Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-08-27
,p1rrc1srNe WORKS OF FICTION.

Charles Reade, "Grrntn Gaunt, mas al
vanced so far in the August number Of
the Atlantic Monthly toward the develop
ment Of the characters, that it may fairly
be pronounced one of the finest pieces Of
tragic writing produced for many a day in
the English language. The object of this
work appears to have been much mista-
ken. It has been called an immoral and
indecent publication, and as endeavoring
to awaken our sympathy for q low char
acter and a bigamist. On the contrary,
Griffith Gaunt is intended to excite the
detestation of the reader against jealousy,
by showing It's unjust, evil and tremend-
Gus consequences, as developed among
persons in superior positions. The char
acter Of the heroine is just such a one as
but few others than the author or Bulwer
could depict. Dickens never could have
drawn so softly a character. Though he
might have pictured as complete a lady,
and n as interesting, high-bred and per-
feet in every refined quality, yet the intel.
lectual vigor and self. sustaining independ'
ence Of female character, long continued
and finally triumphant, would have been
beyond his power. Charles Reade be-
longs essentially to the present age, though
his scenes may be laid in q past genera
ton. There is in this work a good moral,
A thrilling interest Is excited and kept ur
throughout as far as published, and there
is a freedom from bigotry and power o.
seeing the good side, both Protestant and
Catholic.
1t is worth while sometimes to compare
critics. In the August number Of Dc
Bows Review there is a long criticism on
Bulwer-his early novels, like Pelham. as
well as the later and more mature crea.
tons of his genius. Nothing can exceed
the latter in ripeness Of wisdom and loft.
ness Of moral tone. AS works Of genius
they are worthy of the age. But the
thoroughly bad moral tone Of the earlier
productions Of this really great author
admits of no kind Of excuse or palliation,
He would not now defend it, as some o.
his admirers seem to do. In early life,
partaking OF the loose moral notions o.
the young men of his day and class, ht
drew from the fashion he conceived
proper for himself, and he would proba.
bly, confess that the most painful and Bit
ter passages Of his own unhappy married
life have grown naturally out Of the prin-
ciples in which he was brought up and
which he himself inculcated.
But the refined, pure and lofty o OF
all his later works have seemed ever striv-
ing to atone for the past by an entirely
new class Of writing. The superior in
tellectual and truly refined and elevated
moral tone Of all his recent works should
be regarded as the best proofs Of a tru'
regret and altered state Of mind, Learned
from very bitter personal experience. l
is, therefore, no sign of approaching hin
10 brng out and eulogize the follies Of hi
early life and fctions. Yet such is crit
cism, even in the present age, that on tn
n hand we End, even in the recent pc
riodicals, Pelham lauded as a model o
virtue and morality, and Charles Reade'
| Griffith Gaunt condemned as indecent ant
immoral. Neither criticism is Just. A
the present time works Of the imagination
are producing a stronger moral efec,
upon the manners of the age than work
of sober fact and moral exhcrtation. In
deed the wisest and the hottest Of all age
have not disdained to use fiction for thi
very purpose, and it is therefore wort
while for every reader to keep up tn
habit Of careful criticism Of all writing
Of this sort that purify or poison tn
fountains at which the public drink. W
are glad that this disposition is widel,
felt. OF course there will be mistake
made, but it may be regarded as prett.
certain that the same class Of readers VIII
| appreciate the pen Of Agassiz and III,
poems Of Longfellow will never counte
ance anything Of low and vicious mora
tendency.