The Daily spy., 1848-12-09


authors and workers ,are worthy of publication in
form more permanent than the columns OF
ualIy paper. They always mean and teach some
thing' That's their popularity.
Daily Republic.
Essays AND REVIEWS. By Edwin P. Wbip.
pie, vols, Appleton & Co., New York, Tick.
nor s. Co., Boston.
There is nothing to us more sublime than to
see man rise from the dull mass of mankind h.,
his own individual, unaided energy. and. dash;no
aside every obstacle, or rather undergoing all the
labor which commonly swamps and swallows nm
the MAD, place himself in company with the
great intelects, unless it is TO see one who has
been danded in the lap OF science and made the
pet OF the muses. and dignities, coming down to
sympathiZe with the little and the low. MIR Whip-
pie, the author OF these terse and keen ESSAYS is
one OF the Minis that work their way upwards
He has done it with stern and determined force
With aid from college tutors, and classic shades
and learned leisure, he has taken rank with our
ablest writers, and placed himself in a position
where the North American Review looks I'D 10
him with no little reverence. The only fault we
have to ind with him is that he is little too much
at home in the slilted dignity of what is some
times called the "highly educated class, and too
little sympathizes with tolling, swetering human
ity. Men who like him have climbed up on the
outside are too apt to have exaggerated respect
for the hierarchy OF literature They have never
had chance to learn the humbuggery OF Uni
yersines and Professions. Mr. Whipple has en-
TREY too much respect Tor the upper crust of
society, as tis. OF this he may live to work
himself clear; it is owing chiefly to the direction
in which he has been moving. His writing are
often sprghtly, always rich, never absolutely
dull. And, what marks his strength of mind, he
is much more candid to the 'ianatics" than the
average OF the literary circle where he has plac
ed himself.
Whittier is also a self made man, made with
out the aid OF colleges, at the very plough tail
and the work bench. He, however, has not only
shown the sublimity OF ascending, but of des-
cending. The bauble OF fame is nothing to him:
the comfort of wealth comparatively little.
The prizes OF genius which he wins, he applies
as he wins them. Here all the elements Of
the great mantle ardor and irresistible will to
know. and the great heart to do as God does.-
Such character there are ieNw-tO appreeafe.sas7-
Mr. WhipPle appreciates the force of Whittier
as writer, and hs genius as poet, but he is at
loss about him as man. Abiding to his nti-
Slavery poetry, he says, &c 1t is difficult to con-
ceive how the man who can pour out such tor
rents OF passionate feeling, and who evidently
loves to see his words tipped with fire, can at
the same time write such graceful aud thought.
ful stanzas." This beirays that in the hyperbo-
rean regions OF literature the motives of the men
who tip their words with fire are entirely mis-.
conceived. 10 the learned sefshness of some peo-
pie, they do not conceive it possible that men
OF genius should warmly sympathise with COM
mon humanity oppressed by muck rakes Such,
however, History will find to be the fact
1t is not to be expected that a. man of ssbusi-
ness" should depse business, or wealth, which
is the result OF business. But 1t is little too
amusingly plain that Mr. Whlpple, borrowing
the vulgar tone 0i the men OF business about him.
despises poverty, and considers it sort of crime
He seems, like the very selfsufficient class who
call themselves merchants, to suspect every poor
devil OF writer who has no visible means ofkeep-
ing of starN alton but his pen of being sad vaea-
bond, instinct with envy and i'll will towards the
rich This we cannot but believe to be bor
rowed sentiment, for it is very shallow one.
We do not by any means set down Mr. Whip.
pie as very profound writer, ,one from whom you
will gain much new light on the problem of the
universe, or who will let you into the mysteries
OF Symmes' Hole. But he is a man who has an
exceedingly sharp eye-hi own too for the out
side OF things, which stand in the daylight He
has mastered vast deal OF Dryasdust History.
and gives you the pith oft most intelIigibly. In
short, his essays and reviews are we'll worth COL
lecting and we trust they will pay both the pub
Usher aud the reader