The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-19

INQUIRIES ana OplllpHS- ~ DIduutl
gJattbeMa Carries iscribner's Sons, New
York.
OF literature and * art in its other
roodes of expression, Professor Matthew's
is a w~ell-informed, studious and careful
observer. He Is not always profound; the
obvious not infrequently engages his
thought unduly. But his insight is fef
the most part sure and keen, his view
point as a critic sane and Thoroughly
modern. and his method of treatment
logical, decisive, sympathetic and per-
.~suasive. Moreover, he writes with grace
and ease and charm, His are not Of the
dry-as-dust professorial treatises. whose
benefit, if they have 1t to give. one may
gather only by dismayingly laborious Ell
fort. His essays not only enlishten one
and stimulate inquiry, but they hold the
interest for their own sake.
The present volume is made up OF a
dozen essays OF subjects connected WIN
literature and the drama. They are pleas
antly discursive and varied In content. AS
Athe title indicates. they partake rather OF
the nature of q~uizzlcal note and casual
comment by the way than of exposition
of the results of learned researches ana
p~hilosophizing.
Professor Matthew's speciality is the
drama, and a very large portion OF ms
present work is devoted to that highesl
form OF the literary art. He begins now
ever, with n discussion of Literature IN
the New Century" estimating the impor-
tant part the departed century VIII nave
contributed to it's making by force OF me
scientific advancement, the growth OF tne
democratic movement, the intenslfylng Oh
national spirit. ard the development OF a
spirit Of world community which were lts
salient characteristics. He then diverts to
81 consideration Of the Supreme Leaders
Of the arts of all time and his conclusions
here are of interest as such catalogues,
however arbitrary and idle, usually are.
MIR. Matthews strives to select as his
leaders only such as universal consent and
not the consent OF any one people would
hit upon. md. regarded ins that light, his
preferences are sound beyond dispute.
His poets are Homer, Dante, Shakespeare
and Goethe: his masters OF prose dhe list
that Matthew Arnold selected, Cicero,
Plato, Bacon, Pascal, Swift, Voltaire; his
orators, Demosthenes and Cicero; his his
historians, Thncydides, Taoitns and Glib
hon; bis ~dramatfsts, sophocles, Shakes
peare and Moliere. With this list exclud-
ing such artists as Cerventes, Milton. Vir-
gil, Burke, Webster. Emerson, Macaulay,
etc, ii may be seen with what refinement
the distinctions ave been made.
An interesting dissertation upon the too
often -unreeognized, If SO Obvious, impor-
lance of technique and the influence of it's
difficulties upon the artist follows. "Old
Friends with New Faces illustrates the
regular and inevitable recurrence through
out literature of familiar situations and
discusses the manner in which the indi-
Vidual writer. illunining them with the
power of his imagination. makes them his
own. The theme is further elucidated in
the succeeding essay on Invention and
Imagination.' wherein the first is given its
proper place as merely an element OF the
second.
The detective story as brought by Poe
10 perfection in the Murders of the Rue
Morgue,' and the relations to ii of the
works of-Voltaire and other mystery
mongers, are the subject of one of the
most fascinating of the essays. In a very
able appreciation of Mark Twain. Profess
sor Matthews points out the danger Of
losing sight of the permanent value of the
humorist's works in the tendency to refuse
to take him seriously and as other than
n mere funmaker. He estimates the COM
~Tarative value of Marks works, exhibit
ing a strong and w~ell-srounded predilec-
ton for "HuckIeberry Finn"
Excepting for a note on Maupassant,
master craftsman OF the short story, the
rest of the book is devoted to dramatic
hA"NIN1't A8,A&Ch Z "
speaks with authority. He calls attention
TO the dissimilarities Of the modern novel
and the modern play and the greater ar
tistic difficulties and rewards the restrict
ed form of the latter involves. He de-
tends '%fhe Literary Merit of Our Latter
Day Drama" It's a pity such plays as
Henry Arthur Jones and Plnero write have
TO be defended from critics unable to dis
tinguish between intrinsic literary worth
and mere rhetoric and decoration, but the
fact remains that they do, and Mr.. Mat
thews performs the service brilliantly.
The technique of 'Ibsen, the Playwright .
whose dramturgic skill revo-
Iutionized the art Of playwriting among
his contemporaries, is Analysed and the
models upon which Ibsen worked and
which he improved upon are examined in
an admirably clear and thoughtful study.
which does not neglect the larger signif-
canoe of the work of the grim Norwe-
pian. The book closes with a word for
the art of the Stage Manager" that
unappreciated individual who, often more
than the author himself, makes or unmakes
a play.
Being himself at the head and front Of
the reformed spoilers Professor Matthews
consistently applies his theory here as
elsewhere. Probably it is pure prejudice
that regards the practise with just a bit
Of annoyance. Nevertheless, with one
word, at least, protest seems amply justi-
fled, Not only in the interests OF clarity
in Specification but Theoretically is II
wrong to spell passed p-a-s-t.