The selection of themes must be arbitrary, amid the numberless lines of development during the "New Era" of the Nineteenth Century, in which every mental, moral, and physical science and art has grown and diversified and fructified with a rapidity seen in no other five centuries. It is hoped, however, that the choice will be justified by the interest of the separate papers, and that their result will be such a view of the main features as to leave a distinct impression of the general life and advancement, especially of the last half of the century. It is proper to say that the preparation and issuance of Dr. Lord's "Beacon Lights of History" were under the editorial care of Mr. John E. Howard of Messrs. Fords, Howard, and Hulbert, the original publishers of the work, while the proof-sheets also received the critical attention of Mr. Abram W. Stevens, one of the accomplished readers of the University Press in Cambridge, Mass. Mr. Howard has also supervised the new edition, including this final volume, which issues from the same choice typographical source. NEW YORK, September, 1902. CONTENTS. RICHARD WAGNER. MODERN Music. BY HENRY T. FINCK. Youth-time; early ambitions as a composer. Weber, his fascinator and first inspirer. "Der Freischütz" and "Euryanthe" prototypes of his operas. Their supernatural, mythical, and romantic elements. What he owed to his predecessors acknowledged in his essay on "The Music of the Future" (1860). Marriage and early vicissitudes. "Rienzi," "The Novice of Palermo," and "The Flying Dutchman". Writes stories and essays for musical publications. After many disappointments wins success at Dresden. "Tannhäuser" and "Lohengrin". Compromises himself in Revolution of 1849 and has to seek safety in Switzerland. Here he conceives and partly writes the "Nibelung Tetralogy". Discouragements at London and at Paris. "Siegfried" and "Tristan and Isolde". Finds a patron in Ludwig II. of Bavaria. Nibelung Festival at Bayreuth. "Parsifal" appears; death of Wagner at Vienna (1882). Beethoven, Schubert, and Chopin. Other eminent composers and pianists. Liszt as a contributor to current of modern music. Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, Tchaikovsky, Dvorák, Strauss, and Weber. "The Music of the Future" the music of the present. JOHN RUSKIN. MODERN ART. BY G. MERCER ADAM. Passionate and luminous exponent of Nature's beauties. His high if somewhat quixotic ideal of life. Stimulating writings in ethics, education, and political economy. Frederic Harrison on Ruskin's stirring thoughts and melodious speech. Birth and youth-time; Collingwood's "Life" and his own "Praeterita". Defence of Turner and what it grew into. Architectural writings, lectures, and early publications. Interest in Pre-Raphaelitism and its disciples. Growing fame; with admiring friends and correspondents. On the public platform; personal appearance of the man. Economic and socialistic vagaries.