New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
ANDREW. Lang.
His Memories of Friends IN Books
and ont of Them.
ADVENTURES AMONG BOOKS By Andre,
Lang. l2Ino' pp. XII. "a QOngmans. Gree


occupies a position which is unique. He has
scholarship-an abundance Of it-but we doubt
Il Il has ever occurred TO him TO be scholarly
out Of season. he keeps his learning for the
occasions really requiring its exercise, and even
thea he brings il forward with an almost dep
recating air, as though he shrank from SEEM
Ing 10 possess any special. esoteric light on the
subject in hand Add TO this gracefully carried
scholarship OF his an instructive passion for
pure literature, rich stores of Wit and humor,
and a nature that, if not without its vein Of
aa5. is in the main unoommonly sweet and
eou.Ie. and his pre-eminence as an essayist is
readily explained. His latest volume Advent
uras Among Books" is of good sense, good
huuor and fine feeling, all compact
II has disappointed some Of the authors cOuns
tr.Isln. if we may judge from a few of their
reviews. Il includes some chapters Of personal
reeouec,ions. and they have complained that
t.esl aye not rich enough in personalia. For our
own rart we rejoice in author who can write
ESSAYS about his friends without telling too
mach. Mr.. Lang's ''Recollections of Robert
I5.is Stevenson is a model essay, offering a
-4cft reflske TO aIl those complacent gabblers
vbo have rushed into print under the convic-
ion that the world would be grateful for their
caltle about the man whom, in some cases
tAev knew only in the most casual fashion. It
contains. anecdotes bat not one Of these is in
discreet There are touches Of portraiture, but
there Is no attempt At painting an elaborate
fun length Of the subject Indeed Mr.. Lang
frankly coufes=es that he was not Of his
friends closest intimates. and he contents him
self with notes that are none the less interest
ing because lhey are more in the nature Of
concentrations oa character than in the nature
sr GOSSIP For example take this passage:
Cir Stevenson possessed. more than any man
ev.r ueJ the power ot making other men tan IN
I.te Usth him mean that he excited "A passion
E.-g ls5ers some men aere jealous Of other mems
Tlee H his Ak-as once net a stranger who,
g.th a touching foucuess and pride his fancy re-
posing rs seemed. a fond contemplation of
8. rHsh genius ana charm What WAS taking
IN him? And how TO snalyze that dazzling
surface Cf pleasantly. that changetui shining
hGnor WIZ wisdom. rocklessness, beneath which
beat The most A-ld and tolerant OF hearts?
Nr Lang speaks Of Stevenson's talk II
Cartly seem 10 see the eager face" he says,
'tae light nervous figure, the fingers busy with
rolling cigarettes; MI Stevenson talking, listen
rl- often rising from his seat, standing, walk
ing 70 ard fro. always fun Of vivid intelligence,
wearing mysterious smile. remember one
pleasant dark afternoon. when he told me many
ts'es # strange adventures narratives which he
l-6 heard about a murderOus lonely inn some
where ia the States. He Was as good to hear as
90 read" Stavelscu's histrionic foible is glanced
~ .a this delightful essay. He observed him
s.lf ] used 20 think" says Mr. Lang, las he OBJ
served others and saw himself in every part
he played" but, adds the essayist, there was
nothing Of the caJofja in this sef-consciousness;
il was the unextinguished childish passion for
'IIaying al things which remained with him"
With brief and delicate strokes like these Mr.
Lang produces a sketch OF Stevenson which
somehow seems TO US worth volumes Of the
sort OF stuff Whi h has mostly Leen printed about
the roTnanCer since his death The paper on DR..
John Brown, the author Of "Rab and His
Friends" is written with the same affectionate
appreciation and the same fine reticence- We
cannot praise il more cordially than by saying
that il is worthy Of the theme. The chapter on
Dr Holmes is on the other hand, less success
ful The author is just as amiabIe. just as care
full but # is plain that his sympathes are not
engaged We cannot help wondering why Mr.
Lang wrote about the Autocrat at ali. But We
are grateful for The little vignette Of Holmes at
a London dinner table on that memorable jour
ney Of his, talking away, 50 that he reminded
one Of his listeners Of what Homer says con-
cerling the old men around Priam, above the
gate Of Troy, how they 'chrped Ike cicalas on
a summer day
The essay on the poems Of the late William
Morris is to be commended 10 those who want
10 know Just what were the virtues and the
weaknesses OF that facile writer. MIR. Lang read
The Defence Of Guinevere" when il came out