New-York tribune., 1909-04-04

M
= = Dutt0n & Co
-,,o classirs are always with us. The reprint
..,err goes on apace and in every form.
-, however. is beloved old book put forth
,sv edition so satisfactory in every way
. .,,i- one of F7orio's Montaigne- The father
n -anhling essayists is readable in almost
= Kind OF print He is readable, for exam
. n rocket edition which is d thing really
-,osas in some sort to the spirit Of his ample
..s.o,r,se Isut he seems TO find 5Ust his right
-,7,,,re in such volumes as we have here.
f,--af,ie volumes neither too large nor too
III and beautifully printed. The paper is
.,,.sant 70 touch and it is light. that the
,-,5e cannot be wearied The bold and open
geography is likewise a boon to the eyes, Very
,-,rssaT7le too is the simple, dignfed title page,
- each Of the three volumes has in its from
isee an interesting portrait The first OF
- is from TIE engraving by De Leu in the
.s,iop Of lGIl the portrait showing Mohtaigne,
- and haid al the age Of forty. In the sec
s which is I,erhaps the most eloquent of
.ber, all 50 far as the spirit Of the essayist is
.,,cerned W. have him in his f1ftieth year,
,ng-aved 10y Saint-Aubin after the painting at
,be Chateau de Montaigne. The third which
,s reprcduce is the very decorative tile page
=, ,he edition Of 1G52, with the portrait first
tlishe3 IN 7C41 These volumes. II may Toe
s5a5 are ellarrningIy bound in boards. with
tu-n fuclzr.sra backs. decoratiVely stamped in
r,,5 Alrogether a most aiurinE edition.
To make It q1ite perfect Mr. Thomas Sec
,,r,,s has provided ia his introduction an essay
ss well balanced and as workmanlike in detail
: s,--r,st,+r5e ~ atmosphere. He sketches
Wcntaigne with The right touch He assemblies
,ae necessary facts with a delicate feeling for
ard Ok at hlS
r.la.ion to literature with no great originality.
rerlaTs. hut al any rate without pedantrE In
p enumeration Of the writers who have con-
.i,r,s1z or l5reonsefausly made il their ideal to
.,r,,- arla-s SELF p-.t Ike old NontaIEne' he in
,lr5as one author who locks q little incon-
,-,o.s in this eauery -F3auhert in his CORE
c,csrser-..- ft SAYS is q modern MontaiEne
r1,l-ine himself in the infinite perpexities and
,,rfarhe77sshIe moods of mankind: detached and
sloaf from the hu-ly-blrly himself. seeking to
5o7be the lives # others by intUitions from his
oWn exIerisuce sounding and probing all men
in man III sIire If their points Of contact the
oIs and modern Frenehnen seem oddly paired.
T,,- Nr Seecar15e - on the whole. net in the
leasr inclined 60 force The note H sums up
Moutaiene briefly and in sober fashion. writing
2 very Just and Instructive essay He has sey-
sral good pages on the Travels which We
wish by the way could b. printed in a volume
uniform with these three. The translation
brought out Iy Mt Va - Waters few years
ago IS not by any means unworthy Of associa-
ton with this edition Of Florio- Mr.. Scccombe
Loes not forget that worthy. His study of
Hontaigne is followed 10y terse hut sufficient
account Of his Elizahethan translator In short.
this editor performs his duty with equal thor
oaghness and discretion Montaigne is an
author with whom L. be at peace in long
quiet evening 10y the hreside. For such com
launion with him this edition is most felicitously
framed