Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-08
hand at poetry, at extravaganza and at a

hand at poetry, at extravaganza and at a
medieval tale. This is the time of his
apprenticeship. During the second or
journeyman period the novelist wrote con-
fident and powerful work which. however.
to some extent reflected the work Of other
authors. In general his novels then were
protests against sham and conventiOnality.
The time in which they were produced
may be called the period Of attack upon
sentimentalism. The third decade consti-
tutes the period of free invention. The
novels show no trace of any other authors
influence. In general they make an at
tack upon egotism. The fourth period is
that of concentrated interest. the four
novels of the epoch. bearing upon some
phase of unhappiness in marriage. 1t is
the decade of attack upon conventional
ideas of marriage.
Having established his classification.
Mr. Bailey proceeds to show low each of
the authors books fall logically within
the requirements of the period in which
it was produced. With great force he
points out that Meredith's work is a logi-
cal outgrowth. He traces the gradual
evolution of the authors workmanship
and theories. proving the connection be-
tween what seems at first distinct phases
He Is indefatigable in the development OF
this theory and master of every detail
that can strengthen his position. This
method Of criticism, while it is effective
in producing an impression of unity which
makes the book an easily digested and
easily retained entity. sometimes provokes
a species Of impa tience on the part Of the
reader. Mr.. Bailey is not content merely
with tracing the relationships among all
of Meredith's characters. but is intent
upon establishing the kinShip between
them and the children Of the brains OF the
other nineteenth century fiction masters.
This wearisome analysis. however. is but
one flaw in an excellent system No one
can fail to feel-unless it be very obst1-
nate Meredith hater-that Mr.. Bailey has
esta blfshed the temperate claim he makes
for the object of his study: Meredith
must be regarded as no unworthy compan-
ion of the greatest English novelists.
That the critic personally feels that an
even greater claim WILL in time. be ad-
mtted his thoroughly admirable book
leaves no one in doubt.
MORNINGS IN THE COLLEGE
CHAPEL. Short Addresses to Dung
Men on Personal Religion. i;y Fran
els Greenwood Peabody Plummer.
professor OF Christian morals in
Harvard University. Boston: Hough-
ton, Mifflin geo
In 1885, prompted by student discus
sion which found expression in the Grim
son." the late Phillips Brooks began the
practice at morning prayers in Harvard
University Of making a short address.
few plain words on the problems of life
and faith with which young men feel
themselves confronted. His example has
been followed ever since by other speak
ers. The present book is collection of
these short addresses delivered by the
author during part of his twenty years
service at Harvard University. The Sc
lections made are admirably adapted to
their object. Short, full of suggestion
implying ripe scholarship and expressed
with simplicity. with an ardor Of spiritual
conviction tempered by a sense Of practi-
cal needs. the discourses are models of
their kind. They should be eagerly well
coined, not only by their former hearers
in the university chapel, but by men and
women everywhere in the thick of the
struggle.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PUBLIC
SPEAKING. BY Walter Dill Scott.
associate professor Of psychology
and education, etc. Northwestern
University author of The Theory
of Advertising" Philadelphia: Pear
son Brothers.
A departure in the field of psychology
is this attempt to apply the resulting
principles of experimental psychology to
the art of public speaking. Prof. Scott
has great interest In oratory and the
practical application of the principles OF
his own speciality. psychology, to public
speaking is the logical result. He has
assumed that the public speaker Is not
necessarily familiar with psychological
research. In a clear and simple form, he
states certain of the results of the newer
psychology which can with advantage be
extended to the orator who wishes to
know the reasons of certain commonly
accepted methods of his craft, or who
would welcome suggestions by which he
may add to the effectiveness of his adj
dresses. The orator will learn from
Prof. SCOTS book how to secure the
greatest possible effect by appealing to
the form of mental imagery most potent
with the audience he is addressing, how
to employ suggestion in swaying the
wills of his hearers, how to convert an
audience into crowd united to receive
Impressions; he will be warned by the
law of fiuctuation of attention not to
pack his thought into sentences too long
to be followed without tagging An in
teresting feature of the volume is the
fact that the authors conclusions are al
most invariably Identical with the ru.es
laid down by the best rhetorics: but to
the inquiring mind who wants to see the
wheels go round this exposition of the
scientific basis of commonly accepted
principles will be most suggestive. DIR.
Scott's volume is one that can be recon-
mended both to the public speaker and to
the generally thoughtful man.