The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-07

from the Philadelphia Press

Prom the Phi aielpha Press.
From what we consider good authority,
we hear that Charles Dickens will certainly
revisit this country in the spring. His lee
turing. or rather reading tour through the
United X ingdom has hitherto been extreme
ly lucrative. and be calculates on equal sue
cess here. There is no doubt that he would
draw very large audiences, in many popu
lous places, for Dickens, whatever his faults,
is one OF the greatest writers OF his time,
and undoubtedly the most genial. As an
author, he has some shortcomings. For
example, like George Crulkshank, the hu-
morist, who is sometimes hbelled by being
designated caricaturist, he has almost
invariably failed in drawing what Words
worth calls "a perfect woman, nObly plsnn.
ed His females are almost invariably
failures When he does gives us anything
better than o mere namby PANTY, bread.
and butter eating damsel, be makes an ex-
travagance Of her. Nancy Sykes, and
Charlotte, in OLIVER Twist" Mrs. Nicke-
BIZ end very few others stand out thus
strongly marked. But, for the most part
his women are dreadiully commonplace.
In this respect Mr.. Tbackeray resembles
" Boz''-wI,h this exception, that be does
not attempt much whereas Dickens does.
Thackeray has but one idea Of a female
chsracter--at least Of female bean ideal,
and We had her, first OF all, 10 " Vanity
Fair" as immortal Becky sharp, that
sbrewd, Knowing somewha, scampl-h, self
possessed, far seeing woman Of the world,
who seems never to have enjoyed any Of the
amenities Of childhood, but TO have been an
,nirigan,e almost from her cradle. ThOse
sharp features. those yellow locks, those
gray green eyes, that quick, feline glance,
that insinuatlDg address are Becky Sharps,
and Thackeray, who Is very much IN love
with his own productions, reproducs this
typs, whenever he wants a hTOine. Not
80. did Scott. in his immortal WaverIy
Novels, which, we are delighted u know
are a. much read a. ever-a sound indica-
ton Of healthy taste this new bIOsslmlng Oh
SCOTS popularity il. Not 40 does Bulwer,
whose romances are crowded with fine wO.
manly creations each admirably Individual
izei Above all. not 80 did the mnltODInd.
Ell and immortal SHAKESPEARE. The inability
70 produce good female characters 10 their
writings undoubtedly IA drawback to the
literary merit of Dickens and Ihackeray.
We have been asked more than one, Of
late. what pecaliar,ty there Is IL Dickens
reading his Own competitions, o. induce
crowd. To 70 and hear ban A decided r.
cuIari,y there Is. but tie grea''z, induce
ment. perhAp-, 5 10 -ee tie agibor. ChA'i"s
Dickens j. not a very old mai --hs will
complete his forty s.vcuth yea' N February
-bu, be is comparatively an Old author,
having cpmmeDc1i bis career snd tfs pOp1
!arty IN 1886. A man wh0 La Ooen iDr
marry iseuiy-,hree years before The public.
a. al thing comparatively cOnsiieref. The
mp., popular writer Of his age. y O8e whom
the pa,ieut pubic dtileh, 70 -. Toy
have natural t1-ire 20 So, 10 the boy,
that author whom they have known 80 .pDg
and 30 wi IN the spirit. TbogsaDd.. and
ten. Il thoaa1d.. a. over his native land
ar ,er.onaly graif4! and even A,taehet
y y ckens, iOr IT, may hDqrs v Intellectual
enjJymeni ~ Er.;.Bys have made Tor thern.
Heuce xa~n b. coUsa a. ib-- respective