Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-05-18
sU9S "a t,i&asss
The Standard.
For the Standard.
HORACE-LE SAGE-BYRON.
BY GEORGE PADDISON.

vorite Admirers of the Sententious wouio Pou'ee
upon Quintus Horatius Flaccus; Gil Bias woo!o oe
plucked from the flames by the lovers Of g'spne as
scription Of every day scenes in the actua ous.es
Of life while. if all else belonging to the emanations
Of Byrons geiriu; had persisted the loss might oe
deplored. but would be speedily forgotten hao some
holder hand succeeded in the rescue OF Ion juan
Horace-Le Sage-Byron-a trio how like YET
how dissimilar! How kindred in the design anu ny
general drift of their argument; how AMEN IN INC
means of its Development! -.
Let us take them on their morality. The second
epistle of Horace deserves to be written IN charac
ters of gold It is, within itself a miniature Book
Of Proverbs" Poor Richard" himself is not more
pithy in maxims chow to live" and show to &C
auire credit in living" Further on, nothing can
excel the portrait of a "blackguard"- specimen
of that specious blackguard- Ito DC met Win how'
as then, in every grade of society:
- absentem qpi rodit amicum,
Qui non deendit, sio culpsnte; soutos
Oui captat risus humnum, famamqae d'cac'sS
Fngere qui non visa potest; comm'sS. tscere
Qui nequit,-hi niger es'-nune 'u' ""'nA"e' '~'e''
His own countryman and contemporary, Quln-
titan, aptly summed up the merit the peculiar
charm, Of the style Of Horace, lyric satlric' ana
epistolary, in two words" curiosa telicitas. Our
contemporary, Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer, has re-
peated the sentiment while expanding the express
sion-' no author is good 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 well rest
satisfied to take it as we find it And what is the
instruction to be derived from it Much and mani
fold For youth lessons of vanity, lessons OF ere
duty; for middle age lessons of sobriety, lessons
of selfknowledge lessons of moderation in prosper
ity of fortitude in adversely; lessons Of prudence
in the economy of domestic life; warning precepts
and examples against the instability of Court favor,
the AFFECT servility and low jealousy Of competition
among the dependents and sycophantic followers OF
the "Great;" and yet brightly shining through al!
the gloom Of disappointments, all the assaults Of
malignant detraction and envious rivalry, the star
Of Friendship cheering his pathway to the peaceful
retreat of tranquilized ambition.
These arc some of the more prominent lessons to
be drawn from the 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 Horatan hint "Nomine mutato. &C.
terly specimen of insight into the workings of hui
man passion, that passage in lie Dable Boiteux,"
where two rival authors after venting the btterest
explosions of pent up malice, are finally prevailed
on to comply with the outward forms of reconcila-
tion,-'they embraced, and parted hating each
other more cordially than ever"
AS counterpart in acumen Of penetration, ven
ture to specify the parting scene between Gil Bias
and the venerable Arch Bishop of Grenada. The
luckless secretary had been stray charged to give
timely intimation, 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 fanc-
tons did not exempt the worthy prelate, the un-
pleasant conference was abruptly closed by his Rev.
erence who resenting the freedom of his critic gave
a a nm for ho of ola
RE due, and an unmistakable notice of ejectment
from the censorial Office, by very significant push
on the shoulders in the direction of the door, with
this exclamation annexed "Je ne trouse point du
tout naurais que rous me- disiez rOtre sentiment
e'est rotre sentiment seul que je troure maurais"
But what, is thy servant dog that he should
do this great thing?" Such are the words of unbc-
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 overwcening arrogance, the growth of temporary
prosperity, when Gil Bias denies acquaintance with
his fellow villager, the grocers son. and still worse
turns an adders ear and steels his breast against
the natural emotion of filial affection when his hum
BILE fellow townsman makes a sensible, although
blunt appeal that the son, in his present compare
tive afuence should extend the liberal hand of re
lief to the poverty and privations of his aged pa
rents.
The subsequent remorse of the repentant son; hi:
plan Of atonement; his visit to his native village
just time enough tc witness the death of his fathe
and the d0tard mbecility of his uncle but too lat
to admit Of glimpse of recognition from either; hi
fuitless effort to conciliate the good will of tn
towns folk, despite the ostentaton of prouse liber
atty, now scornfhlly rejected as mere display Q
purse proud insolence; these passages alone nigh
secure for their author the rank of moralst of first
rate order; Of no common searcher into the spring
Of human action.
Another instance of retributive Justice meted o,
to the principal offenders in such way as to mak
an almost involuntary participant in the offent
tremble for himself wher rejecting how near he ha
approached the very brink of the pit-how narrowl
he had escaped the fall is wildly given in the rec
tai Of the ever candid but too compliant familiar
OF his adventure with the brigand, Don Raphae
Assuming the gare Of officers dispatched by the te
Tible Inquisition they rob the strong box of co,
verted Jew. Long after restitution had been maj
OF his share Of the plunder-when perhaps, the We,
recollection of the peccadillo had faded and grow
dim in the distance of time and oblivion, Gil Bl
happens to visit Madrid on the eve of an auto da
Next morning he takes a seat among the crowd
spectators, and, as the ghosty procession passes
OIL horror! oh! judgment to his selfconvicte
guilty conscience most conspicuous in the mar
OF the doomed he beholds the figures of the all
ing brigand Don Raphael, and his obseouious .
cOmplice Lamela
In the French town Of Boulognesur-mu is show
house bearing the inscription, "Ici est mort Ia
tesr Dc ca Blas," which inspired the followil
truthful tribute to his memory:
j.; ct mort L. Sage: but what hath died.
I would say, what hath perishsd .-Nst Gil Bias:
He lives as heretofore;-th eternal law
" change affects him not he will abide
From age to age,-all countries are his own.
What then hath perish'd? That corporal mould,
"hcn, like q minstrels harp grown frsil and old
No longer could respond in wonted tome
Unto the masters touch But did the mind
That framed the melody and woke the striupa
Or a.d the song itself destruction lind
With that old harp! o! vain imaoinipesI
Inc mind and music live: lie Sage hath never died
George Gordon Noel Byron-alias "Childe Il
old"-alias "Cain"-alias the "Corssirn-
Manfred" .alas-ut cum Sout1eyaris loqua,
a AHA so e. Devil Byron, the republican Of poe
the poet OF arlstocracy-well be-laudcd by the r
erend Pollock-wen be-cudgelled by the crntci
the Iedoucted Christopher North when Chris
piers spirit scared hieh,-when bis arm was Wig
Gus to deal the buflet-Ryron sincerely bevai
By. the same Christopher North m the thr;II
straln o. unanected lamentation, the moment ti6i