New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-09-23
LITERATURE ~ ENGLAND.
From Our Owe Correspondent.

veysOnrel of Alexander Smith. A friend OF mips
who knows him very intimately has furnished me
with one which will transcribe for the gratih-
cation of such of your readers as take an interest
in such matters. might premise that the writer
off is also poet, and one OF the moet dissin-
pushed of these now pressing round the safe Of
the Temple.
Lam clad YOU have applied to me for your Ds-
'guerreotype of Alexander Smith because bve
him well nough to say at once tnat no worthy as
'guereoiype of him Is possible Even portrait
could rot be depended upon If If came from tho hand
of a comparative stranger A mere accurate descnp-
ton of features would DO him singular injustice and
anything more than such sheer statistics Is rom MS
Scottish reserve, impossible from any one with whom
be is not intimate To chronicle short, dark, curly
hair, forehead unusually wide but not very high,
blue ewes, somewhat brown compile sion. short
upper lip, nose and mouth of regular Dimensions.
might suggest an AntinOus. To qualify this idea
BY remaIkng that the mouth and chin, though
Of classic size, are by no meals beautiful IN shape,
and that the azure eyes exchange the oihee
of looking straight, would leave an image
equally unjust; and yet this is all that the mere ac-
ouantsnce could say of him. | would therefore
rather YOU get notion of him a. he appears TO mo
than give you anything which the common OBJ
server would be likely 20 recognize. Imagine young
man about five snd-wenty, of broad strongly-built
figure approaching with a lounglng thoughtful step.
The face that might not have attracted you in tbs
street brghtens as we meet into very sunshine. tie
sits dow n and during our talk he beams first one aud
then the other of those blue, clear, living eyes upon
me each of which in turns seems 70 take up the con-
yersation with force all the greater tor its interval
Of rest and 10 shine, whIe employed win the COM
hined liz hit of both. Indeed this superhuity oil NE is
so curious that one tances moving inward III
csndescence in the eve, like that active COM
huston which you may see IN the miu-ught VI
candle, and which, through telescope, you
seem TO have seen in star. over the whole fsce
there pass as many and delicate hues OF meaning a.
lights and shades cornfeld. or tnts upon
breezy sea. Ard then | would not change the trans
figured countenaDce for the physical perfection OF the
most classic Apollo. With me he speaks freely and at
length but in ordinary society he has little convero-
ton With friends strangers however, his manners
are alike quiet and simple and few things have been
better testimony to his innate excellence than the
outward equanimity with which he bore his rapid rise
into public gaze or the calm serespect with which
he suddenly found himself in ducd castles and in
the brilliant sllons of an Edinburgh season. MS
private life s in keeping with these evidences
Of superiority. The conclusions which certain
critics have drawn from some overcolored passages
in his writings strangely inconsistent with inc
purity of his conduct the chastity OF his speech tho
frmness with which he has maintained his water
drinking in face of the banter OF Edinburgh dinner
tables and the large development OF the religious
element in his mind, an element, which, as could
show you by interesting anecdotes, was one OF us
earliest characteristics. But for the sacrednea
which sanctuares good deeds, could give such facts
of his youth and manhood go far to prove that In
the relations of SON. brother and friend he has been
scarcely less eminent than in that more brilliant cha
acter which the world has already recognized
Smith is editing book of David Vedders he
mains, &C., to be published for the benefit OF
Vedders near relations. He is also half way
through with a new Poem. Ii is kind OF
CITY Drama" believe and in his expression the
poet is all for drab and sober gray"
The Rev. George Gfan has another Gallery
of Literary Portraits in the press This volume
il 10 include "Custer OF new Poets, namely,
sydney Doben. Alexander Smith, Stanyan Bigg,
and Gerald Massey. God help the cluster, Tor
the gifted Apollo won't. The critic informed US
some time since that he was more appreciated in
America than in England II so, his admirers
will recognize the following portrait OF him, drawn
bv an Edinburgh friend with deal OF spirit, aud
mighty power Of words:
"The mind of this gifted writer wants the racy
originality the sweeping and bosterous strength, mo
tunultuous hurricane OF power, which distinguishes
the author of The Demon Lover; but, on the other
hand POSSESSES an invisibility of distinction and
PROBABILITY of bombast to which scroggns has no
Ireensions. The one could no more nave written
! ibe MooneLine Mediiations than the other fno
Bards of the Bbe IL has not the colossal strength
| of Huegins but is superior in refinement nor the
leopine sagacity of Shocks, but Is greatly chafged
/ with the swelierng electricity oil enthusiasm. Lsss
/ COMMUNICATIVE less transcendenta less pyramdal in
his eruditiOn than Hggnb0tham, but more versatile,
ambitious and intoxicating. Ills Imagination Is not
so glowing or So cherubic "a that which pours hke
molten gold through the gorgeous pages oi our ueHa
! MacROiogy but is more ethereal IN ITS quahtyl anu
dares longer and loftIer flight HIS WIZ Is INFERIOR
TO that Of MacBosh, alike in subtnty and spiepdor.
He has not his fierce sarcas MS intense anu oaoono
/ acut.ness his discrimination lnialllDle "a COUNCIL
his byepa.ke grasp and tenacity but, on tho other
| hand il free from his satanic bitterness, and ssr'
uasses him in that Dird and meteorc haliuchaon
/ OF genius which are all his own. As to MS style,
..ault g. UIa al
resembles; shall we say rather that Il ia the stutter-
inc nratte of drunken faun Ii has not the pathos
and rich grOtesqueness OF " Rooney, me Drhnanco
and devouring energy Of McTurk, Snooks5 prophetic
/ 6yv Hugeins internal glare or Ca0utchoucs mystic
termipologioal incomprehensibity. Nor Is II what "a
called an Englsh styles 1t has not the iucidty Oh
| Goldsmith, nor the grand swell OF Gib6on nor the
crushing force Of Cary me sedaGtse no
ofMacaulay nor the labored roll OF Alison nor inc ex
ousite decacy Of Lamb nor the critical hnsh Oh Jef
fev nor the rushing music OF Wilson, nor the rugged
o,spdeur Of Chalmers nor the storm precision and
snltless periods OF Hamilton nor the humor chaste-
lou. and mod, sty Of the Rev. John Cumming IL Is
s,vle entirely peculiar 10 himself Of the personal
apuearance of Apolodorus 1t difficult " gave an al.
eipate description. We saw him but once, ana shall
MT soon forget the excited energy with winch his
zice snnk 10 a tremulOus boom, that II it did not re-
mind one Of the glorious cadences Of Christopher
North suggested at least the idea that the speaker
was conscious that il should he spoke OF Carlyle
hnrnng throne as already lettering 10 its al, AMI
picured the chip Of Christianity riding perIousy
through a sea of storing. The frat look, is often
the case does not suggest the idea-this is man Of
/ genius. A vulgar hush We know other great men ID
Tbom This appiiesl suifusing the yisage up To the
roots OF what Hogg calls the golden hair, disap-
points the spectator who had expected to see the pale
and hsggsrd features Of the laborious student Tho
nose would approach the grand but that y par
takes more OF the large The mouth Is firmly set,
and is evidently bent speaking great things The
ewes seen through the medium Of spectaces are sad
BY some authorities to glare isee HasencIayef a.
holder The terrible cry stall and the light that was
never seen on sea or shore But the forehead