New-York tribune., 1903-02-01
SIR LESLIE STEPHEN
4 NEW COLLECTION OF HIS ESSAYS.
s~rnrrs OF 4 BIOGRAPHER.

s-,--Ifs- second Serses In Two Volumes.
octave. rp -, -7s- u P. Putnam Sons
new collection Of essays by Sir Leslie Ste
rhe1 is solid comfort to those who have
sc-zuess for one Of the most delicate Of literary
forms Most Of tie essays which he brings to-
ee-ae- II the two volumes recently published
W have read before, il the pages OF The Ma
t.g-4l Review" and the three exceptions We
-esa. from other periodicals But We have
eo-rE ourselves rereading one after the other
C these productions with an enjoyment keener,
L .--s-n.ns than THAI with which We read them
~ -.e E-st place. The author not only indi-
c-.-s IL the title Of his book special predilec-
zion l1t reminds US Of the particular lines upon
WA d he las for number Of years been work
.-- lie was the first editor OF the Dictionary
1- Nat--lal Biography" and he contributed 10
ta.- work down 10 its completion. one can
read -y imagine the immense benefit derived
from Us close association with the great enter
T-.sa de had Z love for biography, and al
ar---5e for the compost OF il, 10 begin with
The duties Of eGitorship Oh the Dictionary
-.-sc have brought an influence Of their own
upon lis a-t constantly developing his skill in
couEe-sation. and in what We may call the
transformation Of bald statement into sug-
gss--ve prose The present volumes show how
orrrIetely he has mastered the secret Of brief
bi1E-aphy. But these portraits Of FToude, Rus
klr 6agehot and others are. after all, cast in
IL essay form. which is 10 say that they give
the author opportunity to play with certain
t-aa-1-- around his subject and 10 deal even
rrlre with ideas than with personalities
IL IS delightfully."- Characteristic and illunli-
mating Il his discussion Of the Browning corre-
spaz- -s-ce i Is plain that he las no desire, in
geue--- 70 read any body's love letters. on the
ct1e- hand. he Is candid enough TO admit that
F,e il he
other SIDE, and he makes out good case for
IN publication Of this correspondence as even
Z H-.s-lrE5re might desire. But he comes back
T. 1.= --sc impression, and says that he felt
.u--G .=as1--ly Ike an unjustidable eavesdrop-
T-r while reading these letters We like his
Tar-- ne more for the vacilations and hesita-
t.--s x reflects, h-s frank confession Of the
difficulties encountered il his task only serving
&c increase the personal charm Of what he has
IL Soy The conclusion al which he arrives has,
like S. much CT Sir Leslie Stephens work the
virtue cf putting subject II clear light, and
continuing 10 The general understanding Of II
We mus quote sOUle Of MS best passages
The GlH-1l1les about the Browning letters is,
: tl--k ---s- Whether, IL spite OF their own
lul---41- merits. they VIII not set a precedent
eu-a---y -ke-y 10 be abused They may De
.-~-le1 - =Z-er r--CIa-- The case IS one OF those
u H---L -Le -o-4- result Is 50 impressive ana
-. ing mat The ordinary rule may be dlsre-
ca-.--. Unfortunately, when precedent Is sci,
-a-s= IS -l way ot limiting The application 10
T. made Cf L. EE=-- body Is apt 10 be eXceP-
-r.-z. IL his own eyes and the eyes Of his
nearest relatives. There IS. indeed. one
other question. = Admitting ---Lv that the story
ought l. le -lIz that v,= mad right 10 be aware
a- this eC-lL-lE element n the lives OF TWO
sum persons Was i really necessary that the
whole correspondence should be published, or
-le whole Destroyer I -zlnor help fancylng
t-a- some one might have been found-taoUsil'
70 DOUBT The task would have required very eX-
csT-l-a- -a1- and ---lsht-Wh0 could have
given The truth without publishing the CORE
srH--e-re u mass The sense Of inlpro-
Ir--E which les--s one every now and then IN
------l- u--CT--t -aale suspicion that one
IS after all an =a-=sl--pU purely due TO
tI- following al The ----- ms and outs through
So long q lg--esr rC---e-ee- and the feeling that
c-a IS looking over -le shoulders Of the writers
moment when -l-E would certainly nave
shown -L- lg-- o an intruder fancy that by
Cg--- -l= revelation 20 what was strictly
necessary e. reveal The essence Of the situation
and Ev So showing SerupuIOUs regard for the
consideration which makes for reticence. The
lg.l ---- have been equally and even more
impressive and -Ie danger OF setting prece-
5--- diminished
i w= a=-= living II al iceal world We might
say that 20 talk l- -h-s vein Is 10 beg the ques-
t.- One IS lnr-.1sd 10 declare. with no beating
sao1- -le bush. that the Browning correspond
eU.= ml2at better have been committed TO the
flames 5r-a.t Rgt the world being what i IS.
W. cannot ..- admit Thai Sir Leslie Stephen has