The Hawaiian gazette., 1878-12-18
Jeffrey's Literary Fame.

Jeffrey's Literary Fame.
Jeffrey's collected articles include about so
out of 200 reviews, nearly all contributed to the
Edinburgh within its first period of twenty-five
yesrs. They I'LL four volumes and are distrbu-
ted under the seven heads--general literature.
history, poetry, metaphysics, fiction, politics aud
miscellaneous. Certainly there is versatility
enough implied in such list, and we may be
sure that he has ample opportunity for display
ing whatever may be in him. Ii is, however,
easy to dismiss some of these divisions. jeffrey
knew history as an English gentleman Of average
cultivation knew it-that is TO say, not enough
to Justify him in writing about it. He knew as
much of metaphysics as clever lad was likely,to
pick up 10 Edinburgh during the reign of Dugald
Stewart. His essays in that kind, though they
show some aptitude and abundant confidence,
do not now deserve serious attention. His chief
speculative performance was an essay upon
beauty. contributed to the Encyclopedia Bril-
tannicd. Of which his biographer says quantity
that it is 'as sound as the subject admits Of
IL is crude and mesgre in substance
The principal conclusion is the rather unsatis-
factory one for q professional critic that there
are no particular rules about beauty, and conse-
quently that one taste is about as good as an
other. Nobody. however could be less inclined
to apply this overliberal theory to questions of
literary Taste. There, he evidently holds, there
is. most decidedly right and wrong, and every
hody is plainly in the wrong who differs from
himself. Jeffrey's chief fame-or should we say
notoriety was gained, and his merit should be
tested by his success in this department. The
greatest triumph that literary critic can win is
the early recognition OF genius not yet apprecla-
ted by his contemporaries. The next test of his
merit is his capacity for pronouncihg sound
Judgment upon controversies which are fully
before the public; and. finally, no nconslderable
merit must be allowed TO any critic who has
vigorous taste of his owD-not hopeessly eccen-
trc or silly-and expresses it with true literary
force. II not judge, he may in that case be a
useful advocate.
What can we say for jeffrey upon this under
standing? Did he ever encourage rising ge-
Mus! The sole approach to such success is an
appreciative notice of Keats, which would be the
more satisfactorily if poor Keats had not been
previously assaed by the opposition journal.
The other judgments are for the most part pro.
nOunced upon men already celebrated; and the
single phrase which has survived is the ceebra.
ted This will never do" directed against Wads-
worth's Excursion. Every critic is liable to
blunder; but Jetfrey's laundering is amazingly
systematic and comprehensive. In the last of
his poetical critiques October, 1929 he sums
up his critical experience. He doubts whether
Mrs. Memaus, whom be is reviewing at the time
will be immortal. "The tuneiul quartos of
Southey" he says, "are already little better than
lumber and the rich melodies of Keats and
Shelly. and the fantastica emphasis of Words
worth. and the pleban pathos of Crabbe, are
melting fast from the field of vision. The novels
OF Scott have put out his poetry. Even the
splendid strains Of Moore are fading into dis
lance and dImness, except where they have been
married 10 immortal music. and the blazing star
OF Byron himself is receding from its place of
pride" Who survive this general decay? Not
Coerdge, who is not even mentioned nor is
Mrs. Hemans secure The two who show least
marks of decay are--of all people IN The world
Rogers and Campbell? 1t is only to be added
that this summary was repubshed in lS43 by
which time the true proportions of the great
regulations OF the period were becoming more
obvious to an ordinary observer. 1t seems almost
incredible now that any sane critic should pick
out Rogers and Campbell as the sole enduring
relics from the age of Wordsworth, Shelly, Keats,
Coleridge and Byron. Doubtless a critic should
rather draw the moral of his own fallibility than
of his superiority to jeffrey. Criticism Is a still
more perishable commodity than poetry. jeffrey
was man OF unusual intelligence and quickness
of feeling, and follower in his steps should
think twice before he ventures to cast the first
stone.
If all critics who have grossly Numbered are,
therefore, to be pronounced utterly incompetent.
we should, | fear. have TO condemn nearly every
one who has taken up the profession Not only
Dennis and Rymer, but Dryden. Pope, Addison,
johnson, Gray, Wordsworth Byron aud even
Coleridge, down to the last new critic in the
latest and most fashionable Journals, would have
to be censured. Still there are blunders and
blunders and some OF Jefirey's sins in that kind
are such as 1t is not very easy TO forgive. II he
attacked great men, il has been said in his de-
Tense, he attacked those parts of their writings
which were really Objectionable. And of course,
nobody will deny that flor example) Words
worth's willful and osientatious invasion of &C
copied rules presented very tempting mark TO
to the critic. But-to say nothing of Jeffrey g
failure to discharge adequately the correlalive
duty OF generous praise-it must be admitted
that his ridIcule seems to strike pretty much at
random. lie picks out SOnthey. certainly the
least eminent of the so-ealed school of Words
worth. Coeridge ana Lamb as the one writer Of
the set whose poetry deserves serious considera-
ton; and besides attacking WOrdsworth's faults,
his occasional fairness and chilllishness, selects
some of hs finest poems Re g., the Ode on the
limitations of immortality J, as fragrant speci-
mems of the hopelessly absurd.-THs Corlutih
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