New-York tribune., 1874-09-22
e,ow and gladdenvneath her reign;
i cry, Fair day fiy not so fast
And when the morrow comes a. last.
r hid my loye good.day again,


bid my love good-day again.
"The Literature OF the Day" though brief offers some
specimens of uncommony thorough and Intelligent CRU
cism. en
The article of greatest literary interest in
"soribner lis devoted TO George Eliots novels In
which the writer presents acute critical analysis OF
their characteristic qualities He regards George Eliot
not only as brilliant novelist but as great ethical
teacher. She IL woman whom VIC do not estimate IN
the relation OF sex, but as rare human soul, nobiy
endowed individual OF the human race. Her ntelec-
tual rank clearly settled than Is usual with any
author during his life time With regard TO the religious
element IN her writings, concerning whioh her carry
readers suffered embarrassment, 1t is maintained
that she was the fret to adequately perceive the
yalue of the material for the novelist presented
by the phenomena Of religious experience ene
felt the artists instinct OF it's adaptation 10
help her produce its effects Her reproduction OF the
Christian e least in Its forms OF outward expires
sion is exquisely true to the reality. But her main
purpose is psychological rather than religious 5he
creates character in order to exercise her wonderful
faculty OF laying bare the anatomy OF the living human
consciousness. Her novels, however arc something
IN ore than psychological She has besides broad con-
tact with the average human being which makes her as
popular che is profound. She Is no less al nome IN
the dramatic method which exhibits human nature IN
action than in the psychological method which explains
very wide Eshe is quite as dramatic as Shakespeare
This bold position ia Illustrated II not sustained in the
following para graph.
SO natural IL the dramatic method 70 her genius that
her novels are often conceiyedin OF scene
instead Of continuity OF narration. But when ceas
ing for the moment to De dramatic, she uses tnc Ps
ilege OF the novelist to be expressly psychoogicd @ e
analysis OF character and motive becomes so subtle au
searching that mere dramatic ehhlDt0n seenis aVHe
vulgar in comparison Hamlets soh9any ~ GreScy ii
admired, for the depth ano suDtlety OF
Implication which 1T contains, But there IS many
snd %aIy 6s sphere Of human
and motive TO be found In George Eiors WORKS tnat
makes Hamleps soOquy superficial aud tame. Scores
Eliots knowledge In tue deep things OF tne nuhian
heart I'm short is hardly second to anything elsewhere
exhibited in the whole realm OF literature Inere aie
marks enough IN her writing OF varied and wate Dp
servaon. But the knowledge OF the human neat that
was born with her ana in her 1t genius. 1t gift
which 10 Shakespearean IN quanty0ne ilght Peruaps
az well be frankly 10 himself and out Win hl
thought-i is inner than Shakespeare. Ia quantity 1t Is
less, but In quality IL Is more
Tue remarkable combination Of thought and passion
in the productions OF George Eliot forcby set forth
BY the writer. They presuppose an amount OF tnlnK
ing on the problems of human existence that is truly
astonishing No writings in recent literature can com-
pare with them fresh sincere aud earnest anteeedent
thought presence less evident OF feryid ana
profound thinking at the moment OF composition This
gives her style a vitality, like that OF living organ
ISM vital in every part" 1.-THE syniax tiuges to It's
utmost particle with the fine vibration Of an omnlpres-
ent life."
But behind the thought and the thinking in these
novels there IL O vast amount, too OF the power
of passion Tue brain has not wrought alone
The heart has wrought with IT. Tue thought
indeed is very often OF the sort that IS always hrsJ IN
the sensbility Tue brain has wrought because the
heart moved t To work. The capacity OF emotion on
the part OF their author implied IN George EnOps
novels is prodigious The marvel OF the senslMny Is
m great as the marvel the intellect. Not that George
Eliot seems certainly TO have lived In any palnIul
sympathy with the various persGGages OF IGr po5s
On the contrary, there is nothing more remark
able in her demeanOr tnln the pertecty
Wholesome alacrty aud with which she
turns from the most absorbing tragedy 10 pure
comedy broad farce, even more difficult trans
ition the neutral ground of mere humdruu common
place life TINS is much the as 20 say that she Is
not sentimentalst. Her passion IL deeper than the
sentiments. Ii bows Itself against the pillars or the
soul takes hold OF the bases II IS elemental III IS
no mere transient sympathy that relieves itself with
ready tears the OF her hctiye world IL Is
a part OF the authors personal experience III is
real passion account OF the real woes or the real
world George Eliot appears TO her readers crowned
with attributes OF woe" almost (uot qulte) ike
goues 1t is evident that her lie mas not been Idle