The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-21

ishly over their canvases, brought him mast
the age Of temptation. All this gave him
power and inclination to attempt the chic,
enterprise by which he Is known. 1t saved
him. when old and somewhat frivolous,v
minded, from pitfalls in which other In.
erary heroes had lost their character
DR.. Barry adds that, at all the turning
points in life Renan showed energy as well
as decision. Except from his sister
Henriette. he seems never to have asked
advice. Early and late he took his own
way. Intellectual ancestors he had mona
outside OF books. and IL disciples came, he
did not seek them"
The opinion is here expressed, not. az
course, for the first time, that Remains
place in French literature ia a lowly ona.
more 80 than Balzac's or even Flaubert's.
There ia no doubt that his manner of speech
was unique. inimitable. Bourget tells A
story Of the critic who could anslyEe everv
great style and lay bare its secret but
when the talk fell on Renan he shook hs
head "Ah, that mans phrase he ex-
claimed; zone sees not how it is made
One obvious reason why he charms and sub
dues 80 many is his ability to dress UP, In
perfect but unpretending French, thoughts
which are bold to the point OF revolution.
The present biographer Is keenly alive to
the spell that Renan weaves over the reader.
"Anarchio, subtle, perverse, dissolving as a
poison. the thoughts may prove to be; but
they are always elegantly attired, and "a
insinuatng as music which lulls to sleep
on much loved rhythm To this efIeo.
his citations from the Latin Vulgate, his
fondness for devotional terms, his pretty
peal Of church BELLS as he calls 1t himself
added extraordinary power" Speaking.
however, as theologian, Dr. Barry deems It
incumbent to add that never was certain
verse Of Shakespeare about quoting Scrip
ture for purpose moro strildngly Illus
trated. By such handling the sacred be.
came all the more profane: Holy Writ was
made Its own refutation. and Judas be-
trayed his Master with kiss.
Some Art Books.
Mr.. Basil de Selinoourt has written q
very satisfactory little mono graph on
sGiotto' Duckworth Il Co., Charles Scrib-
ner's Sons). There has been 80 much de-
sTucttve criticism Of the early Italian
painters OF late years that sane account
OF one Of the greatest Of them Is welcome.
In which while due regard is paid to modern
investigation some reverence Is preserved
for the older traditions. Here Giotto the
painter Is considered. and his other works.
notably the tower, are passed over rather
cursorily. The proc cess pictures are in
adequate to show the quality Of his work.
yet the scale of reproduction, especially
f<r lar ct nd In he
at Padua. Is large enough to convey Z
fair impression to the reader.
A good deal Of sensible observation wri
be found in NJ, Auguste Brt ais essay on
-Velasquez" contributed to the 4Populsr
Library of Art" Duckworth 4 Co., E P.
Dutton d Co... He manages to do full
justice to the artist while avoiding the
fulsome laudation that is fashionable just
now. The illustrations are very numerous
and cover the whole field Of the painters
work. but they are too small to be salts.
factory, except where they represent de-
tails Of larger pictures.
Perhaps little too reverent in tone but
modest and instructive, 1.-The Art Of James
Mcneil Whistler" by r. r. Way and G. R.
Dennis. now appears in third, cheaper
edition George Bell Il Sons; Macmillans).
The first chapter gives a summary account
Of the artists life, excluding all anecdotes
and gossip. The rest Of the book consists
Of descriptions and appreciations Of his
pictures. The illustrations are generally
very good, though some Of the paintings
suffer in reproduction. Those in color are
charming.
DR.. Edmund Won Machs Greek Soulp-
ture: Its Spirit and Principles (Ginn d
Coz book that has been before the public
for some time. has just reached rs, 1t be-
longs to the less helpful class OF handbooks
in which the fanolful ideas of the author
are made to take the place of sober demon.
STATIONS Of fact. We fancy that a maturer
judgment may some day temper the OK.
uberance of this book. The Illustrations
are very good.
A center table book that will be welcome
to those who have travelled in the region Of
which threats is Mr. George Waldo Brownies
.The ST Lawrence River: Historical. Legeu-
Diary, Picturesque g. P. Putnam's Sons).
The space devoted to telling the story OF
French Canada might more profitably have
been given to more descriptions of the COUP
tr-v. The illustrations vary in merit, some
from photographs are excellent, but We are
inclined to think that more attention to the
picturesque and less to the towns would have
.dded TO the attractions of the book.