New-York tribune., 1873-02-04

DOetortty
type and gives il It's charm and its perfection was
aTs AaaSSn S n wHS ee IL was the vigorous forward
man who struck ont the rough notion, though ~ Wa Wa
the wise and meditative who improved upon ~ anu
eaborated t. and whom posterity reads Some strong
writer, or group Of writer's, thus seze on tne Pbar
mind, and eurons process soon m ssssG nS sTteut. "a
doubt, this assimilation is effected by process wst
ntelgible, and not at all curious1tne ProoeS1 o %ng
sns%srs sSS%s sna he initiates sSss IT, But
mimery like this is always rare GrsnS o tbem i IN
words they feel they borrow No man Inaeeu ,ta us
thlak to much purpose when ne E ew en Al arc AZ all
equal 10 the steady labor, the stupid and mistaten % e
labor mostly Of making STYLE IS9ihm M9sl 1Sh which comes
TO them they do not know from whence an % y
imitation determines Their wor1 Tsr anu have thought Of
saying Every who has written IN ihoIc h eh yhe
newspaper knows how inyarapiy Die S se for H. and
changes 10 the tone OF another when In turn NC
70 wrte for that He @ yeSSer Of the journal
used but he does not set himself TO copy ~ ne tSaf
ss Hsso what me wanted Exactly in this way, lust as
writer for journal without dstlnoty 90 rords and
tbe sor. Of t6oughts they are used oso, on larger
SCALE the writers Of an age MlIno1 s d the sort
~ tSonS6ts-tSe special literature in fact-wheh tnose
readers like and prize. And not ony 10, 1 and meaning
which are most in vogue but the writer s G ha nsr sra
chosen writer does not oegn 70 teS op fancies he
Oh quo sdrf r Of antude Tor writing It, any more than
writer tries to write in Journal ndsea SSo II he mistakes
he is soon weeded out the editor reJeets 1 ths tra
not read his COMPOSITIONS HOW o IL bsppens not
To anti ia cuTiousy seen Wordsworth VINO was pOIe
enough break through IT, ana az ~ se But he did
40 knowingly, and he did 60 with hn enoIs. ~ "a
posed ne say formal engagemNn that will crafty
certain known habits Of association that nc boS SS
then SRpses s"o vii be- found in his book but that
others will be carefully esehewed. The e1pohen' or
Serent ages Of literature have excited very different
expectations for example in the age OF SSisn Ss1Sus
and in our own country the OF Shakespeare aud
Beaumont and Fletcher and that of Donne aud Cowley
PSps es A1a To s1e1 III ha ne himself Can't and
Won't DO what is expected from him, but that he win
Te Tss his SSS TO SUTGs sy aS
most men OF genius are susceptible ana VeIsate anu ho
assmatng process but on that account the more curl
Gus about 1t, says;
Th vtlcns DAY. great heaven, and watch our hadowsI
W. mhIi SI OSi ma ssi You DIM me- hat: then an that
What writers are expected TO write, they write or
lines stop discouraged live dishearened, and die leav
ing fragments which their friends treasure, but which
are elected, the Conformst writers encouraged
until perhaps a sudden the fashion shifts AND as
menmost meT0get to Ike or think they like That
which before them and which those around them
or Il their minds are too marked and oddly made to get
into the mold they give 1P reading aSeeneT OF reas
and appealing TO a different taste. The prin,
eiple of elimination" tho "use and dishsen Of
organs which naturalists speak Of, works here What
Is used strengthens what Is disused weakens TO those
who have, more is given = and SO sors OF syde seb,os
else IN mems memories becomes oil that is thought Of
about it,
One of the most interesting features Of the work
for the generality of readers is its illustrations OF
the character of gsocia institutions as adapted to
the different periods in which they are found.
War has played conspicuous part in the
development of the race, so has slav-
ery so has despotic political rule. But
whatever good they may have accomplished in their
day, no one can claim permanent utility for them
on that account. Thus, there was preliminary
age in which trade had an injurious effect because
it prevented the separation Of nations and infused
distracting ideas among occupied communities.
War and conquest on the other hand, which are now
seen to be so great evils were often at that time
of singular advantage, Bad customs can be
eliminated and good customs multiplied only by
competition. Conquest is the natural premium to
those national characters which their national GUS
toms have made fit to win in war, and In many
respects the winning characters in fact the best
characters The first work of the early ages was to
bind men together in the strong bond Of
q rough, coarse, and implacable custom. But
this is best effected by the conflict of nations. In
the progress of the different order of quail
ties are brought to the front. tendency to Guilt
vate the force Of the mind at the expense Of the
force Of the body was perncious in a warlike race,
while it is the cornerstone Of higher
state of civilization. When it has once
become safe TO break the bonds of custom,
significant step is made in advance The better
gifts and graces of humanity are brought into play
subtle sense of beauty and subtle discretion in
conduct are combined in natural harmony, because
they each rest on the common possession of a
fine power. But these ideas, so rich in sugges-
ton and so fruitful in consequences, are
shadowed forth in dim outline, rather than presented
in the grandeur of their full proportions. There is
pQuant flavor of personality III Mr.. Bagehots style,
his profoundest discussions are pervaded by de-
ightful naivet6 bis pages swarm with novel ndica-
tions, no less remarkable for their depth Of
thought than their simplicity of statement; but
the lack of continuity of exposition and the fre'
quent enticing episodes by which he captivates and
beguiles the attention Of the reader make the Pc
rusal Of his work as foreign to the true spirit Of
we're investigation is the smell of roses to the
study of botany.