The New York herald., 1921-04-10

hand, We have not only a disciple or
an ideal but q man with sufficient en-
thusiasm and hopeful earnestness to
give his entire life to furthering it.
He did not, like Walpole, seek to en-
bellish the walled-in domain of a
Strawberry Hill and make 1t an en-
tertaining paradise for his chosen
friends and a secure, restful vantage
point from which he could study and
laugh at the follies and foibles of the
human race. The slogan of Morris
was ito try and make this earth a
beautiful and happy place." He
dreamed of a Utopia that would re-
store the arts and crafts Of the Middle
Ages. He was a world lover. generous
to fault, yet more Indifferent to men
than to causes. He had dearest"
friends. but could have lived happily
enough without them. Everything
gave him pleasure, even his duties.
HE could absorb himself in his games
Of genius anywhere and everywhere.
Much of his literary work was done
on buses and on trains. He
laughed easily, not from humor so
much as from romping playfulness." !"
If space would permit. one could
write pages about this book. There
are many other excellent essays like
those on Campion. "the perfect min
strel, who knew the flying sun and
shadow OF romantic love-: John Bun
yam, "realist, romanticist and humor-
ist"; William Cowper. whose great
ness OF soul stands in contrast to his
little world; George Meredith, the
wit whose heroic intellect was al
ways in the service of an ideal liberty.
courage and gracious manners" yet
who all his life kept one side of his
face hidden"
And then there is the wise Cole
ridge, "a seer with his head among the
stars, but also a human being with
uneven gait. stumbling amid infirmi-
ties, prejudices and unhappinesses."
| One gathers, too, that Mr.. Lynd has
no very strong affinity for the verbos-
| ity of Tennyson, the noise of SWINE
burne or the emphatic. uncompromis-
| ing classicism OF the profound Pro-
fessor Irving Babbitt. AS for Shelley
the author makes out almost as good
a case for him as Mark Twain did for
4 Harriet Westbrook, and incidentally
4 lHleTpTelS MIN .Hs one oi the sTeateSt
Of English Puritans." Swifts satire
and Shakespeare's true nobility are
proof positive that 1921 could have
| found them aloof. of course, yet with
their hearts centred In the cause Of
real democracy.
When It comes to the business II
writing. Mr.. Lynd neither lacks ideas
nor the power to express them. Style
\ lessness in writing is the result OF
sloth, or hurry. plus an absence Of the
artistic conscience. All good criticism
Is praise, but praise of genuine revela-
| ton regardless OF it's method. All men
are artists who can attune their souls
| TO the melody and truth Of beautiful
and wonderful songs, and when poets
learn this and write for the souls Of all
men we may hope for another Hschy
lus or Shakespeare. There Is nothing
like hope! Above all, writers mus.
| avoid too much awe of the old mas
ters.' although Mr.. Lynd admits that
| contemporary writing reveals precious
little danger OF such superstitious
reverence. To-day I'VE no longer imi-
tate the ancients: we only initiate
each other" In n nice little preface
to his next book, will Mr.. Lynd please
let the cat out Of his bag?