New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-24
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

mir
;,h tho rublic In its general outline, itpre-
..n,, the materials for noble creations bu, the
framework is not worthy fitted up the characters
are not unfoded with the ever growing accrehon oi
interest that at last throws around them the pei o
epchsntmeDt; they often have worn and fahed looSj
IL would seem If the author wesried OF Dis tsk' Ut
wrote under the pressure Of circumstances aha'or-
able TO inspiration; he does not follow up MS own
hints; scene is presented in light winch proVoAes
expeetaton. when IL suddenly vanishes in dssclv-
ing view; and the denouements finally harned up Win
railroad speed as il we had been sent on Disagree
able ourney the end Of which we could not reachto
soon. Occasional touches, indeed, betray the hand
ef the fayorite master. There are many passages IN
the story in which be shows his accustomed strength
in the define alton of real life. Dickens can be no
other than himself even when jaded and anguid. His
very failures are not without point and in many re-
spects are superior to others successes.
N.Hsrd Times " is essentially satire on the me-
ehanicaL prosaic, utilitarian spirit of the age Ii
takes Up new strain Of the eremiad which has been
10 bitterly chanted by Carlyle, Emerson, aud other
..prophets Of the soul to admiring audiences thas
were well-fed well-clothed, and in every way well
TO do in the world by the operation OF the machinery
of this age which set down as the invention oil the
devil TO destroy poetry and religion Dickens now
.ve, mstes many good hits at the extravagances OF
.utitarianism. He has caught couple OF the mean
s, .neeimens of the school, and set them in the pill
ory much TO the amusement of the spectators True
ttey are decided carcatures-distOrted aboTtons OF
bumsnity-with few features that can be recognized
In their full blown ugliness; but they are the ver
table ncsIDatiOns Ofa prevailing spirit whose visible
sofesque forms may teach the deformity OF selfish
ness az powerfully as the drunken IIelots illustrated
the virtue Of temperance.
Mr.. Thomas Gradgrind is the prominent apostle OF
the evaDgel of utitariansm. His confession oil i4th
is tersely expressed in his precepts to model school
master Now whatI want il, facts Teach these
BOYS and girls nothing but facts. Facts alone are
wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out eve
rythiDg else. You can only form the minds OF rea-
sonng animals upon facts; nothing else will ever be
of any service to them. This is the principle on
which bring up my own children. and this is the
principle on which bring up these children. Stick
to facts, Sir"
miniature sketch of the all-practical Gradgrnd,
which tells everything we want TO know OF such
two.legged insect ia given in the second chapter.
Thomas Grsdg1ind, Sir. A of realities. A man of
facts and calculations. man who proceeds upon the
principle that two and four and nothing over and
Who is not be talked inte allowing for anything over.
Thomas Gradgrind, Sir-peremPtorly Thomas hom1s
Grsdgnd With rule and pair of scales, and the null
tipHcaon table always in his pocket Sir ready to weigh
and any parcel of human nature and tell you ex-
actly what it comes to. Ii mere question o hgares
case of simple arithmetic. You might hope to get some
other nopsensica belief into the head of George Grad
grid or Augustus Gradgrrd John Gradgrnd or Jo-
seIh Gradgrnd a supposititous, non existent PerSons)
but into the head Of Thomas Gradgrind-no, Sir
But still more delectable product of the matter
offact philosophy, is the exemplary Mr. Bounderby,
1a NIT hat a Iva
most in bis thoughts, cherishing profound contempt
for every thing usually valued by decent people, ex-
cept hard cash and for ever Dragging that he had
crept up from the oulcst slime of his original condi
ton to wealth and influence in society, by sheer dint
OF paucity of principle and plenty of brass. Mr..
Bounderby was as being Mr.. GTadgrind's bosom
friend as a man perfectly devoid of sentiment can ap
prosch that spiritual relationship toward another
perfectly devoid Of sentiment. He was rich man:
banker, merchant manufacturer, and what not. A
big loud man, with stare and metallic laugh.
man made out of coarse material, which seemed to
have been stretched to make so much of hin. Aman
with great pufed head and forehead, sweled veins
in his temples and such strained skin to his face
that IL seemed hold his eyes open and lift his eye
brows up. man with pervading appearance on
him of being inflated like a balloon, and ready to
self selfmade man. man who was always pro-
claiming, through that brassy speaking trumpet of
voice Of his his old ignorance and his old poverty
man who was the lIy of humility"
Bounderby holds the front rank on the scene. He
il mixed up with the whole movement of the story.
Not complication occurs in which his fabby fngers
have not moved the springs His presence, which at
6rst is simply disgusting at length becomes intolera
bic, and we sicken of rectals in which he plays the
chtfpart No skill of the artist reconcile us to
bis bideous portrature He has not the ability which
lends a charm to positive wickedness. His brutal
selhshness is not redeemed by the shrewdpess which
usually accompanies that quaty but big, coarse,
stupid braggart with neither cunning nor contriv-
apce, he forces his oathsome image the spectator
until he becomes revolving boated, shapeless,
venomous reptile. To cap the climax of his burly
enormities, he pretends to fall in love with Grad
grinds daughter who by strange caprice of nature,
is a beautiful model of gentle womanhoOd, whose
heart could lot be crushed out Of her by the pressure
of her absurd education-whose affections blossom
luxurianty in the arid desert Of her fathers house
whose life is unconscious protest against the mise
rsble system (which she is the victim-and without
worthy object to love, who ciDgs with sisters devo-
ton 10 young scamp of brother, that shows in
every trait and action the inevitable fruits of the
hard soulless matter fact routine in which he had
been trained from infancy Loaisa-@hich was the
daughters name-fnaly consents TO marry Bounder
BY without attempting to dupe him by professions Of
love. The sacrifice is completed-she becomes the
companion Of fool and bully-her position almos,
solciis the addresses of unlawful admirers; but