American Humourists. By the Rev. H. R. Haweis, M.A. (Chatty
and Windus.)—Mr. Haweis's book is disappointing. In the first place, the style is unpleasing, even provoking. The writer arranges what he has to say in little snippets of paragraphs. Such paragraphs are tolerable only at very rare intervals, when there is something very weighty to be said. Mr. Haweis uses them for the most trivial and common-place statements. Then the matter itself is, for the most part, poor : there is nothing striking in the criticism, and the extracts do not show much judgment in selection. The first lecture, " Washington Irving," gives a most imperfect account of its subject r the lighter humour of " Knickerbocker's History," for instance, is- wholly unrepresented. The second and third, dealing with 0. W. Holmes and J. R. Lowell, are no better. The greater part of them has nothing to do with the humorous characteristics of these writers. If a writer gives us extracts from "The Autocrat of the Breakfast . Table," bow can he omit that most side- splitting account of the island of Sumatra ? But Mr. Haweis.
has far too much to say for himself, and far too little for his authors. A lecturer, like a biographer, should be willing to efface himself. Mr. Haweis we should judge to be anything but willing. In the lecture on " Artemns Ward," his personal experiences come in very opportunely. It was a happy chance that brought so thoroughly an appreciative listener to Mr. Charles Browne's lecture. He describes it admirably, in a way that brings back the reality to any one who was present, as the present writer can testify, in the most vivid way. The two remaining lectures, " Mark Twain" and "Bret Harte " are better than the three which stand first in the volume, in proportion as their subjects are easier to deal with.
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