No More Learning

appear that an arrangement by which Good
confined to mints which were all to the east of Friday should be the first Friday in April
The reflector is known as a Lieberkühn," and
a line drawn from York to Lewes, and he believed
is used at the present day. Mr. Rousselet also
would meet the requirements of the case,
described two old microscopes lent for exhibition
that their circulation was practically limited to
that portion of England, for it was there that
as a date suitable for the purposes of the
by Mr. T. H. Court. The first, a small portable the strength of Stephen's party lay. The mints commemoration, and more convenient for
simple microscope, signed I. Cuff, was probably to the west must have then been issuing money
made about 1750. The pillar is inclinable, and
Easter holidays than the varying dates
either under the influence of Matilda's party or
is mounted excentrically upon a thin oval brass
adopted in accordance with the present
of that of the independent bishops and barons.
plate, upon which it can be rotated to give
The period would comprise the years 1142 to
system.
stability to the instrument in different positions. 1146, and of it he attributed Hawkins type 275 LADY ASTRONOMERS are not unknown on
It has a fine adjustment of the John Marshall to Úenry, Bishop of Winchester, the King's this side of the Atlantic, but there are more
type to the lens-holder. There is a
brother; Hawkins 272 to the Bishop of Exeter ;
mirror, which, like the lens - holder, stage, and
of them in America. To perpetuates the
and 273 and 274 also to the West of England.
oval foot, is hinged so that it can be folded
Treating the series bearing the name of Henry,
memory of Maria Mitchell, an astronomer
up. It seems probable that this instrument may and illustrated as Hawkins 259, he adduced evi- of sixty years ago, the Nantucket Maria
have been the parent model of Ellis's aquatic dence to prove that, with the possible exception Mitchell Association has been formed, and
microscope. The second microscope was by
of the Corbridge coin, which might well have been
Watkins & Smith, who were in partnership from
this Association, aided by a gift from Mr.
issued by Prince Henry of Scotland as Earl of
1765 to 1775, a circumstance which fixes the
Northumberland, the type could not have been
Carnegie, has endowed a Fellowship to be
date of the instrument.
current before 1142 ; and
in that year
held by a lady_whilst pursuing research
Mr. Conrad Beck exhibited a lens termed the
Henry Fitz-Empress, afterwards Henry II. , in astronomy. The first award has been
“Focostat Lens. ” It was attached to a needle
arrived in England as a boy of ten years old, made to Miss Margaret Harwood, who has
or scalpel for dissecting purposes, and when it had he believed it was commemorative of his advent,
been adjusted to the focus required, work could be when, in consequence of the tendency of the
already been engaged in variable - star
carried on without further adjustment. It could
Norman barons towards Salic principles, the
observation at Harvard College for some
also be used in removing foreign bodies from cause of his mother, the Empress Matilda, was years.
culture tubes.
upon the wane. The geographical division of
Mr. E. J. Sheppard exbibited two slides. The
The new star Nova Geminorum, No. 2,
tirst was a vertical section through the four upper
power and monetary circulation would explain
has now sunk below the limit of naked-eye
the continuance, in those counties which were
incisors of a kitten about six days before birth ; not under Stephen's authority, of the many varied
visibility, but it is possible to follow its
the section passed through nearly an equal plane types which seem to have had but a local issue, career, so far as its brightness is concerned,
in each tooth. Mr. Sheppard also described the such, for example, as the pennies of Taunton from recent observations. According to
method of staining adopted. The second slide
struck by the Bishop of Winchester, which bore
showed the second maturation diyision in the
Prof. Pickering of Harvard College, son
the name of a moneyer whom Mr. Andrew
ovum of a mouse prior to its leaving the ovary.
March 10th it did not appear on a photo-
identified Sanson the moneyer
of the
Mr. O. F. Rousselet described four Rotifera
Winchester Roll of 1148.
graph of the region on which stars of the
from the Devil's Lake, a large brackish-water lake Major R. P. Jackson contributed & paper on eleventh magnitude were shown; but it
in North Dakota, the point of interest being that the coins of Madura and Tanjore, in which he occurred as a star of the fifth magnitude
all four species lived in brackish water only. differentiated the issues of the various potentates
Mr. F. Enock gave a lecture on 'Fairy Flies ruling between the sixteenth and eighteenth
on a photograph taken on March 11th.
and their Hosts. ' The interesting fact was that centuries, and explained the origin of many of
On the next night, March 12th, it was dis-
the eggs of the Mymaridæ are deposited in the the symbols which appear upon them. In this covered by Mr. Enebo, when it was said to
eggs of destructive flies. The lecture was illus-
relation he was able to append a list of “ sri-vira” be of magnitude four. The star was esti-
trated by many beautiful slides prepared by Mr. coins of Madura new to Indian numismatics.
Enock, including a series of photomicrographs
mated to have been brighter than the third
Mr. J. Coats, jun. , presented to the Library of magnitude on March 13th and 14th, and
illustrating the life-history of the fly from the time the Society, and to each member of its Council, a
its egg was deposited in its host.
copy of Burns's 'Scottish Coinage'; and Mr.
this appears to have been the maximum, for
W. Allen contributed to the Society's collection it has since decreased in brightness almost
medal in silver struck to commemorate continuously, though there have been oc-
ROYAL INSTITUTION. - April 1. -The Duke of his friend the late Dr. Joseph Joachim.
casional fluctuations. The spectrum in the
Northumberland, President, in the chair. ---Mr. Mr. B. Roth exhibited a series of the coins of
beginning was of the usual type character.
1. C. Tiarks, Mrs. Tiarks, and Mr. A. Wagg Stephen's reign referred to in Mr. Andrew'saddress;
were elected Members.
Mr. F. A. Walters showed a heavy noble of istic of Novæ, the bright hydrogen lines
The Chairman reported the decease of Prof. Henry IV. of the Calais mint, weighing 119. 4 being accompanied by dark absorption
N. Lebedew of Moscow, an Honorary Member, grains ; and Mr. William Charlton, Mr. W. S.
bands, changing on March 15th to a bright
and a resolution of condolence with the family
Ogden, and the author illustrated Major Jackson's line spectrum. Later many of the lines
was passed.
paper with many examples of the Indian coinage.
have broadened and been displaced, which
The special thanks of the Members were
returned to Mrs. Ludwig Mond and family for their
may be interpreted as indicating that two
gift of a bronze medallion of the late Dr. Ludwig
MEETINGS NEXT WEEK.
bodies with relative motion are involved in
Mond, founder of the Davy. Faraday Laboratory.
Astronomial, .
the phenomenon.
concave
as
as
Pri.


## p. 397 (#303) ############################################

No. 4406, APRIL 6, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
397
012
1987
Cam.
lor G.
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The book is produced by the Cambridge
University Press in a suitable form, and
PICTURE SALES.
is a valuable contribution to our know- MESSRS. CHRISTIE sold on March 23rd the
ledge of a difficult subject.
following pictures, the property of the late Sir
FINE ARTS
William James Farrer : Hans Maler, Johan de
Meun, author of The Romaunt of the Rose,'
in dark dress, showing a white shirt at the neck,
and holding his gloves in his left hand, and a
rose in his right, 1,0711. Rembrandt, A River
SIR WILLIAM RICHMOND'S
Scene: Stormy Weather, a windmill on rising
ground on the left, figures landing from a boat in
Prehistoric Thessaly : being some Account
PICTURES.
the foreground, 2101. Sandro Botticelli, The
of Recent Excavations and Explorations
Madonna and Child, with St. John, the Madonna,
Sir William Blake in rich dress, covered by a blue cloak lined with
in North-Eastern Greece from Lake The exhibition of
Kopais to the Borders of Macedonia. Richmond's pictures at the Fine-Art Society green, supporting on her knees the Infant Saviour,
contains a considerable number of excellent
who holds the end of her muslin veil, 7561. Moretto
A. J. B. Wace and M. S. Thompson. paintings, and, indeed, with the exception
da Brescia, The Magdalen, wearing a pink cloak
over a black dress, and carrying the pot of oint-
(Cambridge University Press. )
of the cheap No. 8, Lake Grünewald, Berlin, ment in her hands, 2101. A. Bronzino, Francesco
all the works shown display the artist's I. de' Medici, in rich red dress, resting his arms
THE explorations and excavations upon talent in a more amiable light than the
upon a table, and holding a miniature in his
right hand, 21 B. Cariani, Portrait of a
which Mr. Wace has been employed for more ambitious figure pictures which he Gentleman of the Scaliger Family, in dark dress
many years, more recently with the sends to the Academy. An earlier collection
with red slashed sleeves, and red cap, 4201.
Raffaellino del Garbo, The Madonna and Child
assistance of Mr. Thompson, here find of his pictures at the New Gallery had
how varied is Sir with Saints (a triptych), 4201. G. B. Moroni,
thorough and accurate publication. The William's production, certain work in the
Portrait of a Monk, in white gown, head turned to
records of discovery upon the various Pre-Raphaelite
the left, 2201. Andrea del Sarto, a Pietà, the
manner having demon.
dead Christ, with a pink loin-cloth, reposes in
prehistoric sites are fully described and strated his power of painting from the foreground ; behind, in the centre, is the
adequately illustrated, so that it is possible nature with a delicacy and modesty which Madonna, with an angel on either side of her, 525).
to estimate the evidence upon which the retain their value through any changes Luca Signorelli, St. George and the Dragon, 4621.
.
conclusions of the explorers are based; of artistic fashion. An intelligent curiosity Titian, The Adoration of the shepherds, 5461.
and the concluding chapters of the book
as to what his contemporaries are doing, a
The other pictures were from various collec-
receptiveness which enables him to acquire tions : Jan van der Meer of Haarlem, An Extensive
give a survey of the whole subject as
not the outward semblance only, but also the Landscape, in the centre, on a mound by the
clear as our present state of knowledge real spirit of their accomplishment—these edge of a river, a château, and behind it, on the
will allow, and an excellent and reasonable are excellent qualities, notwithstanding the left, some cottages and a figure, 3151. Carpaccio,
discussion of the various theories that modern rage for originality, at all costs, in red dress, blue and green cloak, and white head-
have been held. Many of those theories and it is these qualities which make Sir dress, enthroned, holding the Infant Saviour,
were based upon a partial knowledge of William Richmond an acceptable painter. who stands on her knee ; before her on the right
the facts, and fall of themselves as In the present exhibition the inspiring P. Moreelse, Portrait of a Young Girl, in green
stands St. Peter, and on the left St. Paul, 3251.
soon as they are confronted with a com- genius would seem to be Giovanni Costa, him.
dress with white pinafore, holding a feather
Umbrian School, the
Madonna,
prehensive statement such as is here self, it is true, a painter of no extraordinary fan, 2301.
initiative, so that it would perhaps be more
supporting on her lap the Infant Saviour, who
supplied.
just to set them both down as landscape is lifting the
lid from a vase she holds in her
The authors themselves, however, would painters of the Roman School. Sir William right hand, 5041. A. Cuyp, A Landscape, two
peasants conversing under an oak ; before then.
be the first to admit that there are many Costa slavishly, though in such works as
Richmond, at any rate, does not imitate some sheep and a goat, 2621.
problems still awaiting solution, and that Carrara, Mountains after Storm (29), Twi- pictures, the property of the late Mr. John Glas
Messrs. Christie sold on March 30th the following
their book represents
not merely a sum- light, shore of Bocca d'Arno (61), or Forest, Sandeman : D. A. c. Artz, A Fisherwoman, seated
mary of existing knowledge, but also a basis Volterra (3), the resemblance, when similar on the dunes, sewing, her boy and young daughter
for future investigation and theory. They subjects are handled, is very striking. playing before her, 2731. B. J. Blommers,
certainly seem to have shown quite On the Banks of the Tiber (26) and The Castle, Landing and selling Fish, Scheveningen,
7141.
clearly that the Thessalian region was, Assisi (32 and 62), are finer pictures, however, boats, 3611. W. Maris, A Duck and Ducklings,
in prehistoric times, almost completely and by their more masculine conception by some reeds at the edge of a stream, 3361.
isolated from the civilization of the suggest, perhaps, the influence of another sir W. Q. Orchardson, The Protector, 4201.
The remainder were from various properties.
Ægean and of the southern Greek penin-artist who also fell under the Roman spell-
Drawings : J. M. Whistler, Japanese Women,
sula; that the penetration of influence
These are the best of the Italian subjects, Scheveningen, 2101. Sir L.
(pastel), 1201. B. J. Blommers, Selling Fish,
Alma Tadema,
from the south during the Mycenæan which, as a rule, represent the happiest Watching the Passers-by, 1201. L. Lhermitte,
Age was only partial and superficial; and period of the artist's landscape work, Moisson sur le Couteau (pastel), 1101.
that rude Thessaly formed, as the authors although one of the Egyptian subjects-
Pictures : H. Fantin-Latour, Peonies in a Glass
well put it,
a buffer state, and helped A Street Scene, Cairo (50)
stands apart J. B. C. Corot, Landscape, with a building,
Bowl, 3251. ; Spring Flowers in a Vase, 1991. 108.
to protect the civilization of Southern from the rest by its virile technique and figure, and cows, 1997. 108. ; Landscape, with a
Greece from the more vigorous tribes of bold design. The only paintings we have building and figure : evening, 1991. 108.
the Northern Balkans. " The relations of seen which have much affinity with it are
the Thessalian region with the south and Thomas Graham, which had the same
certain little-known oil studies by the late
west are thus fairly evident; those with forcible contrasts of harshly brushed trans-
the north are more interesting, but must parent paint and vigorous impasto, the
Fine Art Gossip.
a wait more exploration before they are colours of which seemed rather emphasized
THE portrait in oils of himself which the
elear ;
and the racial questions involved by their being confined to comparatively Italian Government has invited Commen-
are even more obscure.
neutral pigments. In the other Egyptian datore Walter Crane
subjects, such as Nile Boatmen (53) or
to paint for the
Uffizi Gallery, Florence,
In dealing with primitive geometric ware, Tomb of Sheykh, El Kab, Egypt (6), we
of the sort found in such quantities upon rather see the influence of Costa sítered pleted, and it will be shown, together with
many sites recently, both in the Ægean through Leighton; and in the Porch of Sultan by this artist, at the Leicester Galleries,
and North Greek region, and far afield
from Hassan, Cairo (19. a typical French picture Leicester Square, on and after Saturday,
Mesopotamia and throughout the Medi- and, in earlier work not included here, the
the 13th inst.
terranean basin, not to speak of more English Pre-Raphaelites—may seem an odd SEVERAL portraits have recently been
remote quarters of the earth, the question jumble of styles ; and there will not be added to the Scottish National Portrait
of racial and artistic affinity or influence wanting critics to say that a painter so Gallery, Edinburgh. They include the Van
cannot be studied apart from the psy- adaptable cannot be of much importance. Dyck full-length of James, first Duke of
chology of primitive art, for it seems that To some extent this may be granted, in the Hamilton ; George Richmond's portrait
the human mind and hand tend to produce mond will not stand for any definite addition burgh surgeon ;
sense that the name of Sir William Rich. of James Syme, the distinguished Edin-
Thomas Philips's half-
similar results under similar conditions in in kind to the art of painting. We cannot length of James, eighth Earl of Lauderdale ;
many cases where any influence or rela- admit, however, that his pictures are on that and Sir James Guthrio's full-length of the
tion is improbable or impossible.
account unimportant.
late Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.
00
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## p. 398 (#304) ############################################

398
THE ATHENÆUM
No. 4406, APRIL 6, 1912
were
PERFORMANCES NEXT WBEK.
8ux.
SAT.
Max Pauer's Planoforte Recital, 3, Bechstein Hall.
M. CAMILLE MAUCLAIR contributes to the the most natural place for it. Prof. by the Parisian Quartet. It is in some ways
April number of L'Art et les Artistes an Stein, who discovered the parts, has an interesting work : very clear in the
important article on the work of M. Albert frankly stated that numerous symphonies
classical form as modernized by César
Besnard, whose ‘Souvenirs des Indes' are
being exhibited this month at the Galerie have been falsely circulated under the Franck. The music was to a large extent
intellectual, though now and again there
George Petit, Paris. Though chiefly known
names of Haydn and Mozart. Beethoven's
were phrases in which emotion made itself
as a painter, M. Besnard is also an accom-
name, however, says the Professor, was
felt. If not of absorbing interest, the Quartet
plished etcher, and he has specially executed scarcely known outside Vienna until after formed a pleasing contrast to some nebulous,
an original etching, a proof of which will the publication of his first Symphony in lengthy modern French works. Character-
be presented this month to each subscriber 1801. Who then, he asks, would have istic songs by Ernest Chausson were sung
of the French review.
thought of putting it on a spurious manu-
with intense feeling by Mlle. Germaine
THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT has recently script ? Beethoven's name
Sanderson de Crowe.
was, how-
acquired for the Musée du Luxembourg a ever, known at Jena as early as 1793 (the
THE SOUTH PLACE SUNDAY POPULAR
bronze bust of M. Claude Monet, the founder Symphony, he believes, was composed after CONCERT on St. Patrick's Day was appro-
a sculptor who has already won distinction 1792 and before 1800), for Prof. Fischenick priately devoted to the music of Sir
by his portrait busts of Degas and Renoir.
wrote on January 26th in that year to composer of the present day. His String
Charles Stanford, the most notable Irish
Schiller's sister Charlotte at Jena, telling Quartet in G minor, Pianoforte Quintet in
ONE of the most distinguished of Piloty's
pupils has passed away in Otto Seitz, Pro her of the wonderful youth whom the D minor, and the song cycle Cushendall
fessor at the Munich Academy, whose death Elector had sent to Vienna to study under included in
Sir
the programme.
in his 66th year is announced from that city. Haydn. Beethoven must therefore have Charles played the pianoforte part in the
His chief strength lay in his landscapes, but been talked about in musical circles at Quintet, also the accompaniments for Mr.
he was also well known by his drawings. Jena.
Plunket Greene.
An interesting discovery has recently As to the internal evidence afforded
been made at the Boymans Museum, by the music, it shows the strong influence
According to the Dutch corre- of Mozart and Haydn, principally the
Rotterdam.
Concert, 3. 30, Royal Albert Hall.
Bunday Concert Society, 3. 30, Queen's Hall.
spondent of The American Art News, the
Sunday League Concert 7. Queen's Hall.
Queen's Hall Orchestra Endowment Fund. 3. Queen's Hall.
Portrait of a Man' by Carel Fabritius latter, to which all composers, great and
at that museum has been found to bear, small, were subject during the second half
in addition to the signature, the inscription of the eighteenth century. Prof. Stein
TO CORRESPONDENTS. — M. W. P. -P. T. K. -J. G. -
“ Ætat. 31," and the date 1645. If accepted, considers the minor section of the slow R. R. M. -Received.
this establishes 1614 as the year when movement out-and-out Beethovenish, but No notice can be taken of anonymous communications.
Fabritius was born, and demolishes the we doubt whether he will find many to We cannot undertake to reply to inquiries concerning the
statement of Blijswijck that Fabritius was
" about thirty" when he was killed in 1654, two other passages in the work more likely pictures
, &c.
appearance of reviews of books.
endorse that opinion. He names one or
We do not undertake to give the value of books, china
and the accepted theory that he was born
between 1624 and 1625. The De Notte to support his argument, yet not forcible
portrait by Fabritius at Amsterdam, which enough to convince us that Beethoven
bears a date generally deciphered as 1640, wrote the Symphony. There is one T H E A TI E N Æ U M.
tends to confirm the earlier birth-date. genuine work of Beethoven's composed as SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.
M. RODIN's statue ' L'Homme qui Marche' early as 1790, a ‘Cantata on the Death
has now been placed in position at the of the Emperor Joseph II. '
The score
(Hall-Columän)
Farnese Palace, which has recently been
A Column . .
was not discovered until 1884, and, after
acquired by the French Republic as its playing it through, Brahms truly said : Auctions and Public Institutions, Five Liner 4. and Bd. per line
Embassy at Rome.
" It is all genuine Beethoven, and even were
Pearl Typo beyond
CONSTANTINOPLE is the latest European not his name on the title-page, it would
IN THE MEASUREMENT OF ADVERTISEMENTA, CARE
capital to be the victim of art robbers. be attributed to no one else.
SHOULD BE TAKEN TO MEASURE PROX
The differ-
It has only recently come to light that
ence between the music of the Cantata and JOHN C. FRANCIS and J. EDWARD YRANCIS,
a magnificent aigrette, jewelled with
The Athonsum Office, Broum's Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, E. C.
diamonds, emeralds, and pearls of great the new Symphony is indeed notable. The
value, has been stolen from the mausoleum performance of the latter under Mr.
of Mahmoud II. Even greater consterna- Landon Ronald was excellent.
Τ Η Ε Α Τ Η Ε Ν Ε Ο Μ,
tion has been caused by the disappearance
of the historic sabre of Suliman the Mag-
Is published every FRIDAY in time for the Afternoon Mails. Termo
nificent, which vanished during the trans-
ference of the national collection of arms
from the imperial palace to the Museum of
Por dix Months, 98. ; for Twelve Months, 180. , coramoncing from any
Musical Gossip.
date, payable in advance to
Arms.
JOHN O. PRANCIA,
THE last of the Broadwood Concerts
The Atheneum Ofice, Bream'ı Bullding, Chasonry Lane, London, E. O.
for this season took place at the Æolian
Hall on Thursday evening, March 28th,
MUSIC
and, like many of the series, consisted of
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS.
excellent, though familiar music, but for
that reason, if for no other, was greatly
THE 'JENA' SYMPHONY. enjoyed by the audience. In Lieder by
AUTHORS' AGENTS
Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms,
The much-discussed 'Jena' Symphony and some of his own, Dr. George Henschel
BAGSTER & SONS
CASSELL & Co.
was performed at the fourth and last displayed once again his gifts both as singer CATALOGUES
concert of the New Symphony Orchestra and accompanist. A note in the pro-
at Queen's Hall on March 30th, and Mr. gramme-book expressed surprise at 'the EXHIBITIONS
FARMER
Herbert McCullagh, in the programme- neglect of Beethoven's songs by singers ;
book, declared that “ the absolute authen- yet beautiful as some are, neither he nor
even Mozart was at his greatest in that
ticity of the music may now be accepted branch of musical literature. Mr. Percy MACMILLAN & Co.
without demur or hesitation. " As yet, Grainger was the pianist of the evening. MAGAZINES, &c. . .
however, in our opinion, th: evidence in His performance of the Bach-Liszt Organ MISCELLANEOUS. .
favour of its being a genuine work by Prelude and Fugue in a minor was interesting;
NOTES AND QUERIES
Beethoven is scarcely strong enough to There was plenty of life and power in it, and
PROVIDENT INSTITUTIONS
justify such a bold statement. It is
the intention of the interpreter to reveal the
strange that the orchestral parts have been depth and grandeur of the music was clearly
manifest.
discovered, yet no full score; also that
SITUATIONS VACANT
the name of Beethoven should be only on Société des Concerts Français at Bechstein
The last evening_this season of the SMITH, ELDER & Co.
a second violin and a 'cello part. The Hall on March 29th opened with a Quartet TYPB-WRITEKS, &c.
SOCIETIES . .
first violin part would surely have been l by M. J. B. Ganaye, which was ably rendered UNWIN
5 Lines of Pearl. .
75
& d.
0 36
1 16 0
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:::
::::
A Page
RULE TO RULE.
PRIOR THREBPBNOE,
of Subscription. tree by post to all parts of the United Kingdom: For
Threo Months, 88. 10d. ; for six Months, 78. 8d; for Twelve Months,
156. 3d. For the Continent and all place within the Postal Union.
:
EDUCATIONAL
. .
LECTURES . .
LONGMANS & Co.
PAOE
378
379
400
378
377
377
379
377
380
• 380
378
377
378
377
377
878
378
377
399
377
378
380
PRINTERS . .
•
SALE BY AUCTION
SHIPPING
: : :


## p. 405 (#305) ############################################

No. 4407, APRIL 13, 1912
THE ATHENÆUM
405
CONTENTS.
PAGR
PRESENT PHILOSOPHICAL TENDENCIES
408
Order). .
407
407
Woman ; The True Traveller)
408
108
NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS
418
. .
414
THB ANTARCTIC ; SOCIETIES; MEETINGS NEXT
415—417
417-418
BACH
419
we
come
420
is no doubt confirmed in his opinion that ideas, nor look on with sublime indiffer-
SATURDAY, APRIL 13, 1912. the works of Mr. Bennett are of vastly ence to opinions as to the true and the
superior merit.
false, the desirable and the undesirable.
This modern self-confidence is un- That is why, when a correspondent
MEN AND BOOKS
doubtedly a healthy sign of intellectual recently accused us of showing a “political
activity and eagerness. It goes to show | taint” in one of our reviews, we replied
that authors are scrutinizing keenly the that The Athenæum is primarily a literary
Two SAINTS (St. Francis of Assisi ; St. Clare and her
life that is going on around them ; paper ; that
that they are interested in facts and
IRELAND FROM WITHIN (The Pope's Green Island)
as such it is bound to take account of the
things, and seeking to give them a larger whole of literature and most account of
ANNALS OF THE POOR (The Autobiography of a Working reality in terms of ideas ; and we see that that part which is most vital, which expresses
they are finding a similar response from most strongly and spontaneously the actual
NEW NOVEL (The Heart of a Russian)
the reading public. It is not without thought and life of the time. ”
409 significance that all through the period of This does not mean that we take a political
FORTHCOMING BOOKS
the Coal Strike publishers reduced their view—though some of our contributors
output of books to the smallest possible may have political bias. It means that,
LITERARY GOSSIP
dimensions, and especially refrained from regarding politics as a portion only of
SCIENCE-NOTICRS OF NEW BOOKS ; CAPT. SCOTT IN
issuing books of the highest class. We do human affairs, and the party view as a
WBEK ; GOSSIP
not believe that this was merely due to the partial view, we prefer to take a broadly
FINE ARTS ---NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS; THE INTER-
fact that in times of economic crisis there human, and in that sense strictly critical
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF SCULPTORS, PAINTERS, AND is a lack of pocket-money with which to and literary, view of literature.
GRAVERS; SALES ; GOSSIP
purchase literature, The fact surely was But when we have said that, we are
MUSIC-GOSSIP; PERFORMANCES NEXT WEEK; J. S.
that much of the attention which in many also bound to point out the drawbacks
DRAXA-OTHELLO' AT HIS MAJESTY'S; GOSSIP 419 420
circles is given to modern books was and serious limitations of the modern
drawn away by the stirring events that tendency. It includes—and
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
were happening in our midst. The study back to the point at which we started—
and contemplation of the Coal Strike a tendency to dissociate modern writing
were precisely of the same nature as the from the continuous stream of English
LITERATURE
study and contemplation of original con- and world literature. Incidentally the
temporary literature. For that literature, self-satisfaction and the didacticism of
in its most characteristic forms, is con- modern writers have not only served to
MEN AND BOOKS.
cerned with the problems and the structure make a breach between themselves and
of modern society.
English literature as a whole, to the
“ We must read what the world reads at If we inquired what English plays of detriment of their perspective; but have
the moment,” said Dr. Johnson in an
recent years have called forth the most also set a gulf between themselves and
argumentative mood, though he gave criticism and interest in intellectual circles, those of another school, for whom world
the remark an ironical meaning when he we should have to name, first, Mr. Gals- literature is more important than the
added, “ A man will have more gratifica- worthy's 'Justice,' and, perhaps, secondly, literature of to-day, for whom erudition
tion of his vanity in conversation, from his Štrife. ' The latter was concerned and scholarship are not to be lightly dis-
having read modern books, than from with a situation exactly similar to that missed as academicism. We can imagine
having read the best works of antiquity. ” developed by the Coal Strike. The action no greater disaster to letters than a
Nevertheless, one great difference between of the drama took place in the middle of a breach between the literary originator
the time of Dr. Johnson and the world great strike. Mr. Galsworthy presented and the man of learning. Such a breach
of to-day is, that whilst the former | typical characters representing owners can only mean that learning is cast back
lived in perpetual admiration of antiquity, and men, both acting on principle, both upon itself, loses humanity, and becomes
we live in perpetual admiration of our- determined and irreconcilable, stubborn academic ; and that the author who
selves. Johnson agreed that Pope's poetry and loyal, both betraying human qualities despises or ignores erudition tends to
was not talked of so much after his death fundamentally the same. We are not for become opinionative and shallow. His
as in his lifetime ; but, he said, it
the moment concerned with the conclusion work must lack the imaginative range,
has been as much admired since his death drawn by the dramatist, but with the the mellowness, the beauty which cannot
as during his life. . . . Virgil is less talked of fact that the serious attention which is take form through instinct alone, which
than Pope, and Homer is less talked of than given to modern literature and drama is cannot be expressed by those who have
Virgil ; but they are not less admired. ”
the same sort of attention as that given to not lovingly studied the models of
Now it cannot be denied that in that the great social questions of our time. antiquity and our own literature.