Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-12-28
Book Notice.

and disapp ointment SPRIaoNs from his garnet sees
his more fortunate neighbors going the dinners Of
the rich, and tomorrow inveighs ia the columns
of the Little PadiiagioaiGn, against the union Of
vice and luxury. Many would have us believe that
WILLIAM MAEEPEACE THACKEEAY was one Of this lat
ter kind They adduce his Mandy PANTY women
as astrong evidence and say that he has given
to the world really hgh-rinded, accomplished
woman While there is some show Of reason IN the
bitter assertion we cannot admit that THGcKERAY's
sarcasm is OF the haseF kind He views humanity
s,mixture of good and evil. For the sake of the
former he applies the knife to the latter. Out Of
the furnace the gold comes forth purified but the
dross is consumed and while blame AMELIA,
= BETTY, SHARP, and BARNES NEwcoxE, we must not
Forget that the hand has warmed into being he
noble character Of Col NEWcoXE and his hayward
scn CLINE.
The YirgInians" has less Of satire than many Of
his former works 1t wss the authors svowed in
tentiOn give u.s. in the history OF two brothers,
one royast and the other republican an accOEnt
of the war of the revolution In the execution Of
his plan he must have been diverted from his task
by the superior attraction of English life He hiss
given long sketches of Bath aud the socety there
century ago, and of London manners and customs
among lhe gentry but has crowded the whole Vir-
ginan rebellion and American revolution mt few
brief chapters towards the close We are not sorry
FOR this. The author is at home in Bath and London
but when he crosses the ocean he is evidently far
from being at ease. Still, what is done, is well
done.
His historical accounts are Cor the most part COR
rect, if may Judge from the criticisms that have
been made upon it, during its appearance. We must
Of make allowance for the fact that the
the diary of GEORGE WARRNGros. He was a Tory
and fought with the English army. l. is, therefore,
a part of the character that he should view tn
struggle through the spectacles of His Britanc Ma
jesty GEoROE III. Even that however, does not pre-
vent him fromseeing blunders and errors. He avows
that he designs to write impartally and says he
commenced history of the war. A portion of this
manuscript was shown by HARRY to his friend
GEORGE WASHINGTON, who did not view it with so
much favor the partial brother but said, 1T was
likely to offend both parties" This gives the key
to that portion of the novel. We must remember
the character OF the di4ris and judge lenenty if
OfFends our sense of national honor
There is trait in the writings of Mr. THAcERRAY
which, while it may not serve to render him pOpu-
lar with the masses, like Mr.. DICKENS has neVerthe-
less attractions for a large circle of readers Some
in the Edinburgh Rerielr think has said that
a book OF worldly ma Eims and morals might be COM
piled from his writings. There is no writer of the
present day who admirably exposes the secret
springs of action in pleasant way. Does my Lady
Baroness greet HARRY today with fawning eordi-
atty and tomorrow only extend the tips Of her
withered fingers. we feel that il is because a
star has risen above the horizon, and that Harry the
heir and HARRY the younger brother two differ
ent persons. Yet we do not so much blame the old
LADY. She has always been worldly and viii die as
sue has lived she has her good qualities well
bad, ami we cannot tut feel that we are only too
apt 20 go and do likewise II is this vein of quiet
comment which runs through all lis volumes which
especially binds Us to "a, author We follow the
actors through their adventures; we them quar-
rl.Rni make love, marry and die. and all along
~ conversation with the chronicler. 1t ia
something like having iu3rious critic set beside
you at play.
The yirginians is . story OF English rather than
of American life. II has very little plot Il CON
tsins besides the evurnteresting play Of character
excellent descriptions Of high life at Bath England
We watch HAggE with wonder and pleasure as he
runs through fz career OF dissipation. preserving
the FRESHNESS Of hisnaturn betting for the honor Of
Old Virginia, drinking wine aud playing cards with
Lord CHESTERFIELD and The Countess OF NALHonEN
with the enthusiasm Of old stsger. He is certain
~ getting in bad way. But bailif brings him up.
Even in misfortune he viii not renounce the engage
Haent he has formed with Lady NARIA, though be
does not love her and knows she ~ nearly as old as
his mother GEoRGE, brought to life, rescues him
from all his troubles and from his patrImony also
By skillful management the engagement is broken
and the worst part OF his character now appears
George Eow steps upon the scene and we are treat,
ed to q view Of q different part of London society
DR.. JOHNSON and Mr. GARRICE, and the literary and
dramatic life, of winch they were the represents
tivgs claim the attention of literary sspirant.
He writes play which is successful and another
which is not.
This Introduction of historic characters, as of DIR
JOHNSON GARRICK, Gen. WOLFE, the hero Of the
Heights of Abraham, and last and most important
Of all. Gen. GEORGE WASHINGTON has been objected
To- not ONLY in the ca sc Of the Virgnisns but alsC
in other writers. Il is commended that such COURSE
tends to obscure history, by giving false nOtior
oe the actual life of these heroes of the past rs
pecIally has this been the with regard TO Gen
WASHINGTON. Our American papers have already
discussed this TO some extent. Bnt il shonld be re
membered that Gen. WASHINGTON was but man
He lived. as other men live by eating, drinking AMI
sleeping. Although a representation of his sitting
down with hearty appetite to a good dinner, as We
do every dav, may dctract from our idea OF demi
god, it nevertheless serves to teach us the fac
of his mortality. which it is sometimes useful fo1
us 10 remember. Of the fidelity Of the Englisl
characters we have not space TO speak. But WASH
INaroN belongs peculiarly to and it may be inter
aesting to see how De is treated.
WASHINGTON is introduced first a friend and
older companion Of GEoRGE and HARRY WAERNG
ToX He HINTS and fishes and goes TO races, AM
fences with them. and is at the time regarded
with favor by Madame EsYoSD WARRINGTON. He j
represented a. exceedingly sober and discree
young man, WHO has already achieved some distinc
tiOn in the colony. prying companion of Madam
EsMoxD discovers the portions OF a letter in whicl
he sneaks Of his approaching marriage to a widow
MRS CuSrrs) She. however, thinks that Madam
Fs,rovp Is meant, and communicates her suspicion
10 the bows. GEORGE, inflated with wine, deter
,eincs 10 nrevent il and to force Col WASHINGTON
into duel. He accompanies him to a tavern afte
having frequently insulted him during the day
where they find two British officers drinking
GEcRaE insists on joining them and compels VASE
INoroy to join them in the toasts. This he does
Enough reluctantly. One Of the officers uses il
sult:ng language to him, and Nv WASHINGTON re
plies sharply A quarrel, ending in challenge t
fight duel, is the result.
The serving woman, however, fortunately DIS
covered her mistake in season to prevent the due
But could WASuINGroN have done differently unde
the circumstances: Did not the customs of the time
demand such course from him. 1t is difficult t
see what other course lac could take. had he bee
placed in that situation.
We have not space 20 trace WASHINGTON through
the Indian war, to quote the interview between
H,ppv ana himself on account of the gl,s,r;r 81
at the promation of the young LAFAYErrE over olde
soldiers In all these situations, the character q
the master spirit yielding and suffering in sleuc,
brought to light
Our concus On is that THAcKERAr has been faitl
full 10 history. and has not misunderstood the me
with whom hc wa dealing. He may have commi
Jed soms Jew ma ,curacics. ard have failed TO pr
duce exactly what he promised us in the beginnin
...-...--. rrnat .noa Hon. nn...l Ii I.