Evening star., 1916-12-31

ton Chekhoy. From the Russian oy
Constance Garnett. New York: The
Macmillan Company.
- IGHT Of the Chelhov stories ap-
pear In this volume. THE
Duel: the longest. the most
IL characteristic Of Chekhov. and,
therefore, the most important
of the group. After long to-do OF
psychological investigation In an Illicit
domestic alliance. q duel. that turns out
70 be no duel at all. brings to climax
this surgical clinic Of the human heart
and mind. II is q story Of all the null
titudinous non-essentials that lead. In
every life, to some decided action or at
situde. An amazing thing. in the way
Of heart analysis and frank exposure.
The other stories are unimportant. ex-
cept as they reinforce the attitude and
the method Of the frst of these. Not
even the French. those masters OF
analysis and expression, are the equal
Of the Russian In the depth OF their
probings- The French are mindful OF
form. They are artists. The Russians
are intent on the substance OF which
man II made. Form takes no place in
their calculations. Therefore. with
Russian writer one Is In possession OF
. spraviins. inchoate mass. out OF
which he slowly picks. here and there
the sordid. selfish. pitiful stun OF
which life il made. William Lyon
Phelps says that Chekhov is delicate
and aloof. like Turgenev: that he is
realistic and fantastic. In turn, like Go
gol: that he 10 always a grim realist,
like Dostoevski. and that. now and
then. he looks bit like Tolstoy. What
his plain reader says is that he Is just
exactly like the life that people live in
al h~ al hxy
DANTE. By c., II. Grandgent. L. II. D..
professor of romance languages.
Harvard University. New York:
Dufneld & Co.
How many times has the average
reader. the commonly intelligent reader.
tried to read the Divine Comedy? And
how many times has this reader found
himself barred from that which has been
represented to him as a great and in
spired work-the barrier being a sum OF
conditions and circumstances wholly alien
TO his temper and the time in which he
chanced 10 be placed? Times without
number this has happened to innumer-
able readers. one Is sure. Here is a book
that introduces readers to Dante through
the medium Of his own times. and 1t is
through this medium that one is able to
seize and comprehend the genius and
purpose Of the great poet Of medievalism.
Mr.. Grandgent recrestes the medieval era.
showing its spirit operating through the
common avenues of life He concentrates
this spirit and this movement in Florence,
one of the influential centers OF that
period. What the Florentines thought,
and did what constituted their common
ideal. what stood as their attitude before
the spiritual and material things of life
these are the things with which he con-
Germs himself. II Is In this environment
that he studies Dante. talking easily OF
his early years. his interests and absorp-
tions. his passage from boy to man. and
Of the impact Of life upon his Impression
able spirit. Then from Dante. enwebbed
in his place and time, he approaches the
work Of this great poet Of the middle
ages. II is a mastery thing OF itself II
II. moreover. revealing commentary on
the usual method Of presenting any great
man. or work. to those who want 10 learn
about II and want to come Into closer
touch with II. This admirable study IL
the first In a series. Master Spirits OF
Literature" edited by George RapaIl
Noyes and Walter Morris Hart Fortu-
nate indeed will these editors be IL the
succeeding parts Of this series approach
this study Of Dante. either in the extent
and quality OF knowledge or In the charm
Of the presentation.
STRAY BIRDS. BY Sir Rabindranath
Frontispiece in color by willy Poe-
any. New York: The Macmillan
Company.
AS q rule one does not nnd the book
Of sayings, of detached moral reflec-
ttons. q satisfying book. STRAY Birds
= an open exception to this rule
tsgors VI surprisingly rich In thought