The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-12
NEWS OF THE BOOK WORLD

| j
Matthew Arnold Finds Good Interpreter
tlon and Criticism a Book to Please
the Arnold "cult"-valuable Addition to
School Histories by Professor Willis M.
West OF the University Of Minnesota.
!: To the Matthew Arnold cult, and we
are assured that there is such cult and
that 1t is growing and must grow, the
announcement Of the publication Of an APP
probation and a criticism of Matthew
Arnold by William Harbutt Dawson will
be received with pleasure.
One might be disposed to deny that the
Matthew Arnold cult Is growing. How
ever, 1t Is excellent evidence that there
Is still considerable interest In the man s
gospel of culture, that fourteen years af-
ter his death work Of the kind in hand
should be issued. To show that the Arm
old cult is and why 1t must prevail is the
declared purpose Of the book. ''The cult
OF Matthew Arnold says MIR. Dawson,
is the cult Of idealism,' an idealisnl
Which is the pursuit of perfection as the
Worth1est working principle Of life" "Was
ever message delivered by apostle Of cul-
ture5 palmer than the message of Matthew
voice,
crying in the wilderness, utter its burden
more clearly than this voice? It is here
l nope and think, that justification may
be. found for this endeavor to give unity
to Arnolds ideas and theories, to his
admon1tions and warnings
Whether one agrees with these views is
immaterlal SO far as our present business
is concerned. Mr.. Dawson has done the
work OF giving unity to Arnold's ideas and
theories, SO far as we are able to judge
In an admirable manner. Only a member
and perhaps high priest, of the cult car
say whether he has done his subject full
justice, but even casual browser, wht
has read Arnold now and then, out O.
pure curiosity, can. see that Mr.. Dawson
| mas produced an extremely readable bool
in gathering together in attractive form
5Arnold's ideas on culture, religion anc
politics. e 49, III f44sSf .7af 4s-sf 81.
+ A good example Of Mr.. Dawson's style
and OF his manner Of accommodating Arm:
I old g ideas is, found In the summing up O
Of Culture" It IS difficult to believe tina
even the apostle himself could have dom
better. Here it is:
| Ills (Arnolds) advice to the privat
and the public man is Get culture, an,
| 1t will not only edify by the very posses
sion OF It, setting you on the path t.
perfection but 1t will offer you principl
|
tive In all the circumstances and situa
lions Of life. So that culture, after all
! instead of being somet thing selfish ant
uselessly reconcile, Is In reality the mos
world
If one wishes also Arnold's attitude
toward religion, in nutshell, Mr.. Daw.
|. son gives 1t to him thus
| Recognizing in religion that voice Of
I the deepest human experience the great.
Test and most important Of the efforts By
which the, human race has manifested fits
impulse to perfect ITSELF he feared lest
Its sanctions should be weakened by any
questioning, however necessary and inevi.
| table, Of the data Of belief"
| 1t may be seen clearly from these two
| extracts and from what has already beer
said that Mr.. Dawson lacks nothing In
perspicuity Indeed, the book seems tc
tus to lack little that would add to its
interest for q member of the cult or fol
! one who wished merely to study Arnold's
views as influences upon the thought Of
| his day.
| From the University Of Minnesota
comes a valuable contribution to the lis,
Of school histories. It is the work OF
Professor Willis M West, M. A., and bears
the title Modern History. 1t fits onto the
professors Ancient History in the same
series, the other authors Of which are
! Charles M. Andrews Of Bryn Mawr col.
1lege, Victor G. Coffin Of the UNIVERSITY
OF Wisconsin and Charles X. Adams anc
William P. Trent Of Columbia university
''The present volume says Professo,
West, traces the interaction and devel
| opment Of the various forces which the
ancient world had brought together anl
which had been partially fused in the
empire OF Charlemagne. The treatmen
covers eleven centuries; but as much
space is given to the last hundred years
as to the preceding thousand and thruou
an unusual amount Of attention is pait
to the history Of England"
This apportionment Of space is justified
] by the statement that 1--WE can well afford
to treat with breyity the more ephemera
phases Of the middle ages however quaint
| II thereby can adequate space be won To-
the marvellous nineteenth century, and s.
for an intelligent Introduction to the TWEEN
f1eth. When q choice must be made, W,
ought to sacrifice the past to the pres
| ent.''s
The style of the author is pleasing an,
easily readable, and his arrangement O
his material is such as to give the studen
the strongest possible impression that tn
/ Facts could convey after considerab i
lapse OF time in printed form and neces
/ oSsA Ay AAuCA COilucIlSGQ III statement 4
4 very valuable feature will be found i,
numerous maps, things which HISTORIANS
or their publishers, used to think wer
quite needless. The work is also salts
factorily Illustrated. Altogether the bool
fs one to attract the youthful studen
OF history. and, therefore. the teacher VIII
seeks to interest his pupils.
It is interesting to note that Professo
Albert B. White and Professor Franz
Maloy Anderson are credited by Professo
West with having rendered valuable as
sistance in the preparation Of the book
Miss Ruth West, the professors daugt
ter prepared the index, which Is yer
q complete.
Il A book OF sociology is Charlotte Perkins Gi
mans Human Work. which Mcclure PHILLIP
Il will bring out very soon. This book brings /
q a conclusion the theories advanced by Mrs al
4 man In her former works, sThe Home, - won
Il en- and Economies Concerning Children" ct
a It ID almost revolutionary. MRS Gilman taxi
4 very optimistic point Of view, and argues th,
1t is mans gentler social side that rules hin
Il and not more antnalistac. cruelsr and SELLS
q Instincts She claims man IA essentially soci
creature. ana that IL r his social impulse whic