CURRENT LITERATURE.
Shakespeare's Funeral, and other Papers. By Sir Edward Hamley. (Blackwood and Sons.)—These papers are, we believe, reprints from Blackwood; but the volume contains no indication that they are not now published for the first time. Sir Edward Hamley is an able writer, and some of the articles brought together in this well- printed volume are worthy of his pen. " Shakespeare's Funeral," a dramatic sketch in which some familiar characters appear, is very
clever and entertaining. There is originality in the conception
and in the execution ; but apart from this paper, there is not, we think, sufficient purpose in the remaining letterpress to justify
separate publication. There is a clever skit on Mr. Ruskin,
entitled "Mr. Dusky's Opinions on Art ;" there is a review of " Les Miserables," in which the French method of explaining
away the Battle of Waterloo is dealt with in a masterly manner.
Indeed, this paper, as we might anticipate, is altogether excellent. But neither this article, nor the reviews of "The Life and Letters
of George Eliot," of " Hayward's Correspondence," and of
the unfortunate biography of Lord Lytton that seems never destined to be completed, although good and seasonable articles
when published in a monthly magazine, have any claim to a more lasting life. Sir Edward Hamley shows his versatility by a criticism of Fechter's Othello, and by a rather elaborate paper on " False Coin in Poetry," in which he strives, not always success-
fully, to deprive several highly popular poems or stanzas of the honour usually awarded to them. There is nothing easier for a
clever critic than to discover flaws in a poet's verse, since there is
no great poet who has not at times written feebly and falsely. Even Wordsworth, who was so opposed to the conven- tional diction of his predecessors, is not wholly free from bad
taste and childish conceptions. He is said to have called " Lycidas " and " La,odamia " " twin immortals." We do not think that they are poems between which any comparison can be formed, since the most noticeable feature of " Lycidas " is the enchanting music of the versification, while dignity of style characterises " Laodamia." Sir Edward Hawley, however, finds neither dignity nor any other virtue in the latter poem, which he considers " scholastic stuff " unworthy of a place in selections. Altogether, he is very severe on Wordsworth, and points out, which is not a difficult thing to do, certain weaknesses due to the poet's lack of humour. A reader of this article, taking it up in a lazy mood after dinner, will find it very amusing ; but comments of this kind belong to the Jeffrey school of criticism, and, despite the mixture of truth and jest which may make them welcome as magazine pabulum, have no lasting critical value. Wordsworth does not suffer alone from the writer's merry humour of fault- finding, but has for his companions Shakespeare and Milton, Byron and Keats.
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