BOOK NOTICES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12403, 12 July 1902, Page 10

BOOK NOTICES.

"Pluto." . By Professor D. G. Ritchie. M.A., ..University'■'of. St. Andrew's "Origen awl Greek .Patristic Theology.' By the Rev. AV. Fainveather, M.A. '■'Miiliammad and His Power." By V. tie' Lacy Johnstone, i\I.A. "The Medic and the. Italian Renaissance." By Oli pliant Smeaton, M.A. . Edinburgh: I. and T. Clai'k. , Dtinedin: Bible Depot, (Boards, 3s|each;)'. '-'v / These are the four latest additions to th< valuable series of "The World's Epocl Makers," .edited by MivOliphant Smeaton. the pell-known litterateur, whose name i: alone a Sufficient guarantee lor the excel lence of the fare provided. Each volume deals with'.sqfiie "'prominent. epoch ii: Theology, Philosophy, > and the history oi lutellectual Development." Each lia's beer assigned to the charge of some man of uotf in the literary world who has made thai special period his study; and the result, so far, is of uniform and unusual excellence, the little volumes being more than men discursive handbooks. Each one represent! original thought and . investigation, th( epitomised result of'much study, giving e sketch oE one or 'more lives and a critical analysis of the works that have made o: those lives epochs in the world's history, The volumes are not published elironologi callv, and ,have no necessary connectior with each other. Of the ones before us Professor Ritchie's "Plato" gives a dc lighifxil "'harmony" of the great philo sophev's life, somewhat legendary, perhaps but steering clear of the exaggerated state inents of friends audioes, who, on the o;\i hand, believed him to'be the "'son of thf god Apollo," and, 011 the other, accnsec him of '' luxurious and immoral habits," q paint him as a stern: ascetic, " abstaining from animal' food and forbidding to marry.' But it is in his analysis of Plato's philo sophy that- the professor shows at once tin depjh and lucidity of his own thought, anc is both a student and. a teacher; and his exposition of the Platonian myths anc theories concerning Life', Immortality Ethics, and the Soul are at once plainh and forcibly stated. The volume ends witl a chapter 011 Neo-platonism and some -valuable notes. " Origen and the Greek Patris tie-Theology" is an. "endeavour to con centrals attention upon the life and writings, the doctrine and influence of tin great teacher of the Greek Church." It is of necessity somewhat less popular in stylf than some other volumes of . the series, bui it is writ-ten' with great scholarly acumen and makes the reader,fully realise the fad that (lib work 'of the early Fathers of tin Church did much to "make Christianity a part of the civilisatiou of the world,' ind that their-works were never more worth} of study than at the' .present- time " Muhammad and His Power" is a hrillianl and -confident narrative-giving.an admirabh picture riot only of the prophet himself but of the condition of the'.'Arabs past ant

present, and of the extraordinary force oi those doctrines of Islam which are tin dominating religions and political influence: over one-sixth of'the'human race and an still as vital and persistent as they wen a dozen centuries ago. It has been trulj said "that one must reside among Milium madans and know them before one can hopi lo . know Muhammad." This Mr John atone has done, and the result, is the remark able volume before us, which abounds ii general information and interesting detail: concerning a people of whom we know littli or nothing, and is therefore as welcome t< the general reader as to the scholar. " Thi Medici and the Italian Renaissance," bi Gliphant Smeaton, is the result of yean of study "of that marvellous mingling o sunshine' and shadow characterising thi Renaissance period"—a period especial I; valuable as the connecting link between tin Dark Ages and the nineteenth century cnl ture, between mediteval and moden Europe, the old and the new. "'Pin Renaissance was the intellectual, moral spiritual, and artistic rebirth of Europi and the genesis of its culture; the cmanci pation of the soul of Western humanity from t-lie bondage of Scholasticism and o 'Authority' in ethics and theology." Am in the furtherance of this work tlii Medici, the " Great Merchant Princes" o Florence fully deserve their prominence a: " epoch makers," Mr Smeaton's book being "an . appreciation " of their efforts in tin cause of progress by their enlightened patron age of painters and sculptors, poets and his torians, scholars and architects—all win caught" the subtile spirit of the age," sinci at that time, to quote .the paradox o l'olitian, " Florence was the part that wai greater than the whole." In his endeavow to show us this Mr Smeaton is an en thusiast, and his book is full of the aromo of progress and culture, and proportionately fascinating. "The Missionary." By George Griffith London: George Bell and Sons. Dun edin: Whitcombe and Tombs. (3s 6d 2s 6d.) An example of the modern religious nove in which we are treated to two ex cellent sermons on the unrighteous ness of riches from "Tiie Mi.™ sionary" to Midas. A young man o position who, suffering himself from ar hereditary taint of alcoholism, become: an ardent- disciple of heredity, refuses t< many, enters the Anglican Church, wher< he assumes the highest of High Churel attitudes, and opens a propaganda—*' i message of salvation" Tint addressed "tc savages who caiinot understand it. or ti the people who were civilised when wt were savages, and who don't want it am won't liaVC it," but to the wealthy am feli-satisfied church members who - "Lord! Lord!" but do not Viie thing: which the Lord commanded. Incidentally also, "The Missionary 1 ' and his friend: take up a very decided attitude in relatioi to the so-called "social evil," in whicl; some very plain words are spoken and s strong protest made 011 ibehalf of tlios. who "sin more through necessity thaichoice." As a work of art " The Mis sionary" is somewhat unequal, but or the whole it is distinctly above the common; and Mr Griffith's unsparing denunciation of hypocrisy and "fashionable Christianity" are as trenchant- as they m well deserved; while lie finds a good "word for those who, "believing in their disbelief," are faithful to. their convictions and have .long proclaimed from their platforms what " The Missionary " at last say; from the pulpit of a fashionable church--- " that- a Christianity that- is not honest- is worth less than nothing, it is a stumblingblock and an offence." "Lazarre." By Mary Hartwell Catlier- ' wood. London: Grant Richards. Dimedin: Whitcombe and Tombs. (3s 6d, 2s 6d.) A' bright, sparkling, historical romanut slung on a slender thread .of truth, and instinct with life and noble, generous sentiments. "Lazarre" is the tale of what might have happened to the little son ol Louis XVI if lie could have been rescued from his awful imprisonment in the Teriiple prison and allowed to live the free, outdoor life of the American backwoods: first among savages, and then—when mind and body were alike healed—amid a company of refined French emigrants, and tliu? trained iu "all that beet- became a- man." How this ihysterious dauphin afterwardf went to France witli the intention of pushing his claim; how and why he abandoned that claim; and the story of a love that proved more alluring than the vision of a throne, we leave to the readers of this charming novel, who will certainly enjoy its pleasant pages. "Forest- Folk." By James Prior. London: W. Heinemann. (3s 6d, 2s 6d.) A' capital story of life in Old Sherwood Forest at the beginning of the last centnry, when, though the great forest had been " sadly despoiled of its lands," it was still a- vast waste of "green gorsc, brown bracken, and grey ling." Here many old words, old customs, and old ideas still hold sway, and from these 1 elements .Mr Prior has drawn the materials for a capital folk-story, reminiscent of Thomas Rardy at his best, and full of his natural touches in description and conversation, alternating from grave to gay, from the broadly comic to the tragically pathetic—a genuine reproduction of a phase of life that has already passed away, but -which is full of interest to the student of men and manners. ' "The World of Mimes,.' By Lewis Melville. London: Greening and Dunfdip: Whitcombe and Tombs. (3s 6d, 2s 6d.) . : A picture of " the actor's life as it is," when shorn (if that gkmour and romance incident to the unknown, which causes the mind of the neophyte lo conjure up pictures of exquisite Bohcmianism, full oi excitement, jov, and great contentment: far removed from the prosaic reality which Mr Melville tries to show in its unvarnished truth—" as a life' full of temptations, petty struggles, unsettled and unsettling, incessant toil, painful excitement, and constant- strain undermining the health and overstraining tho nerves. 'A strange world; my. masters, and perhaps, after all. not a very merry one.'" "The World of Mimes" would be read with profit- by many "stagestruck " young persons of both sexes -who have not yet- learned to distinguish between life on the boards and life "behind the scenes." "No Place for Her." By Jetta S. Wolff. London: Greening and Co. Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs. (Cloth, 3s 6d.) A pretty, pathetic story of an illegitimate child who had "no place" in the life of either parent, but ultimately found rest in the bosom of mother earth. A sad commentary on the injustice of man and the need of a wider spirit of humanity. "Fancy Free." By Eden Phillpotts. London: Methuen. Dunedin: Whitcombe and Tombs. (3s 6d, '2s 6d.) • A collection of short 6tories of varying merit, some really funny, ethers merely an attempt to raise a laugh by more or less legitimate methods and generally failing to attain the desired result-.