Page:Notes by the Way.djvu/277

 NOTES BY THE WAY.

��207

��of the East, who have produced, in the ' Arabian Nights,' the c Iliad ' of romance. . . .Although written in prose, liberally sprinkled with verses, the work is a poem throughout. In every page we are aware of the poet .... The charm [of the book] has surpassed that of any Eastern work we ever read since the Arabian tales ; and George Mere- dith, hitherto known to us as a writer of graceful, but not very remark- able verse, now becomes the name of a man of genius of one who can create."

In the same number an affectionate tribute is paid to Hum- boldt in a review of his ' Kleine Schriften,' dedicated by him to " the greatest geologist of the present day, the most acute observer of nature," Leopold von Buch, " in memory of a sixty years' un- troubled friendship."

Rogers's ' Table Talk ' brings forth a light, chatty article on the 16th of February. Rogers

" had known all, or nearly all, the celebrities of England. His first poem was published in 1786, before [Erasmus] Darwin, now long forgotten, was heard of before Crabbe had written his best poems while Cowper was gaining a little celebrity and while Johnson still reigned in Bolt Court."

He saw Lady Hamilton, at a party given to the Prince of Wales, go through all those " attitudes " which have often been engraved. He saw Nelson spin a teetotum with his one hand during a whole evening for the amusement of some children. Of Wellington it is related that he was once in danger of being drowned at sea. It was bedtime, and the captain told him, " It will soon be all over with us." " Very well," answered the Duke ; " then I shall not take off my boots." The book, it will be remembered, teems with the sayings of Sydney Smith. Among those quoted is his telling Rogers of " a very odd dream " he had had on the previous night : " that there were thirty-nine Muses and nine Articles, and my head is still quite confused about them."

In noticing Herbert Spencer's ' Principles of Psychology ' on the 1st of March the reviewer

" cannot help one reflection. Whatever pain may be felt at finding so remarkable an intellect on the side of opinions which most readers must regard as opposed to their most cherished convictions, there will be a counterbalancing pleasure and a high moral influence in the contact with a mind so thoroughly earnest and sincere in the search after truth as every page of this work shows Mr. Spencer to be."

On March 15th Walt Whitman's ' Leaves of Grass ' receives summary treatment : "If the ' Leaves of Grass ' should come into anybody's possession, our advice is to throw them instantly behind the fire."

On March 22nd Grote is congratulated on the completion of his history of Greece " from the days of Homer to the death of Alex- ander " :

��Humboldt.

��Rogers's 'Table Talk.'

��Herbert Speocer.

��Walt Whitman.

��Grote.

�� �