Book Reviews [pp. 107-112]

1887.~ Book i?e~i~ts. 109
Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit.' osopliy of an age or nation." Lord Bacon said:
"The genius, wit, and spirit of a nation are dis It is announced upon the title page and in the covered in its proverbs;" and Lord Iol~n Russell
introduction of this volume, that it was " revised pithily defines a proverb as "the wit of one an~l
in part by ~Ir. Bcecher, and under revision Jiy him tlie wisdom of many."
at t'0e time of }iis death," and that "wl,cu his min- i:ithcr ~Ir. I~rysdale lias some other understandistry came to a glorious close, lic liad gone patient- in of ~~liat l)roverbs are, or lie has not attained to
ly over about one-thini of it." Tiic volunie con- the limited wisdom which can weigh the worth of
tains characteristic sayings by the llcverend Henry words There are in this volume, we estimated,
Ward Beeclier, sclected from sermons, speeches, more than two thousand "proverbs." In our judgand writin~~ It is a duodeei,uo of 229 pages, and ment this collection shows in a very marked way
the selections, of from one to five lines each, are the danger which may c'ime to one's reputation
placed ~inder thir~v-eight diflerent heads, such as from the over-great admiration of not very critical
Nature, Man, Business, Character, Tlie WoAd people. As simple selections, of more or less value,
Success, liuman Life, Liberty, Wealth, The Press'
from the writings of a pread~er of unusual force,
and Fducation, besides religious and theological brilliancy, and eloquence, they must prove accepttopics. able enough to Mr. Beceher's friends and admirers.
Tlie title of the volume is ambitious, and one But every word is not pure gold; every sentence is
would believe beyond the vanity of living man not a nugget; and although by some curious fate, very
concerning anything he might produce as original, commonplace sayings occasionally get to be quoted
were it not that the editor aiinounces that "the as utterances of wisdom, very few of these are likework was begun nearly ten years ago, at Mr. Beech- ly ever to be repeated as proverbs. An unusual
er 5 suggestion and under his guidance." It is only way of putting a very usual truth will sometimes
charitable to lii memory to epujecture that the impress that truth upon the ordinary man, wlio is
editor alone is responsible for the title, and to he- not much given to thinking. But its single utterlieve that that part of the book was never,' not even ance has fulfilled its purpose, and the phrase is not
a third part, revised by Mr. Beecher. It challenges worth saving as a proverb, any more than a corntlie test of a criticism that few authors are ambi- mon fly is worth saving in amber. Much of Mr.
timis to have applied to their productions. Prov- Beech er's speech was of this character. A part of
erbs are, to the minds of most people, tlie concentra- tlie admiration which was bestowed upon liim was
tion and consummation of wisdom. As learned and by reason of liis fearlessness, a part iiy reason of his
witty as many nien are, few hold themselves equal freshness of phrase, a part by reason of his genuine
to tlie utterance of such wise sayings. An unusual humor and broad, human, and generous manner, liis
inspiration sometimes gives a man tlie rare chance attractive and persuasive personality. These are
of a happy liit in language, wliiA~ his best admir- qualities that win hearers, but do not make a strong
ers may claim as a genuine utterance of wisdom. armor against tlie sharp edge of criticisiia. We do
That in the long life of the woAd, men have from not say that Mr. Beeclier never said a wise thin
time to time been thus genuinely wise as well as nor uttered a proverb; but we say that he never utfelicitous, is evidenced in the proverbs that tlie tered two thousand proverbs, or, if lie did, that they
woAd has accepted and hands down as heirlooms are not among the two thousand and more selections
to each new generation. But they are not in any in this volume.
man 5 every-day speech. They are not produced It would be ungracious not to make good this
in given quantities, nor are they subject to produc- criticism by a few instances:
tion under contract. We do not doubt that there ~Tnder tlie sub-title "Nature," he says: "Floware a good many people who are ready for a given ers are the sweetest things that God ever made
price to agree to originate them, and to bring us and forgot to put a soul into." If that, in its wisfresh for every day's breakfast, ready for tlie day's dom, is true and was uttered to the glory of God,
application, pure maxims that they will warrant we fail to know tlie meaning of words or to recogwill pass for proverbs. But the contract could nize a proverb when we see it. Tlie phrase is
never be filled, if the performance were to be put pretty enough, if it means nothin and seems to us
to tlie tests which determine the wisdom of all an inspiration worthy a choice a'
place in a young
speech —time and the truth, which wait upon lady's album. lIe says on the same page: "The
their application to human affairs. "Proverbs," monkey is an organized sarcasm upon the human
it is said, " embody tlie current and practical phil- race, with variations multitudinous." We leave
`Proverbs from Plymouth426;17]Pulpit. Selected from the tlie value of that to be discussed between the evown'tings and sayings of lleriry B ard Beceher. By ~Villiam Drysdale. New York: B. Appleton & Company. lutionists and tlie friends of tlie departed preacher.
1887.