Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/287

 9>s. vii. APRIL 6, 1901.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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Euhemerism is held still to prevail with the public, and to find a certain sanction from Mr. Herbert Spencer. The views of the naturalists are still dear to the writers in dictionaries ; the linguists now doubt the theories of Max Miiller; while the folk-lorists are headed by Mannhardt, Frazer, and Tylor, and to a certain extent, as a sort of fighter for his own hand a modern Gow Chrom by Mr. Andrew Lang. The weakness in all these systems Mr. St. Clair shows, and he then propounds his own, the nature of which we have already indicated. For the method in which this is worked out we must refer the reader to the book. We cannot explain in a column what occupies seven to eight hundred pages, and have not enough knowledge of astronomy to criticize the system. We can but say that the book is a re- markable product of industry, ingenuity, and eru- dition. It overflows with conjecture, but it is also a mine of information and a work that may be studied with unfailing gratification and delight. Some few slips we trace, and one which we assume to be a mistake, when * The First Sketch of English Literature ' is assigned to John Morley instead of Henry Morley.

Alfred the Great. By Warwick H. Draper. (Stock.) MR. DRAPER gives us an agreeable monograph 011 King Alfred as a contribution to the millenary celebration of the monarch's death. It is ushered in by a preface from the Bishop of Hereford, and accompanied by numerous illustrations of varying degrees of merit. Of the work itself it may be said that it improves as it proceeds. The opening sketch, which makes no pretence to completeness, is a little disappointing ; the seven studies which follow, and deal with Alfred in his different aspects I and in relation to his surroundings, are satisfac- tory and instructive. We are throughout in a land of mist, if not of fog, and there is not much of which we can be certain. The myth that pre- sents Alfred as the founder of Oxford University is, of course, umyorthy of a moment's credence. The value of the life by Asser, which still continues the chief source of information, has been fiercely contested, though a consensus of opinion now declares that, whatever interpolations have been made in it, the basis is genuine. The destruction by fire of the Cottonian MS. was a calamity. An engraved facsimile of the heading and open- ing sentence was, however, preserved in the 1722 edition of the life by Asser, and is reproduced in the volume before us. Mr. Draper sees no reason to doubt that the instructor of Alfred in letters, or at least the person who inspired him with the resolution to study, was his stepmother Judith, Princess of Flanders, an idea rejected by some authorities as preposterous. He also credits the king with the distribution of the country into shires, which Prof. Freeman regards as legend. Apart from matters still in dispute, enough remains to establish securely the position of Alfred as one of the few great rulers, and on this his latest biographer dwells. The longest and much the most remunerative chapter in the book is that on ' Alfred as Man of Letters.' The illustra- tions, though they include some whimsically sentimentalized pictures by Westall, give also some good portraits and many excellent views of spots of interest. The notes comprise a biblio- graphy. We find a use of the word "sea-dog" as a term of reproach, which is, to say the least, un-

familiar: "Alfred had them hanged for the sea- dogs that they were" ; and also a famous quotation from Milton misarranged as a single line. These are trifles, and we have detected no serious blemish.

THK April number of Man contains long essays on 'Prehistoric Egypt' and 'Georgia Folk-lore,' with an illustrated account of Celadon ware from Siam and of interesting articles, including a carved stool, from East Africa. Mr. Sidney Hartland deals with the new edition of Frazer's ' Golden Bough,' and, while admitting its great merits, is not wholly in agreement with the author. Prof. Rhys's 'Celtic Folk-lore' and Mrs. Gomme's ' Old English Singing Games ' are also discussed.

AFTER several articles on army alteration or reform appears in the Nineteenth Century an inquiry by Mrs. William Mahood after ' The Modesty of Englishwomen.' Far too delicate a matter is this for us to enter upon. We do not see that the ordinary drawing-room dress of an English lady is wholly inspired by the worship of modesty ; but we are not entitled to speak on the subject. The writer is, however, of opinion that "women do many things to-day which would have filled people with genuine shame and horror fifty years ago." Is it accident or design that so arranges matters that the next article is on ' Emigra- tion for Gentlewomen '? It is clear that if young gentlewomen follow out, as is counselled, their brothers to colonial farms a more primitive and pastoral state of affairs will be brought about, and there will be a revival of modesty among those who depart. ' Robert Browning the Musician,' by Miss A. Goodrich-Freer, is interesting in its way, but shows that an exact knowledge of music is not necessarily conducive to melody of versification. Some of the greatest modern poets, Tennyson included, had, we believe, little knowledge of musical science, or indeed of the difference between tunes. The Count de Soissons has an appreciative article on ' Augustin Rodin,' the great sculptor. It would be the better for illustrations, though these as yet are not often given in our reviews. Mr. W. H. Wilkins writes on * The First Queen of Prussia' ; Mr. Stephen Wheeler on ' Lord Curzon in India ' ; and Lady Priestley has a very interesting paper on ' The Bacteria Beds of Modern Sanitation. ' Two Notes on Charles Lamb,' by E. V. Lucas, which appear in the Fortnightly, have great interest. The earlier is concerned with "the finely appre- ciative and cordial critique" which, according to Cowden Clarke, Lamb wrote for the Morning Chronicle. Search after this has hitherto been vain. Mr. Lucas maintains, however, with much show of reason, that Clarke's memory was at fault, and that the critique in question was contributed not to the Morning Chronicle, but to the New Times. The article unearthed from the latter periodical has, in fact, every sign of Lamb's fine flair and appreciative insight, while the views are those to the expression of which he and Leigh Hunt were accustomed. Note II. quotes an utterance of Lamb, not previously reproduced by his editors, which justifies Thackeray's use, in regard to Lamb, of the term " Saint Charles." Mr. Andrew Lang, unwearied in his opposition to Mr. Frazer, now shows the untenability of the theory as to the Crucifixion expounded in the late edition of 'The Golden Bough.' Quite impossible is it in a sentence or two to show what are the points