New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-13
TIIACkERAE.

mans appearance in America that he comes on
| the invitation of the MERCANTILE LIBRARY
ASSOCIATION. The merchants clerks of New
York. on taking an inventory of their hopes
and expectations at the beginning of new
year. find themselves so little included in their
clerkship, so little shut up to the prospect Of
lifelong subordination, that they aspire to
the culture of scholars and gentlemen; and to
this end import from abroad, not the latest
teacher of dOuble-entry nor the best writing
master simply, but the most thoughtful critic
of manners and society, the subtlest hmorist,
and the most effective because the most genial,
satirist the age has known. Decidedly 1t is a
changed world which allows merchants clerks,
as a class, not only to enjoy, but actually to
patronize such unquestionable Injuries as Mr..
Thackeray. Then again, think of merchants
clerks demanding such lectures no less than
such lecturer Think of merchants clerks
being interested in getting the best appreoia-
tiOn possible of wits and men OF fashion, such
as wits and men of fashion existed in their
tedious and disreputable. The old landmarks
seem indeed everywhere submerging, and Ter
minus, once rghtlully reckoned the sacredest
Of gods, must ct this rate be speedily left
without worshper.
On his own account Mr. Thackeray deserves
the most cordial consideration. His books are
even better forwhat they reveal ofthe man than
the author 1t is not a small literary feat, every
one admits, to have painted that gallery Of pic
lures called Vanity Fair and Pendennis, I'M
matched by anything in contemporary author
ship,whether for grim truth fpOrtraiture, exact
harmony of cOoring, or mastery ease OF execu-
ton. But il is much greater feat to have kept
ones proper humanity undmmed by that long
labor, AID to have come forth from the company
of boobies and kIaves with heart as unchillcd
toward every form Of human worth, as when
be went in. This merit is peculiar to Mr..
Thackeray, regarded as a satirist. He is des-
titute of misanthropy. He has no scOn
for the honest human core which underlies
so much respectable charlatanism in Church
and State, and so much vulgar pretensiOn both
in high and low life. A certain melancholy
there is IN his books, as if his youthful conf
dences Lad been rudely jostled by the events
OF life but it is the melancholy of a manly soul
who patiently awaits the denOuement of the play
to see ample Justice done to all the characters.
All men are not rOgues in his estimation be-
cause A. cheats his friend out OfhOuse and es-
tate, nor is every woman frivolous because
Della yields her wifely honor to shame. One
would say that Thackeray has no quarrel with
Man as he stands unclOthed by honest natural
want ard impotence, but only as he becomes
clothed upon by Fictitious social pretensons
and appliances. Itisnever the rude aboriginal
man, replete at least with physical might,
that proyokes his satire, but the smooth, con-
yentOnal man. the man of furbelOws and false
hood, Of intrigue and selfshness, in whom this
rude aboriginal might seems not only unexated
into higher power but altogether defeated
Of Its promise, and turned aside to the service
of mere apery and insincerity. 1t is thus that
Thackeray conclates every instinct Of manli-
ness in lis reader, and leaves behind him
much deeper impression than that Of extreme
" clever authorship.
1T is here that DIcKEYs-who is often alb
surdly compared with -signally
fails. The idea his books give you of the man,
is extremely meagcr Dickens lives by glori-
lying the very shams which Thackeray re-
morselessly laughs ar. The one shows himself
the dupe Of the cant which the other delights
TO satirize. Except within very superficial
limits, Dickens betrays no relish of the true
favor Of manhood The broad and obvious dis
tinctions Of character are skillfully worked by
him. He knows the greedy applause where
with the public greets the man who lavishes
his money in the relief of poverty and other
tangible misfortune, and the pitiless scOn with
which il scarifes the poor wretch who unlocks
bis Golfers only TO enrich and never to diminish
them. Dickens knows and feels all this as in
tensely as any tea-table gossip; and be knows
besides, how romantic public sobs over beauti-
ful and accomplished young ladies cruelty aban-
doned to penury and the temptations of great
CITY, and how its glowing admiration is given to
the benevolent and eccentric old gentleman,
and the steadiast brother or loyal lover who
finally achieves their redemption. In short,
he knows the morality of the books by
heart, Whatsoever can De socially taught and
additionally repeated from father to son; but
OF the erander morality Of life, that which no