Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-07-08

DICKENS AND Observation-Disclosures and
Thackeray are at present the lords OF novel f;
and as partisanS of enc or other, the world of
novel readers are pretty equally divided.
Critics are pcrpetually comparing the one
with tine other; and are sorry to observe
that these gentlemen, with something like iu-
gratitude, areinclined to speak dsparagingly of
Dickens. and to sigh amid his autumnal
leaves for the freshness and fullness of his
spring. In the possession of two such men,
to measure one against the other is somewhat
ungenerouS. When similar comparisons were
instituted in Germany between Schiller and
Goethe, the latter was wont to say, 'The
fools they ought to be thankful they have two
such men to quarrel about Preference in the
matter of Dickens and Thackeray is the re-
suit of mental constitution, and cannot be at-
fected bv argument Dickens has by far the
more eXuberant genius, the richer plenitude
OF gifts his faults are faults of excess. He is
pomegranate which has burst with its ripe
ness. He overlays his work from sheer wealth
Of resource Humor, whlm, and animal
spirits carry HIM captive at times. He has
the keenest eye for oddly that ever perhaps
looked cut of this wide world. To him the
street pump has a rakish aspect, and he reads
mans character in the way he wears his
hat. There is certain tittulness and lev
lty in his mind which is its chief fault, and
which lies at the bottom of all the defects
which has been laid to his charge. But the
prime test of a writer is the depth to which he
has affected his time; and the application of
this test Dickens need not fear. His wit and
humor have coloured the language of the
streets; people unconsclously quote him in
drawing rooms; and from him are gathered
half the telling points in the Headers of our
morning newspapers. Then, if we think for
a moment, no other English writer-with the
exception of Shakespeare and Scott-has
peopled the popular imagination with such IL
medley Of characters, with whom we have be-
come quite familiar, and of whom we con-
stanty catch ourselves talking, as if they
were acquaintance. And then these charac-
tiers are so queer, so unique, so perfectly or
ignal, SO unlike the other persons we meet in
books; and, still more, we always think of
them with a certain pleaSantness we greet
them with smile, hearty good morning, a
kind motion of the hand, as it were.
Thackeray's good points, on the other hand
are quite dissimilar from those of his rival
Less etiOrescent as Il genius, he is greater as
an artist. He commands his powers, his
powers do not command him. His mind is
altogether of a quieter, manlier, tirmer tex
ture. There is nothing lyrical or impetuous
about his writing. Above all things, he is
reticent; and he is credited fUr what he keeps
to himself as well as for what he gives. He
speaks when he says nothing. His stories are
unromantic in point of characters and incl
dents; the movement is far from rapid; and,
in his later works more especially, lie turns
continually on his reader and lectures him on
the spot. A very considerable volume of
moral essays could be culled from Thacker-
avs novels. His style, for directness, high
bred ease, continual tlexibility and grace, and
adaptation to the matter in hard, is perhaps
the most perfect of any contemporary writer.
One of the most unsentimental, he is one OF
the tenderest of writer's, when his mood deep
ems. After its truth and rarity, the most Gu
rious thing about his pathos is its unexpected
ness. 1t it always sudden, short, surprising.
The moving stroke the sentence-sghing of
graves and far-of happy time, the touch
which is like the touch of a spirits finger,
comes out from the midst of common-places,
OF from characteristic cynicism tinged with
pleasantly and if the tears are on the cheek
of the reader, they are there before he is
aware. His leisurely style of writing con-
duces to finishes; and if he has not Dickens