The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-09-02
From ne London Times.
MIR. Tn aclleray's Lectures

From ne London Times.
MIR. ThaclSeray's Lectures.
The fourth lecture on the ''humorists," by
MIR. THAcKERAY, was devoted to two stars of
lesser magnitude, namely, Prior and Gay, and
one whom he regarded as the most illustrious
of all, namely, Alexander Pope.
Matthew Prior he characterizes as the foremost
of lucky wits, Astounding in good nature and acute
ness He loved, he drank. he sang. Some verses
at Cambridge first rendered him object of notice.
and by the getty Mouse and Country Mousse"
which, jointly with Montague, he wrote against
Dryden, and which, Mr.. Thackeray ironically
asserted all his hearers knew, of COURSE by heart
he gained the post of Secretary to the EN-
bassy at the Hague, in accordance with the
usage then prevalent OF rewarding talent for
correct alcaics or biting epigrams, with mpor-
tant diplomatic appointments However, his for
tune was but transient, since he fell with his patron
Montague. AS poet, Mr. Thackeray praised
Prior highly, calling him the most charming of
English Wrists, and comparing him with Horace
on one side, and Moore on the other At the same
time he referred to a certain statement that Prior,
after he had spent the evening with the fret men
of the day, would retire to Longacre to smoke
pipe with two very intimate acquaintances--a sol
der and his wife-adding that many of his writings
seemed to be under the influence of his Longacre
friends.
Gay was pointed out as remarkable instance of
kindliness and good hunor, gaining the love even
.
the hatred of none. The ferocious giant, Swift,
loved him as the Brobdignag loved CULVER, and
was afraid to open the packet which contained the
tidings of his death. This kindliness ia an espe-
cial feature in Gays writings, in his Beggdrs'
Opera, and as Rubini was said to have "une larme
dams la voix," SO was there in all that Gay pro-
duced--a tone of the gentlest pathos. This pecu-
iarity he illustrated by reading the we'll known
story of the two devoted lovers struck dead by
lightning. As for Gays life, it easy enough.
He failed, indeed, to make his fortune, but he led
comfortable existence with his noble patrons the
Duke and Duchess OF Queensbury, living like
little round French able, eating and drinking well,
and growing more melancholy as he increased
in fat.
But the grand hero of the lecture was Pope, for
guarantee of whose merits Mr.. Thac keray espe-
cially referred to the Rape Of the Loeb and the Dun
clad. He ineisted on his claims to admiration as q
great literary artist, always bent on the perfection
of his work, and gladly adopting the thoughts OF
others if they would serve TO complete his own.
This popularity of carefulness was early shown in
the fact that Pope began by imitation. The five
happiest years of his life devoted to the study
Of the best authors, especially poets, and the intel
ectual enjoyment was heightened by the feeling
that genius throbbing in his heartand awaken
ing within him dreams offuture glory. He too should
sing-he too should love. Of love, indeed Pope did
not make great deal, and as his addresses to Lady
Wortley Montague failure, so was his first
amour sham love for sham mistress. A particular
pleasure in reading the works OF Pope conssts the
fact that they bring the reader into the very best
company-a company whose manners are, to be
sure, little stiff and stately, and whose voices are
pitched somewhat beyond the ordinary CONVERSE
ton key, but there is something ennobling about
them. Apropos of this peculiarly, Mr.. Thackeray
took occasion to dwell with great JUNCTION on the
advantages of high society, and said for the benefit
OF any young hearer who might be present, Young
hearer, keep company with your betters." Addison,
as we have seen, is MIR. Ihackeray's moral hero He
considers, however, that he has great blemsh in
his dislike of Alexander Pope. The young poet
was too conscious Of his own powers to be mere
,dor 1hoc tnf ,xHl Il
Joseph did not like this Independence The sup
port given by the Addison clique to TickelPs trans
laton of Homer might naturally enough be con-
strued by the Pope faction proceeding from
ungenerous wish to depreciate their chieftain's
version, and they might easily suppose that what
emulation in Tickell was envy in Addison.
The verses which Pope wrote on this occasion and
sent to Addison had the satisfactory effect that the
great Joseph was civil ever afterwards But still
Mr.. Thackeray surmised that their sting was never
forgotten, and that the sanity Addison might be
painted as Sebastian, with this arrow stick
ing in him.
The causes that led to the writing of the Dun
clad were laid down chiefly with view of justify
ing the author, though MIR. Thackeray admitted
that Pope's arrows are so sharp, and his slaughter
so Wholesale, that the readers sympahes often
enlisted on the side of the devoted inhabitants of
Grub street. The vile jokes and libels that were
aimed against the illustrious poet, and the paltry
allu5ions to his personal defects brought for
ward sufficient motives; and the lecturer dwelt
with admiration on the personal courage which the
gallant little cripple'A displayed when the indig-
nant ounces threatened him with corporeal chas-
tisement. At the time he declared 1t his con
victon that the D,ulciad had done the greatest
possible harm to the literary profession. Prior to
its publication there great prizes for literary
men in the shape of government appointments
and the like; but Pope-a lover of high society--a
man refined that he kept thin while his fricnds
grew fathated the rank and file of literature; and.
If there point in his asssilants which be
dwelt with savage Partially, il their abject
poverty. He il was who brought the notion OF
vile Grubstreet before the minds of the general
public he it was who created such associations as
author and rags-author and drt-author ard gin.
The occupation of authorship became ignoble
through HE graphic descriptions of misery, and
the literary profession was for a long time de-
stroyed
Pope's well known affection for his mother, on
which Mr.. Thackeray feelingy expatiated, land the
love which his friends entertained for him. were in
troduced as sentimental relief in describing the
character of a man whose career MIR. Thac%eray
compared to that of great general, obtaining hls
end by series of brilliant conquests.