Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-03
VICTOR HUGO's INTEIIUrTU
AUTOBIOGRAPHY (postro,i,t

T
the Last Phase of Hugos Genius b.
Lorenzo ORourke New York: Funk
Wagnalls Company
This is the last of the unpublished works
OF The author. 1t embodies reflections on
literature philosophy and religion. 1t was
left with his heirs with the stipulation that
1t should not be published for twenty wears
after his death. As matter of fact n
has been withheld even beyond that period
IN order that Its publication might be COIN
cident with the celebration of the poets
centenary. To have prepared this postum
nous statement of the final phase OF his own
personality, removed as far as possible
from the limitation I'm freedom which pub
Ncatlon during lis life would have made
necessary, roundabout summary of him
selt Is thoroughly in keeping with Hugo's
self-cCnsCiOus genius.
The first part of the book is devoted to
reHecNons upon art and literature: the sec
ono half refers to the great ultimate facts
OF oNls;ence-God, human life, the soul II
is uniformly interesting. very generally IT
treats Of serious subjects discussed with
sustained power OF abstract thought Some
oi the topics covered are: Genius and
taste. Utility of the Beautiful, the French
Revolution. Great Men-Shakespeare, La
E"ntaine, Noltaire. Beaumarchais Life and
Death' Supreme Contemplate Thoughts
While the effort at self-revelation is un-
couotehly entirely sincere, there is much of
the strainlng after brlliancy. the love of
paradox. the tendency toward startling
IG.In or statement which are the defects of
HuSos greatness
LIFE OF GOETHE. BY Albert Bel
schowsky, Ph.D Authorized TransIa
Ion from the German. BY William A
tooper' An. assistant professor of
German stanford University. Vol H.
Illustrated. New York: G. p Put
nam Sons. Washington: woodward
LothrOp.
The scope in time OF this second volume
OF The IAfe of Goethe is from 17ss-1s15
heckoned In term of the events which IN
hpncd the development of Goethe's genius
this means from the Italian journey to the
wars Of liberation. DIR. BieIschoNsky.s
work VIII prove. in all probability. 10 ne
the final dehnitive authority on the life
AID personality Of this greatest Of German
poets
The literary output of these years in
Guided "IpH!genie,' '"Tasso." ''Wuhelro
H4t.slef' H'rmann und Dorothea, die
Mahlvorwardtsthaft en" and Pandora
III HieiSGAowsKy, gives an analysis of these
OILS. showing tnclr relation TO the events
O. the Nl'h'I hte, the formative infu-
enc that were at work to produce them
J"dSel merely as literary criticism the
authors work is OF high value In irs reve-
laDpu OF the action and intsraCtion between
Coetaes personality ana genus. the volume
vii be eagerly welcomed by the non-Teu-
t1t4-G AV"lCi 70 WHOM tHe certain phases
o. the poet HE have been incomprehensi-
BE. The mixture OF sentimenlality and
philosophy, the apparently COId-blooded ex-
p!oItation OF personal relations, the worship
OF emotional experience for It's own sake
these elements ere observed during the
early years OF tie nineteenth century ST.
simultaneously in France, in England and IN
Germany. But IN Goethe, with his spiritual
elevation and his dedication of se!f-iuell-
gence, his carelcssness OF the consequent
suffering TO Others, the zeltgeist reaches q
point where, to the modern, II is well niEn
!nexplicable. Dr. Bielchowsky has gone
far toward clarifying the mystery.
The influence of the French revolution.
that great upheaval which became tns