The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-06-12
ThacIkeray's Fugitive Papers,


lectsd. By William Makepeaee Thlcksray.
limo. PIP. 4OS, Boston Ticknor & Fields.
1t is with mingled feeling of pleasure and
pain that we take up this beautiful volume
We had certainly not expected, at this late
day, to be presented with so large collection of
unfamiliar papers from the pen of this greatest
master of English prose vino has lived in our
day and generation, and it reyiyes something
of the old sensation of a sure treat ia store
with which We used, in his lifetime, to welcome
the announcement of a new book from him.
These fugitive pieces, too, are so genially chat
ty, so easy and gossipy, and rambling, and do
lighttully egotistieal that they have all the
charm of personal talk with an old friend; and
in the frontispiece the kindly, genial face of @
the man whom some have actually been stupid
enough to call a cynic, looks out at US unehaDg-
ed. al 81 4-t.... ...p- r..-, ID. .....h
This volume is edited by Mr.. James T. Fields,
who tells us in his preface that when the au-
thor was in this country several years ago he
was in tie habit of quoting phrases and some
times paragraphs from his earlier contributions
to the English periodicals; and when asked
why he had not included them among his 9th
er miscellanies he replied: "They are small po-
tatoes," adding at the same time, "but pretty
good small potatoes, I believe" On one occa-
sion, Mr.. Fields begged him to bring together
his scattered contributions to ERASER" and
.'Punch," when he replied, "Do it yourself
mon ami; write the preface, and I'll stand by
you" The present volume is issue in accord
ance with the wish thus expressed, and we are
glad to learn that it may be followed by others
of similar character
The nominal subjects Of these papers are
mostly of the hghtest and most trifling charac-
ter, but as Thackeray beyond all English writ
ers had the art Of trifirg without bsipg frivo-
GUS, the unimportant theme is merely tho
thread on which he strings his pearls of
thought; the play and sparkle of his mind, and
the deep tenderness and pathos which con-
stantly underiie his sarcasm are as strikingly
exhibited as when he chooses more ambitious
topics. "Men and Coats" "Bluebeard's Ghost"
"Dickens in France" "a Peal of Bells" are
titles which will be suggestive to the adnirers
of the author. We have not space for extend
ed extracts but we present our readers with a
scrap or two by way Of taste. Here is an odd
tumble of pathos and shrewd sense from
chapter entitled "De Finibus." ''n.
Another Finis writ en-. Another milestone
passed on this journey from birth to tue he xt
world! Sure it Is a subject for solemn cogita-
tion. Shall We continue this STORYTELLING
business and be voluble to the end of our age?
Will il not be presently time, o prattler to
hold your tongue, and let younger people
speak? have friend, painter, who, like
;,ther persons who shall be name.ess, is growing
old. de has never painted with such labori-
Ous n.sh as his works now show. This mas
ter is still the most humble and dilieent of
scholars OF Art, his mistress, he is always an
eager, reyerent pupil In his calling, in yours,
in mlne industry and humility will help and
comfort us. A word wilh you. In a pretty
large experience 1 have not found the mon
who write books superior IN wit or learning to
those who don't write at ALL In regard to
mere information, non-wrlters must often be
superior to writers. You don't expect law
yer in full praetic to be conyersant with all
Kinds OF literature he Is too busy with his law;
and so d writer is commonly too busy with his
own books to be aSie TO bestow attention on
the works OF other people. After days work
TN which L have been depicting, let Us say, the
agonies of Louisa on parting with the Cap
tam, or the atrooious behavior OF the wicked
Marquis to Lady Emily march to the Club,
proposing to improve my mind and keep my
SELF "posied up, "as the Americans phrase it,
with the literature of the day. And what hap
pens. Given, a walk after luncheon, pleas
ing book, and most comfortable armchair
by the fire, and you know the rest, A doze
ensues. Pleasing book drops suddenly, is
picked up once with an air OF some
coninsion, is laid presently softly in lap, head
falls on comfortable armchair cushion; eyes
close; soft nasal music is heard. Am
/ tsIiing Club secrets? OF afternoons, after
lunch I say, scores OF sensible togies have
doze. Pei haps have fallen asleep over lnaG
very book To Which "Einis" has Just been writ
ten. And if the wyiter sleeps, what happens
to the readers? says Jcnes, coming down upon
me with his lightning wiz. What? You did
sleep over it? Aud a very good thing too
These eyes have more than once seen friend
SO caught mapping with "Pendennis," or the
"Newcones," IN his lap: and if writer can
give You sweet, soothing, harmless sleep, has
he not done you kindness? SO is the author
who excites and interests you worthy of your
thanks and bepedictions. ss
The following bit of sound philosophy is
from the Memorials of Commanding"
Sir, Respect y ur dinner; idolize it, enjoy it
properly. You viii be many hours in the
week, MANY weeks in the year, and many
years in your fife, the happier If you do.
Don't tell us that it is not worthy OF man.
All IL aus senses are worthy OF employment,
aud should be cultivated as duty The
senses are the arts. What glorious feasts does
Nature prepare for your eye in animal form, in
landscape and painting! Are you to put out
your eyes and not see? What royal dishes of
melody does her bounty provide for you in the
shape of poetry. music, whether windy or wiry,
notes of the human voice, or ravishing song of
birds! Are you to stuff your ears with cotton,
and vow that the sense Of hearing is unmanlv?
you obstinate dot you! No, surely; nor must
you be SO absurd as to fancy that the art of eat
ing is in any way less worthy than the other
two. You like your dinner, man; never be
ashamed to say so. If you don't like your VIC
tuals, pass on to the next artcle but remenl-
ber that every man who has been worth a tg
in this world, as poet, painter or musician, has
had good appetite and good taste. All,
what a poet Byron would have been had he
taken his meals properly, and allowed himself
to grow fat-ifnature intended him to grow
fat-and not TO have physicked his intellect
with wretched opium pills and acrid vinegar,
that sent his principles to sleep, and turned
his feelings sour! Ii that man had respected
his dinner he never would have written Don
Juan" H......H
With two brief extracts from the chapter on
novels and novel-writing, we reluctantly
take leave of this delightful volumes
3 There is great deal of carpenters and join
er's work in novels which surely q smart pro-
fessiona, hand might supply. smart pro-
fessional hand? / give you my word, there
seem TO me parts of novels,-let us say the
love-making, the business, the villain In the
cupboard, and SO forth, L should like TO order
John Footman to take in hand, as desire him
to bring the Goals and polish the boots Ask
me, indeed to pop p fGooe1 20 bnaef DC ped 70
saason or at any time of life to write nam
hy-nanby love conversation between Emily
a3d Lord Arthur feel ashamed OF myself
and especially when my business obliges me
70 do the love passages, blush so, though
ouite alone in my study, that you would fancy
/ was going off in an apoplexy. Are a,ithara
affected by their works? I don't know about
other gentlemen, but If make a Joke myself
I cry; if l write pathetic scene L am laigh-
ing wildly all the time, at least Tomkins
thinks so. You know | am such cynic!
o, delightful novels, well rememberedl O,
sweet and delicious as the raspberry open-
tarts of budding boyhoodl Do 1 forget one
night after prayers (when we under-bo were
sent to bed) lingering az my cupboard to read
one little half page more of my dear Walter
Scotland down came the monitors diction-
ury upon my head? Rebecca, daughter of
Isaac of York, l have loved thee faithfully for
forty years! Thou vert twenty years old lsay),
and but twelve, when knew thee, Al sixty
odd, love, most OF the ladies of thy Orient race
have lost their bloom of youth and ouiged De-
yond ie line of beauty; but 10 me thou an
ever Young and fair, and VIII 90 oattie with
any felon Templar who assais my E'lr haHe'
y ------
y,,rrt,teFSr JuRY.-The Milwaukee Scnt-
mol gives an illustration of the high scholarly
.h;,;tias possessed by the members of jury
rocsptly empanelled in that city to try a Grim
nal case. The ballot given was as follows:
No Gieldiy, Guiltlny,
Gieldig for boy, Gelng,
Not GuilteDg, Not Gueldy,
Gueldy, Not Gioldig,
Moth Giltig.