New-York tribune., 1880-10-03

ss we have intimatod is not at all the result Of
wilful determination to initiate. but OK natural
s,isceptibility AMI, IL Mr.. Hare's style has been
associated with that of Dickens more than with
any other authors. the reason is simply that the
Dickens order OF subjects has had, upon the whole,
and in some of his better-known pieces more at
traction for him tlan any other: For all that the
differences between him and Dickens are neither
few nor slight, as n moments reflection VIII show.
In the first place, Dickens had strong literary
individuality. while Mr.. Hartes individuality Is so
very unobirusiye that only on remarkable Occa-
sions docs it emerge at all. This. indeed. is the
price he has to pay for his sensivcness to impress
sions. 1t would not be difficult to construct n tol,
erably life-hke portrait of Dickens from blntS ana
indications contained in his novels; 1t wonld be
difficult tn avoid doing so IN the case oil robust
self. assertion like Thackerays but 1t would need
an analytical Argus to dc as much with the
posal Tho only trait which can be said 10 stand
prominently ont is n rather morbid sense OF the
ludicrous which is not supported, as IN Dlckenss mss
fdence. Nobody short of Shakespeare can expect
to be uniformly inspired; and il, like Mr. Harte,
he can do nothing of even average value except
when inspired il il evident that he must resign
himself to more or less impressive brevty, Most
distinguished writer's whose works are at all yoiu
mnous have what may DO called an average lever
of productive energy, which level be 1t high or
low by far the greater portion OF their work is
done. Nothing Of the sort can he predicted oil MI.
Harte. When he in at his best. no modern story
writer can claim precedence of him: when he Is
not at his best. he is nothing recognizable Mt all
If he is not Eclipse first, ana the rest nowhere"
heard it said that Mr Bret IIartee has found im-
tators lii our view the thing Is literally not pos
sible The venus of his stories may be copied. ana
his favorite types Of character brought on the
stage but the imitation can proceed no further
for the very Obvious reason that there is nothing
else in Mr. Harte to imitate-eXcept that which -
inmitable.
In The Outcasts Of Poker Flat > which to our
thinking represents Mr. liarte ut his bcst-there is
nothing of Dickens or of any other author there
is nothing fantastic whimsical it IS poignant
reality clothing itself in words, though the words
are so we'll chosen to be practically inYislDle.
"Tcnnessees Partner" perhaps approaches nearest
to this high-water mark, falling short OF 1t rather
in respect TO ITS subject than in the treatment OF IT,
"The Luck of Roaring Camp" though probably
the best known OF all does not appeal so directly
and rrcsistibly to our crcdcncc and cOrdialty rs
do the forncr two: bnt had it not been for them,
we should have said il of the finest stories
of the kind ever written. Mgg!es we do not
much believe in 1t a little forced aud unnatural;
and the edges of the story are, it were, frayed
and unsatisfying. Brown OF Calaveras," hoWeycr.
again rises nearly TO the highest level; and there
are mastery passages in the somewhat lurElloss
Idyl OF Red Culch' We have not left ourselves
space to speak of Miss" which appears among
the earlier pieces. and is in many respects unlike
any of the others. 1t is quietly and simply
written but the strange character OF the child Is
brought out with admirable vigor.