SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.
[Under this heading we notice such Books of the week as have not been reserved for review in other forms.]
The Children's Odyssey : Told from Homer in Simple Language. By A. J. Church. (Seeley and Co. 5s.)—No father or mother who desires to introduce his children to the fascinating stories of the Odyssey can possibly do better than buy Professor Church's book as a present for his boys or girls. The stories of the Cyclops, of the Sirens, of Ulysses among the Phaeacians, of the wanderer's home-coining, and of the trial of the bow could not be told more simply and directly, or in a way better fitted to delight and interest children, than they are told in this charming book. We have taken the precaution of having the book submitted to the true arbiter of this form of literature,—a boy under five. He has listened to it with breath- less attention and sparkling eyes. There have been no interrup- tions of "I don't understand what that means," and none of the lassitude which sometimes overtakes the listeners to the over- laboured and exhausting fantasies of modern fairy-fiction. Homer never disdained detail, and Professor Church has most wisely retained the details of the stories, even to the "narrow passage leading to the city gate, with a harbour on each side of the passage," the grove of poplar trees, and the spring in the midst of the grove with grass around it, which Nausicaa impresses upon the mind of Ulysses when she gives him directions how to find the palace of her father. We are delighted to see that Professor Church has embellished his book, not with perfunctory
pictures hastily executed b.y some illustrator who known nothing.of, and cares nothing for, the Greek spirit, but with reproductions. of Flaxman's exquisite illustrations tothe Odyssey. Greatly daring, he has had these illustrations—which, it must be admitted, Flax- man meant to be produced in black-and-white—coloured with simple colours such as are to be found in classical wall-paintings. The effect is quite excellent, and makes us realise how intensely imbued was Flaxman with the genius of Homer. Specially beautiful are the designs showing Ulysses following the car of Nausicaa, Ulysses giving wine to the Cyclops, and Ulysses slaying the suitors.
Previous page
