In criticism proper, I know not what recent book to rank
above Mr. W. C. Brownell's "Victorian Prose Masters,"
which includes critical studies of Thackeray, George Eliot,
Carlyle, Matthew Arnold, Ruskin, and Mr. George Meredith.
An American desirous of vindicating the claim of his country-
men to a higher place in this kind of literature may
discreetly invite his English kinsman to read Mr. Brownell's
essay on Matthew Arnold. It is not too much to say of it
that he is inspired by Arnold himself, and has followed
Arnold into the library of Sainte-Beauve, Arnold's master.
He does Arnold the justice to apply to him his own standards
and methods of critical judgment. His examination of
Arnold's various claims to distinction and to permanent
influence on English thought is searching, rational, sympa-
thetic, and of wide range. It is not necessary always to agree
with Mr. Brownell, but it is impossible to read him without
seeing that he understands criticism, applies it intelligently
and boldly, follows his argumnets to their inevitable conclu-
sion, be that what it may, and gives you an illuminating
account of a great writer. And Mr. Brownell is a publisher
-- a very remarkable publisher indeed, in whose mind there is
no confusion between the two departments of business and
literature.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------