Star.
London, England, 1830-07-07 00:00:00

LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.

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It is much to be regretted when men of genius humiliate them-
selves to become the copyists of others- llseneners.both in literature
and the histrionic art, hu very seldom any merit in itself ; on the
contrary, it is in general a fault; and an imitator, even of genius, b
too apt to copy the fault, whether their exertions prove successful
or not, in carrying away the accompanying beauties. Au original
thinker will natural) y have an original • manna of bringing forth
the conceptions of his intellect; but the value will be in the ma-
in the medium, or vehicle of expression. So much
=utieliery-itre public is originality that some men of true genius,
as in the case of Sterne, have artfully indulged in ea:conicity. rather
than incur the haratd of not attracting notice. Then is no merit
in such procedure, although genius may occasionally render it sue-
Acural.
We have been led into these remarks from perusing Faasta's
Magazine. That the authors of that magazine have adequate erigi.
nal powers. no one, that can read the present number, can doubt.
We are only surprised, that, with these powers of originality, they
should have thought it foe the interest of their work. to have adopted
for imitation the very worst feature in the Muyeurine, to which
they seem to have set themselves up as a kind of competitor foe
public favour.
What may be termed the machinery of Btacswoon's Magothse
—the dramatis persists with which the reader is made acquainted,
the hint of which is bownwed from Annum, is bigesisas is ow.
ception; and has base, in many respects, wall sommited I but ar
man of comet tame can mambo the egotistic shag whisk is mutest
through the pages of that Mapaine. Every noltimosil judge, net
dazzled by the other merits of the work, must wader to lad as math
intrinsic talent, mixed up with so much dross—so much worthless,
and rather degrading cherlatanerie. It is not in the Westland or
contrived pecusarities In BLACKWOOD, 00 which its popularity
rests ; but on the real indisputable genius of its authors—on the
overflowing richness of its sentences—on the inexhaustible origi-
nality of its rhetorical Illustrations—in short, on the brilliant poetry
of its prose, that BLACKWOOD mutt continue to be read with in.
talent—even by those who, like ourselves, are no great admirers
la morals of some of its productions. Indeed, we read and
condemn; but we cannot resist to go on reading.
When we allude to I. morale, or meal feeling of BLACK.
WOOD, we do not allude to the many points of policy and semi-
men; on which we differ with that powerful periodical; but we
allude to the adoption of that lowest art of literary combat—the
attempt to conquer by calling names. The value
of authors cannot be deteriorated in public estimation by
nick-naming them " cocknies." Every voluminous writer.
however able,—particularly those who writs Is live—has
his NW AMA BLACKWOOD has them too. Along with a
of eloquence seldom equalled, his nada* have occasion-
311;atdo°;:itut up with sarcasms so hacknied, which in less favoured
authors would seem something like an approximadon to ribaldry.—
Such material, we know, la the seasoning maddened psiateable to a
depraved literary appetite; and such SR appetite predominates
too generally among those given to light reading. We modems no
writer in grass; and we admire Btactwoon quite minuets as We
occasionally condemn his maance.
Having thus with, perhaps, more temerity than prudence, mi-
med within the lion's den, to " shake tin grisly monarch by the
mane," we must venture at once to the business of our paper. The
present number of Bleadnewed is like every other, replete with
varied excellence ; but en the whole, woraink the Entroa has al-
lowed his articles to be too long. There is likewise—ems for oar
tails, who deal in the article wholesale—too much polities. We
leek in a Magazine foe what is not found in a Newspaper.
There is an Interesting Review of Mr. Santss's new book
on population. As we have promised to make every work we ma-
ths pay a toll In passing through our Paper, we extract the fol.
lowing anecdote on parliamentary reporting, which we think
letresting at the present moment:—
`• I remember a conversation I mice had with the late Brimley
Meriden ups this subject. 'Si,,' said he, 6 l'll give you an in-
stance of the influence which reporting our debates has upon the
length of them. In the early put of the Regency, a notice of mo.
Son was given,' (I think he said by Mr. Stuart Wonky,) per.
brag the then Princess of Wales. The evening came. The
was crowded, even to the side galleries. and below the bar. We
all ordered our carriages and savants at one o'clock is the mendog,
expecting a long, animated, and important debase. Belem the mo-
tion came on, however, same member on the ministerial side mimed
the standing order for the exclusion of streams. What was the
consequence P We had nobody but ourselves to talk to; and we
soon grew tired of that. The debate was all over, and the Nouse
adjourned, by eight o'clock ; and I recollect 1 weals time, after it,
for half-price at Drury-lane Theatre.' "
Fitasea's Magazine displays likewise much and varied talent.
The strictures of the first article, we think, are too severe on the pre
sent Administration; but ably argued. The article en the Bast
India Question is admirably lucid; and, if generally read,
would, we conceive, obviate some great errors at present very
current. " The wounded spirit" like all continuations, must, we
fear in consequence of its being continued, wound the spirit of tin
writer, although evidently a man of genint " The letter o
O'Donorrir, and the "election of an Editor," we die.
like for reasons already stated. We would recommend to
Mr. Fa-urn—lf really a Scotsman—to correct what be may
give to the public as Scotch, in future : for 0. Ma Maters.
rise" is not Scotch; nor do we conceive it am be a personal pe-
culiarity in Ebony. On the whole, no one moving in the walks
of British literature. should omit to read both BLACKWOOD and
Dusts. We only take the liberty of recommending to them,
Improvement oo the points we have indicated. We extract as
our toll from Pease', some stanzas from the farewell of a convict
to Britain ; which, if not poetry, contains, we fear, some SCUM
truths :

Row us on, a felon band,
Farther out to sea,
Till we lose all sight o( land,
And deers—we shall be free !
Row us on, and loose our fettem
Yeo ! the boat makes way s
Let'• say 60 good bye" unto our betters,
And, hey fur a brighter day !
Farewell, juries--jailers—frienda