New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-03
Il REMARK4BLE MN.
Dir. Winters Biography of Wdliam
Lac Symonds.


Mercury.
Every one who knows William Winter is glad to
hear from him. or of him His sensitive apprehen-
sion Of ali literature his tender yet searching
gard for ali character, have endeared him 10 many
IN this country. although his actual labcrs have
been chiefly in his land and the most eminent
OF them conspicuous in the special range OF the
highest dramatic criticism of his friends in
Britain have now received from him comely and
ample volume, which will be treasured by them
not more a souvenir Of his affectionate
character than as a pregnant revelation Of what
there may be in life but little known hitherto TO
the world In this aspect, the unfolding of an
idiosyncrasy and obscure and yet distinguished
career is OF special advantage. For cannot all,
even the best OF US be famous. and there is moth
ing more encouraging for those who study and am
at good culture thar~to be made acquainted with
the inner but manifest life Of who, pursuing
the same objects justiies the healthy and fruitful
ambition of those who strive 10 think Alright do
Alright, and know the best Of every kind that Is IN
tho world.
The hero Of Mr.. Winters book. which is printed
for private circulation is William Law symonds
The name will awaken few recollections, in TINS
country ali events. but IN the United states MT
Synlonds was identified with many good literary
projects He industriousy and successfully
engaged in much literary work, and all the time he
was giving that attention the qualities the capa
bities and the occupations of cultured HE Whlch,
in a copous writer, inparts charity, insight good
casistrv and instincts OF sound speculation to all
Who read CII-4oIIslv enough this collection which
combines memoir. letters and excerpts OF "oIA'
appears forty-sx years after the death Oh te iieo
and Mr. Winter acknowledges that to the genera
public the mention of his name is the menuoH VI
the name of a stranger. But
.e5v virtue Of what he wrote he ought 10 De
known as a royal intellect, as an acute thinker III
an important transition period Of religious thou5I'
aud-if originality lucidity and fervent ernotioh III
. svnpathetic display OF high themes possess any
relative sisnffcance.-a man Of authentic decisive
re7irs" Here we have THE reflex of noble nlliiu
the record of beautiful life, the souvenir OF genius
that was suddenly bligbted in its bloom
An indication Of the keynote Of the conpla'ioI
IS given in the concluding words Of M WINTER ;
preface where he speaks Of the aosoroins p,S-
sion of all Symonds's life, and the ferNld llApus0
of all his conduct TO promote happiness by the dlI
fusion Of religious enthustasm-the ceIesual enc
ton not resident in dognas and ceTenloIleS' 0u' -
the practical living Of the spiritual lie
Arart from this high standard. to the contempt
ton OF which We may ali be thankful 10 De H4oEeu'
the book is of real value and viii probapIy oecOe
70 MANY who get it a favorite companion because
Of the great range Of subjects upon which Synonds
5 found to have said things notable 10 read ana
10 remembe-. This is. indeed, true o. a co4f7.o.i
OF er,istoIary and miscellaneous writing N winch
We find treated either incidentally more system
arioall,, mysticism: the trammels Of dogma: the
underlying principles Of all religion; the ehect OF
being q professor, the characteristics OF good
lawyer: the effects Of school-nasterIrg the re-a
tons between thinking and schism-the sin Of
beinots than the sin the first; the dereIlce pc
tween the old school which lives on facts and the
new school which lives the spirit Of facts the /
I ope Of "a more silvery note in the cantcle ul
human worship indwelling divinity IN the
strife OF life: the besetting danger of Unitarian
ism (which must be resisted by constant renewal,
or rather by an unfailing supply OF the dis
tinctively evangelical elements Of religion an
ideal of a church-republioan chat Is congrega-
uonaD government and thu shortest possible creeds
William Law Syrnonds pronounced on almost
everything. He called Cicero on the Nature OF
the Gods the proper substratum for all studies IN
theology. ranging all the distance from hyper
fantastic 10 simple rational and from good 20 bad
He summaries the acting Of Rachel. He chron-
icles and describes the eoqUence OF Rufus Choate
and Charles Sumner. He Gpplauds the matter and
delivery Of Thackeray's lecture on Wit and HUI
NOR. which was Just right for paror, yet filled
Z hall" He defends Thacheray, indeed. from every
point Of view with enthusiasm though he feels the
great novelist have Inequalities; and on the per-
sonal side he that, at Lady Besstngtons auc-
;ion. which everybody went TO see, ThackeTay
alone OF all. was seen 70 drop tear He ranges
from Thacke-ay 10 Spinoza, whose generalities he
liked better than his applications. Symonds only
wished that each day were forty-eight hours long
and then he would have had pleasant time. Ser
he thought the most worthless class Of Itera-
tire which might be burned without loss 70 anybody
in new AIexandrian conHaEration, except pieces OF
Robert Hall and 4 few witty things Of South.
he says the university taught him, first, iazness-
which assuredly he afterward Iorgot!-and then
practical atheism set in framework Of moon
shine" He thought the uniformly long sentences
Of Dr.. johnson and the uniformly short sentences
Of Macaulay equally tiresOme; and he was sur
p-ised that two Of the simplest writer's" Of his
time, Emerson and Robert Browning. were most
frequently deemed obscure! Napoleon; Jeffrey;
Lamb; newspapers, for which ne has scarcely q
good word. though he owns their necessity and
their high necessity: symbols; faith; and innumcr
able other subjects touched and adorned by his
pen. The selection Of the reviewed articles shows
equal Judgment and affection. Synonds Cole
ridge. Sydney Smith. the Cadmean Madness and
other pieces good have read Per-
sonaIly the innermOst characteristic Of his soul
what a friend described passionate Christian
ity." William Winter has indeed sent those who
receive the book beautiful gift; and William Win
ter is among the worthless OF whom William Law
Syunonds wrote:
Let live with those whose minds have a
sunny-side exposure. who love God and who live
uprglItly."