The value of Mr. Bonamy Dobree's criticism rests in its
honesty ; in his steady attempt to say what he means, and feels, without swerving. The quality is rare enough : there are few literary critics whom we can really call independent in this sense. The Lamp and the Lute (Clarendon Press, 5s.) contains studies of Ibsen and Hardy, Mr. Kipling, Mr. E. M. Forster, Mr. Eliot, and Mr. Lawrence. In each of the studies we have the delight of finding a real response to the author, an attempt to grasp his " intuition," and a definite thinking- out of the artistic—and moral—problems his outlook involves. There is an equivalent disadvantage : Mr. Dobree himself is in love with doubt; and perhaps at times confuses doubt with honesty. In criticism written with a chill and dry intel- lectual tone, we are more likely to find small insights than deep understanding ; and Mr. Dobree never seems as centrally true as he would no doubt wish to be. This is no reason, however, for ingratitude ; the small insights are genuine and clear.
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