New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-12-20

King clovis saint on the strength of the passion he
few into when The account Of the Cruclh1lun was
read TO him. and OF has fierce exclamation, Womb
had been there with my valiant fIaEhsi "ouiu
have redressed his wrong
We cannot however approve so highly oil a sen
tenCe ike tho following, IN which the aHaiyas seems
20 have been made for the sake oil The yefoaI Jungle at
the close: TO assert that circumstances ctase ehdf-
acter is 70 eliminate from character that vital causa
tive energy which is its essential characteristics ana
10 assert that circumstances the creation OF cha
acter Il 10 endCw character with the power not only
70 create but to furnish the materials OF creation
The result Of both processes 'osId not be character 0H
cGHcdtHye'
Similar examples, perhaps not greatly to be blamed
hut stiu presenting rather q mCretriCiOus play on
words axe occasionally to be found: - collection oil
poetic materials not fused, but confused" whose
naHpyidedHess " as the feeble expression OF person
atty without sufficient to rise even into OHesidedHess.
III Webster as an orator was iHdaciiCe, and Cal
honu dcduciiue Clay was most aSsuredly stdhctiCe'
few examples may be collected of expressions 'hat
are uncOuth as cubs which the mother bear mas not
vet licked into shape: 1.-THE Bible vanlshes IN
pause of deglutitional satisfaction" Through all
the fear, and discord and fussy mscreatiyeness oil
such chaotic minds, there runs an unmstakahe lDdi'
viduality by which you can discriminate one crazy
head from another" In the panegyuc Ol coiu
spirits Washington disappears in cloud OF common
places; in the Thodomontade of boiling PATRIOTS ne
expires in the agonies Of rant."
The essay on Character" with which the volume
opens draws its principal illustrations nom me ms
tory of eminent men OF letters IN different countries
IL abounds in the incest distinctions, and expresses
many profound and subtle views Of life in vigorous
language Nothing could be better in its kind than
the acute discrimination with which the genius OF Glib
bon is defined: ,s
(uzot and Mman have both subjected the original auiho,
ties consulted by Gbbon IN bis history OF le Dc % ,
of he Roman Empire the ntensest scrutiny 10 zee IL le
historian has perverted ashed or suppressed lnels le'
udent Is in favor OF his honesty and his conscientious re-
search Yet this ny no means proves tnas We . o' NJ
whole Immense tract Of history he rayeres he has thoroughly
GbbOniyed The qualities of bis character steal ont IN every
paragraph words instinct with Gibbons nature though
me fcs nav be obtained from without the citations IN which
they are disposed communicated nom Within anu me h9
for fifteen centuries male tributary 10 ploool
boebt wears the caors and badges Of Gibbons nature s de-
MED the possession of any pure and exalted eApess Hch
netze by the historians genius rises from ne prudl o. te
work informed Of nothing - IT was IN ei Dnt e.e{ as
as appeared TO Gbhon, and especially doubling Mo
that there any chastity in women or any dhe t'h III
Christianity. ,...
Of thought and cxuberant energy of expression remind
one of the better days Of English prose- The follow
ing on the necessary limitation O freedom Is selected
not as the best, hut as one of the brieiost
Freedom no less than order is the product OF inward or o
ward restraint and that large and liberal discourse Of neh
reuce which thinks into the meaning oi INSTITUTIONS 1u 'es
into communion with other mldWn'ch n tlu@ ', 5
the reason Of the race through sixty centuries OF gIl u
,clopmgt carries with more authority h some Wiz IeaA
or fash Of its conccitms u r. when NY.
fine instinct OF wisdom; which makes him tolerant ~ Wen NJ
earnest and mcrcfn as well as just which CONNECT, ,t s
common CONSCIOUSNESS Of men and which claiming impulse 70
hberae intelligence and rouacns IN tgoe'Iiy i! Wv" ~;
strnints OF reason cnergeS hl. int,,.' y ,j, mi
conscience doubles his power by evng uf dion anu
purfc his from vanity and sewh 10 mnd nun ln we
bnafccDt tnJ of common sympathy and common sense
to the rights interests, and advancement OF common hn
Mr.. Whippe's habits of thought have a strong nell
nation To the scholastic dclghng in analytic dis-
cnssion. in verbal nceties in the making Of sharp
points, and in copious illustrations but he j. oien IN
spred by some generous kn,nmg thought or heh
moral sentiment when he naturally asccndS mo TIE
rcqion of true and effective eoquCnce. The close oi
his essay on the E" Heroic Character i an example;
This spr is 70 spirit 81 cheer. and love ana hepn', AMI
power giving the human soul DE- hnest ana simplest expression
picpdos OF romance II The prolific source in humble c
and OF WischIenoGA is mute lbs 'lH4.. 49,, - | -
i needed cverywhcrc IL is ncrded 0 resist low we've 4"
emps oth cnfccbles fear deeTades power el'I an" l
ercs delndcs And IL Is not without IL band ol "nea, 10
buscuoss and fraud and 20 shield pa their AIihs asA al
of bcoic honor and virtue They rise before the sonl
eye glorious company Of lmmoTtas 1m we .@'l .' ~
Numbered Us ardent resolves and nom ne saods NheH l
selfdevoon traHsfgured into ecIhc.a a'a. ly 1 I'm
lone eioinr5 9 h ~, 1b be.mg from ne halo which
smiling ccesi NJ dslain Of torture and death From nl these
they come they pcss upon the consciousness not as dead
stream into our spirits the rc'e' energies which gladden.
'''''' Ruling n, soul vah ,sniimsl. august,
Tie beautiful, tie brave the ioly sud the just
The critical faculty Of Mr. Whippe, we think, is
DISPLAYED 70 more advantage than elsewhere m this
volume, in the essay on Thlckerny. We do not fully
agree with him in his estimate OF that great English
writer but his position IN regard 10 him II clearly set
forth, and maintained with remarkable address ana
ability. Ia our opinion, the impression LETT on the
mind by the reading Of Thackeray is not that life a
&C. Il oNst =
illusions il offers a Or the exercise OF patient
endurance kindly tolerance Of human iniirmties, and
a disposition 20 make the best oil inevitable eyif.
His writings incleste 10 WEAKNESS OF existence as
burden, bui tend 20 fepess the enthusiasm WhlcA re-
yards il as gala-day. he tears of the vail OF SEN
timentaism with rude hands, il Il because he would
displace pretension by reality and show the folly OF
relyiug on iaClitOus impulses rather thaI on innate
strength. He teaches in words Of quiet wisdom, with
ont preaching without defamation, without dogma
tism but with irresistible force, the duty Of self
reliance Of orude, Of facing danger, of looking an
enemy il the eve OF never shrinking from eyl. through
craven fear. One can hardly gaze on the grand, m
movable, lOn.like expression OF Ihackerays counte-
nance or become permsated with the spiut oil ms
writings aud not gain IN the truthtlne>s, the courage,
the moral energy which convert life into BLESSING,
rather than a burden and bore IL portion Of the
essay however. Mr. Whippe establishes some preg-
nant distinctions, and admirably defends Ihackeray
from the vulgar charge OF cyncism and mlsanthropy.
CITED originally with Joyous temperament vigorous mn
derstandinc keen Srnshiiy and decided though some
what ndoent eTeancp 10 appear before he came icofe
the world writer have iroggh most OF the odd
nary forms OF human preeIsoa and 20 have had consider
able experience Of human rascy lie lost fortune IA TIE
process O learning the yaues iceS aud arthoes he
aerward exposed ,nd thus NAV be considered 20 have a!
earned the night % be tier sa;i man VINO has been de
ceyed BIZ hypOcrite cheated 10y rogue describes hypoCes
aud foes from sharper nslgAt and with kCeaer soon
than who knows tlem ony Om tue observation " TIER
victims Tuisns brghe into truths ana heaays into GER
tantc under TIE touch OF sgch artist As name powers
determined IN their direction by bis materials ~ what ne
has seen know aud s,smaei becomes part u his intel
lect and individuality 1bsckey cyed the mere instinct Of
his genius n becoming the dencaor Of manners and the
satrir OF shams Tie sricia-sonei.wes az complicated