The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-01-26
MISCELLANEOUS.
EDWARD LYTTON BULWER.

EDN AMI LII lON DSLN En-.
The going out of Bulwer is full Of
sweet suggestions. 1t recalls old
summer days in summer woods, and
by-gone rambles through country lanes,
and sacred twilight strolls in high
walled gardens. 1t brings back to us
the companionship, both in the story
and in actual life, Of the girl
"who wept with delight fyou gave hers
smile,
And who trembled for fear OF your frown,"
to say nothing Of the lover, who was
always down on his knees, or standing
erect, like war god, with his hand
upon his sword, ready to fight three or
dozen VILLAINS, be they fathers,
brothers or mercenaries hired to d.
certain bloody job at the heroine sex
pense 1t summons before us the
gypsy camp, the bandits castle, the
tinker's cart, the highway, the crest
and the moor. 1t crosses the Midland
sea and carries us into Pompei with
Glaucus and Nydia, and a void Of
old Latin., TO show US the streets,
temples and heaters. 1t leae US
among the mobiles and the gentry; into
manor-houses and country seats, where
we meet the best company and hear
the most noble discourses. 1t makes
us once again familiar with literary life
and keunsler laJen, by reminding US OF
our old acquaintance, John Burnley
and Lenny Fairfield and FrankVance.
1t takes us on an excursion With the
strolling players. 1t says to US, as
plainly as history says to US, as plainly
as the cable says to us that Bulwer i,
dead, that Richelieu lived, and still
lives, in Bulwer's drama. Itdoes this,
too, in a strange, phantasmic way, rs
though we had been all day half hunt
ing for a half. forgotten dream; for
Bulwer's writing, as Hazlett said If
Campbeil's poetry, is like the purpe
gillihower, both for its color and is
scent, its glowing warmth, its rich a,d
languid perfection, as sweet as
the lids of Juno's eyes,
Or Cytherea's breath.
This spell hangs over Bulwer's ess,ys,
and even over his speeches which last
deserved to rank higher than they did,
for in them the politician curbed the
steeds of the poet just enough to get
on rapidly and at the same time re-
specially, marking distance and time
as he went with admirable sense and
spirit. In America, however, Bulwer
is known chiefly, almost only, as nov
el-writsr and a play-writer, as the au-
thor of ''The Last Days of Pompeii'
and "The Lady Of Lyons" of Money
and "My Novel, of "Richelieu' and
what Will He Do With IT." for
Eugene Aram' and "Paul Clifford,
and even "Pelham," are well-nigl OBJ
solete with the present generation. Al
a novelist and dramatist he is lnowr
among us, and by the standards OF
, fiction and the drama we must Judge
him. In England the critics agree
: that "The Cations is his master
piece. Iu this count ry the palm Seems
. to be given to "What Will lie d.
With IT." Each, and not least Of th'
three, "My Novel;" is an admirable
performance, fair critical preference
| being next to impossible, since they
. are all in the same vein, all wrough
4 out the the fullest, all entertaining AM
lfe-like, They are classcd as 9Th
Caxton Series, and are likely to hol
= their own just as "The Lady Of Ly
ons, " the most brilliant absurdity eve
= produced on the stage, can not be driv
r en- from it. In truth, Bulwer wrot
for the young and 1t is not easy t
:, apply strong or high critical test
- his books. Dickens sentiment is
/. interviewer into soul.inspirin!
4, robustiousness of humor Thackeray
If sham. clearing humor is so tinged an
= qualified by natural and tender sent
Of ment Reade aud Collins are SO sens
or tional; Trollope is SO realistic an
George Eliot is SO far above them
H. in power, learning and mind. interei
that ono can not find place for Bu