says, in his brief preface, a
few words which seem to be candid and truly modest. Rigorous criticism,
he tells us, will not be unwelcome, not because he has any vain
confidence in his own views, but "because they are put forward in good
faith in order to elicit truth concerning a genius who is the richest
inheritance of the intellectual world." He adds that he presents his
book rather as a series of inquiries than as dogmatic doctrine, and
that even if his views are controverted, he must be a gainer, "for it
can never be a true source of mortification to relinquish opinions in
favor of those which are shown to be better." This is indeed the
fairest, best spirit of literary candor, and it is expressed with manly
ingenuousness. If the author really feels what he utters so well, and
we are both bound and willing to believe that he does so, he has set an
example of a virtue which should be very much commoner than it is.

[8] "_Shakespeare, from an American Point of View_: Including an
Inquiry as to his Religious Faith and his Knowledge of Law. With
the Baconian Theory Considered." By GEORGE WILKES. 8vo, pp. 471.
New York: D. Appleton & Co.

In giving to Mr. Wilkes's book the consideration which is due to its
careful and intelligent preparation, we are, however, somewhat puzzled
at the outset. What is an American point of view in regard to a
literary subject, and above all a subject the historical position of
which is previous, not only to the Declaration of Independence, but to
the settlement of New England? We can apprehend what an "American"
point of view might be as to a question of politics, or of society, or
even of morals, in the present day; but what such a _distinctive_
view could be even on those subjects, considered as they present
themselves at a time when our forefathers, just like the forefathers of
the present British people, were in England or in Scotland, we can
hardly divine. And as to literature, the difficulty seems still
greater. For, in the first place, literature and art are of no country
and no time, except historically, and moreover the literature of a
language and a race belong to that race and the speakers of that
language wherever they may be. A man of English blood and speech loses
no right in Shakespeare, he loses no right in any English author,
because he happens to be born in New England instead of Old England, or
in Australia instead of the Isle of Wight or of Man. Po