Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-28

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blasphemy which the pages Of Jane Eyre But witt
these attachments we repeat that VAee is nothing
than reproduction of Jane Eyre Lucy Snowe is almos
an exact counterpart Of the earlier heroine NJ Pau
Emanuel is at once exaggeraton Of and improve
ment upon that type of all that is masculine Edwin Ro
chester Miss Ginevra Fanshaw is another little Ade
de Varens Mrs Breton is only revised and amended
Widow Fairfax The feline Madam Beck and the ethe
real Paulina conceptions, at least far Mis-
Bronte is concerned.
Il As work of literary art "Vette is chiefly admira
BILE for its portrature of character We have heard
observed that the composition of such novel eynces
analytical power and knowledge of human quite
sufficient to make book metaphysics, had they only
received the proper direction. We have not heard how
ever that any regrets this misapplcation of Miss
Brones talent for metaphysics with all her wit in this
line the public is quite willing to forego the psychoo-
ges she might write she will only favor occasionally
with few novels Of the sort" As Junus ad
yised Garrck to stick to his pantommes too would
blandy exhort the Yorkshire Duthoress stick to her
romances. There is more money and more fame to be
made of these the world goes than could be
by the genius of new Plato What, forsooth, is the
reputation of Bacon Locke to that Of Dickens
Mrs. Steve? What though may never produce an
other sNovum organon," have not :" Uncle Toms
Cabn?"
Dr. Blair that patriarch of Scotch criticism in his day.
deemed almost necessary to offer some apology for adj
hitting fictitious histories" within the pale of lawful
literature At the day every other order Of lite
rary activity in danger of being superseded by the
novel, The time for the composition of dramas and odes
epic poems polite literature in general has long gone
by; may well admit the fact for need but to
open eyes to witness its confirmation. polite
literature properly called has become fossil among
OF reoiews, scientific summaries and tales there is
lack but the higher products literary there
positively demand and the relations between supply
and demand hold good less in literature than in COM
merce in the booktrade and the mart in French
novels and Ohio pork, the law regulates the pro-
duction and the consumption We often make it SUBJ
ect of indignant remark that Milton should have found
publisher willing to buy the copyright of Paradise Lost
for any thing than s5; but we greatly question
whether he would have succeeded in getting printed at
all, had he lived in day. What publisher among
would risk new epic poem, however transcendent its
merits The thing is not called for in the yugate sit
will not pay" True there certain old epopees of
tablished reputation which occasionally reprinted
among us, and then bound in ''morocc extra" and
double gilt to adorn the shelves of bookcases
They of the books which must be in every mans
library" but they of the books which the read
ing public desiderate They much talked about,
but very little read.
Shall we say, them that genius and invention have be-
come extinct? Not so; they have only been directed
into channes-into the composition of different
kind of machinery from that which the critics have agreed
to admire in the Homerc mythology. We have genius
among still, though the by which is best known
is gsnu-it working is in the products of modern
mechanic and of modern fancy, in steam engines and
novels Telegraph wires and Uncle Tom, as we take it,
the highest and grandes opponents of modern mind
The force of nature farther go We scarcely hope
it but when we what the cute Yankees have al
ready accomplished in the way of spinning ennies and
romances there is no telling what may yet happen The
elegrphs may yet have down. recent researches
show that electricity does not travel quite fast
supposed, and Uncle Tom may be compelled to hide
his q diminished head" We a fast people but will
not . Young America be a faster2 . Uncle Toms
Cabin win do for the presents but quite that
the banjo literature is the highest possible development?
Are there not intmations already that new lite
rary is dawning upon us? Negrophism has had its
day; the reign of spiritualism" has commenced Al
ready its literature the land and the thrilling his
tories of seraphc negroes giving place to the awful
disclosures Of heavenly mejums." Bat we must beg
pardon for speaking of novels with this undue levity
They earnest and serious things they longer bear
any resemblance to those curious productions which
charmed our ancestors the inerminabe romances of
Richardson and q Scuderi. OF these the purpose was
merely to amuse They aimed merely to supply that
easy reading which would just suffice keep their ele
CANT leisure from lapsing wholly into hamilton They
we're books which furnished just that minimum Of excita
ton which is found inducve Of drowsiness Many peri
wigged head has nodded the Of Pamela and the
loves Of Carssa Harlowe and got nights of good
sleep out Of single loveetter Of Sir Charles Grsndi
sons. There not much danger to be apprehended
from such books they not inaammatory in their
character except perhaps when they the means OF
setting readers curtains on FIRE by lulng him TO
sleep before he had time think Of his candle But
such is not the nature the aim Of modern fiction
Novels longer written merely to incidence
or kill time though these not wanting by those among
who still make them subserve these benefcent pur
poses They seek not much beguile the tedun
Of life by that mixture Of the lie which Bacon asserts
doth give pleasure, as to impress certain grave truths
in morals, politics. and religion upon the universe
mind" Of the public, or, still better by falling in with
direction Ct thought feeling already impressed give
1t intensity We may them for their nsig
nifcance, and in themselves considered they some
times petty and contemplate enough but cannot g
more their influence deny its efficiency Like thistle
down. they float every breeze and insure full crop
the kindred weed whatever soil they may chance t
alight The sotses Of Candide and the sophistres
Dr. Pangcss dill more to sap the fabric Of social
civil order in France than all the disqusitions Of tn
: Encyclopedia, though the hands worked on bot
alike and more recently all know that Eugene su
I, and Madame George Sand have preached socialism
-.