New-York tribune., 1909-05-29
Literary NesO.s and Criticism

get into the language and thus into the mouths Of
@ the people. and We know that many OF tler @ Pr se
BY the end Of the eighteenth century nautical
dramas We're Of two general kinds-one COM
memorating and gIorifying victorious tars win
ming their country's battles the other mainly
with music depicting the loves Of the sailor, his
return from sea and the rescue Of his sweet
heart from the landshark. In the latter days
of the sailing ship exaggerated ideal took
shape in the sailor Of melodrama. the rather
cheap and noisy hero of the top gallery The
dramatists give a picture representing not
only the character Of the sailorman but also
the dangers. pleasures and Csntrasts Of his Vo-
cation. We see the circumstances of his life,
his dress victuals. punishments and supersti-
tions. Furthermore, we behold the man him
self, careless TO the verge of foolhardiness yet
impressed with the noble qualities of patriotism,
generosity, courage and sense of duty These
views are amply confirmed and illustrated by
quotations from many dramatists and it is in
the skill with which the author gathers his
gems from the rich stores of others and strings
them together that one of the chief charms of
his compilation lies. Plays of ShadZvell and
Douglas Jerrold are among those which are
considered at length. and the selections taken
therefrom throw abundant light on the evolu-
ton of the nautical drama.
In the realm of fiction we have such great
luminaries as Defoe Smollett and Marryat to
draw from besides a host of lesser lights. but
it is worth notice that Addison Richardson and
Fielding concerned themselves very little with
the sailor. The sympathies Of Defoe, however,
were apparently not with the navy itself or its
prestige. His interest was more in piracy. slav-
ing and pllage, and not the glories of the sea-
mans calling. II is disappointing that the one
+l,o
man on the quarterback or in the forecastle was
attracted rather by the cold. calculating. COM
mercial. money making side Of sea life He
does not appeal TO emotion. but his force and
conviction. the matter Of fact character of his
descriptions. which make little appeal 70 imag
ination or credulity or sympathy, are the secret
Of his power The author pauses to pay
tribute to Smollett's Tom Bowling. one of the
finest characters in all fiction and gives us
taste Of the strong sympathies and keen nauti-
cal appreciation of that sterling writer Yet it
Is rather in the pictures and extracts from such
a production as "A Voyage Through He'll by
the Invincibe Man-of-War, Captain Single Eye.
Commander" by Toby MeanwelI. that the SAVIOR
of this volume lies. OF such quaint and for
gotten writings an unlimited store has come
down to US from bygone days and little one
may think. has escaped the authors eye.
But the character and individuality Of the
saiQrman are perhaps most fittingly set forth
in verse. It is not necessary that the poetry
should be Of the loftiest but the life. the swing,
the go of the ballad seem best to illustrate the
downright, breezy, generous, trustful. devil
may-care individual known the British tar
In Charles Dibdn the sea song reached its high
water mark. and the numerous ballads of that
popular writer are too we'll known TO be more
than referred TO. OF such and many another
the author gives satisfactory sip
II will be seen that while Commander Robin
sons work is mainly eclectic il is much more
than mere scrapbook. He treats his subject
with sympathy and intelligence, he selects his
illustrations. pictorial and literary, with taste
and discrimination. and arranges his attractive
material in effective and satisfactory fashion.
When we note how much he has done to pre-
serve a record of a picturesque and vanishing
type, we appreciate the sigh with which he
murmurs. What would not give for a six
teenth century illustrated edition Of Hakluyt
or Purchas?"