The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-10-15
SOME NET BOOKS.
Nathaniel ua rthoruc, the Philosopher Of
Erfn,c

Attention hns OF late been particularly
drawn TO the writings of Nathaniel Hawthorne
BY MIR. q. p. LArarOp's book, A S'ipiv Of Hur-
horne tOsgood & co). Tho author brings for
ward the results ~ much Thought upon the
subject Of his meditatons. exhibits good though
rather laboriOue. writing and consi erabc ana
Ntic power. His work Is very orefiil. aud,
doubtless, oonscentiously done and such work
must always have certain value and interest.
hut, as Indicated by his own assertion. Mr. La
throp was unified to make an impartial study
Of his author. " | do not says he. "cnter
npon this attempt as a nero literary performs
nnce, but have been assisted In II by an inward
Impulse, consciousness Of sympathy with the
subject, WHOM may perhaps consider sort OF
Inspiration. My guide has ueen intuition. con-
armcd and seldom confuted by research"
perfectly impartial verdict OF decree would
hardly he expected from JurymAn or Judge
who should ssck confirm ,tion II his intutions
In the evidence given during the trial Of
cause. Mr. Ltthrop seems to have had two emil
neut intuiuons; one 1, ia, effect that Haw-
thOrne was made ~ u the better plrts Of Mil
ton and Bunyan; the other that the noulcr
+ipalities Of Shakespeare and q lethe were com
bined In him;
Altogether. II one could compound Dunyan
pQJ Milton. combine the ie -uc tnlgin ltion
~ the one with the Others passion for idoas
The g ct INTO the yeins uf the al ,gprjGS n;m.
lcather ierkined Enslilh, and make a modern
man anr author Of the whole. the result would
not be alien 10 " wthurne.
These great abilities, subsistlng with temocr
20 modest ana un fectcd, and never unhumm-
ized by the abstract enthusiasm for TT, place
him on q plane between Shakespc re ana
Goethe. with less erudition than Goethe. out
also less 81 the freezing pride Of art, ho H. IN
nnitely moro humane symoathetic. molly HIS
rreations are stotuospuciy moulded like
HOethe's, but they have tho same quick music
oil heart turOls that Shake .unnrp's htyc
In one respect only the intellectual power OF
Hawthorne seems to have been unrcstrained by
any dennable limits. Ills vocabulary appears
boundless. His thoughts thoroughly elibo.
tated, are presented to the reader IN their ut
most development exquistcly shaped, cleanly
cut, sharply defined, wanting nothing. \
reader of very quick intelligence NAV,
Indeed, ind this perfectne-s Of EXPRESSION
somewhat wearsome lie must plssiyely
receive the exuberant and wholly matIred
products OF his author, foregoing the charm
Of that kind OF cooperation which goes
rward when the readers re ison and imagine
are called upon In some way to consum-
se the idea begotten in his mind by the
ritcr's words. slower approximations and less
fruitful fincies, hOwoyer, obtain Ouly sltisflr-
Lion from Ha"thorne's fulne.s Of uttc!aace. In
reading all his writings. YOU will perc"ive NJ;
more than one or Two words that appear ike
pets such, for instance, as "immitigaulc; AMI
this rather from its rarity IN other pl lces than
from Its frequency here. From this mastery II
words. this exquisite taste in diction. IJined
with keen sense Of eupAony AM 81 dulcc:
rhythm. comes no small nut If this authors
great reputation. His thol.hts. hi- invention,
nil the operations OF his mind. are co Hned
within certain limits that can be Indicated
with sufficient exlctncss. one Of tness bnun.
DIARIES lies outside Of tho ordinary rang, II nc.
tual and visible nature. The other IS within tine
sphere Of reality bat only comprises 50 mach OF
this Us may work, or as an artist would ST.,
compose harmoniously with what he takes from
beyond. Or perhaps IL would DO moro exact %
allege that he pr tracts the actual into the IN
real 50 skilfuy that no man can discern whore
was the hou,n between the two Thus he pro.
duces effects analogous to caricature. Selling
upon some salient trait Of character. he ex igger.
stes 1t till 1t becomes the one feature on whi,n
the eye rests. and /. IN index Of the whole Iual.
He takes care 50 to mould or modify the =, 70 #
the nlure as to avoid even suggestion OF mon.
strosty, and TO preserve - mucl Of natural and
logical relation hetw On the parts thAt the indi-
viduality and consistency Of the ers,nles 50
far a. indicated shall remain complete. Gen
orally the most exaggerated feature IA the one
most distinguished for ugliness, visible or IN.
visible to common perceptions. with more than
q portrait painter eve he discrlminntes this
taint, which no one even suspected TIL 1t was
brought into view by his nrn, delicate, hyper
bolic brush. When tho figure Is completed, It Is
DO conventionally consistent as a whole that
you arc willing to accept 1t as the genuine man,
HDd to reject the other, which has hitherto
passed current, as counterfeit. In working up
this conventional consistency between what
was before manifest ami what the painter has
added ideanins the original after his fashion