PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 146, 14 March 1908, Page 12

PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED.

"Plato and Christianity." By C:'. E. Bevan • Brown. Is. Whitcqmbp and Tombs., - This little 48-pago pamp]ct,\by-,.tha headmaster of the . Cbristchurch Boys': High' School, pretends to' no more "ambitious; design, than to''bo a : slight sketch of the correspondences contrasts' between Platonism and : Christianity. Mr., Brq-\\n has not much .that is new. to, tell us upon a subjcct that has ■ longi been", studied 'by' theologians and philosophers, but ho has a real gift for summary, and; a lucid: pen. The result of his labours lias been a 1 booklet that may not'bo of - much •• use to philosophers, ■' but : '-which' should : bo of real value in, sending its readers to' the Greek. . l'ho schema of the book is excellent,, Tho chapters, on . "Plato v.; Socrates" and, tho. "Republic" are brief, but considerable space is given to the' outlining of Plato's theories'and • Christian doctrine,- a particularly useful'summary being given of itho points of conflict'between tho Platonic and tho Christian viows of tho immortality of the soul.' The little'book is certain to bear good fruit' as an'introduction to' the,great philosopher. . ' \ "The Lono Hand." 11. 'Yol. 2. Sydney: "Bulletin" Publishing'Co/ An excellent cover —at once a; good piece of drawing and . a.„good example of colour printing—invites perusal of tho current-num-ber of the "Lono Hand.'" Tho editor discusses "The Nude in Art" in indignant conimont upon a recent Wellington court case, but ho says nothing new or useful; Norma!n Lindsay's brilliant pen gives us a series of pictures; illustrative' of, - the lovo affair of ■ Lancelot and Guinev'ero. His'drawing is wonderfully strong ;and vivid, but his Guinevcro is a horrid compromise botween tho strong lady at tho-circus and the good-for-nothing woman of tho street. A series begins that promises well—Beatrix Tracy's "Explorations in Industry." Edward Dyson rer turns to something like his old form in his jhronielo of tho'"Battlers and a Bear," but Arthur Adams is still wofiilly amateury falling' heavily oh tho mat. in his struggle with; humour. "Tho Big Five," v.'ith some unpleasant illustrations, ,is continued. Tho stories aro a little better than usual. Tho verses are mostly of the "Bulletin" school of flashy . artifice, but Hugh M'Crae has a clever conceit:— • / Pierette and I took sujroer on the grass, And, like a jjlobo of silver, in her wine She drank the moon, then laughed to see it' shine Still i' tho sky, despite the empty glass. Pierette and I, gay lovers full of bliss, Made merry in tho-shadow of the lime, And, fondling me, she laughed the second, time 1 ' ,: "My heart's mine yet," quoth she, '"despite ' your kiss." • , i .D. H. Souter seems to be taking shape as; ah Australian-who knows how to illustrate a story. , "The Making of a Shakespeare." By Professor Tucker. 9d. Melbourne: Lothian. ' , The amiable, habit of re-issuing lectures in booklet form will become greatly i disliked if it is to mean a series of bound-up dulnosses: such as make up Professor Tucker s discourse upon -Shakespeare. Tho Professor's lecture is a particularly imitating sample of the detritus ■ that is being! heaped upon Shakespeare s shrine for tho, appeasement of tho yearnings of Shakespeare Societies. Ono does' not nowadays expect anyono to say anything new about tho supremo literary figure in all history. But when ono does mount the platform to talk Shakespearo, ho should iiavo tho excuse p( a now way of sayiug old things. This is tho defence of .Professor Haleigh s admirable monograph in tho "Man of Letters" series. For Professor Tucker thoracis no dofenco. Perhaps tho audience to which lie delivered his lecture was of a kind to benefit from tlio simple innocence of tho lecturer's discussion; perhaps the old facts and the hoary platitudes alid the trito quotations wero new to thorn. But to issuo the lecture as a book is to say in "e(fcct : that hero is something now and useful. There is nothing useful in tho book, and tho stylo is dull and podestrian. Professor Tucker has written so well on other occasions that tho poorness of his present pcrfornianco aStonislioa and <;riovcs. I ' ~~ ,