The Lady Ecclesia. By George Matheson, D.D. (Hodder and Stoughton.)—There
is no little eloquence in the writing of this book, which is an allegory of the relations between the Christian Church and the world. We agree with Dr. Matheson in thinking that the beauty of an allegory is in its obviousness, not in its puzzle. For the most part, this kind of composition is very trying to the patience. Here the meaning is plain. Indeed, a very simple key is provided in the preface. Yet, notwithstanding this and the literary merit of the work, we cannot admire The Lady Ecclesia. When the Lord of Palatine (who symbolises the Roman Empire) offers marriage to the Lady Ecclesia and she refuses him, not without much struggle and sorrow, we have an allegory of the true Church refusing alliance with the State, which is obvious enough, but seems to us to have the demerit of offending taste. The details of the scene are just what we have read in scores of novels, and we cannot help thinking them incongruous in the extreme. The same criticism applies elsewhere. But there is much in Dr. Matheson's book that makes adverse criticism painful.
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