as the culmination of his mythological studies. It is certainly one of the most genial and suggestive books of the century, and in the interpretative sections the author is seen at his acme of thought and expression, which does not indeed fall short of real genius. Certainly nothing exists in such brief compass that can at all compare with it for profound insight, thoroughgoing examination of data and theories, and unexampled comprehensiveness that often reaches the climax of epigrammatism. There is probably more of the man in this book than in all his other works.
From religion to poetry is less even than the traditional step. The world has seen, perhaps, few scientific geniuses who have had nothing of the poet in them. The literary finish of much of Dr. Brinton’s best works, his “love of song and story,”—the man himself in fact,—suggested more than once some knowledge of the Muse’s art. It was hardly a surprise, therefore, when his studies of Browning, few of which ever saw print, were followed, in 1897, by an original poem of no little merit,—the “swan song” of the genius. In “Maria Candelaria: An Historical Drama from American Aboriginal Life” (Philadelphia, 1897), his last book, Dr. Brinton tells in verse the story of the “American Joan of Arc,” Maria Candelaria, who led the Tzental Indians of Chiapas in their revolt against the Spaniards in 1712; and, ever sympathetic and appreciative of the high talents and profound religious sentiments of the Red Race of America, recognizing in particular their ofttime keen sense of the power and genius of woman, he demonstrates in this poem the heights some Indians had already attained, as well as the more distant summits they might have reached, had they been allowed their own course of evolution, had they not been crushed, brutalized, and debased by their conquerors.
The tireless industry of Dr. Brinton, exclusive of his many contributions to various medical journals and his purely literary efforts, may be seen from the distribution by years of the 150 titles in the Bibliography (1859-1898) of his writings issued about a year ago under his own direction. The yearly quotas are:—
1859, book; 1866, four articles; 1867, two articles; 1868, one book, one article; 1869, three articles; 1873, one book, three articles; 1871, one article; 1873, one article; 1876, book; 1881, three articles; 1882, two books, two articles; 1883, two books, five articles; 1884, one book, six articles; 1885, three books, nine articles; 1886, one book, four articles; 1887, two books, ten articles; 1888, one book, ten articles; 1889, four articles; 1890, three books, six articles; 1891, one book, one article; 1892, one book, eleven articles; 1893, two books, ten articles; 1894, one book, nine articles; 1895, one book, five articles; 1896, one book, six articles; 1897, two books, six articles.
