The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

THE REIGN OF AVARICE. An Allegorical

Satire. In Four Cantos. William Pickering.

Whoever has penned the volume here submitted to
our consideration has, we cannot but think, somewhat
unwisely, encumbered his satire with allegory. The
result hes necessarily been the restricting of his
powers within a very narrow limit of comprehension,
insomuch that the book from its very manner cannot
by possibility obtain any extended popularity.
Allegory under all circumstances is the most perilous
style for a writer to adopt it he would achieve for him-
self any appreciable influence among the masses, or
secure even a moderately diffused reputation.
Even when clad in the gorgeous trappings
thrown around it by the halcyon-like imagination
of Spenser, it fails with the bulk of man-
kind to exercise a eery powerful fascination. At-
tractive it undoubtedly is in the brief and graceful essay s
of Addison, but even there it cannot always escape
from the danger of falling into unintended tedious-
ness. It required indeed the vigorous and vitalizing
genius of Bunyan to develope it in its full perfection as
a means for disseminating the principles of the true
and the beautiful. Our satirist has, therefore, se-
lected a perilous course for the display of his abili-
ties, but in its employment, if he has evinced but little
judgment, he has revealed some humour and no small
ingenuity. As the title of the volume sufficiently in-
dicates, the year 1846 is apostropkized throughout as
the "It sign of Avarice." To every one, therefore,
who experienced either joy or sorrow in consequence
of the railway mania of those times, the four cantos
will present a variety of scarcely resistible objects of
curiosity. We like the independent manner in
which the satirist concludes his " Preface," saying--
The author has now but to leave his work in the
hands of those whom it is intended to amuse. It will
nothing affect others, to know whether he had leisure or
was interrupted during its composition; whether there
were anxieties or ease; whether it was intensely pon-
dered, or rapidly sketched; whether he thinks this or
that part wonderful, end would call attention to it; whe-
ther he implores mercy and forgiveness for trying to
please, or not; and whether he is in favour or against
making excuses and promises in a preface; for all this
information is commonly enough given, but the things
which it concerns may be readily surmised, in a greater
or less degree, of every man—that is to say, as to anxie-
ties, fears, hopes, and cares—whether he be a poet
or not."
Among the allegorical personages introduced in
the course of the work may be mentioned the good
Queen Nice, the Lord Keeper Law, Honour,
Avarice, Usury, Suspicion, Elm-a°, Cacocerdus,
Scrip, tied the Ambassadors Truth and Conscience.
The scene is sometimes in Chrysepolis, or the Golden
City, and sometimes iii the City of Speculation. As
a specimen of the author's style, we give the follow-
ing passage, in which the satirist recounts the appear-
ance of the principal warriors in the army marshalled
by Pen and Press :
" Here Tsmpora, Trimestris, Edinord
Move stately onward, each a potent lord;
The first gigantic in diurnal might,
Armed at ull points, on duty day and night,
Capricious, great, observant of his name,
For speed and force of universal fame.
The other twain pace on at greater length,
Judicial in their genius, and their strength,
Serve the same King, but general-like oppose
Each other's plans, for public service foes.
Northern Lignigron, young Quotidia❑ there,
Frown opposite intentions through the air—
Numenisens, and his awned friends
Each to the court romantic lustre lends—
Chronicus Hebdomadalis, Atlas great,
And shining Sal attend in mailed state.
Mercurius swift, and rolling Orbit then
Met t with Scrutator—Taurus, of bold ken;
There stern, oft harsh, hag dsitor behold,
Yet great in letters; and -Yearn= old;
And Chronicus, and calm Theates wise,
With Athettean grim, attract the eyes,
And Mimus' presence lends a glad surprise.
But Nlimua' self may dread his glory's loss
When ho shall dare to ridicule the cross."
In the above paragraph the reader will easily
recognize the prominent organs of public opinion
among the London newspapers, such as the
Times, the Chronicle, the Sun, the Globe, the Dis-
patch, Punch, and others of our contemporaries. At
the close of the satiric allegory, Cacocerdus is stormed,
and the King, addressing the Trigonians (a people
who have returned to their allegiance) on the impiety
of their conduct, the virtues descend among the mul-
titude, and the forgivenness of heaven is pronounced
over the penitent. If ever effusion had moral, " Tne
Reign of Avarice" has one, but one, we fear, few will
be tempted to go in quest of among the quagmires,
and thickets, and other bewildering impediments of
allegory.