Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-07-09
NOLTAlEE.
From Lori B]rougtnufs LiUcs oT Men d
LstiCrS.

NDLtAIkE.
From Lori Bropghou's Lives UT Non Of
Lsttcrs.l
THE TRAGEDIES OF NOLTAIRE.-ltis
certain that the tragedies ul Nultairc are the
works OF an extraordinary genius, and that on
" IA great poe, could have produced them
but II iscqually certain that they are deficient
Tor the most part i'm that which makes the dra-
ma powerful over the fceliugs-rcal nathos.
real p%ussiuii, whether of tenderness, of terror.
or ot horror. The plots of some are admirably
contrivcd; the diction of some is pure and am
mated; in most passages il is pointed, and
IN many ii Is striking, grand, impressive; the
characters are i%rcqucntly well imagined and
portrayed, though without sufficient discrimi-
nation and thus often running one into the
other, from the uniformity of the language,
tcrse, cpigramatic, powerful, which all alike
speak. Nor are there wanting situations of
great effect, and single passages of thrilling
force, but, alter all. the heart Is not there the
deep feeling, which is the parent of all true
%cloquence, as well as all true poetry, didactic
and Sltirical excepted, is rarely perceived; it
Is rather rhetoric than cloquenCc, or at least.
rather cloqucnce than poetry. 1t is declama-
ton OF a highordcr in rhyme no blank verse.
indeed, can be borne on the French stage or
even IN the French tongue: il is not fine dra-
matte composition the periods roll from the
mouth, they do not spring from the breast /;
there Is more light than heat; the head rather
than the heart is at work.
LAST DAYS OF NOLTAIRE.-While i'm
his last illness the clergy had come round
him; and as all the philosophers of that peri
oil appear 10 have ielt particularly anxious that
no stigma should he cast upon them by a re-
iuNai OF Christian burial, they pursuadcd him
To undergo confession and ubsolution. H.,
had a few weeks before submitted 10 Ills cer-
emony, and protested to Die in the Catholic
Iaith, N winch h.c was born-a ceremony
wien W. ~Cohd4rcet may well say gave less
o"ii.'at!oii TO the ocvout than it did scandal
To the irce-thinkerS. The cnre Gectorl offs
Sulpicc had, on this being related. made in
curry, and found the formula too general. Inc
required the Abbec Gautlier who had perform
ed the Office 10 insist upon Il more detailed
profession OF laith, else he should withhold the
burial certificate. While this discussion was
going on, the dying man recovered and put AN
end To 1t. On what proved his real dcath-bed
the cure came and insisted ON Il full confession.
When thcdying man had gone a certain length,
Inc was desired to subscribe to the doctrine of
our Saviour divinity. This reused his indig-
nation, and he gave vent 10 am exclamation
which at once put TO fight all the doubts of
the plous, and rcconcilcd the infdcls to their
patriarch. The certificate was refused. and
ne was buried in a somewhat clandestine. GER
tainly IA hasty manner, at the monastery of
Sccllicrcs, of which his nephew was abbot
The bishop of the diocese Crroyes) hearing of
the abbc.s intention, dispatched Il positive pro
hIbition; but it arrived the day after the cere-
mony had taken place.
NOLTAlRE AS a NOVELIST.-The best
ot the R]onauCcs are 'Iadig." one beautiful
chapter of which our Panell has vcrsifcd and
improved in bis Hermit = the :. lngcnu =
and, above all, "Candidc.' Some are dispos-
ed To place this last at the head of all his
woi ks-und even DIR. Johnson. with all his
prcJudlccs against a Frenchman. and unbclic-
yer, and Il %lcyclicr, never spoke of it without
ulsilnicd Animation, protesting that had he
seen 1t. he should not have written Rassc-
las 1t is indecd,a most extraordinary per
iorlnancc and while il had such il charm That
us repeated p r%lsdAnryCr wcarics. we are left
III doubt whether most to admire The plain.
sound sense, above all cant, of some parts. or
ihe rich 'dncy OF others the singular felicity
d the design for the purposes il is intended tn
serve. or the natural yet striking graces of Che
Execution. The lighneSs of the touch with
winch all the effects are produccd-thc con
7'aht ailuencc Of The most playful wit-thc
''hi"r Wherever 1t is wanted, abundant and
''N'L "Nrrdonc-the truth and accuracy of.
'a,i' blow That fails. always on the head of the
LL NMA-
lshl "ali-ulc quickncss and yet the ease of
,lo ronsiuon-th lucid clcarncss of tls Eu-I
5uaS'' pure, simple, entirely natuEl-the per-
Cois''ousneas OF dictiou as well as brev-
~ vi N'ihP'sll"n so that there is not a line.
even a word That seems To- be- sunerauous
point, a single phrase. sometimes a siu-I
SIC word, produces the whole effect intended Il
are the qualities that we shall look in
vain for in any work Of the same description.
in any other work OF fancy. That
there is a clricaturc throughout, no one de-
lics but tlc design is To Clricatmrc. and thc
doctrines ridiCulcd arc themselves "a gross and
uioicUblc cXaggrr5tion. That there occurI
acre and there lrrcycput expressions is equally /
rue but that there is anything irrcliaious in
.hc riiiculc of a doctrine which is i'm itself di-
'ecily at y]ariuuce with all religion. at least.
iha all the hopes OF a future state, tle most
valuable portion of every religious SYSTEM.
nay most confidently be denied.