Men and Letters : Essays in Characterisation and Criticism. By
Horace E. Scudder. (Houghton and Co., Boston, U.S.A..)—Beflned criticism expressed in good English is always pleasant to read, and this Mr. Scudder gives us. The writer is a man of considerable culture, with an inclination, theologically, towards what are known as Broad Church views. Perhaps the best paper is that on F. D. Maurice, whom he styles "A Modern Prophet." He was not, Mr. Scudder writes, " a leader of a party he was a leader of men ; " and he suspects that "hie writings will be rend less and leas, while his personality will be studied more and more." This essay, however, like others in the book, is very slight, and for readers familiar with Mr. Maurice's life and works, there is little in it that is suggestive. Two papers, "Longfellow and his Art," and "Emerson's Self," are admirable magazine articles, in which form they were, we suspect, originally published; but though marked by thoughtful criticism and a keen appreciation of literary and moral excellence, it may be ques- tioned whether they merit a longer life in book form. However, Mr. Scudder has studied his men, and readers who are in the habit of borrowing their literary judgments will find in him a safe and highly competent guide. It may be added that Mrs. Gilchrist's Life, written by her son, affords another topic upon which the writer discourses pleasantly. "Lander as a Classic" is a fine subject, but it is not one that can be adequately treated in ten pages.
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