The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-07-02
AddiaNn.L

Addison .
Mr.. Thackeray has been delivering a course Of
! lectures in London, on English literature. We
take the following report Of his second lecture from
the Daily News:
Still greater numbers Of the world of literature
and fashion crowded to Mr. Thackerays second
lecture yesterday. The subjects chosen were Con-
greve and Addison. The former was character
almost made for the pencil of the author Of "Vanity
Fair" Congreve was disciple of foppery and
fun, dissipation and art, gentleman. with fine
parts; and, to crown all, passing worthless.
The opening was quite in the old characteristic
style. We were reminied how, just before the
Reform Bill, the young gentlemen OF the " Union"
at Cambridge, were of opinion that great noblemen
who owned boroughs always had their eye on the
club as place to get politicians from how Jones,
Of Johns, ETC., supported sacred institutions or
denounced priestcraft with that idea always pres
ent to them. This introduced the mention Of the
large crop of places given to literary men in Addi-
son and Congreves time how neat copy of
Latin verses, happy code" on a public event.
made young collegiau's fortune. Congreve was
then formally introduced as example Of extreme
literary prosperity; how every thing went well
with him; how he was beau, wit, and lover-am-
brosial, irresistible, magnificent He was described
delightful rascal disciple of the seat and
dfink-ior-to-morrowwe- school. As for his
comedy, that Mr.. Thackeray characterized as es-
sentially pagan or heather. He illustrated the
days by singularly happy metaphor-it was like
visiting Pompe and seeing Sallust's house, there
in the ruins. The cake and wine in the jars. The
TESTERS laughing skull-the breast of dancing
glrl. The charred banquet table. He pointed out
with sad rldlcule its immortality = the father
treated dotard-the husband as victim. He
exposed in style at once mournful and quzzical,
the hollowness OF gaity that had love in it, and
produced the hapPest effect by interspersing earn
treprobation OF the system with laughter at what
hcia allx,ah ahsr, :. =
making out our comic writer something very like a
scoundre he jested at his conceit and did not even
spare his wig. Hence this part of his discourse
was like a sermon where you saw the sinner-not
only as sinner, but as the individual of everyday
life. And you were reminded at last that Congreve
left his money, not to Mrs. Bracegirde, who did
want it, but the great lady, who did not want it at
all.
Addison is obviously one of Mr.. Thackeray's
greatest iavortes. He sketched his life through
out, dwelling on its notable incidents with pleas
ant commentary, the charm of which consisted in
this, that 1t was always social and familiar treat
!, ing Addison as Addison himself treats Sir Roger
ede Covsrly, with philosophical familiarity. He
was noways bigoted in doing this task of biogra-
ply for he took to pieces the famous figure of the
( angel in his Campaign" and plainly treated the
poem as containing great deal Of mere stuff
Apropos OF the said angel, he showed that it was
the foundation OF the writer's fortune, and got him
his first great step in the world. "Ah!" ex-
claimed he, Playfully, at point "these sorts of
angels visits few and far between to men of
letters. 1t is not often that angels wings futter
at second floor windows" Addison, he said was
undoubtedly one Of the very greatest genuses, and
this made it natural that he should not have been
much given to praising too much He seldom
bowed down with delight to the imperial genius Of
Milton: However, M. Thackeay did not seem
to think that he liked to praise young Mr. Pope
the great satrist, very much. He would not have
'daPraised him, perhaps, but, if Mr.. Addi,on's
men had done so, he didn't think Mr. Addison
would have taken his pipe out of his mouth to
tell them to stop. Addison was Individually
good-hearted, kind man benevolent, pure
minded man towards his felow-creatures if he had
no very startling virtues, he surely had no vices
J. scarcely fault, except one which he was known
to be rather addicted to his fondness for VINE.
Without this he would have been (,he lecturer an
nonDced very characeristically) "a more perfect
man, and without it we should not have loved him
Y SO much"
The was, we observed. sort of particular
4 expo ancy, as Mr.. Thackeray came TO lhe Dart
where he spoke of Add sous marriage, He mar.
rated agreeahly how he wrote to young Lord War.
wick describing The warbing Of the nightnqsles
1hese gh'ngnles Were intended to wdrble in the
ear of Lord Warwick's mamma. He married the
Countess, aud died in Holland House three wears
after that splendid but uncomfortable union. The
lec'urer next characterized Add son as . mans
mas, and as ore OF The most determined "club
meA" Of his day ,Wtmen he judged of super
hr'aiiy, and knew little of Them. One only he
kn-w we'll, and she he did not think very much or!
The concluding part of the lsct IRE dealt more
particularly with the great mans literary character
Tie descr'btd him as the gentlest of satirists one
who pointed out 10 you in II delightful manner the
tobles of your neghbor, and, ming his head over
his shoulder, whispered to him good
AT this po mt Of the disquiston, Mr.. Thackeray
read very effectively some choice specimens Of the
Add,sonian humor, and concluded in high and
serious stfaD after reading one of his most famous
poems, by warm description of his Susceptibility
to religious Impressions
Nohng could have been more satisfactory alto.
! ge'her Than the reception of the lecture by the
Ecrowded audience, and indeed, it vas, perhaps,
e,en more than the last one, a delightful specimen
kof the authors power.