New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

his book into the corner and 90 to browse among
the poets in those volumes in each one of which
a master holds undsputed sway. In the matter
of anthOOgies it is probable that many lover
of poetry would prefer to eat his cake and have
ii too Since they sometimes made well
he will put them on his shelves, but wild horses
could not drag him to the compilation of an
anthology of his own.
IT is good to the increasing Importance of
Continental literature in the mass of books
published in English every The bio
graphical or historical memoir which, as we have
recently pointed out, is getting to be eXtraordi-
narily popular. for some years drawn more
or less exclusively from English sources. For
book from the French, for example, there
would be six, if not 4 dozen, written originally
in our own language. OF late better balance
has been struck. and not only do we get more
French memoirs, but more from other Euro
pean countries. The historical studies of the
bOOkmakerS are carried, too further afield than
in the days not very long past. Germany,
Spain and Italy yield material and Russia,
likewise. is being explored for good historical
subjects. The work, however. is comparatively
speaking. only just begun. We still need we'll
made but popular versions of the old European
chrOncierS and there is a vast amount of mod
crn work that still remains TO repay transla-
ton. One circumstance cannot fail to impress
the observer of the reawakened interest in Con
finental literature. 1T is the tremendous vital
1ty of Napoleon rs theme for literary treat
ment Every year witnesses the publication of
new documents concerning him. the memoirs of
this or that contemporary. or the reflections of
some student of a special phase OF his career
In the Life and Letters of Leslie stephen
which we review to-day. there is "A bit of ad-
vice offered to Mr.. Thomas Hardy which it is
Interesting TO reprint by itself In letter to
the novelist he had given n passing dig in the
ribs 10 some modern critics. who think that
they can lay down laws in art like the Pope
in religion. g. the whole RoSsetti- -Swinburne
school" Taking up the parable, he develops it
as follows:
If YOU mean seriously to ask me what critical
books ! recommend l can only say that I rec
onmend none. / think a critic that the less
authors read of criticism the better. YOU G g.
have a perfectly fresh and original vein. and l
think that the less you bother yourself about
critical canons the less chance there is of your
becoming Self-conscious and cramped L should.
therefore. advise the great WRITER'S Shakespeare.
Goethe. Scott &c. &c, who give ideas and don't
prescribe rules. Sainte- Beuve and Mat. Arnold.
dn smaller way) the only modern critics
who seem to me worth reading-perhaps. too.
Lowell. We are generally a poor lot horribly
afraid of not being in the fashion. and disposed
To give ourselves airs on very small grounds.
We wish that certain authors might be per
suadrd 10 ponder these wise words, but we wish
even more that our modern critics might take
note of Stephens ScOrn of the passion for be-
ng i'll the fashion, and for giving ourselves airs
very small grounds Critics to-day often
convey the Impression that they are always
reading the authors who prescribe rules and
have only too few relations with the great writ
who give ideas" What makes matters
worse too. is that they do not go for their
rules IL like >>ainte- Beuvc Matthew Ar
no!.i. hat begin ANA end with writers like Flau-
bert or Walter Pater With his usual common
scrss Stephen goes to the root of the matter
a;.i a.;irmS the one great fructifying principle
cI Itrr9turr. the pricciplc OF going above all
taass. for itic.s-