.
 So blooms the human face divine.
 When youth its pride of beauty shows; Fairer than spring the colors shine. And sweeter than the virgin rose.
 Yet these, now rising from the tomb,
 With luster brighter far shall shine, Revive with ever-during bloom,
 Safe from diseases and decline. Samuel Wesley, Jr. a John wesleys morning hymn. we lift our heart to thee," Is familiar to us all
 Of Charles Wesley, Bishop Fitzgerald says, Grown him the sweet singer of Methodism" NO where else can be found singer with notes so sweet and so high as his.'' The Bishop makes clear comment when he says that, '"The chief characteristics of John Wes- | hxyna ie int They thrown off in the white heat of revival fires. They burn. they glow, they blaze. The well-knowp hymn, for a thousand tongues to sing Good Redeemer's praise" Is an example of this intense style. Of John Wesley's place In literature The Christian Advocate has this to say.
 He wrote books, he compiled books. he printed tracts, he edited periodicals. But 1t was neither for money nor for fame. He had not he cocoethes scribendi which compels some nor the whip Of poverty which drives others. Nor was 1t even that natural longing for expression which arises in any human heart which hap pens to be stirred by fresh emotion Of byfresh thought.
 And again,
 He read. culled. compiled. criticised. modified, edited, without compunction and without hesitation, the works of other men. If he found matter of which he could avail himself. he laid a fear less hand upon 1t. All literatures were tributary to his purpose. ready Latin scholar, he sharply condemned the classics for their immortality? He issued texts of Ovid and other poets. and put his imprematur upon grammars Of Latin, Greek, Hebrew. German, French, and English. Edidit Ecclesiae Angli- canae Presbyter is his modest inscrip- tion. Doubtless 1t was an editing rather than anything else, yet It all passed through the alembic of his own pro- cesses.
 Without attempting to earn money with his pen, he produced matter which Tn
 his own life brought in huge fortune. This however, he gave away. without seeking fame he was. and still is one or the best known English writers. With out trying to become stylist. his natural aptitude and the pressure Of the conditions under which he wrote re- suited in work which approaches the standard of perfect English.
 A note in the Wesleyan Magazine about WesIeys reading, exhibits the strength of his literary taste.
 Space fails us for notes on Augustine, Bunyan Baxter, Jonathan Edwarus, Joseph Alleine. and the memoirs or Brainerd and Halyburton. all Of which Wesley published in small volumes Ana we may pass over his lists Of books on philosophy. history and science, most or which are confessedly superseded by the modern Literature of knowledge" But the poetry recommended by Wesley in his letters and lists can never be out or date-Spenser, Shakespeare. Herbert' Milton. Who will say that these are not among the living influences around us and with us?"-Wesleyan Magazine.