Overcondensed

This creed, as published in 1877, was the overcondensed result of at least twenty years of study for and in the ministry.

The style is overcondensed, yet there are repetitions. The historical chapter is out of place. The author shows surprising ignorance of the American social hygiene movement.

“The introduction is for the most part given over to the editor’s own view of Molière, which is challenging and original but so overcondensed that it will he fully intelligible only to readers who are already quite familiar with the subject. The others, for whom the book is presumably intended, will find only in its last two pages a sketchy overview of modern Molidre criticism to prepare them for what lies ahead. The editor’s attempt to impose some order on his materials is only partially successful. . . . An appendix which succinctly describes eighteen modern performances of Molière is the most useful single part of the book. The selections are not wholly representative. . . . The hook’s worst fault, however, lies elsewhere. A collection of this kind makes rather confusing reading at best unless the reader is given considerably more guidance than is available here. . . . All the French is translated and most of the translations are deplorable."