The Port Gibson reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 185?-1857, 1853-03-02
Number rs.



Bulwer Lytton's great effort is to mite in
himself the gentleman Of fashion and high
breeding with the author Of first-rate literary
reputation and. like most other extrayagant
attempts. It would appear ridiculous, we're his
literary triumphs less complete. Upon the
wit. poet, writer Of plays and novels, AMI or
ator. he wonld inoculate the owner Of kneb-
worth Park, dispensing county hospitaties.
and the man Of fashion in Lsndon, receiving
only wits at his table. He has strivcn thro'
life to effect this combination. and in a great
measure he has succeeded. The sumptuous
fellow-commoner Of Trinity Hall. Cambridge.
contriyed to make driving his own horses.
and simiar eccentricties, compatible with
winning the university prise for the best Eng
lish poom. The gentry Of Herefordshire
were not long ago invited 20 our Mecenas'
country scat and the entertainment included
a theatrical representation of his own play.
just as It was also acted By his ameteur lit
erarY friends before tho Queen. at Devonshire
House. Feeling sincere sympathy for the
trials Of artistic lif,, he would express IL like
feudal chietaln. and so he appropriates
from his domain site for an hospital for de-
cayed men Of letters and art.
When be has few reinds to dine with
him in London, the party might consist Of
Tallourd. Macready, Dickens, D'0rsay, (but
that he is dead) and perhaps young Amer
lean author who has been introduced, aud is
there upon trial. Us he is essentially re-
fined aud fastidious you will probably find
that he has furnished the reoms Of his house
in accordance with the tastes Of the Tudor.
the Louis Buatorze, and other historical eras;
and, being fully indulgent to his imagination
! in the effort Of composition, he has been said
to write in appropriate costume, and even
through the fumes Of opiate. In the country
houses of his acquaintance you may possibly
be shown some sacred apartment, in which
the confession Of Aubery," in "Deyereux,"
was written at midnight in cowl. with
skull on the table; or the bIack-bugled bed
curtains, within which the author Of Riche-
lieu" rested his inspired brow.
In estimating both the intellectual charac.
ter and writings Of Bulwer Lytton. it is i'm
possible TO avoid a comparison between him
and Byron. Even the circumstances of
their private Ives are strikingly similar
Their arlstocratic lineage F; their great depen-
dence in early years upon a mother their
unfortunate matrimonial connection; their
attachment to a daughter in both cases, tho
from different causes. frustrated their per-
sonal vanity, warm temper aud egotism
even their nonen;ity in Parliament; also
sundry high and generous qualities and feel
ings. which have undoubtedly distinguished
them both. And these peculiarities Of life
and disposition have tinctured the prose of
one and the poetry of the other Each has
shown morbid desire to put on dress, and
he the hero of poem or tale "Childe Har-
old, The Corsair." etc, were vehicles for
the personal confessions Of their author;
" Pelham" 1.-The Student" etc, are self.
ikenesses of their artist. This habit l. in-
compatible with attaining the last highest step
which genius is entitled to reach. i. il at
no doubt, in these two cases, to
that self-exageration which the hereditary
privileges Of wealth and station are apt to
engender, and which only experionse and
can ally. Byron was cut
before he became wise; but, as johnson said
OF Goldsmith. with reference to q different
subject We predict that Bulwsr I,yttsn Is
g coming right" The later productions of
ais pen have been more free from the pedan-
try inseparable from drawing inspiration too
much from within. The scholarly cut throat
and elegant adultress, We may hope, are
henceforth abandoned to the cdnaiLke Of lit
and his works seem to be acquiring
that breath and depth which can make them
worthy Of coming from a great master Of tho
English tongue.--Lo7Etl0n Age.