The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-12
VS. s~liexranhIrs

a. lanientably little Ia known about Tho
NE ~ Francois Raheiais that W.. Arthur
Tilley, In writing his biography 81 the
Trench Men Of Letters 81 retie4 ia ~ DO
EXCUSED when he Includes IN analysis VI
ne Gargsntua and Pantagruei ~ fll
put the volume. This serves To- give the
reader unscauainteh with French some
ihea Of what Rabelais wrote: It would have
heen better II Mr.. Tillcy had conteuted
himself with a summary instead of injecting
MISC the theories Of modern commentators
m what Rahelais meant. There IL plenty
Of solid wisdom in Rabelais. as an who
read him know and j%udicious common
isries showing contemporary events will
help To make him understood; but IL H.
y pretty solemn view that presents him
chiefly as a reformsr and PHILOSOPHER
instead of putting stress on the qualities
for which men read him. Mr.. Tilley II not
unsppreciative OF the fun and wit, but be
prefers TO turn ito more serious matters.
His book shows patient study Of details
and much less grasp Of essentials than the
previous volumes Of the series.
II is a thorough appreciation" that Mr..
HoIbrook Jackson has written in Bernard
shaw" ~. Grant Richards: G.. W. Jacobs and
Company. In an ingeuuousiy humptiuus
preface he tells how he came 10 organize n
Shaw club in Leeds. after tho fashion Of
Browning clubs. He.giVes a properly adu-
istory account Of Mr.. Shaw's life, and ven
lures on an explanation oe him as "a socialist
AZ a dramatist and a. a philosopher.
Whether MIR. Shaw will stand for this x-
position or not. IL affords information TO
those inoculated with the shaw cult in suit
ably reverent language.
Despite the title and the authors i'm
p~reesionistio method The True Patrick
Henry,' by George Morgap 81. b. Lippir-
cott Company, is a readable book. The
epithet true arouses expectations Of
controversy This the reader will hardly
find here. The author. 70 be sure. collects
various opinions, some from authorities.
Others from very second rate sources. and
puts them before the reader: he then selects
arbitrarily the one he prefers and goes
ahead as though il had been proved right
In some way. With his selection generally
there is no great fault to be found; he takes
that most favorable 10 the hero. and he
reader will agree with him. Tn" chief faults
with his story are his wandering from the
point on suggestions that he sets aside and
his digrcssions into tho past and into sub
sidisry matters at the sli ghtest temptation.
However interesting. they confuse the story
he is telling. For some strange reason Mr..
Morgan inds II necessary to apologize for
Patrick Henry's most famous speeches.
apparently because every well brought mp
American ~schoolboy is familiar with them.
Much material for a life Of "Dr. John
Mclaughlin" who ruled in Oregon when
Americans and British were fighting for
possession, will be found in the volume
written by Mr.. Frederick V. Holman The
Arthur II. Clarke Company, Cleveland.
and perhaps some day, when the author
has digested his material, he may write that
life. He tells us hat having to deliver "A
speech at the Portland exposition he started
in to study bis subject and has continued
his studies since. His subdivisions show
admirable method in his Iesearcn and under
zach he finds some answer for each inquiry,
hut the picture as a whole suffers from the
process. More familiarity with historical
style should induce Mr.. Holman TO
eliminate himself and his personal opinions
from the narrative.