Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-01-29
George Sand on Uncle Tom.

VI lUe most popular lcHhle noNellst ot rance
has written an elabnratn criticism of the ro-
muuce of Mrs Beecher Stowe. 1t appeared
/ 10 the Paris Pressc of the 20th Of December.
n few days after the close of MIR. Platt's trans
laton of the work. Our readers will, Of
course, feel vivid curiosity to know wlnt
such nh authority can say of such u work,
and we mean to crafty it by rendering il
into English. Y. Post.
UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
I "To speak of book on the morrow of its
appearance" says Madame Sand, =" and iu
The very journal in which il has been publish
l.ed, Is contrary to custom; but, ia the present
Ease, this is disinieresicd homage, since the
limnieusc success which the hook has ncqui-
red nrquits Que of any motive of attempting
TO aid It's circulation. II is already in all
liands,-in all Journals; editions of ull sizes
have appeared; and every body dev0urs il
aud covers it with tears. No onc who can
read, is permitted TO go without reading il F;
aud the only reglet il, that there are so many
who cannot rcnd-the llcluts of misery, the
slaves of gnornucc,-lor whom politics has
not yet solved tie problem of bread for the
soul aud bread for the body.
1t is no clnp-irap advertisements then, to
return upon the work of Mrs. Stowe it is an
homage. aud never did pure aud generous
IS roman deserve more tender aud spOntunc-
Gus one; SHE is far away from this, we do not
know her, she that has pierced our hearts
with cnutious so sad, aud therefore so sweet,
nnd so let us thank her the more Let the
plalntve voices of women, let the generous
voices of men aud of children, so admirably
glorjlied in the hook, and those of the op.
pressed in this world traverse the sea TO say
to her how much she is esteemed, how much
she is loved.
Ii the best praise TINT can be given an an-
ihor is to love linn, the truesl tha, can be
shown this hook, Is To love IFS fults. We
cannot poes these in silence, we cannot eludc
ille discussion of them. but we need not irou.
bic ourselves about them, while others rally
us Tor weeping over the simple narratives o +
the victims Described. The defects of Mrs.
Stoves book exist only IN respect TO certain
conventions of Art, which are not absolute.
II The Judges, treating il as u mereijit of book
unking, fud parts that are tedious, repeti-
hous, nnskllluness, let them take care, when
they try 10 confirm their judgments hy select
ng some chance chapter, that their eyes are
dry! They will remind themselves of that
ONO senator, who agreed with his little wife
HAT lie was right IN voting for the Fugitive
Slnye law, aud yet took off two iugitives hm-
@li IN llis currage IN the depth OF the night,
getting ont in the mud up to his middle often,
TO help push on ile wheels. Tins charming
episode paints IN The most admirable nanner
The situation otihe greater part of men, pla-
ced between custom, prejudice, and their own
hearls, Otherwise more unive aud generous
than their own institutions aud rnanners.
lhis is the history, both touching aud lu-
dicrous, OF Il great number of independent
crilic' Whether the question I've social or
literary one, those who pretend to judge il
co!uly, hnd at the point of view OF the ab-
stract law, are oitGn surprised into the deep
est emotions, and sometimes conquered,
without being willing TO confess il. am
always charmed with the annecdote of Vol
inlre, who, wishing to hold the fables of La
ioutalno up TO contempt, took the book, aud
sald, Listen! YOU shall see-lake the first
we come TOP lilo read il. "Ah, that's pas
enble-bnt here ia another quite stupid ~
lie read the second, aud found it very pretty
ihird quite disarn,ed him; hut reading on
to find bad one he threw down the book,
eXclalmng, with ingenious spite, " It's all
holchpoIch of masterpieces" Gren; minds
may he bilious and yiudiclive, hut when they
reject, II is impossible for them TO be unjust
OF insensihle.
This work, badly constructed according to
The laws Of the modern rOmances, as they arc
accepted ia France, inspires every body, aud
iriamphS over all criticism, in every discus.
sion raired in tho family circle. For il is
essentially domestic aud family hook, with
IT'S long Dialogues, ils minute details, aud its
portraits 20 carefully studied. Mothers, young
persons, children aud servants, read aud com
urrupuu II. mud ,npn nVnu .,,un,;n. ,,,.,
cannot dis,lnin tive do not say, because its
finer qualities redeem its defects, but because
oi these very defects.
In Frnmce, we conbaited for n long while
the prolixiIies of exposition in Walter Scott;
we neAt cried oul against ihoer Of l}alznc,
but on consideration, il was seen, that in
lainiingc of munners aud characters, lhore
was never too much, when every stroke Of
the pencil was in It's place, and concurred in
the general effect. S0brieiy and rapidly nrc
eminent qualities but we should learn To like
all methods that are good, aud which bear
iha sign OF wise aud insInciiye mastery.
Mrs. Stowe is all instinct, and for that ren-
son she appears at first not to have talent.
No lnleul! What is talent? Nulhing, doubt
less, compared to genius But has she genius?
] do not know that she has talent, as il is un-
the genius which humanity has the most
need oi,-lhe genius of good This is not
to be a man of letters; but do you know
whnt it s?-it is to be saint, ,-nothing
more.
Yes, saint! Three times holy is the
soul which loves, besses nnd consoles mar
tyrs! Pure, penetrating, and profound is the
rp'rit which sounds the depths of human ma
ture! Great, generous aud vast the henrt,
which embraces in It's pity, in ITS love, in its
respect, n race sunkcn ia blood and mire,
under the scourges of cruel men, and the
OF the impious.
Il is well for us that it is so il is well that
we feel ia spite Of ourselves, that genius is
The heart, that power is faith, thar, finally,
SUCCESS is sympathy, since this book guile
overlurns us, chokes the throat, meIs the |
spirits and fills us with strange sentiment