Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-21
First Modern
Scholars Are
DeCried Today

The Putnams have published sec
ond. revised and enlarged edition Of
"Petrarch-the First Modern Scholar
and Man of Letters" by James Har-
yey lscGi1son, professor of history in
Columbia University, with the collab-
Grafton of Henry Winchester Rolfe,
sometime professor of Latin in
Swarthmore College. The volume
contains a selection from Petrarch's
correspondence with Boccaccio and
other friends, translated from the
original Latin, together with histori-
cal introduction and notes.
During the fifteen years that have
elapsed since the appearance of the
first edition of this volume a marked
change of attitude has taken place
among scholars in regard to the
Renaissance" and the nature and
Importance of the revival of classic
| literature.
This change is briefly explained in
the opening pages of the Introductory
chapter (Which have been entirely re-
written), and the reasons given for
assigning to the Renaissance" less
distinctive place in the history of Gull
ture than it formerly enjoyed. While
| this does not essentially affect the
value of Petrarch's letters and the IN
terest and Importance of the person.
atty which they reveal, 1t has en-
abled the placing of Petrarch and his
work in a more correct perspective.
There has, moreover, in the new
edition been added a careful analysis
of Petrarch's Secret.
The substance of this chapter Is
an analysis of Petrarch's Confessions,
which were written at intervals be-
tween his hirty-eighth and flftieth
year, and consist of three dialogues
that took place on three successive
days between Petrarch and his ghost
~ comforter, st. Augustine.
The first two days conferences are
devoted to the nature and cause or
mans earthly misery and its cure.
st. Augustine recommends ascetic
meditation on death to strengthen the
soul amid the tempests of the world,
which advice Petrarch admits is
| wholesome but refuses to follow ex-
cept in so far as he may do so with
out interfering with his lifework.
| The interest of the Confessions Gull
inmates in the conversation of the
| third and last day, during which
| Petrarch's love for Laura and his
longing for fame are considered.
! These, his Confessor warns him, may
block his way to true immortality,
Petrarch promised to complete his
| books in order to devote himself ex-
cluslyely to religious contemplation,
but death found him still working
bravely on in the face of the discom-
| forting suggestions of MonaSticism.
Why scholars now assign q less
distinctive place In the history OF Gull
ture to the Renaissance" is easily ex-
plained. and has been so explained
by witty modern writer. These
scholars, having no means in this day
of originating any of the immortal
productions of the Quattrocentists
| falls back upon depreciation and in
sidious criticism of their work. But
the influence of the mere scholar in
his destructive theories about the past
and its glories has a very shadoWy
power which the popular mind es-
capes feeling at all
Monographs on Physics.
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| Thomson, o. M, +. r. S., and Frank
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Rays of Positive Electricity and
Their Application to Chemical Analy-
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r. S., Cavendlsh professor of expert
mental physics. Cambridge, professor
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photo Electricity, the Liberation
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and photo-chemical actions and pho
Biography, by II. Stanley Allen, M.
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at University of London, Kings Col
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postage IL cents.
Modern Seismology," by q. w.
Walker, A. r. C. Sc, NJ. A. F. r. S.
With ten plates and three diagrams;
81. 40 net, postage cents
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Desmond FitEGerald, ines List.
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| Rudolf Herzog's THE Song OF
| Labor" translated from the hum
dredth German edition bearing the
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Not only is Rudolf Herzog the most
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