, 1874-08-22
LlTERATuRE,


5os. prtce sl.so, Now York ecriDncr, Armstrong ns
kCo.
Before opening this volume ono must pauao to
enjoy tho quaint rich cover, which successfully
eombnoa tho chaate, tho curious, aud tho arttH-
Ito IN design. Ono ia tempted to appropriate
tho book simply to kcep 1t, ia thing Of beauty"
lying in sight Of the eye. Yet not for tho cover
alone Ia tho book worth keeping. Tho pnblsf-
era have oxeoutod M exceedingly pretty work.
but the pditor has dopo as we'll. Good Judgment
and ro1ncd taste have governed hia choice OF
papers. and no has gathered together so1nc Of
the plcaBantoat illustrations Of tho character Of
the two chief novelists Of tho ago that have becn
preserved to us. The sketches Of Thaokcray aro
IN cvery case irou. tho hana ok personal friends,
who have drawn thoir anecdotes and accounts
from memory. Their Testimony is unanimora
In love and honor Of tho grcat-souled and tenlor-
hcattcd author OF ''vanty Eair" and tho "Yo1low-
plush Papors.' Hs strong, symmetrical, solf
posed naturc commanded tho genuine respect aa
we'll Oh regard OF thoBo who know him. Thoro
was no doubt In any mind TINT Thackeray was
enc OF Naturo's noblcnon OF gentlemen, no mat-
ter whore ho happoned to stand on tho social or
intellectual platform. His lpatincts were over
generous, and lis motives high and puro. Much
MS bis genius waa admired, the man WINS admired
stili moro. 1t WIS felt that, behind hia books,
there stood 6torling character; and character
Is more impoaing-tolH moro loudly In tho ond--
than talent
Two or three anecdotes from the collection.
showing ThackorayH humor, and penetration,
nnd ksrlnesy, will not be unwolcomo hero,
though they may have como under the eye OF
tho reader before good thing will bear to bo
repeated. In a lester to Mr. Donry Reed, Of
New York, Thackoray writes:
Tho European Continent swarms With your people.
Thoy srs uot oil a. polished A. ~ oheatsrhs1. T1sn
knives down their throats: i was awful ~ dansi-
Of the dneAt ass Of tho
old school over aa, alvaya apsd stec 70 hef W.T.;
very weii M b. Sut H VIII. i've ", Of '; en- a tu wouldn't
Tho author Of 'Somo Rocollcctious OF Tlnak-
eray" aaya Of him;
1t IL doubtful whether those who know him best and
longest could mako cut list ot ha hou-mots which
sufficiently good for tho occaaou, aud ln manner
which sol II of to advantage. Being challenged W
ltdy for rhyme to li''nt ho REPLIED r.
Gue'and:
When tho doetor ~rlss. for ,la,monl
Tlprs u nothing hut xutNoA snsans.
Re t3ea,.sA Tic difference between Shakespeare eud
m ordinary mind dltfotence in the length Of two
mu8guis. But much Of hls Light talk was lnteaded,
not 10 much to conceai ~ TO keep down, scnslby
amounting almost to wonnntnoas, which belonged to
His nature, aud which contradictions might auost
He could not aead anysh,ns pathetie
without aotual discomfort, aqa va nn ee, for ~
%oe 70 ssxs Ssar n Sa so .as
rows. especially tlo lo.s Of child, IN 4 way which
showed how shnrp and painful wsa tue recollectlon
tlixo warmly with otiieTs. infer from much that
hnyo heard. His wol-known uensitiveness aprang.
fe Tnackcry," IN English critic onco ss! IN ny hour
lug but cannot respect hin,-le Is SO sensitive"
l Ills senstiseteas made hussL things ai4tnseial to
a'You 1eul !" said he to friend Who was laughing
over glarp attack on az acquaintance Of both, md
refused 70 htss ot fehd Of It.
Dickeus said Of r1ackcray, in lis "1u Memo
rian," published ia the cor,AM Alagazine:
lie had particular delight In boys, anl excellent
way with item. roueipber his once asking nc,
with fantastic gravity, when to had been 70 Eaton,
did in regard ot never seeing boy without yauting
Instantly 10 gye him sovereign thougAtof Ut this
9 M ss' .Ga s Tss
boy to whom he had been kind
comment which Thackcray once made upon
Dickens is valuable, as It shows somewhat tho
private estimation In which he held that author:
Our lost had introduced tho aubtoet by saying after
:sHa. IEs Dickens personally; b. il % gestI aud
frank" 'GeniA-yes.' waa the reply; "but frank y
faaa - an b. ss
aVrooa Of some remarks On literary genius, tua
Ing ilo oN year e very angry y mo tos IS ssyina
be knowa that my books arc protest ngRinat bis
tat, The Tot ago true, shs othcr uas hs fase
Il is like glass Of good English ale wish had II
to read before going to bed to.nghtH And no taa;ie
an i,.andiolS notien ,,,a wn nv ap'' - lasting 'ne
And yet Thsckoray was geueroun in his praise
Of Dickens ~ OF othor writara, and ouce ex-
claimed, in the presence OF several flIends while
reading "Dombey and Bon" with great delight,
one has no CHANGE / Head that chapter desciib.
Ing young pauls death; it IL unsurpassed--it ia
stupoAd0ua"
rs, iu accordauce with the expressed wish Of
Tbackerav, ana algo with tho wishes OF LII
daughters, there will probably 10 no biography
written Of him. this httlo collection Of strhj
recollcctionh and memorials wil bo tho mort
grateful to thoso who have loved him through
his books.
The epace reserved for Dickeus is but hall
that devoted to Thackeray, Tor l,iH lifo has Nc
1atoly been fnishod by Forster, md eo much ha!
been naid Ut him by miscellaneous writers thu
little ia left that is fresh for tho qualification
the rosder, AZ in tue eaHe M ot Insekeray. now "
dents from the bundle now preacuted. Blanchatt
Jerrold relates:
When Ada, Lady Love1ace. Wa, dying and suteriu
tho tortures Of slow, nernM dAeasc, she e5rreasc
d craving 10 see Ohnros pickoAs, aud talk with hin
lie went to her, aud found mourning house. Tn
lady was aeated upon couch, herocal1y enduring he
pathetic face was immediate relief. 6hs asked h!l
Whether the attendant had LIFT \ basin Of Ice anl
ppoon. She had. "Then glvo me aome now aud thes
nild don't notice mo Wien crush Il bowoen my teeth
IT Boohea MY pain, aud-we can talk"
Tie won,anly tenderness, thu whoeness, with #hic
Dickens would enter into tho oltcactes Of SUCH .itl
tIon will s1ae instantly to tho mind Of all who kns
lin That he It tho same moment ths most saf
full Of uusses, and the muat sympathetic And slseo
lug Of comfolters. who can 1oubls5
apo you over pray Z" tho poor Indy asked: 3" Eye
1uorning AMI evening"" was Dlckcna' reply IN III
xfch, Ronorous yoca which crowds happily can ronea
bor hut ef which they can best understand aA Il
eloQhoncs who knew low simple and doV1ls Ne "
when 10 SPOKE Of sacred tngs,--os suherng,
wrong. or Of misfortune.
J. Youug.fnruiaboB tho following:
Whi!a write, am reminded Of an anecdote whtt
Elbows in : worry ssroug light the extraordinary sway
exercises over tho hearts Of thoaa "unuked to
melting mood" Mrs. Henry Slo1ons, netgnpor y
intimate friend OF the late Lord jeffrey, who Ind #
ucenAe To enter his house vt NIL honrs MnannoNnce
mud come and ga when eho listed, opened hia lbrar
door day very gently to look II ha was there ~
Raw enough Al glance to conVinco her tlxs aer VA
was ill-timcd. THO hnrd critic Of the ElinturN "
sitting in ha chair with hiB heaa % the table, IL de
grief A. Mra. Bldilons VIVA dolIcately rctiting
Tie hupe that her entrance lad beon UNI
sliced. Jeffrey raised lts head, sna htnl ID
beckonel her lack. Percatytug that btu cheek "
flushed and hls eyes ausfusc with teara. ahe arol