500
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. i. JUNE is,
guesses about fragmentary myths ; but will proceed
upon sure principles of interpretation." Is he
right? He is very ingenious and well informed,
and has devoted fifteen years to the elucidation of
various problems connected with the origin of
primitive religion and myth. We will not attempt
to answer our own question, not claiming, indeed,
to possess the equipment necessary. We think it
probable that he is on the right track he himself
would scarcely say more and we are sure that his
book will commend itself to all interested in the
genesis of religion and culture.
W. G. Wills, Dramatist and Painter. By Freeman
Wills. (Longmans & Co.)
THE life of W. G. Wills, the author of 'Charles I.,' 4 Olivia,' and many well-known dramas, has been piously written by his brother. The subject is not specially suited to our columns, no flavour of antiquity having as yet attached itself to Wills's work either as poet or as painter. It is pleasant, however, to state that the task undertaken has been successfully accomplished, and that the claim for Wills of being a nineteenth - century Oliver Goldsmith is made out. Those privileged to possess the intimacy of W. G. Wills knew him as one of the most large-hearted, generous, indolent, and irresponsible of men. Abundant proof of these things is furnished in the volume before us, and the charge of indolence is not dis- proven by the fact that, apart from his many charming pastels, Wills is responsible for no fewer than thirty-three acted plays besides we know not how many still in MS. Wills's invention was not equal to his poetic gift or his sense of dramatic situation. His happiest work was done when, as in the case of * Charles I.' and ' King Arthur,' he had a background of history or myth, or, as in ' Olivia ' and ' Medea in Corinth,' he had previously existing materials with which to work. He was, however, touched to fine issues and had unmis- takable genius, and his work is in some qualities the best of its epoch. We cannot but be sorry, judging by the extracts set before us, that his dramatic version of the Arthurian legends has not seen the light. It is to be hoped that the plays in possession of Sir Henry Irving and others will be preserved, with a view to future publication. It is not likely that Wills himself in many cases pre- served copies. The reproach attributed to some
his case had" not only to go near waiting, but to
wait in vain. Mr. Freeman Wills supplies an
attractive picture, correct in the main, of a very
lovable and wholly impracticable man of genius,
concerning whom the last word has not even now
been said.
Some, of the Women of Shakespeare. By William
Greer Harrison. (San Francisco, Murdock.) MB. GREEK HARBISON has printed in pamphlet form his essay on Shakspeare s women delivered before the Chit-Chat Club of San Francisco. Con- cerning the principal women of the tragedies and romantic comedies Mr. Harrison writes eloquently and enthusiastically. Considerable space is devoted to Imogen, Cleopatra, and Lady Macbeth. We miss, however, from the gallery which, as its title indicates, does not pretend to be complete Con- stance, in some tragic respects the greatest of all.
Whitaker's Naval and Military Directory, 1898.
(Whitaker&Sons.)
THIS useful volume of reference contains a some- what elaborate note on naval and military medals which our readers will wish to see. We remark an account of the presentation to a British force, for an action in 1794, of a gold medal " by the Emperor of Germany." We are inclined to doubt the historical accuracy of the phrase as used in this connexion. Of course the Emperor Francis was Kaiser and head of the German Empire ; but we should have thought that he would at the time have been called Emperor of Austria rather than Emperor of Ger- many, and have described himself only as "Csesar et Imperator."
WE hear with extreme regret of the death of the Rev. John Woodward, LL.D., rector of St. Mary's Scottish Episcopal Church, Montrose, an acknowledged authority on archaeology, and well known, both at home and abroad, as a writer on historical and heraldic subjects. On the death of Dr. Burnett. Lyon King at Arms, the office was offered to Dr. Woodward, who, however, from religious scruples, declined it. He was the author of a number of important works on heraldry and a frequent and valued contributor to our pages.
'THE SHAKESPEARE REFERENCE BOOK,' by J. Stenson Webb, is announced by Mr. Elliot Stock to be published immediately. The same firm will shortly issue ' Angling Days and an Angler's Books,' by J. E. Page.
ta
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FBILEUSE ("Cold June"). The query is not suitable to our columns.
ERRATUM. P. 468, col. 1, 1. 14 from bottom, for " zebras " read zebus.
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