Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-05-18

holder hand succeeded in the rescue of Don JUAN
Horace-Le Sage-Byron-a trio how like, yet
how dissimilar! How kindred in the design and
general drift of their argument; how alien IN the
means of its development!
Let us take them on their morality. The second
episte of Horace deserves to be written IN cnaraS-
tiers of gold. It is, within ITSELF miniature Book
of Proverbs" Poor Richard" himself is not more
pthy in maxims show to live" and show to &C
quire credit in living" Further on, nothing: can
excel the portrait of "backguard "-the specimen
of that spccious blackguard-to be met with now,
as then, in every grade of society
- absentem qui rodit amicum,
Qui detcndit. aio cupante; solutos
Qui captat risus hnmnum, famamqne dieacis;
Fingere qui non visa p0test; commas. tacere
Qui neqult,-hic niger est-hunc tn, Romane caveto.
His own countryman and contemporary, Quin-
tilian aptly summed up the merit the peculiar
charm, of the style of Horace lyric. satiric, and
cpistolary in two words" curiosa telicitas." Orr
contemporary, Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer has re-
peated the sentiment while expanding the express
son-"no author is so good as Horace for quotation,
ethical or political"
Gil Bias is the very poetry of actual existence.
Waving in toto the question whether or not the
work is really original, or copy, we may we'll rest
instruction to be derived from it ?-Much and mani
fold For YOUTH lessons of vanity, lessons of Gre
dulity for middle age lessons of sobriety, lessons
of sefknowledge, lessons of moderation in prosper
ity; of forttude in adversely; lessons of prudence
in the economy of domestic life; warning precepts
and examples against the instability of Court favor
the abjcct servlity and low jealousy of competition
among the dependents and sycophantic followers OF
the Great; and yet, brightly shining through all
the gloom of dsappointments, all the assaults OF
malignant detraction and envious rivalry, the star
&c IT, oJcI; To
retreat Of tranquilized ambition.
These are some of the more prominent lessons to
be drawn from the ever moving scenes of actual ex-
istence depicted in Gil Blas-not one to which each
and every of us, who have reached the verge of Sc
niority, may not by the change of single little word
apply the Horatian hint "Nonaine mutato, &c.
| believe it is Scott who brings forward, as mas
terly specimen of insight into the workings of hui
man passion, that passage in lie Diable Boiteux,"
where two rival authors, after venting the bitterest
explosions of pcnt up malice, finally prevailed
on to comply with the outward forms of reconcilia
tion,-"they embraced, and parted, hating each
other more cordially than ever"
As counterpart in acumen of penetration, l ven
ture to specify the parting scene between Gil Bias
and the venerable Arch Bishop of Grenada. The
luckless secretary had been straty charged to give
timely intimaton, should he perchance notice the
slightest falling off in the style of his References
homilies Having hazarded such criticism, as he
humbly thought himself in duty bound to do after
certain fit of paralysis, from which his sacred fnc
tons did not exempt the worthy prelate, the un-
pleasant conference abruptly closed by his Rev.
erence who resenting the freedom of his critic, gave
him draft his treasurer for the amount of sala-
RE due, and an unmistakable notice of ejectment
from the censoral office by very significant push
on the shoulders in the direction of tile door, with
this exclamation annexed, "Je ne trouse point du
toat mGurais que rOus me disiez rotre sentiment;
c'est ootre sentiment seul que je troure maurais"
But what, is thy servant dog that he should
do this great thing?' Such are the words of unbe-
lief respecting his own course of future misconduct
of one in whom prophetic vision foresaw the change
about to happen Thus, too, in an humber sphere
we have fine illustration of selfignorance engrated
on overweening arrogance, the growth of temporary
prosperity, when Gil Bias denies acquaintance with
his fellow Mager, the grocers son. and still worse
turns an adders ear, and steels his breast against
the natural emotion of fal affection when his hum
Die fellow townsman makes sensible although
blunt appeal, that the son. in his present compare
tive atuence, should extend the liberal hand Of re-
lief to the poverty and privatons of his aged pa
rents.
The subsequent remorse of the repentant son; his
plan OF atonement; his visit to his native village,
just time enough tG witness the death of his father
and the dotard imbecilty of his uncle but too late
to admit OF glimpse of recognition from ether his
fruitless effort to conciate the good will of the
towns folk, despite the ostentaton Of proflse ibcr
atty, now scornfnlly rejected as mere display of
purse-prOud insolence; these passages alone might
secure Tor their author the rank of moralist of first
Iate order; OF no common searcher into the springs
of human action.
Another instance of rctributive Justice meted out
to the principal offenders in such way as to make
an almost involuntary participant in the offence
uembie Tor himself wher rejecting how near he had
approached the very brink of the pit-how narrowly
ne had escaped the fall is wildly given in the reef
tai OF the ever candid but too compliant Tantlane
OF his adventure with the brigand, Don Rapbael
Assuming the gar5 Of officers dispatched by the ter
riole inqulsltlon, they rob the strong box of con-
1erted Jew. Long after restitution had been made
Oh ms snare OF the punder-when perhaps, the very
recollection of the peccadillo had faded and crown
dim in the distance of time and oblivion. eli Rlas
happens to visit Madrid on the eve of an auto dn h
Next morning he takes seat among the crowd of
spectators and as the ghostly procession passes bv
oh! horror oh judgment to his selfconyicted
guilty conscience! most conspicuous in the march
OF the doomed, he behods the figures of the alldar.
ing brlgand, Don Raphael, and his obseouious ac-
complete, Iamela wi
In the French town of Boulogne-sur-mur is shown
tear de Gil B1as," which inspired the follow;nr
truthful tribute to his memory:
lc, est mort lie Sage: but what hath deds
L, would you'd say what hath persisted Nat Gil Rlas:
81 lives as heretofore til eternal law
N change affects him not: be will abide
From age TO age,-al countries are his own.
M ,f then zen hath persh'd? That corporeal mould
which, like minst.ers harp grown frail and old
NO longer could respond in wonted tone
onto the masters touch. Blu: did the mind
That framed the melody and woke the STRINGS
Or did the song itself destruction find
nv with that old harp? U! vain imaginingsI
Inc mind and music lives LIE Sage hath never died.
George Gordon Noel Byron-alias "Chlde Har
old"-alias "Cain alias the "Corsair alias
.,i Manfred red "Eaasnut cum SoutAeynris zoquar~
allas-the Devil Byron, the republican of noets
the poet OF aristocracy-well be-lauded bv the Rev
erend Pollock-well be-cudgeed by the erutc tho q
the redoubted Christopher North, when Christie
piers spirit scared high-when his arm was viror
Gus to deal the buffet-Byron, sincerely bewaile,
oy the same Christopher North IN the thrillin
strain OF unaffected lamcntation the moment tidino
Oh that untimely death reached his native land:
Lament for Lord Byron
In tul flow Of grief