New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-04-14
.r,om e. 30, 90 April.
lViu II - %
ENGLISH NOVELS.
EYa.w. EMERSON.

NExr 10 the poetry the novels, which come to
us in every ship from England, have an imPoF-
lance increased by the immense extension oftheIr
circulation through the new cheap press, winch
sends them 10 so many wiling thousands. SO
much novel reading ought not 10 leave the rea-
ders cutie unaffected, and undoubtedly gives
some tinge of romance to the daily Life Of young
merchants and maidcus. We have heard 1t al
legged, with some evidence, that the prominence
gwen 10 intellectual power III Bui~er's folnance5
had proved d man stimulus 10 mental culture Ii
thousands Of young men IN England and iifilc-
rica. The effect on manners cannot be less SEN
sble. and we can easily believe that the behavior
of the ball room and of the hotel has not failed TO
draw some addition of dignity and grace from
the fair ideals. with which the imagination Of
novelist has filed the heads Of the most INITIATIVE
class.
We are not very well versed N these books, yet
we have read Mr. Bulwer enough TO see :hat the
story is rapid and interesting; he has really seen
London society, and does not dra" ignorant
car;catures. He is not a genus, but his novels
are marked with great energy, and with courage
of experiment which IN each instance had It's de-
gree Of success. The story Of Ianoni was one OF
those world.fables which is agreeable 10 the hu
man iInaqinaon that ii is found N CONC form IN
the language of every country, and is always re-
appearing in literature Many Of the details Of
this move! preserve poetic truth. We read la
nom with pleasure, because magic Is natural. 1t
is implied in all superior culture that complete
man would need no auxlllancs TO his personal
presence. The eye and the word are certainly Tar
subtler and stronger weapons than either money
or knives Whoever looked OF, the hero, would
consent TO his will, being certified that his aims
were universal, not selfish and he would he
obcyed as naturally as the ram and the sunshine
are For this reason, children delight IN fairy
tales Nature is described IN them as Tie servant
Of man, winch they feel ought TO be truc. But
Zanonl pains us, and the author loses our respect,
because he speedily betrays that he docs not see
the true limitations Of the charm; because the
power with which his hero Is armed Is toy, ~
asrnuch as the power does not flow from lis eglt-
innate fountains in the mind; IS power for Lon
don; divine power converted INTO a burglars
false key or hIghwayman's pistol to rob aud Kali
with.
Blu. Mr. Bulwers recent stories have gwen us,
who do not read novels, occasion to think Of this
department of literature supposed TO be the natu-
raj fruit and expression Of the age. We conceive
that the obvious division Of modern romance IS
into two kinds; first, the novels Of costume or
of circumstance, which is the old style, and vastly
the most numerous. In this class, the hero.
without any particular character, Is IN very par
tlcular circumstance he is greatly III want of Il
fortune or of wife, and usually o! both and the
business OF the piece Is to provide nun suitably.
This is the problem to be solved N thousands of
English ronances, including the Porter novels
and tho more splendid examples OF TIC hdgcworih
and Scott romanccs.
1t is curious how sleepy and foolish VIC arc,
that these tales will SO take us. Again and agaili
we have been caught in that old foolish trap
then, as before, to feel indignant 10 have been
duped and dragged after a foolish boy and girl, to
see them at last married and portioned, and the
reader instantly turned out OF doors, like beggar
that has followed gay procession INTO castle.
Had one noble thought opening the chambers OF
the intellect, one sentiment from the heart OF GOD
been spoken by them, the reader had been made
a participation of their triumph he too had been
an invited and eternal guest; but the reward
granted them Is property, allexclut'ing property,
IA little cake baked for them to eat and Tor none
other, nay, preference and cosses!ng which Is
rude and insulting to all but the mlnon.
Excepting in the stories of Edgcworth and
Scott, whose talent knew how to give TO the book
a thousand adventurous graccs, the novels of
costume are all one, and there is but one stand
ard English novel, like the one orthodox sermon,
which with slight variation is repeated every sun
day from so many pulps.
But the other novel, OF which !" Ihclm -Iclstcr
is the best specimen, the novel 81 Character,
treats the reader with more respect q castle and
wife are not the Indispensable conclusion, but the
development OF character beng the problem, the
reader is made partaker of the whole prosperity.
Every thing good in such story remains with
the reader, when the book iS closed
A noble book was Wilhelm Mcister. 1t gave
the hint of a cultivated society which VIC found
nowhere else. 1t was founded on power to do
what was necessary, each person finding it IN
dispensabc qualification of membership, that he
could do something useful, us IN mechanics or az
ricuturc other Indispensable art; then pro-
bity, Justice, was to be its clement, symbolizod
by the insisting that each property should be
cleared Of privilege and should pay its full tax to
the State Then, perception of beauty was the
equally indispensable element OF the association,
BY which each was SO digniied and all were so
dignihed then each was to obey his genius TO
the length of abandonment, They watched each
candidate vigilan,ly, without hts knowing that he
was observed, and when he had given proof that
he was faithful! iaan, then all doors, ali houses
all relations open TO HIM; high behavior
fratemized with high behavior, without. question
of heraldry and the only power recognised is the
force of character.
The novels of Fashion of DIsraoli, Mrs. Gore,
Mr.. Ward, belong 10 the class of novels of cos
tune, because their aim Is IA purely external
success.
OF the tales OF fashionable life, By far the
most agreeable and the most efficient, was VIVA
Grey. Young men were and still arc the readers
and victims. Byron ruled FOR a tune, bat WYNN,
with no 1.-THE OF Byron's genius rules longgeGi
One can distinguish al sight the Us -,,S. ~ ~,
oonph'es' .oveT. and friend. They discuss SUI,
AID panets liberty and fate. love and death, over