The Sun.
London, England, 1849-05-31 00:00:00

LITERATURE.
CON/NGSB Y. Fifth Edition.
Mr. Colburn has just published what the adver-
tisements call a popular edition of Mr. Disraeli's
"Coningsby," which expresion savours somewhat of
tautology, for " popular" and "Coningsby" are about
synonymous terms. If, however, this, the fifth edi-
tion, is to be par excellence the popular edition, its
sale must be something n.arvellous. Of the earlier
editions,. three were disposed of in three months ; and
we learn from the preface to this volume that more
than 50,000 copies have been sold in the United States.
Yet, after this, after the issue of four editions,
" Coningsby" is out of print, a new edition has been
called for, and the new edition makes its appear-
ance in the most attractive and acceptable shape—
the three volumes condensed into one of the size of
the standard novels—beautifully printed, neatly
bound, and moreover adorned with an engraved por-
trait of the author, from an admirable likeness by
Chalon. Such, and for the moderate price of six
shillings, is the fifth edition of "Coningsby." To
criticise a work so well known, and so gene-
rally admired, would just now be a work
of supererogation. The impartial critic of
some future period, considering the literature
of our day, may, perhaps, pause to investi-
gate the causes of the almost unprecedented success
of " Coningsby." He will, perhaps, marvel how the
production of no unknown hand rising for the first
time into eminence, but the work of an author justly
celebrated and generally admired, should have taken
the world by surprise, and have been greeted with one
universal burst of acclamation. He will marvel at
this, and he will marvel yet more when he re-
members that this popular work was in many
particulars opposed to the liberal spirit then
reigning predominant with the multitude.
But that critic would marvel no longer if he ex-
amined closely the principles of " Coningsby," and
the signs of the times in which it first appeared. It
was at a time when the " organized hypocrisy" of a
Conservatism that conserved nothing worth conser-
vation was in power that this work, advocating the
principles but denouncing the practice of that party,
made its appearance. A caustic wit and a brilliant
satire assailed the vices and exposed the errors of the
politicians and placemen of the day from the pages of
" Coningsby." A mirror was there held up—a
cruelly truthful mirror—to partisans and red tapists
of high and low degree. The effect was telling.
Nor was this all. Notwithstanding the Toryism of
" Coningsby"--(and it is unnecessary here to say in
what and how much we differ from the political
opinions of Mr. Disraeli—we speak of him now as an
author, and one of the greatest authors of the present
day, his political sentiments we leave for " another
place")— notwithstanding the Toryism of " Co-
ningsby," it breathed in many instances a liberal
spirit, and enunciated noble and holy sentiments,
which found a ready echo in the breasts of the impres-
sionable million. Apart from the beauty and the
interest of its fictitious characters, there was a fresh-
ness and romance about " Coningsby," " political
novel" though it was, peculiarly fascinating to the
New Generation. But, as we have already
said, it is quite unnecessary now to commend
the attractions or comment upon the
peculiarities of " Coningsby." To persons already
unacquinted with these peculiarities let us briefly say—
read the book. Here you have it offered to
you in the most convenient shape, at a most
moderate price. Read the book, and we
pledge our word for it, you will find there abundant
matter of entertainment. Whig, Tory, Radical, or
even " organized hypocrite " though you be, the pe-
rusal of " Coningsby'' will inevitably delight you,
and perhaps make you a better man. It seems that
we are to have no new novel this season from Mr.
Disraeli's pen, a circumstance hardly to be wondered
at, when we consider his industrious attendance at
the House, but a circumstance which a multitude of
readers will deplore. Mr. Disraeli has, perhaps, de-
cided correctly—the people of Buckinghamshire
must be represented, and the Protectionists have need
of a leader; nevertheless the reading public, we can
assure him, have as much need of his services as the
people of Buckingham. However brilliant may be the
orations of the leader of the Opposition, we cannot
spare from the ranks of literature the author of
" Vivian Grey," and more than that of " Coningsby."