, 1873-02-02

whole mental atmosphere being mads foul and
poisonous? Those who aak these questions
forget that Eugene Aram did no: strike
| the blow which caused the death, and
found, doubtless, in this, plausi-
ble. reason for lis. own self-juatidcation.
They forget that, morally as we'll az physically,
t VIC are ''fearfully and wonderfully made;'' that
| when man trusts to his reason alone, and suffers
his instincts to be overmastered By his intellect,
bis better feelings to be cLoatcd by The
casnistries OF the brain,-thcrc is 70
inconsistency Of which he may not be
guilty,-no decd Of horror which he may. not
commit. The female charactcrs in this work
| are regarded By, Ba1xer's 'sdmirsrs az master
| pieces Of portraiture.
In "Aice" and s.E1nest Msltzayers" ne
| hare soma exquisite pogtraitures OF character
especially OF female 1oEelinsas; and wa veil re-
| member the almost bTeatlleas interest nth
which the lllTeterate noTel-readers OF our
younger days hung over the pages OF tho latter
romance. Just before these appeared "The
Last Days Of Pompeii." md f'Rienzi," two
OF Buiwers most powerful historical nov
els, and, some seven years later, ':Tho Last
OF the Barons," which some critics have
pronounced intolcrably tedious and heavy;
others one OF tho most brilliant works Of it's
class that ever was written. "Zanoni" and
Night and Morning." two OF his purest and
most imaginative .fictions, added to his fu.ne;
but it is in "My Novel" and "Tho Caxtons"
that his genius takes its grandeat flight, winging
its way almost to the highDst heaven of inyen-
ton. In these productions. tho author puts
forth all his strength they are tho final derol-
opment OF his powers, the ''brght, consu1nmate
flower" OF all his faculties, the product Of Lis
genius in its happiest mood. They orc marked
throughout by that calmneas which indicates
the greatest strength, that simplicity and reposo
which are always found in perfect style. II
they dazzle and astonish less than aomo of the
authors other efforts, they arc infinitely more
pleasing; and, It they do not abound in rapid I
adventures, or quicken the pulse With thrilling J
situations, eliminating points OF passion, anl |
interest, they, nevertheless, idealize |
common life, transdgu1e lowly persons and OBJ
iects, and show tho poetic beauty as veil as the /
soul Of goodness which are to ho found III the /
middle classes OF society. Among the most |
beautiful passages in 'sThe Caxtoos" arc tho
illusions to Robert Hall and to the benign influ-
enco Of Christianity in soothing the eoxrowa Of
mankind, ,-allusions which hare opened to Bull
Ser's genius the door Of many heart that had
been obstinate1y closed to it before.
OF Bulwer, is novelist, it must be seid that,
N the whole, he hardly ranks in the very first
lass. Minute and acute in observation, possess
ng the rarest powers OF description and char
and exhibiting versatility that is
absolutely marvellous, ho has talent rather than
,enius and 1arely, even when ho works his
nn3t infant graf17 afraefa 1i1-a C~c{ ~ l
Dickens. He rarely takes our~ breath awty, as
'e follow his eagle flights, OF makes tho cord
ge OF our heart to crack, like the great
lecromancers Of English fiction. Heis analyti-
al rather than impulsive elaborate and cir
ritous rather than direct and concentrating.
1e has mora fancy than Imagination, moro
lead than heart, and works by rule rather than
rom instinct. a. consummate artist, lie pro-
uces his effects by repeated touches, mover By
few mastorly strokes Of tho pencil and the
onstant succession Of min1.e details at Last
'earies the eye and pals on tho mind. The
e1ce1s the stuff; it il rather me
hauic work than creation and the reader feels
hat there is more power and true philosophy Of
10 in one f7osi,, vigorous, and strongly-lrawn
Gene Of Fielding OF Scott than in whole libra
les OF Pelhams end Paul Clifo-ls, where tho
It, however great, is not subtle enough to con-
eal the artist.
Had Bu1wer dramatic genius7 Only in q
aoderate degree if wo have correctly alyzedhis
'ental qualities. Besides the disquali6cations
lready limited at, he is too aristocratic in his
'ates, has too little sympathy with humanity
hen rough and unpublished, to excel in dramatic /
riting. The men and women he loves to paint
70 ideal, not the 1esh-and-bloo men and
nn1e~1 va hrrSh IN o%reo+r l.
RicheIeu," in which 3Iacrcady used to per-
,nate the Cardinal, is full of plot, fire, aud
1ergy; and it will bo long before 1.-THE Lady :
Lyons" with all its absurdities, will lose it's
old on the stage.
Was Bulwer an orator? That depends upon :
II definition Of oratory. If by it ia meant that
2turous onthusiasm. that burning passion, :
lat Il furious pride and joy Of the soul" viii h
lls up Ill the imagination Of tho speaker, and :
axes his rhetoric become 3 whirlyind and his :;
sic fre,-then Bulwer was not an orator. OF r
g inspiration that prompted Chatham,s indig- r
mt burst in reply to tho Duke OF Richmond, n
1urlow's eoathins answer to the Dake Of
ration, Grattan's overwhelming denunciation e.
Flood, or Erskine's sublime apostrophe On the il
lal Of stockdale, when he spoke of the "say- =
o !" in terms so startling and triumphant
A"er Aas naloy spark But II by Il
atory is meant simply the power Of maxi =
s an earnest, lively, polished, and interesting c,
eech, full of Ingenious turns and shrewd sense, Il
en- Balwer tcas IN o.Rtor, as his wcn-nown a,
eeches before the Edinburgh University and o5
Leeds abundantly show. Entering Parlia- IL
'nt early, he speedily got the car Of tho House, a
spite ol weak voice. . rnther fiorid STYLE and rt
certain appearance Of fastidious nicety in dress Ia
lich By no means aecords with the notions of
1t assembly. On the platform his appearance e
3, on the whole, in his favor. Tall, spare and re
enuated, ha presented fino head and fnce, Of az
ich long, aquiline nose and broad, retreat 8,
, forehead were the most marked character N
les. Tho former feature was truly Dantcan -,
length and shape,-such ! sign-post as Ma at
leon would haro glor:ed in. II, Us some n
n think, extraordinary strength and persist n