The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-08
SOME VIEW BO0KS.
The Works of ThacLerny.. Daughter.


by an eminent political editor, afterward a
foreign minister. whose house was the favorite
| sunday evening resort Of statesmen and poll
tcans, and whose wire was noted for brilliant
intellectual qualities. few ladies, intimate
friends Of the hostess, generally assisted her at
these informal receptions. On this particular
evening, Mr.. Jhac keray had plainly been wearied
| by many formal presentations and much formal
t.lk, aud at length retired to corner Of the
room where lac could observe the company and
| oil that passed. The hostess sat near him.
member of Congress from Massachusetts, mcfe
celebrated for bis wit and conversational powers
than for any other quality, was opposite, and
with Gcollcgian, who was the fourth of the little
party, helped somewhat TO isolate the distin-
guished visitor. While engaged IN contest Of
pleasantly and repartee with the Congressional
wit, 1backeray was particularly struck by the
beauty, grace. and ClCverness OF young lady
just out Of convent. where she had been edu-
Gated, then ENJOYING hor first winter In society,
who, seated near the middle of tho paror, was
surrounded by group of men, all more or Less
distinguished, whom she entertained with de-
gree of Grtlese ease and vivacity truly charming.
The great satirist could hardly keep his eyel on
her. Several times, by some movement or re-
mark, he had called the attention Of those near
him to the youthful belle, and at length, with
"she reminds me Of my sirl and ri, is the beet
fellow"
Any appreciatvc reader Of Miss THAcRrRAY's
works cannot fan 10 understand and Ia n man
ncr respond to her fathers admiration and
tender affection for his daughter. Plainly they
were enough alike for the closest sympathy,
sufficiently unlike for mutual admiration. Pro-
found and prolonged reflection is characteristic
OF both. BY II the manly and aggressive father
IL led to clear perception Of the ohams and
hypocslsics Of social life and wrought thereby
to a degree Of Indignation that must and vent,
but which with mastery scf-conirol he ex-
presses In scathlng irony; while In the gentle
and womanly daughter the same reflection en-
arges and quickens her tender sympathies with
wha; IA true and honest, and brings her to the
discovery Of many hidden amiable qualities and
cvauescent graces. they are in some measure
counterparts Of each other. Both feel the same
love for what lie viftuou5 and noble; but IN one
this love exctcs the most unrelenting luminosity
against vice and meanness, and impels him to
attack them under all DISCUSSES and in al posi-
tons with crushing sRrcasms by II the other is
led To nourish and cheer to caress and magnify
these objects OF her afectionate veneration. Both
are moved by the same tenderness and pity, not
infrequently, however, in opposite directions
the father to sssail and imrlac,.bly pursue the
daughter to shelter the wrongcd ard suffering
| by Spreading about them wings Of charity like
protecting angel The father loves truth and
sincerity, and therefore hates falsehood and
sham; but the hatred Is often the more active
81 the two passions. from its very nature and
from the nature q the man. The daughter
| loves truth anG goodness and beauty so fer
vcntiy that she is conten, as much a possible
- forget that there arc such things Rs vice and
| the aggressive sex; 1t is not IN her nature to
assnn; with the instincts Of n woman she de-
lights to foster, To develop, to refine, TO beau
| ufy.
The most rervadng impression left by read
| ing Of Miss Thackeras's works IL of am atmos-
| here s.n.ulagy pure. sunny. and TRANQUIL. You
| feel well assured that she is pain err; YOU
| know tina, she can make pictures. In the world
| which she presents 20 YOU are sunit nelds and
| shady vaes, and verdaut knobs, ard glmpscs Of
streamlets, and the simmer Of lakes, aud the
sea toward which the landscape slopes. The
| scene is fun Of harmonics; you see tina; the air
Is resonant YOU almost hear the sub-bass of
the surge; feeling akin To religion dis. en-
largcs, enn ,bes you; and you are quite certain
that but Tor the written revelation you must,
| n you lived then. do ~ her heroine does IN
consciously. invoiuntarily be a Iagan and wOr-
| ship the elements.
| What Is this strange voice Of nature that saws
| WITH one utteruute 70 many unlike thiuEss Is
| T. that we only bear the voice Of our own hearts
! To- toe sound 81 the waves, in the sad cries Of
| hif T. they hy, Of animals, the shiverin- 81
| irctl, the creuking ana starting 81 the dali
! ldnililr things AL about their hoWesf This
| 'hO OF the sea, which 10 some was q complaint
| and rcproach, was to Refine Chf6tien like the
voice OF a friend and teacher-Cf II religion, al
! n os,. To her. when She looked al the canning
| numcnsiiy. Il was Almns; actually and in Truth
! e. her he great sea. upun the ehorcs OF which
We say we are ~ children pldNing with the PED
| hlcs. II wa her formula. Her lIayers went
| our nm nsciOusly toward tho horizon, gs some
| pray looking toward heaven, in the words which
| their fathers have useG
This author has the power OF delcatrlv grsdu-
ated and harmonious contrasts. In tue live. that
she describes, As In the landscapes which She
| porlrays, clouds more or less dark temporarily
obscure the sun, as.d make the diGorcn es q
| hsht aud shade. Indictment weather, gloomy
dri4zlc. or cherries FOG give added brilliancv,
| intensity, and consolation to the light, the
warmth. and the comforts OF home. she knows
what sadness and sorrow are aid she knows
how to make the Joy that is often hidden with
in them gradually shine forth. Her work has
nowlug but clearly defined outlines. Tie parts
and the colurs glide impercop;iUly into each
other. No incongTuous Interpretations shock
u, no violent transitions occur. 1t is like a
Gneiy woven web. IN which all the threads are
even, all the tinis perfect. and every GbIe in ijs
| place. The moral groundwork Of the texture,
| however, is sometimes unduly enlarged; the
| scenes are thereby separated 10y distances too
| wide; the action Is not clearly enough inter
| twinod, and may be temporarily lost to view 10y
the reader who conscientiously omits nothing.
| In these wide patches Of morality, where III
deed, very humane philosophy is cultivated,
but IN which the Interest Is OF n Kind entirely
| different from that enlisted hy the story, ines
| Miss ThaCkorny's chief aud almost only defect