New-York tribune., 1907-01-27
JOHN EVELYN.
81. s,ustin DObsOn's NeSr Edition of
tbs Famous Diary.
op JOHN EVELYN.

REDUCTION az - Illustrated syo pp. lxxii. $50:
or. FSs-aa u q The Macmillan Company
,,,s,,,rr policy which nowadays so often
st dor an old book instead OF q new
ever more deserving Of praise than
So svs - perfect editions Of the cele-
vhen ssa-5sts ar letter writers. gossips like
ss''" ,T,.,,ole. Fanny Burney and John Evelyn
Prs'A 80 enterprises are the resources OF
Aookmaling exploited more legitimately
po'',- - rurpose. Illustration which is some
intrusive affair. becomes downright
n.ten Il is a question OF matching text
SoN 300 .onnent on historic figures and places
~ '1 .,-4-aits and views reproduced from his
W. ants and paintings. The AIT OF annota-
s,r4ises Itself, II anywhere. In new edi-
:, a classic OF personalia Finally. there Is
-, the chance that the editing Of one of these
-, reprints VIII be placed In the hands Of
=, horn 70 do just such work This new
.-,,n Of Evelyn offers a case in point
40 Dobson is himself a little dubious about
=. the readers OF his Evelyn" may think OF
- -seht to overhaul the narrative OF that
.ors type Of 'tan age OF extraordinary events
=. -,volutions" Bis repute has all been
--,r.s hy researches IN the literature OF the
s.-.,..enth century, and Evelyn belongs 10 the
ss..r,eenth- But MI Dobson is quite right IN
=, s1rrnise that the qualities which make for
-, IN one epoch are equally serviceable TO
snsther; nay. that those qualities may even be
--,rs.nea and intensified by a special enthusi-
-, for the subject IN hand Besides. he has
an attentive reader OF Evelyn for many
The upshot II the matter IS that he
-, a his treatment OF this book all tho skill
.,s sympathy which he brought 70 the editing
:, Yanny Burney, year or ago. and he has
lo4 in a mas
-r 70 put AL lovers Of the sage OF wotton IN
:, debt. II must be added that the publishers
,xye spared no pains 70 give the text, SIS he
~, prepared II a substantial and attractive
..tttng. Paper and type are just what they
~xts 70 be, the portraits N photogravure, and
o. views IN halftone, are equally wei printed
CO the volumes are convenient In size. light IN
lxzs. and neatly bound IN red covers The book
= meant not only % look well upon the shelf
srt 70 Be used, and we do not doubt but that II
VI commend itself 70 those who know Evelyn
vsl and To many new readers
ne notes IN this edition call for only slight
Ement We may best describe their merit IN
s9tng that they correct, OF Judiciously ampIify,
uzaters OF fact Hr. Dobson is not a commenta-
tr % air more or less appropriate opinions at
c,e bottom Of TIE page What he has TO say
Gsout Evelyn he says IN long introduction.
which is also G good condensed survey Of the
ezTists career. On one point the author Of
DDS essay strikes note which might perhaps,
kH5 o misunderstanding The Diary Is not
sJx kr. Dobson, - psychological document
nzftng intimate revelation, conscious un~on-
s1ouz. of IT'S writer's personality" We wonder
r rne critic does not here allow himself 20 be
evrrted BY the eQuable tone Of Evelyn's pages
ncn a realization Of the fact that the diarist
uza not, after al, type Of spiritual cOmplexity?
b sther words, might not Evelyn have talked
! great deal more than he actually does talk
Iksut lbs inner emotions and stin have left Us
J xor1rzit Of himself IN no wise differing, as
Exzras essentials. from the one that we possess7
rae czndor of Pepys means so much TO Us large
y because Pepys was man Of certain sort
Bvesyn was nothing Ike so racy a type. and
Z he had been put upon the rack he could not
ave exhibited qualities Of soul other than those
mich lie upon the surface Of his Diary. There
D G phase Of his character which the mans
uxttve goodness and dignity somehow seem 70
Esp his biographers from estimating az quite
N true value They tnstinctivefy shrink from
azfftny this staid courtier dilettante, no doubt
s<rznse the word connotes. In the earlier Eng
ess memoirs. certain leyity, or at least. GER
uzcn detachment from public affairs. and Evelyn
xns not by sry means Indifferent patriot
Ez1 hard words break NO bones, and indeed.
nre Is nothing really harsh In the conception
N John Evelyn as something OF an epicurean, a
xzflca1ely selsh lover Of the things Of the mind
80 be IN EVefyu's company Is unQuestLonably
n share frequently enough, n grave and even