No More Learning

Banerjee; and other Papers.
served as Hon. Secretary of the Royal trenchant judgment like the following :-
Astronomical, 5.
koyal Academy, 8. -'The Chernistry of Building Stones and
Astronomical Society for five years, but
Royal Institution, 9. – The Effects of the Thirty Years' War,'
his tastes evidently lie in the direction of " It has often been popularly and lightly
mathematics and physics rather than in maintained that the Hellenic deities were
Royal Institution, 8. -'Molecular Physics,' Lecture III. , Prof.
that of practical astronomy.
subordinate to a power called Fate. This
MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
Mox. Royal Institution, 5. -General Meeting.
Kailless Traction,' Mr. H. O. Adams.
Shelton.
Institute of British Architects, 8.
Laurie.
Future,' Lecture II. , Mr. L. Looper. (Cautor Lecture. )
Prof. E. G. Coker.
Pletcher
Goodman.
-
Blood-Parasites found in the Zoological Gardens during the
Wales, Mr. A. Vallance.
8.
Prof. A. P. Laurie.
6
Thorne Baker,
0. Oman.
a
W. Crookes; 'An Optical load. Extension indicator, to-
gether with some Dingrams obtained therewith,' Prof. W. H.
W. W. Lackie.
Genus and Remarks on its Athoities,' Mr. E. A. Newell
Fai
Dernents,' Prof. A. P. Laurie.
Dr. A. W. Ward.
SAT.
Sir J. J. Thomson.


## p. 262 (#208) ############################################

262
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4401, MARCH 2, 1912
some
66
a
is a shallow misjudgment based on the with contempt, if not with profound from the picture than a study for it. The
misinterpretation of some phrases in Homer.
amusement. Nevertheless the compara-
indifference to truth of tone in the painting
We may be certain that the aboriginal
tive method has made
conclu-
of the nuns' coifs detracts much from the
Hellene was incapable of so gloomy an
sions probable, and if the further study
sentiment of the scene.
abstraction,” &c.
of comparative religion be carried on Among the original etchings shown at
Dr. Farnell may be right, but we cannot with the patience, the candour, and the Messrs. Connell & Sons' Gallery are many
go with him so easily. The feeling of a caution that Dr. Farnell displays, this which have the virtues current among con
dreadful Fate hanging over the house of inquiry may, after some time, have a temporary etchers-a tolerable technical
Edipus or of Atreus, which no god could claim to be called a science. If we could capacity, acquaintance with good models,
The
and in a negative sense good taste.
avert, is surely immanent in the great but find a key to the Cretan scripts, it Tate Gallery (11), by Mr. Nathaniel Sparks ;
tragedy of Æschylus. It is, of course, would illuminate much of the old
Place du Centre, Morlaix (22), by Mr. Ian
inconsistent with an omnipotent Zeus, Ægean civilization. But without some Strang; Stock Exchange, Glasgow (28), by
but, as the author tells us a dozen times, bilingual texts, there seems little hope; Mr. T. Maxwell ; Church of the Holy Sepulchre
such inconsistencies are common in all for even the Etruscan, which is pro- (29), by Mr. William Hole ; Landermere,
early religions. To say that the Hellene, bably an old Ægean language, has resisted
Essex (70), by Mr. Martin Hardie ; and
Buckingham Palace (78), by Mr. William
as we know him, was incapable of framing all our attempts on account of the strange-
Walker, are all much about the same respect-
gloomy pictures is not, we think, sustain- ness of its vocabulary.
able level of distinction. Mr. D. Y. Cameron's
able. What the aboriginal Hellene could
Door of the Mosque (40) shows more power
or could not imagine is a matter of
of sustained effort than the works already
mere speculation.
cited, but is in that mood of polite receptivity
The general scheme of these brilliant
EXHIBITIONS.
towards an architect's design which makes
least demand on the etcher's powers of
lectures is to compare the Babylonian and
THE selected water-colour drawings at draughtsmanship; it is almost an eleva-
Hittite and early Semitic religions with Messrs. Agnew's (in aid of the Artists' tion. " Mr. Strang's The Column (20)
the Greek. But it must be the earliest General Benevolent Institution) are pre grapples with a simple problem in perspective
Greek we know, and this is unfortunately sented in a way which must make it difficult not too successfully. The fact that the
a millennium at least later than the for a casual visitor to do justice to the accomº principal horizontal surfaces are not kept
wonderful documents recovered from
plished work which patient investigation horizontal disturbs the impressiveness of
Babylonia. Dr. Farnell is quite right
reveals—we are presented with a large what would otherwise be a dignified design.
number of gold frames of fidgety His other plate, The Shopwindow (82), is
when he says that various cults practised
pattern, the pictures are crowded together, lively and freshly observed. It has
in the early Greece of history-nay, even and the smaller and better drawings are certain unreality, because the (presumably)
many found in Pausanias-have their
overshadowed by a number of large and dummy figures in the window are so much
origin centuries before, and are pro-
bad ones.
more lifelike than the crowd of real people
bably derived from the pre-Hellenic No. 99, Roslyn Castle, by T. Hearne, is an
outside.
(Ægean) population of the country. But example of the somewhat coldly correct
The three further rooms at the Baillie
all these huge intervals and gaps in our drawing-master's product. It is delightful Gallery are occupied by Miss Mary MacRae,
knowledge make his conclusions largely
to look at, as is any work in which the
artist is completely absorbed in his task,
Mr. Ralph Smith, and Rustom Vicaji with
provisional, as he candidly tells us.
but its intention is as much to instruct of the flood of water-colours which flows
work which does not rise above the level
The most curious gap in the plan of his
book is the omission of all comparison of when they retain
this utilitarian "objectly perennially through West-End galleries. In
Greek with Egyptian religion (except in a
there is a well-observed
workaday record that the water-colours sketch, Cliffs, Berneval (46), by Mr. R. G.
passing sentence). Surely, if likenesses of here remain respectable. The swift accuracy Eves, but the knowledge of natural colour
cult or ideas with Babylonians, Assyrians, of Callow's pencil work, reinforced by shown here, and in a less degree in No. 47,
Hittites, and Phænicians are worth dis-
businesslike washes, is only spoilt in No. 122 A Lane at Berneval, fails him in his portraits,
cussing, Egypt had every right
(Stadthaus, Lucerne) by the showy, mere-
which
tricious sky, introduced as a decorative
be considered, since
are pitilessly objective — No. 45,
prove afterthought, and this criticism in some
Sir Herbert Cozens-Hardy, is the best.
mercantile intercourse of Egypt with form or another might be passed on most
Mycenæan Greece, whereas Mesopotamia of his work here. Compare again J. Hol-
was hidden far away in the heart of a land's large and cloying drawing The
PICTURE SALES.
continent. There must have been some Rialto, Venice (86), with the delicate pre- MESSRS. CHRISTIE sold last Saturday the
distinct reason for this omission, and
cision of the perspective of waterside following pictures : Allan Ramsay, King George
we wish Dr. Farnell had told it to us,
palaces which makes the central passage of ! 11. , in Garter robes, seated, holding the sceptre
No. 59, A Palace on the Giudecca, by the
in his right hand ; Queen Charlotte, in white and
for a diligent perusal of his book has not
gold brocade dress, with red velvet train lined
same artist. This work also is made into
disclosed it.
with ermine, seated (whole-lengths, a pair),
a would-be attractive picture by the intro- 2621. 108. F. Cotes, Lady Frederick, in white dress
The longest and last chapter is on
duction of a gondola which is false in colour, with blue sash, resting her head on her left hand,
3041. 108. Raeburn, Mrs. Hay of Mordington,
à comparison of the rituals of the and fails to be flat on the water.
Berwickshire, in dark dress, and grey shawl with
nations discussed, and here the author When Turner set out to please by picture. spotted border, wbite head-dress, seated,
3041. 108. Hoppner, Marquis de Sivrac, in dark-
has shown great learning and not a little making he was, of course, infinitely better
blue cost, with white vest and stock, 3151. ; Mrs.
ingenuity. But to us the problem of equipped than Holland, yet even Turner in
Mantelini, in white dress with muslin veil, resting
finding out what a ritual means seems
his later work, while master of every technical
her right arm on a stone ledge, 3361. J. van
adroitness, had not the fine ästhetic sense Goyen, A Frozen River, with sledge, skaters, and
rather hopeless, since the very people needed to make this, the play of the water- other figures, 2201. 108. A. Ysenbrant, The
who use it have come by long use to colour painter, as respectable as his earlier Madonna, in red dress and blue robe, nursing the
perform it automatically, or have for- and severer manner. In No. 24, Exeter, it
Infant Saviour, 3251. 108. J. Crome, The Trout-
Stream, a peasant angling from a rustic bridge,
gotten all about its significance. Even makes us a little uneasy to see so slender a
three sheep on the right, 2411. 10s.
in our modern Europe a vast number of body of paint teased and fretted in the
people practise a religion, and observe
perpetual endeavour to provide little exciting ing : 1. Fantin-Latour, Roses in a Vase, painting,
Messrs. Sotheby have sold recently the follow-
cults, of which they understand little, and
episodes, although it is parcelled out with
2501. J. R. Smith, Mrs. Carnac, mezzotint after
considerable skill into large groups of hot Reynolds, 671. Elizabeth Judkins, Mrs. Abington,
which they could not explain to any in-
and cold colour with a view to maintaining after the same. 461. Henry Alken, a series of
quirer ; how much more must this be as much tranquillity as possible. With eight plates of Fox-hunting, after W. P. Hodges,
1861.
the case among primitive peoples, without infinitely less device his Wells Cathedral (27)
the common use of letters ! Nor can is far more dignified in its unpretentious
COINS AND MEDALS.
it be doubted that if one of the ancient exactness. A good drawing by S. Prout,
Messrs. SOTHEBY's sale of coins and medals,
Babylonian or Hittite priests were revived No. 109, Old Church and Shops in a Brittany held on Thursday, February 21st, and the follow-
from the dead, and told the wonderful
Town ; two excellent examples of J. Down- ing day, included an Officer's Gold Medal for
man, Nos. 112 and 161; and a dignified White the Capture of Seringapatam, 1799, 701. Naval
explanations invented by the learned of House, Chelsea Reach, by T. Giztin (28) should January 1st, 1809, 151. ' Military General Service,
to-day for the mysteries of his cult, he also be mentioned. Millais's tiny version of with ten bars, 151. 108. Portrait Medal by Pase
would regard many of them with pity or The Vale of Rest (138) looks more like a copy' torino of Alessandro Guarini, 1556, 201.
we
can


## p. 263 (#209) ############################################

No. 4401, MARCH 2, 1912
263
THE ATHENÆUM
<<
are
vases.
are
be
6
resources, but considers his music almost
Fine Art Gossip.
MUSIC
unemotional”; and discovers in it, instead
of melody, intellectual structure. ” This
MR. FRANK BRAMLEY has been at work
judgment is severe, even curious, for
for the last three years upon a “one-man
later in the book we are informed that
exhibition which is to take place shortly
OUR LIBRARY TABLE.
in melody Bach“ is quite on & level
at the Leicester Galleries, Leicester Square, THERE
with any of the great masters that followed
certain analogies between him. " Again, Þido and Æneas ’ is said to
where he will be represented by fifty can. colour and sound which have often been
be Purcell's
described and discussed : emotion is called
first” opera, whereas it was
THE FIFTY-EIGHTH EXHIBITION of the into play by both ; both are produced by and a few pages further on we are told,
really the only one that composer wrote ;
Water-Colour Society of Ireland opened vibrations; and, again, there are seven notes
that “Purcell's operas were quite equal
this week at the Leinster Hall, Dublin. and seven colours. Sir Hubert von Her-
to those of his contemporaries”!
We give
The exhibition is oi unusual excellence, komer, in an Introductory Note to Colour.
especially in landscape work. Amongst the Music, the Art of Mobile Colour, by A. Wallace all three show that his book is not at all
one more of Mr. Gosling's opinions, and
exhibitors are Mr. Lee Hankey, Miss Rose Rimington (Hutchinson), thinks that the
He admits Verdi's
Barton, Mr. Bingham MacGuinness, Mr. author may have overstated his case, but,
points invulnerable.
R. Orpen, and Miss Mildred Butler.
wealth of melody,” but many Italian
he adds, much allowance must be made
M. EMILE BLÉMONT, the French poet, for the enthusiasm of the pioneer. ” The operas among which the reader gathers
Verdi are included
has announced his intention of bequeathing
author has invented an instrument which
described by him as “all jam and puff-
he calls a
to the Louvre one of Fantin-Latour's famous
colour-organ. ” It has a musical
paste. ”
portrait groups known as · Le Coin de Table. keyboard, by means of which he projects
colours on to a screen, and the spectrum-
An important loan exhibition of portrait band is split up in accordance with the
paintings by Ricard and sculpture by musical octave. That keyboard can
Musical Gossip.
Carpeaux will be held during May in the either mute, or made to produce musical
Orangery of the Tuileries. This will be sounds simultaneously with the colours.
The performance of Strauss's symphonic
the first assembly of representative works Colour, as Mr. Rimington remarks, has
poem
Ein Heldenleben' at the London
by Ricard, and many well-known collectors always been more or less associated with form; Symphony Orchestra concert last Monday
are supporting the exhibition.
and he therefore feels that it will be difficult evening at Queen's Hall was the special
The Salon of the Decorative Artists, for persons, especially painters, to consider feature of the evening. Of Herr Mengelberg's
which opened yesterday (Friday) at the
a pure colour-art. But if colour-sense were
admirable conducting we have recently
Pavillon de Marsan, Paris, is full of interest- stimulated and developed, it would, he says,
spoken. His reading of Schubert's romantic
ing work. Among the more important and very truly, apart from any possible Unfinished Symphony, though every-
exhibits are the interiors by Baignères and artistic or emotional value, benefit all the thing was in perfect order, did not create
The author
Mares, the groups of furniture by Gaillard, arts into which colour enters. "
André Groult, Jallot, and Sue, the decorative declares that in many sunsets there is little there was not only masterly command of the
a marked impression, whereas in the Strauss
panels by M. Henri de Waroquier, pottery form, and in some there is none, yet, he adds, music, but also genuine enthusiasm. Franz
by Simmen, the embroidered curtains of
“there are few people who cannot admire
von Vecsey, who first appeared in London
a sunset. '
Madame Ory-Robin, and the remarkable
Of course the beautiful colouring
as a prodigy eight years ago, gave an excellent
printed fabrics of MM. Jean Deville and
can be enjoyed, just as the beautiful sounds performance of the Brahms Concerto.
Émile Roustan.
of a fine voice or instrument can; but, as
an art, mus. appeals to the intellect as much MR. BEECHAM gave the first of two
The exhibition of the Italian Futurist as to the emotions : it is a science as well orchestral concerts at the Æolian Hall last
painters at MM. Bernheim's Galleries, Rue as an art. The interest of the mingling and Saturday afternoon. His interesting pro-
Richepanse, Paris, has now been succeeded moving of colours, as shown in the experi-gramme included French and Italian music,
by a collection of the sane, vigorous paintings ments made by Mr. Rimington by means
vocal and instrumental, of the eighteenth
of M. Lucien Simon, whose art is greatly of his colour-organ, must be great :-
century. The singers were Miss Olga
admired by Mr. Brangwyn and other
" To sit at this instrument and improvise for Loewenthal and Mr. Bertram Binyon.
English artists.
half an hour whilst watching the ever-varying
combinations of colour on the screen produced
At the fifth concert of the Classical Society
MESSRS. MACMILLAN & Co. expect to pub- hy the playing is not only an unspeakable delight, at Bechstein Hall last Wednesday two
lish this month The Venetian School of but of real health-giving effect on the sense of rarely heard works were performed: one,
Painting,' by Miss Evelyn March Phillipps, colour. ”
Mozart's Serenade in B flat major for
who hopes to supply a want, as there Such is the testimony of Sir Hubert Her-wood wind without flutes, but
with
exists in English no work which deals as a komer. Whether the author will evolve a bassetſ- horns and contra - bassoon, and
whole with the Venetian School and its colour-art is open to question, but, to quote four horns; the other, Dvorák's Serenade
masters. The author has attempted to Sir Hubert Herkomer once more,
in D minor for wood-wind, three horns, and
estimate the painters, to set them in rela-
Both works are
" There is so much in the author's experiments, 'cello and double-bass.
tion to one another, and help the reader opening out such vistas of possibilities, that the interesting, for both composers were skilled
not only to trace the evolution of the school whole matter should be carefully investigated in matters dealing with tone-colour. The
from dawn to decline, but also to realize what before judgment is given. ”
performances were excellent. Miss Fanny
it was, and what was the philosophy of life A colour - art would appeal, no doubt, Davies played Schumann's Sonata in f sharp
which it represented.
to the modern leaders of the impressionistic minor with thought and feeling.
The death of Mr. W. Harcourt Hooper in his Nuages Nocturne tries to depict largely devoted to his own compositions, at
school. Debussy, to give only one instance,
MR. ALFRED M. HALE's orchestral concert,
in his 78th year removes one of the last
“ the slow, solemn movement of the clouds
of the wood engravers who were associated
with that art at its best period. He worked dissolving in grey tints lightly touched with Queen's Hall on Wednesday evening opened
with a spirited performance by the Queen's
white. "
for The Illustrated News in the fifties of the
Hall Orchestra, under the direction of
Chap. xiii. , 'Remarks upon
last century, and for such artists as Fred
Criticisms,'
Walker, Du Maurier, Leech, and Millais. also chap. xiv. , will greatly help readers Sir Henry J. Wood. This
was followed by a
From 1891 to 1896 he was engaged in the
in forming an opinion on the merits of the long excerpt from Mr. Hale's opera The
Kelmscott Press, for which he did a great
new art. Chap. xii. , containing the opinions Tempest,' the libretto of which consists of
the actual words of Shakespeare's play.
of scientific
the resemblances
deal of excellent engraving.
between colour and sound, is particularly 1 of itself will not bring about a great opera,
The composer is ambitious, but ambition
By the death on February 22nd, in his interesting.
Mendelssohn was hit off as one who had
82nd year, of Mr. Bruce Home, Curator
of the Municipal Museum, Edinburgh has SOME of the essays in Music and its
little to say, but said it very well. Of
Mr. Hale we must say that he has very
lost one of the chief authorities on the history Aspects, by Henry F. Gosling (Henry J.
of the city. Originally a music printer, Mr. Drane), appeared originally in Cremona,
little to say, and even that is expressed
Bruce Home became early enthusiastic but these have been greatly enlarged.
in a feeble, and, as regards the declamatory
about the conservation of the old monuments The author deals with a variety of sub- part, monotonous manner.
of his city. His chief work was a series of jects, but he does not throw much fresh Of the young pianist Mlle. Susanne
drawings of Old Houses in Edinburgh,' light on them. He also quotes copiously Morvay we spoke in high terms last year.
but several papers in the Transactions of the from various writers, the names of most of At her concert on Wednesday evening at the
Old Edinburgh Club also testify his anti. them being familiar. Some of his own Æolian Hall she again displayed qualities
quarian knowledge. He was president of statements are, however, rather start of a very high order. Her rendering of the
the Rymours' Club.
ling. . He speaks of Bach's great technical | Bach-Liszt Fugue in G minor was dignified,
men
on


## p. 264 (#210) ############################################

264
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4401, MARCH 2, 1912
Autobiography
PERFORMANCES NEXT WEEK.
Jox. Concert, 3, Royal Albert Hall.
Sunday Concert Bociety, 3. 30, Queen's Hall.
Sunday lenguo Concert, 7, Queen's Hall.
Tues. F. S. Kelly's Pianoforte kocital, 3, Æolian Hall.
Procter Brown's Song Recital, 8. 15, Æolian Hall.
Frederic de Lara'. Recital, 8. 15, Steinway Ball
Dr. Dezso Szanto's Pianoforte Kecital, 8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
Marion Cori and Minnie Melville's Song Recital, 8. 30, Æolian
Hall.
WED.
Smallwood Metcalfe's Concert, 8. 10, Queen's Hall.
Ella Ulrich's Pianoforte Recital, 8. 15, steinway Hall.
THURS. Beryl Freeman's Song Recital, 3. 15, Bechstein Hall.
Broadwood Concert, 8. 30, Æolian Hall.
Pri.
8. 15, Bechstein Hall.
SAT. Chappell Ballad Concert, 2. 30, Queen's Hall.
while in her performance of Beethoven's employed to convict the heroine of having FROM
F minor Sonata, Op. 57, except that the last lied about her feelings to her lover.
movement was not quite so good as the Such mechanical effects, however, would CHATTO & WINDUS'S List
first, owing perhaps to excitement, she fully be a small matter in themselves did they
brought out the grandeur and poetry of the
composer's 'Tempest 'music,
not suggest that Mr. Fernald is alive to
the ideas which are finding expression to- Records of a Family
By permission of the Dean, J. S. Bach's
Passion Music according to St. John, with day; notably on the subject of marriage.
of Engineers.
full orchestral accompaniment, will be sung If his characters are little more than
Bs.
by the Bach Choir under the conductorship puppets, their talk has thoughtfulness By ROBERT
LOUIS STEVENSON
of Dr. Hugh P. Allen, in Westminster as well as vivacity.
Abbey, on Friday evening, March 29th. The most amusing act of the play is the Boswell's
The soloists will be Miss Rhoda von Glehn, last, in which Stanley Miles makes his
Miss Norah Dawnay, Mr. Gervase Elwes, final effort to break down Grace Challis-
12s. Bd.
Mr. J. Campbell McInnes, and Mr. Frederick combe's resistance to his suit. Hearing
net.
Ranalow. Admission will be by ticket, to
be obtained through members of the Bach that she wishes to convert a room in å By PERCY FITZGERALD.
Choir only.
country cottage into a studio, he fits it
The Life of
FORTY-FIVE British choirs have entered up as a nursery, and tempts her with the
10s. Bd.
for the International Choral Competition offer of a key. It is packed with children's
Bret Harte
net.
to be held at Paris, May 26th-28th. Each toys, and on its walls are such bold
choir has to sing the stated test-piece, and mottoes (how could our Censors pass With Some Acoount of the
music of its own choice.
them ? ) as May Grace descend upon
Californian Pioneers.
us,” “Be fruitful and multiply," "The By HENRY CHARLES MERWIN.
more the merrier ”-surely an odd method
of reconciling even an up-to-date young
The Truth about
woman to the prospect of matrimony. a Nunnery.
Fortunately, Grace possesses a sense of
89.
humour and a healthy
a healthy nature, and, The Story of Five Years in a
Classical Concert Society, 8, Bechstein Hall.
having sufficiently snubbed her suitor, in Paris Convent School.
the end relents.
By MARION AYESHA.
Franz von Vecsey's Violin Recital, 8. 30, Bechstein
Hall.
Mr. Loraine has a part after his own
Margery Courtney and Constantine Morris's Vocal Recital, heart in the mercurial - tempered Miles,
NEW 6s. NOVELS.
Barus-Phillipe Concert, 3. Bechstein Hall
and rushes through the love-scenes with
THE
characteristic energy; while Miss Mabel
CHILDREN'S BREAD.
Love, the Grace of the occasion, whose
.
DR A MA
temperature is supposed to lend the By MAUDE LITTLE.
comedy its title, has come back to
THE
London a finished actress.
MALABAR MAGICIAN
'98. 9' AT THE CRITERION.
By F. E. PENNY.
TO CORRESPONDENTS. – A. L. - H. P. C. -H. B. -
THE
ANONYMITY is a pose which it is rarely 1. C. OʻN. -W. N.