The Posthumous Essays of John Churton Collins. Edited by L.
C. Collins. (J. M. Dent and Sons. Os. net.)—A collection of a dozen papers upon miscellaneous literary subjects by the late Professor Churton Collins is sure to find many readers. Most of them were originally delivered as lectures, though two or three have been published in magazines. None, however, can be said to be of very great interest, though many bear traces of the characteristic) energy of their author's mind. An account of "Shakespearean Theatres," while it is unfortunately not abreast of modern research into the subject, contains a vivid imaginary description of the scene inside an Elizabethan playhouse during a performance. A paper upon Dr. Johnson adds little to our appreciation of his character and shows none of the sympathetic insight which characterizes Sir Walter Raleigh's series of essays on tho same theme. Of more interest in themselves as well as topically are a set of three essays upon "Browning and Butler," "Browning and Montaigne," and "Browning and Leasing." In those Brown- ing's attitude towards religion is sympathetically and fully discussed. "To how many of us," Professor Churton Collins exclaims, "has Browning sent now life-blood pulsing into the old truths ; for how many of us has he rekindled lights that were becoming dim and taught us to understand and feel what Christianity really means I"
Previous page
