The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-14

Somindrtste' but Stephens clerical career,
which was entirely academic, left no per-
ceptible trace upon him. He discovered
that he had made mistake, and when once
he had corrected It there was an end OF the
matter
The paper on Wordsworth CLOVIS with an
intensity Of enthusiasm for which parallel
could hardly be found In Stephens writings.
Wordsworth's defects are pronounced too
obvious 70 be mentioned. But 'be can
yet" continues the critic, pierce furtheet
behind the veil and embody most efficiently
the thoughts and emotions which come TO
us in our most solemn and reflective moods.
Other poetry becomes triAing when We are
making our inevitable passages through
the Valley Of the Shadow Of Death; Words
worth alone retains his power. We love
him the moro as we grow older, and be-
come more deeply impressed With the sad
ness and seriousness Of life; we are apt 20
grow weary OF his rivals when we have
finally quilted the regions Of youthful
enchantment.' Between Wordsworth and
Stephen, Of course, there was a great
theological gulf, but the latter felt that the
former speaks to the hearts and minds Of
all men with power independent OF church
and creed. In the concluding pages Of his
essay Stephen finds the cause Of Words
worth's permanent and sustaining inhu-
enoe at times when ordinary consultations
fail in the fact that he invents nothing and
eItenuates nothing, but, taking life and
death as they are, shows how the eject OF
bereavement on a manly nature may be an
increased determination 70 help the friends
that are left.
In lecture on the author Of The Ancient
Mariner Stephen dwells with perhaps
excessive emphasis on the wonderful
promise Of Coleridge'S youth, when It
seemed to be entirely within his own choice
whether be should become a second Milton
or q second Bacon. It IL quite possible to
eIaggerate the extent Of Colerid ge's failure,
for. although he wrote q great deal, both in
prose and verse, that IL now seldom read
except by students, his poetical Imagination
ana philosophical depth have scarcely been
surpassed by any Englishman. Among
all British poets he was the best critic, while
In poetry no critic, not even Matthew Arnold,
has approached him. Stephen thought that
Coleridges philosophy, II less bracing than
Wordswortils 3, Is richer and more suggestive,
partly because, though inferior TO Words
worth as q man, and far less fertile as a
poet, he was not, with all his selfshness,
80 entirely conferred In himself.
The appearance OF the present Lord
Tennyson's Life Of his father seems to
have suggested to Stephen that he had not
always been sufficiently sensible Of the
poets excellence. At Cambridge, indeed,
he had been an ardent admirer Of the
laureate, and his praise Of I'm Msmoriam'
was always cordial. Like some other
people, however. notably Edward Fits
Gerald, he did not take 80 friendly a view
Of Tennyson's later performances. He
was somewhat annoyed, II not disguised,
by the excessive adulation which It became
fashionable to pay the poet. The popu-
larity Of the "Idylls Of the King Jared upon
Stephen, who thought that their author
had written much better things before.
Stephen did not agree with Carlyle, who
stopped at ulysses the poem which is
said to have procured TenDyson his pension.
But be detested the allegories, and could
not endure the Identification OF Prince
Albert With King Arthur. As for Tennyson's
subsequent poetry, all Of II was, In Stephens
opinion, injured by a want Of the simplicity
which had given part Of their charm TO the
early volumes.
1t Is suggested that In drawing Froude's
portrait Stephen left out the devil. He
overlooked the freakish spirit that never
ceased TO attend upon Froude, There Ia,
Of course, no doubt that Froude had an al
most Incompatible style or that this char
acters are sketched with 20 mastery a
hand that his numerous inaccuracies count
for very little as compared With the superb
picture which he could draw Of a sovereign,
Of a statesman, Of a theologian OF Of an age.
Stephen understood and clearly explained
Froude's dramatic view Of history; the
theory which Froude shared with MARI
borough that Shakespeare was the great
est Of historians; the belief that an aneo-
dote. though false, was useful II IL had q
moral, and useless, though true, II II had
none Mr.. Paul, for his part, however,
thinks that Froude's subtle and compiler
nature Il unintelligible, or at least dim
cult TO comprehend, II We omit 10 presuppose
the love OF mischief which helped 10 make |
him the most fascinating Of companions. !
Froude liked 10 puzzle, 10 startle and 10 |
shock. When be adopted OF went far 10 |
adopt Lord -Melboumes paradox that |
Henry VIII. was the greatest man who |
sver lived; when he attacked Elizabeth |
Tor not setting the prejudioes Of Protestant
Ism above reasons Of State; when, In his
sIaltation OF Luther, he constantly hints
It the mental superiority Of Erasmus; when |
he magnifes the foibles Of his second mas
ter, Carlyle. and carefully records that |
sage's remark that his FIRST master New
man, had the intellect Of rabbit, he was
amusing himself at the expense Of the ]
literal public, and doubtless wondering ]
what they would say Il IL well known
ihab Froudes great adversary. Freeman,
Who had not a spark Of humor was infuh-
tied by these vagaries. Stephen, on the
1thor hand, was quite capable Of Hppre-
stating them
In TIE book bsfofS Ne a few sontonoos