New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-18
EEW PUBLICATIONS.
PAU, FAME.

In Tie power o. ingenious sno sssS'
90 passing eveots of sketchins the lsAe md sasAs
wh cA dit over The surface Of sosisty. Of PaAyfa
and felicitous portrature Of sAieat individual esan
(vAssher in man o. beasts 81 Of investing ~
charms Of the landscape with gov Of utsu0,
MT. Willis has Lot Ais peer among living Anericaa
writers Our columns amply testify 10 oar admir-
ti0n Of his peculiar geniuA We have always loved
to detect the vein Of natural feeling and erisaA
thought which turks beneath His brilliant sadscss'ss
Of phnse--to enjoy the "applss Of sOA % sslvs"
Of silver which he brings home from his dainty
dallance with the heart Of nature.
But in the prescott more ambitious attempt, Mr..
Willis has not succeeded in embcdying the hwiess
beauty and Irresistible hscin alton Of bis lighter pro-
auctions. The plot ofthe story u loose rambling.
and iuccnclusive No natural series Of events gives
q cumulative interest to the approaching deocae-
meut but a. the tale winds slowly to crnis il t.
pers of into lansuor and apathy. There On sir q
ccpstraint shout the competition, want OF graceful
movement, want Of energy and point often eves
want Of visible purpose, which chow the writer -
have been i'll at ease in bis work. ard with sinister
m;.e,yns. n 10 the success Of bis uncongenL az
pertinent.
The motive Of the story is 10 give psycao'osicA
biography cf Paul Fame, chroniclns tho devesof-
mept of bis intellect and passions, his efforts :" wa
the prizes # social ambition on which be had tosa-
shy set his heart his uncertain steps in tho par
suit Of an artistic career and his final subsidescs
into the ups nchanted life Of quiet domesticity. Bus
Pau, Fare is not character to take 80 much
trouble about. There il nothing either in his M
ture or bis experience to challenge the interest
the reader. No traveller would think It worth hn
while to stop on his journey to mako tho scquaint-
snce Of such an incomplete specimen OF humarisy.
His faculties are all distorted ntroverted, ceoteec4
With an incredible intensity on the conscious.
re.s Of self. No rich glory Of blossomins life, -
poetical abandon of nascept genius, no arOmstie
aush Of the flowing wine-pe1, creates sympstay
even with the errors and Shortcomings Of the cold.
gteripg, esotstic connoisseur Of HE own emosens
With the single trait of passionate, 6ial love Chs
mother is depicted as woman Of large generous.
.ympa,hizipg heart, Of VIII I'm such son would b
an anomaly in nsture), Paul Fame has no quAisy v
win the affection or pride Of his friends, nor hardly
sufficient stamina to excite any bitterer feeling thsa
| contempt in his enemies. He 10 essentially MAJ
| of pasteboard and padding. The bloom on his
cheek is Fictitious. He is Incapable Of genuine.
hearty emotion. A young man so thoroughly srs-
6cia is almost as great monster ~ boin without
the paura yiscus which ply siolosists call tho heart
His creation msy 60 credit to the inventive peweu
Of the author. for his character fortunately has Tow
| prototypes in reality
Let us look little more closely at this Mr.. PaM
Fame, who has won bis way 30 far into tho soo1
prsces of the novelst that he dwells upon his mar
row eootistc nature with fond minuteuoss OF de-
jueat on. and not word to express his weArincss
| of ,uch q repulsiye task. Paul was the con OF
| commouplace, vulgar dealer in hardware. lie
WA born W tn q passion for Art, but IL was biz
fathers foresone determination TO maAe n'm -
orthodox preacher. With tho conniSsnos u n~
mother, he practices system Of dscePs'a % lhs
/ obiusc "sovernor," sIS, pursuei :' J. ;eorct his
artistic studies. But Art alone was not bis Idol.
He was equally ambitious Of social distinction. but
| with an inward consciousness that BY nature and
feeling he was unworthy Of the boon. lie telt 10
the bot of hi. heart that be was destitute Of tho
qualities Of q gentleman, but was proportionsbly
anxious to disguise the fact from others. Knowing
that be was o humbug, he cherishsd an insane de-
sire to gain the approval Of persons whose position
in society gave 10 their verdict Instead
cftrus,ng to bis natural qualities for the sttainmeot
Of social respect, be staked everything on the
"inde, xmentr Of fashionable authorities. He1ce
bis anxiety, bis perturbation, bis want Of rep0's
bis spssmodic craving for appreciation, when By
chance be touched upon the skirts Of good
society" Uriah Heep was not more mean, selnsh
and crinRpg, than Paul Fame. who Gets up tor
seuius, and does not know that he 10 snob. Ills
r,t e. pertinent 10 worm himself into social renowu
| WA on his introduction to certain Miss Ashley.
a stately young Epglish dame Of high aristocrstic
| pretensions The interview was more evenadl than
be had anticipated, for at the close Of it, sit was
| Gear to demonstration that he was smit"--she
| creeping Young egotist. The whole current
| Of his life was ct once changed, while To
her, according to the "trite and original
smile of the narrator, the scene "wss bat the
touch Of the swallows wing 10 the calm surfsce Of
the LAKE, There was, however, more distasts THAI
love, after IN, in the sentiment awakened By this
daughter Of peIfdioos Albion. Her cold gray eye,
which doubtless searched the shallow heart OF tho
prete nder in fash, produced such N awkward
,epsatfp, that he could neither de6ne nor c6sffons
it's influence. His whole being was now arou'eA
by the Eervent aesire to understand that bok-ss
know, in short, the impression which tho
wouId-be gentleman and artist had produced
on the proud beauty. The succeeding night was
passed without sleep. Esrly the next mofni's
be devotes the aurorsI light to tho contemplation
of the great problem. Tho time "" fsvorabi'.
and he soon hits upon the solution--s solution.