No More Learning

the gay life of the English settlements, 2 vols. , 1856. Dr. Kane's first Grinnell
or sanitariums, in the high valleys; the Expedition voyage, which he made as
jungles with their gigantic trees and a surgeon under E. J. DeHaven, 1850–
creepers and their huge animals, survivals 51, was described in his (U. S. Grinnell
from an earlier epoch; the wonderfully Expedition (1854). It was by the sec-
beautiful Simla range; the temples, cer- ond expedition, under his own command,
emonials, and pilgrimages of the people, that his fame as an Arctic explorer was
and their great religious fairs; the peril- made. The incidents of the voyage along
ous horseback ride from Simla to Shipka the coast of Smith Sound to a latitude
in Chinese Thibet, among mountains never before attained, 78° 43' N. ; the


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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
113
winter spent in that far region; the dis- and accurate account extant of the trop-
covery of the Humboldt glacier of Green- ical portion of the great eastern Archipel.
land, and the attempt the next spring ago, the northern part of which is really
to follow its course northward; and the a portion of Asia.
series of adventures following, until the
frozen-in ship had to be abandoned, and Our old Home, a series of English
the party escaped perishing only through
sketches by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Kane's indefatigable exertions, supplied
This volume of charming sketches was
rich materials for the book in which
published in 1863, and (in the words of
Kane told the story of the more than two
the author) presents a few of the ex-
years' voyage. In the additions made to
ternal aspects of English scenery and
geographical knowledge also, and in many
life, especially those that are touched
accurate and valuable scientific observa-
with the antique charm to which our
tions, Kane's work was exceptionally in-
countrymen are more susceptible than
teresting and valuable. It brought him
are the people among whom it is of
both popular applause from delighted read-
native growth. The opening sketch on
ers, and honors from societies, English
(Consular Experiences) gives interesting
and French, representing the scholars of glimpses of Hawthorne's own life as con-
the time.
sul at Liverpool; and among other enter-
taining chapters are those designated
Ar
rctic Service, Three Years of. An Ac- About Warwick, Pilgrimage to Old
count of the Lady Franklin Bay Ex- Boston,' (Some of the Haunts of Burns,'
pedition of 1881-84, and the attainment (Up the Thames,' and (Outside Glimpses
of the Farthest North, by Adolphus W. of English Poverty. In that entitled
Greely: 1886. A popular account, drawn (Recollections of a Gifted Woman,' he
from personal diaries and official reports, recounts his acquaintance with Miss
of one of the most remarkable of the Arc- Delia Bacon, who was then deep in
tic expeditions, and one with scarcely a her Philosophy of the Plays of Shake-
parallel in the terrible sufferings through speare': absurd book, for which
many months from which the party were Hawthorne wrote a humorous preface.
at last rescued. The primary object of These, and other English sketches in-
the expedition was a scientific one; and cluded in Hawthorne's note-books, were
the utmost care was given to physical ob- at first intended by him to be used as a
servations, from July 1st, 1881, at St. John, background for a work of fiction which
Newfoundland, to June 21st, 1884, forty he had partially planned; but what he
hours before the rescue of the survivors. calls (the Present, the Immediate, the
The wealth of interest thus created, with Actual,” proved too potent for him, and
that of the remarkable experiences of the the project was given up and only the
party, and the range of travel achieved, sketches were published. This volume
make the work one of unique and lasting holds its popularity, not simply because
value.
of the incomparable charm of the man-
ner in which it is written, but because
Australasia. Vol. i. : Australia and
New Zealand, by A. R. Wallace;
of its faithful delineation of nature, life,
with 14 Maps and 91 Illustrations. Vol.
and manners in England. There are
ii. : Malaysia and the Pacific Archipela-
clues to English character to be gath-
goes, by F. H. H. Guillemard; with 16
ered from Our Old Home,' which could
Maps and 47 Illustrations. The first of
not otherwise be obtained save by pro-
these volumes, by an eminent English
tracted association with the English peo-
naturalist and traveler, describes from
ple at home.
full information the remote southern re-
an
gions in which the expansion of England Literary Landmarks of London, by
is going on upon a scale very inadequately
understood in America. These regions,
moreover, are of extreme interest, from
their natural features, and from the part
which they have played in the history of
mankind. It would be difficult to have
their story from a hand more competent
than that of Mr. Wallace. The second vol-
ume supplies by far the most interesting
not attempted to make of this either a
text-book or biographical dictionary. It
is a work which appeals to those who
love and are familiar with Pepys and
Johnson and Thackeray, and who wish
to follow them to their homes and
haunts in the metropolis, — not to those
wh need to be told who
ey were and
what they have done. ) The sketches
XXX-8


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114
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
1
the Netherlands went by marriage to Aus.
tria and ultimately to Spain,– Charles's
daughter Mary being the ancestress of
Charles V. and Philip II. The career of
Charles the Bold is therefore one of the
chief landmarks of European history, the
direct precursor of the Franco-German
War; Granson, Morat, and Nancy are
the forerunners of Sedan. Charles is
most familiarly known through Scott's
Quentin Durward); but Mr. Kirk's his-
tory gives the real man, as well as his
great rival Louis XI. , and much of great
interest and instruction besides.
(
are arranged in alphabetical order, be-
ginning with Addison and ending with
Young; and the rank of the poet or
writer is not determined by amount of
space. For instance, Wordsworth and
Herrick have assigned to them but a
few lines, for they were not poets of
brick and mortar; while whole pages
are given to half-forgotten authors of one
immortal song, who spent all their days
in London. Full indices, local as well
as personal, enable the reader to find
what appeals to him most in whatever
part of the town he may be. He can
walk with Johnson and Boswell from
the Club in Gerard Street, and call on
the way on Dryden, Waller, Lamb, or
Evelyn; stop for refreshments at «Will's >>
or « Tom's ) with Steele, or, in the church
of St. Paul, Covent Garden, pray for
the repose of the souls of Butler, Wych-
erley and «Peter Pindar,” who sleep
within its gates.
London has no
sociations more interesting than those
connected with its literary men, and
nothing of moment connected with their
careers in the city has been omitted.
It is plainly evident that the author's
chief aim has been completeness and
exactness.
as-
»
This great
Cæsar's Commentaries.
work contains the narrative of
Cæsar's military operations in Gaul, Ger-
many, and Britain. It was given to the
world in the year 51 B. C. Every vic-
tory won by Cæsar had only served to
increase the alarm and hostility of his
enemies at Rome, and doubt and suspi.
cion were beginning to spread among the
plebeians, on whom he chiefly relied for
help in carrying out his designs. When
public opinion was evidently taking the
side of the Gauls and Germans, the time
had come for Cæsar to act on public opin-
ion. Hence the Commentaries,' a hasty
compilation made from notes jotted down
in his tent or during a journey. «They
form,” says Mommsen, «a sort of mili-
tary memoir, addressed by a democratic
general to the people from whom he
derived his power. ” To prove in an
indirect way, he himself keeping in the
background, that he has done his best
for the honor and advantage of Rome,
is his main object. He proceeds, then,
to demonstrate the following propositions:
A Germanic invasion threatened Gaul.
With Gaul in the hands of the Germans,
the Romans knew from experience that
Italy herself was not safe from invas-
ion. Cæsar's first achievement was
drive the Germans back
the
Rhine. Every event that followed was
the necessary consequence of this victory.
The Belgæ, sympathizers with their Teu-
tonic kinsmen, revolted after the defeat
of Ariovistus. To convince them that
west of the Rhine, Rome was supreme,
was the reason of Cæsar's campaigns in
the north and east. But how long would
the Belgæ, Nervii, and other warlike
tribes continue submissive, if the clans
in the west remained independent ? It
must be plain, therefore, to any patri-
otic Roman, that the naval and military
Char
harles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy,
History of. By John Foster Kirk.
(3 vols. , 1863-68. ) An excellent special
book on a most interesting and signifi-
cant figure in the history of France and
of Europe (1433-77). He was the last in
the long line of princes who for centu-
ries, almost since Charlemagne's time,
had endeavored to build up a “middle )
or “buffer) kingdom along the Rhine
and the Rhone, between the exclusively
French and the exclusively German pow-
the old kingdom of Lotharingia,
later Lorraine, the medieval kingdom of
Arles, the ever-varying duchy of Bur-
gundy, all represented this most promis-
ing, most determined, and most futile of
political efforts. With the crushing de-
feat and death of Charles, — in his prime
the most powerful potentate of the age,
his dominion stretching like a gigantic
bow almost from Savoy to the German
Ocean, around the entire east and north
of France, - the unnatural ribbon-State
of unrelated parts without common in-
terests went to pieces, and with it the
dream of a buffer kingdom perished for-
The Burgundian duchy and Pic-
ardy were seized by Louis XI. of France,
ers:
to
across
ever.


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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
115
name
operations of Cæsar and his lieutenants Prigcheese, but his joy is not of long
against the Veneti, the Armoricans, and duration. A water-snake rears its awful
the Aquitanians, were inevitable. Per- head above the waters. Chubbycheek,
haps, too, the patriotic Roman will con. wild with terror, plunges to the bottom;
clude, although Cæsar is silent on the and Prigcheese, after heroic struggles,
matter, that these brilliant campaigns re- perishes in the waves, but not before he
dound as much to the glory of the Roman has devoted Chubbycheek to the wrath of
as to that of Cæsar. Although the avenging gods. A mouse who hap-
Gaul, protected by Rome, was now in- pens to be sauntering along the shore
vincible, it was very desirable that the hastens to announce to the mouse nation
Germans and Britons should have tangi- the sad fate of their fellow-citizen. A
ble evidence of the fact, and so Cæsar general assembly is convoked; and on the
crossed the Rhine and the Channel. But motion of Nibbleloaf, the father of the
unfortunately, the Gauls were not wise victim, war is declared against the frogs,
enough to accept the situation. They and the herald Lickthepot is charged
revolted. Cæsar suppressed the insur- with the duty of entering the enemy's
rection with a vigor and sternness they territories and proclaiming hostilities.
were never likely to forget; and at Alesia, Chubbycheek asserts her perfect inno-
a year before these Military Memoirs cence, nay her ignorance, of the death
were to be circulated, the finest conquest of Prigcheese. The frogs, fired by her
that Rome ever made was forever com- eloquence, prepare to make a vigorous
pleted. The quality that especially gives resistance. Meanwhile the gods, from
distinction to the work is its simplicity. their Olympian thrones, view with anxi-
«It is as unadorned,” says Cicero, «as ety and fear the agitations that are dis-
an ancient statue; and it owes its beauty turbing the earth. But Minerva is of
its grace to its nudity. ” As to its opinion that for the present it would be
truthfulness, we cannot decide absolutely, rash to interfere, and the lords of heaven
the Gauls not having written their Com- decide to remain simply spectators of the
mentaries. But if Cæsar sinned in this direful event that is drawing near. Soon
respect, it was probably by omission, the conflict rages, furious, terrible, the
not by commission. Things the Ro- chances leaning now to the one side, now
mans might not like he does not men- to the other. At length the mice are
tion: the sole aim of the book is to victorious, and Greedyguts, their leader,
gain their suffrages. There is no allus- announces his determination to wipe out
ion to the enormous fortune Cæsar ac- the entire vile race of their enemies from
quired by plunder. On the other hand, the face of the earth. Jupiter is alarmed,
he speaks of his cruelties — for instanc and resolves to prevent such a disaster.
the killing in cold blood of 20,000 or
He will send Pallas or Mars to assuage
100,000 prisoners — with a calmness that the wrath of the ferocious Greedyguts.
to us is horrible, but which the Romans Mars recoils in terror from the rough
would deem natural and proper.
task. Then the King of Heaven seizes
his thunderbolt, and hurls it among
tle of the Frogs and Mice, The, the conquerors; even the thunderbolt is
(Batrachomyomachia,) a mock- powerless. They are frightened for a
heroic poem written in imitation of the moment, and then renew the work of
Iliad. The authorship has been attrib- destruction with more fury than ever.
uted to Homer, and to Pigres the brother Jupiter thereupon enrolls another army,
of Queen Artemisia, but without any and sends it against these haughty vic-
foundation in either case. It is really tors: it is composed of warriors supplied
a parody on the style of Homer. The by nature with arms defensive and of-
mouse Prigcheese, who has just escaped fensive, who in the twinkling of an eye
the tooth of a hideous monster (a weasel change the issue of the battle. These
perhaps, or it may be a cat), stops on the new antagonists are crabs. The mice fly
border of a marsh to slake his thirst; in confusion, and the conflict ends at
for he has been running fast and long. sunset.
Chubbycheek, Queen of the Frogs, enters
into conversation with him.
She pinxites Homeric Studies: Ox HOMER AND THE
him to come to her palace, and politely
, by W. E. Gladstone.
offers her back as mode of conveyance. (1858. ) work of notable interest in its
The novelty of the journey enchants day, in which Mr. Gladstone endeavored
Battle


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116
1
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
1
1
.
.
ex-
to state the results, in regard to the au- ing to the finding of an ideal of Homeric
thorship and age of Homer, which he translation.
thought justified by the text of the (Successors OF HOMER) (Innes: Lon.
poems ascribed to Homer.
In his Ju- don, 1897) discusses in similar fashion the
ventus Mundi: The Gods and Men of Homeric Hymns, Hesiod, the last Epic
the Heroic Age) (1869), Mr. Gladstone Cycle, and in general the survival of the
went over the same ground again, and hexameter and of the epic spirit down to
embodied his results of research under the Attic period. In this less familiar
a new form, but with considerable modi- field Mr. Lawton has given even more
fications in the ethnological and mytho-copious citations, rendered into English
logical parts of the work. He especially dactyls. These little books appear to be
gave new light on Phænician influence members of what might be called an Ep-
in the formation of the Greek nation. och series on Greek literature. As indis-
To this report of his Homeric studies | pensable for the careful study of Homer,
he added, in 1876, his Homeric Syn- to which his own work is so excellent an
chronism: An Enquiry into the Time introduction, Mr. Lawton names Jebb's
and Place of Homer. )
Introduction, Lang and Myers's Transla-
Mr. Gladstone's literary activity found tion of the Iliad, and Palmer's Translation
early expression in his "Church Princi- of the Odyssey.
ples) (1840), and from that time, in a large
variety of papers, addresses, and articles, Greek, Philosophy, Outlines of the
History of, by Dr. Eduard Zeller.
which were brought together in (Glean-
An
(English Translation, 1885. )
ings of Past Years) (7 vols. , 1880) and
(Later Gleanings) (1897). With these
tremely useful sketch of the whole his-
tory of Greek philosophy, from Thales, a
may be mentioned his "Studies Subsid-
iary to the Works of Bishop Butler)
contemporary of Solon and Cresus in the
first half of the sixth century B. C. , to
(1897), including both an account of But-
the death of Boëthius in the first half of
ler's work and an argument of his own
opinions and beliefs. In 1890-92 there
the sixth century of Christ (525 A. D. ).
The story told by Plato of Seven Wise
were brought out ten volumes of Mr.
Gladstone's Speeches and Addresses. )
Men) of early Greece is wholly unhis-
torical. Not less than twenty-two names
rt and Humanity in Homer. By Will-
appear in different versions of the story,
Art
iam Cranston Lawton (1896). A
and only four are found in all of them,
volume of essays designed to introduce
- Thales, Bias, Pittacus, and Solon. To
readers earnestly desirous of culture to
Thales the first place is given. In the
the chief masterpieces of ancient litera-
succession of early Greek philosophers
ture, the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer. It
there follow Anaximander, Anaximenes,
discusses intelligently and thoughtfully
and Diogenes; Pythagoras and his disci.
the art of Homer in the Iliad, that perfect
ples; Xenophanes, Parmenides, and Zeno;
mastery of epic song which so charmed
Heracleitus, Empedocles, Leucippus, De-
the Greek ear; the picture which the
mocritus, and Anaxagoras; and then the
Iliad gives of womanhood; the scenes
greatest names of all, Socrates, Plato,
of pathetic tragedy with which it closes;
and Aristotle. From these onward there
the story which gives the Odyssey its
is a further long development, which Dr.
plot; the conceptions of the future life
Zeller admirably sketches. This volume
which the Homeric epics shadow forth,
of Outlines) is an Introduction to Dr.
including all the important passages al-
Zeller's large special works, such
luding to the condition of the dead; the
(Socrates and the Socratic Schools,
episode of Nausicaa, in which, in a tale
(Plato and the Older Academy,' The
of perfect simplicity, Homeric painting
Stoics, Epicureans, and Sceptics,' and
touched with infinite charm the scenes,
(Aristotle and the Earlier Peripatetics. )
the figures, the events, of an escape of
These works together constitute a com-
Odysseus from shipwreck; and the accre-
plete history of Greek philosophy for
tions to the Troy myth which befell after
more than a thousand years,
Homer. The volume includes a scheme
An nabasis, The (Retreat of the Ten
of aids to the study of Homer;
Thousand, 401-399 B. C. ), by Xeno-
sents a considerable number of examples phon. The word means the going up or
of admirably felicitous use of hexameters expedition,-i. e. , to Babylon, the capital
in the essayist's versions of the poet, look- of the Persian Empire; but most of the
as
i
1
1
and it pre-
1


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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
117
narrative is occupied with the retreat. an impressive picture of a Persian prince
The occasion of the famous expedition brought in contact with Greek civilization;
was the attempt of Cyrus the Younger Clearchus, the type of an excellent gen-
to unseat his elder brother Artaxerxes eral, upright but harsh; Proxenus, a fine
from the throne of Persia by aid of a gentleman, but too soft and weak; the
Greek army, which he gathered in or unscrupulous Menon, a natural product of
near his satrapy in Asia Minor, and then civil dissension. Xenophon tells the story
moved swiftly across Persia against the in the third person, after the fashion in
miscellaneous barbarian hordes of his the classic times; and if he makes him-
brother with their small centre of disci- self out a most eloquent, courageous, re-
plined Persian guards. The plan suc- sourceful, and self-sacrificing leader, his
ceeded, and Cyrus was about to win the other work makes one willing to accredit
great battle of Cunaxa, when he was him cheerfully.
killed in the fray, and the Ten Thousand
were left leaderless and objectless in the Hermetic Books.
The Greeks desig-
heart of a hostile empire a thousand
nated the lunar god of the Egyp-
miles from their kin. To complete their
tians, Thoth, by the name of Hermes
ruin, all the head officers were decoyed Trismegistus; i. e. , Hermes the Thrice
into a mock negotiation by Artaxerxes
Greatest. The Greeks, and after them
and murdered to a man.
In their de- | the Neo-Platonists and Christians, re-
spair, Xenophon, a volunteer without garded him as an ancient king of Egypt,
command, came forward, heartened them who invented all the sciences, and con-
into holding together and fighting their cealed their secrets in certain mysteri-
way back to the Euxine, and was made ous books. These ancient books, to the
leader of the retreat; which was conducted number of 20,000 according to some,
with such success, through Persia and and of 36,000 according to others, bore
across the snow-clad Armenian mount-
his name.
Clement of Alexandria has
ains, against both Persian forces and described the solemn procession in which
Kurdish savages, that the troops reached they were carried in ceremony. The
Trapezus (Trebizond) with very little loss.
tradition in virtue of which all secret
Even then their dangers were not over: works on magic, astrology, and chem-
Xenophon had now to turn diplomatist; istry were attributed to Hermes, per-
to gain the good graces of the Greek cities sisted for a long time. The Arabians
on the Black Sea, and to negotiate with composed several of them; and the fab-
Seuthes the Thracian king who tried to rication of Hermetic writings in Latin
assassinate him, and with the governors lasted during the entire Middle Ages.
of the different cities subject to Sparta. Some of these writings have come down
At last the adventure was over.
Many to us, either in the original Greek or in
of the survivors went back to Greece; Latin and Arabic translations. From a
but the larger number took service under philosophic point of view, the most inter-
Spartan harmosts, and were subsequently esting of them is the (Poimandres) (TOLNÍ
instrumental in freeing several Greek | ávšpāv, the shepherd of men, symbolizing
cities in Asia Minor.
the Divine Intelligence). It has been
Merely as a travel sketch the tale is divided into twenty books by Patricius.
highly interesting. The country traversed It is a dialogue composed some time in
in Persia was almost utterly unknown to the fourth century of the Christian era,
the Greeks: and Xenophon makes mem- and discusses such questions as the na-
oranda in which he enumerates the dis- ture of the Divinity, the human soul, the
tances from one halting-place to another; creation and fall of man, and the divine
notes the cities inhabited or cities de- illumination that alone can save him. It
serted; gives a brief but vivid description is written in a Neo-Platonic spirit, but
of a beautiful plain, a mountain pass, a
bears evidence of the influence of Jew-
manouvre skillfully executed, or
any
ish and Christian thought. It was trans-
amusing episode that falls under his eye. lated into German by Tiedemann in
And we find that camp gossip and scandal 1781. There have been several editions.
were as rife, as rank, and as reliable as of it. The first appeared at Paris in
in other ages.
He is especially delight- 1554, and the last, by Parthez, in Berlin,
ful in his portraits, sketched in a few
in 1854. The Λόγος τέλειος (Logos te-
sentences, but vigorous and lifelike: Cy- leios, the perfect Word) is somewhat
rus, a man at once refined and barbarous, older; it is a refutation of the doctrines.


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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
1
success.
A podosis
wealthier than he
, he could compel him Coventry Plays, The Three complete
ex-
of Christianity under the form of a dia- philosophy he understands culture, sim-
logue between Hermes and his disciple ply; and the chief elements of culture
Asclepius. An Address to the Human
are the art of speaking, and whatever
Soul) was translated from the Arabic trains the citizen for social and political
and published by Fleischer in 1870. It
He attaches the utmost import-
is, doubtless, itself a translation from a ance to the art of expression, for it is
Greek original. The most interesting absolutely essential to any scheme of
passages in the Hermetic books have
general culture. To instruct his pupils
been rendered into French by Louis how to act in unforeseen emergencies
Ménard (Paris, 1886). Baumgarten-Cru- should be the great aim of the teacher.
sius in his (De Librorum Hermeticorum “As we cannot have an absolute knowl-
Origine et Indole) (Jena, 1827), and edge of what will happen, whereby we
Pietschmann in his Hermes Trismegis- might know how to act and speak in all
tos) (Leipsic, 1875), have discussed this circumstances, we ought to train our-
subject very fully.
selves and others how we should act,
supposing such or such a thing occurred.
on the Antidosis or Exchange
The true philosophers are those who are
successful in this.
of Properties. An oration by Isocra-
Absolute knowledge
tes. Three hundred of the richest citizens
of what may happen being impossible,
of Athens were obliged by law to build
absolute rules for guidance are absurd. ”
and equip a Aeet at their own expense,
To prove the success of his system, he
whenever it was needed. If one of the
calls attention to the number of illus-
three hundred was able to show that
trious Greeks he has taught.
a citizen, not included in the list, was
sets of ancient English Mysteries, or
to take his place or else make an
Miracle Plays, have descended to modern
change of property. Megacleides, a per-
times: the “Chester," the «Towneley,”
sonal enemy of Isocrates, being ordered
to furnish a war vessel, insisted that it
and the Coventry » mysteries; and from
these we derive nearly all our knowledge
was the duty of the latter to do so, add-
ing that he was a man of bad character.
of the early English drama.
Coventry
In the trial that ensued, Isocrates was
was formerly famous for the performance
condemned to deliver the trireme, or else
of its Corpus Christi plays by the Gray
exchange his property for that of Mega-
Friars. These plays contained the story
cleides.
of the New Testament, composed in Old
The (Apodosis,' written after the trial,
English rhythm. The earliest record of
has the form of a forensic oration spoken
their performance is in 1392, the lat-
est in 1589. There are 42 of these Cov.
before an imaginary jury, but is really
an open letter addressed to the public.
entry plays, published in a volume by
Isocrates not only shows why he should
the Shakspere Society in 1841, under
not be condemned, but vindicates his
such titles as “The Creation,' (The Fall
whole career; he describes what a true
of Man,' (Noah's Flood,' (The Birth of
«sophist” ought to be, and gives his ideas
Christ,' Adoration of the Magi, Last
of the conduct of life. Megacleides
Supper,) (The Pilgrim of Emmaüs,) (The
(called Lysimachus in the discourse) is
Resurrection, (The Ascension,) (Dooms-
termed a “miserable informer, ) who, by day. The modern reader will require a
an appeal to the vulgar prejudice against glossary for the proper understanding of
the Sophists, would relieve himself from
these queer old plays, written in very
a just obligation at the expense of others.
early English.
Isocrates goes into a detailed account
A
Cato of Utica, by Joseph Addison.
of his conduct as statesman, orator, and tragedy in five acts and in blank
teacher. My discourse shall be a real
It was first represented in 1713.
image of my mind and life. ” He enters The scene is laid in a hall of the gov'.
minutely into his views on philosophy ernor's palace at Utica. The subject
and education. The object he has always is Cato's last desperate struggle against
set before himself has been to impart a Cæsar, and his determination to die
general culture suitable for the needs of rather than survive his country's free-
practical life.
He despises the people dom. All the (unities » are strictly
who teach justice, virtue, and all such observed: there is no change of place,
things at three minæ a head. »
By | the action occurs on the same day, and
verse.


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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
119
all the incidents centre around Cato and
conduce to his death. (Cato) owed its
extraordinary success to the deadly hatred
that raged between the Whigs and To-
ries at the time : the Whigs cheered
when an actor mentioned the word “lib-
erty”; and the Tories, resenting the
implied innuendo, cheered louder than
they. To the Whigs Marlborough was
a Cato, to the Tories he was a Cæsar.
Bolingbroke, immediately after the per-
formance, gave Booth, the Cato of the
tragedy, fifty guineas for having so well
defended liberty against the assaults
of a would-be dictator» (Marlborough).
Every poet of the time wrote verses in
honor of "Cato,' the best being Pope's
prologue; and it translated into
French, German, and Italian. The
German adaptation of Gottsched was al-
most as great a success as the original.
In fact, the play itself and the command-
ing position of its author in the literary
world had a most unfortunate effect on
dramatic art, and perhaps retarded its
dience of Antigone to the higher law of
love. Apart from its beauty and grand-
eur as a picture of the woman-hero, the
(Antigone) has a political value. It con.
tains noble maxims on the duties of a citi-
zen, and on the obligation imposed on the
head of a State to be always ready to sac-
rifice his private feelings to the public
good. While the poet attacks anarchy
and frowns on any attempt to disobey
the laws or the magistracy, he sees as
clearly the danger of mistaken tyrannical
zeal. There have been several imitations
of this great drama. In Alfieri's, all the
minor personages who add so much to
the excellence of Sophocles's play dis-
appear, and only Creon, Hæmon, and An-
tigone are left on the stage; it has many
beauties, and the dialogue is forceful and
impassioned. Rotrou imitates the “The-
baid) of Seneca and (The Phænicians)
of Euripides in the second part of his
Antigone, and Sophocles in the first.
was
somancipation from the slavery of the Clones acted in comedy by- Aristopha.
-called «
Shakespeare was thrown into the shade
more than ever.
(Cato of Utica,' by Metastasio. The
author follows closely the historic ac-
counts of Cato's relations with Cæsar,
and the details he invents have more
probability than those of Addison. He
shows a decided superiority to Addison
in making Cæsar the principal figure
next to Cato, and placing them
stantly in contrast with each other. But
the Italian's love scenes are as insipid
as the Englishman's.
un-
con-
1
Antigone, a tragedy, by Sophocles.
Thebes has been besieged by Poly-
nices, the dethroned and banished brother
of Eteocles, who rules in his stead. The
two brothers kill each other in single
combat, and Creon, their kinsman, be-
comes king. The play opens on the
morning of the retreat of the Argives,
who supported Polynices. Creon has de-
creed that the funeral rites shall not be
performed over a prince who has made
war upon his country, and that all who
contravene this decree shall be punished
with death. Antigone declares to her sis-
ter Ismene that she herself will fulfill
the sacred ceremonies over her brother's
corpse in spite of the royal proclamation.
The tragedy turns on the inexorable exe-
cution of the law by Creon, and the obe-
C. Though one
of the most interesting and poetic of the
author's plays, the people refused to hear
it a second time. But its literary popu-
larity counterbalanced its failure on the
stage; most unfortunately for Socrates,
whose enemies, twenty-five years after-
ward, found in it abundant material for
their accusations. Strepsiades, an
scrupulous old rascal, almost ruined by
his spendthrift son Pheidippides, requests
the philosopher to teach him how to
cheat his creditors. The Clouds, personi-
fying the high-flown ideas in vogue, enter
and speak in a pompous style. which is
all lost on Strepsiades. He asks mock-
ingly, «Are these divinities ? » (No,»
answers Socrates, «they are the clouds
of heaven: still they are goddesses for
idle people,- it is to them we owe our
thoughts, words, cant, insincerity, and all
our skill in twaddle and palaver. ” Then
he explains the causes of thunder, etc. ,
substituting natural phenomena for the
personal intervention of the gods; to the
great scandal of Strepsiades, who has
not come to listen to such blasphemy,
but to learn how to get rid of his debts.
The Clouds tell him that Socrates is his
Have you any memoranda about
you ? ) asks the latter. «Of my debts,
not one; but of what is due me, any
number. » Socrates tries to teach his
new disciple grammar, rhythms, etc. ; but
Strepsiades laughs at him. Here two
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I 20
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
new characters are introduced, the Just beneath the sea, in the company of his
and the Unjust. The former represents
son Achilles.
old times and manners; the latter the
new principles taught by the Sophists. A"
ndromache ('Andromaque'), a tra-
When the Just taught the young, they
gedy by Racine, suggested to him
did not gad about in the forum or lounge
by some lines in the Æneid of Virgil.
in the bath-rooms. They were respectful
The p'ay owes very little to the Andro-
to their elders, modest and manly. It
mache) of Euripides except the title. In
was the Just who formed the warriors
Euripides, everything is simple and true;
of Marathon. ) The Unjust scoffs at such
in Racine, everything is noble, profound,
training. If the young may not have
and impassioned. The Andromache of
their fing, their lives are not worth liv-
the French poet is a modern Andro-
mache, not the real Andromache of an-
ing. “You tell me,” he adds, «that this
is profligacy. Well, are not our tragic tiquity; but the drama is one of his
poets, orators, demagogues, and most of
greatest works, and wrought a revolution
their auditors profligate ? » The Just has
in French dramatic art by proving that
to admit this. Strepsiades, discovering ceptible movements of the passion of love
the delicate shades and almost imper-
that the lessons of Socrates are too much
could be an inexhaustible source of in-
for him, sends his clever son to take his
terest on the stage.
The drama was
place. Pheidippides becomes an accom-
plished Sophist, mystifies the creditors,
parodied by Subligny in his (Folle Que-
and beats his father, all the time prov-
relle. Racine suspected that the parody
ing to him that he is acting logically.
was written by Molière, and the affair
was the occasion of a serious breach be-
The old man, at length undeceived, sum-
tween them.
mons his slaves and neighbors, and sets
fire to the house and school of Socrates.
A"
ulularia (from Aulula, a pot), a
comedy by Plautus. Although an old
AT
ndromache, a tragedy, by Euripides.
miser is the principal character in the
The heroine (Hector's widow) is part play, the real hero, or heroine, is the pot.
of the spoil of Pyrrhus, the son of Achil-
The favor of his Lar, or household god,
les, in the sack of Troy. She has of
enables Euclion to dig up a pot of gold,
course undergone the usual fate of fem-
buried beneath the hearth by his grand-
inine captives, and has borne her master
father. No sooner has he become rich
a son named Molossus. Hermione, the
than avarice takes hold of him. With
daughter of Menelaus and lawful wife of
trembling hands he buries the pot deeper
Pyrrhus, is furiously jealous of this Tro-
still: he has found it, others may; the
jan slave; and with the aid of her father,
very thought makes his hair stand on
resolves to kill Andromache and the child
end. The dramatic situations of the play
during the absence of her husband. For-
turn on this dread of Euclion's that some
tunately the aged Peleus, the grandfather one will rob him of his new-found treas-
of Pyrrhus, arrives just in time to pre-
ure. The fifth act is supposed to have
vent the murder. Orestes, a cousin of
been written by Antonius Urceus Codrus,
Hermione, to whom she had formerly
a professor in the University of Bologna,
been betrothed, stops at her house on
some time during the fifteenth century.
his way to Dodona. Hermione, fearing
Molière's (L'Avare) is an imitation of the
the resentment of her spouse, flies with
(Aulularia. It has been imitated also,
him. Then they lay an ambuscade for
at least in the principal character, by Le
Pyrrhus at Delphi, and slay him. Peleus
Mercier in his Comédie Latine. )
is heart-broken when he learns the tid-
ings of his grandson's fate; but he is Mourning Bride, The, by William
visited by his wife, the sea-goddess The- Congreve. This, the only serious
tis, who bids him have done with sorrow, play written by Congreve, was produced
and send Andromache and her child to in 1697, and was most successful. Lu-
Molossia. There she is to wed Helenus, gubrious is a cheerful term by which to
the son of Priam, and for the rest of her characterize it. Almeria, the daughter
life enjoy unclouded happiness. Thetis of Manuel, King of Granada, while in
orders the burial of Pyrrhus in Delphi. captivity marries Alphonso, the son of
Peleus himself will be released from hu- Anselmo, King of Valencia. In a bat-
man griefs, and live with his divine tle with Manuel, Anselmo is captured,
spouse forever in the palace of Nereus Alphonso drowned, and Almeria returned
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SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
I 21
once -
to her father. He insists upon her mar- constant under many vicissitudes, despite
riage with Garcia, the son of Gonza- the influence of her mother, whose recom-
lez, his favorite. Manuel captures Zara, mendation to Polly to be somewhat nice
an African princess, and with her two in her deviations from virtue ) will suffi-
Moors, Osmyn and Heli. Almeria finds ciently indicate her character. Having
that Osmyn is Alphonso; and Zara, over- one wife does not deter Macheath from
hearing them, is led by her jealousy to engaging to marry others, but his laxity
induce the King to allow her mutes to causes him much trouble. Being betrayed,
strangle him, and to give orders that he is lodged in Newgate gaol. His es-
none but her mutes shall have access to cape, recapture, trial, condemnation to
him. Gonzalez, to secure a mute's dress, death, and reprieve, form the leading epi-
kills one, and finds on him a letter from sodes in his dashing career. After his
Zara to Alphonso, telling him she has reprieve he makes tardy acknowledgment
repented and will help him to escape. of Polly as his wife, and promises to re-
Manuel orders Alphonso to be executed main constant to her for the future. Polly
at once; and to prove Zara's treachery, is one of the most interesting of dramatic
places himself in chains in Alphonso's characters, at least three actresses having
place to await her coming. Gonzalez, attained matrimonial peerages through
to make sure of Alphonso's death, steals artistic interpretation of the part. Gay's
down and kills him. Meeting Garcia, language often conforms to the coarse
he learns that Alphonso has escaped, and taste and low standards of his time; and
that he has killed the King instead of the opera, still occasionally sung, now
Alphonso. The King's head is cut off appears in expurgated form. Its best-
and hid, so that his death may not be known piece is Macheath's famous song
known. Zara, thinking that it is the when two of his inamoratas beset him at
body of Alphonso, poisons herself; and
Alphonso, storming the palace, reaches
« How happy could I be with either
Almeria in time to prevent her from
Were t'other dear charmer away! ”
taking the remainder of the poison.
Two quotations from this play have
become almost household words: the
Great Galeoto, The, by José Eche-
garay.
This was the most success-
first, «Music hath charms to soothe a ful of the author's plays, running through
savage breast; » and the second, Heaven
more than twenty editions. It was first
has no rage like love to hatred turned; acted in March 1881, and so greatly
nor hell a fury, like a woman scorned. ” admired that a popular subscription was
once started to buy some work of
Beggar's Opera, The, by John Gay, was art to remind the writer of his triumph.
first played in 1728, exciting «a In its printed form it is dedicated to
tempest of laughter. ” Dean Swift, upon everybody," -- another
for the
whose suggestion this “Newgate pasto- subject of the play. Dante tells us in
ral) was written, declared that « (The his story of Paolo and Francesca that
Beggar's Opera) hath knocked down Gul- «Galeoto) was the book they read; that
liver. ” The object of the play was to day they read no more! » Galeoto was
satirize the predatory habits of “polite » the messenger between Launcelot and
society in thief-infested London, and in- Queen Guinevere; and in all loves the
cidentally to hold up to ridicule Italian third may be truthfully nicknamed “Gale-
opera. The chief characters are thieves oto. ” Ernest, a talented youth, is the
and bandits. Captain Macheath, the hero, secretary and adopted son of Julian and
is the leader of a gang of highwaymen. his wife Teodora, many years younger
A handsome, bold-faced ruffian, “game » than himself. Ernest looks up to her as
to the last, he is loved by the ladies and a mother; but gossip arises, he overhears
feared by all but his friends — with whom Nebreda calumniate Teodora, challenges
he shares his booty. Peachum is the him to fight, and leaves Julian's house.
«respectable » patron of the gang, and Julian, a noble character, refuses to heed
the receiver of stolen goods. Though the charges against his wife and adopted
eloquently indignant when his honor
son, but is at last made suspicious.
is impeached, he betrays his confeder- Teodora visits Ernest, and implores him
ates from self-interest. Macheath is mar-
not to fight, as it will give color to the
ried to Polly Peachum, a pretty girl, who rumors. Julian meantime is wounded by
really loves her husband. She remains Nebreda, and taken to Ernest's room,
at
>
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122
SYNOPSES OF NOTED BOOKS
res-
where he finds his wife. Ernest rushes
Athalie, a tragedy. by Racine. The
out, kills Nebreda, and returns to find drama is founded on one of the
Julian dying, in the belief that his wife
most tragic events in sacred history, de-
is guilty. The plays ends with Ernest's scribed in 2 Kings xi. , and in 2 Chron-
cry: “This woman is mine. The world icles xxii and xxiii. Athaliah is alarmed
has so desired it, and its decision I ac- by a dream in which she is stabbed by
cept. It has driven her to my arms. a child clad in priestly vestments. Going
You cast her forth. We obey you.
But
to the Temple, she recognizes this child
should any ask you who was the famous in Joash, the only one of the seed royal
intermediary in this business, say: Our- saved from destruction at her hands.
selves, all unawares, and with us the From that moment she bends all her
stupid chatter of busybodies. ) »
efforts to get possession of him or have
him killed. The interests and passions
Atalanta in Calydon, by Algernon of all the characters in the play are now
Charles Swinburne, is a tragedy deal-
the boy, whose
ing with a Greek theme, and employing toration to the throne of his fathers is
the Greek chorus and semichorus in its finally effected through the devotion of his
amplification. To this chorus are given followers. The drama is lofty and im-
several songs, which exemplify the high- pressive in character, and well adapted to
est charms of Swinburne's verse, - his the subject with which it deals.