New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
BITS OF CRITICISM.

HENRY JAMES AND HIS NEW NOVEL" The
Portrait OF Lady Is fascinating novel It's descrip'
oT of motive is wonderfully AneeyeSnt
have said that Chere always tendency tOSomc-
thing too much Of IT. Its work which often awnkens
unOounded admiration OF the authors power, To be nj
most constantly succeeded by impatienoe with the
example Of style OF novel which Is peculiar to our
day We believe IL 10 nave attained the hghtst eu
nence. but when this Ia said, there will s remain in
the minds OF readers ala unsatsfed feeling with regard
to IT, Henry James must be placed among those uOyel-
lists who attain literary rather than artistic no
will always Dc read and most or all by people with mo
highest intellectual tastes he will always he discussed
in lterply circles, and far than those who
& ~ Low one ~ t6e most marked men in literature
but the success to which his genius entities him VIII
be attained until there is radical change in his
methods The Portrait OF Lady seems TO settle this
as mis- position authorship 1t IA II book which no enc
with interest IN tho literature OF our day can afford 10
pass over in the reading which there Will DO
tn most intense enjoyment but this will be found only
In the suOOdnatOn OF the sympathies and the bringing
OF the mind TO purely intellectual study In any othec
popt of view the novel must a disappointment
Boston Saturday Evening Gazette.
THE LATE w. X. GREG.-Though he has left
great constructive speculation behind him. Mr. Greg
had qualities Of mind hardly less s, rare ana 1; rs:
erary creation His intelligence was essentially critical
but critical In large and powerful sense lie seized
scientific hypothesis, group Of social facts great
religious document possessed himself OF u IN al rs
bearings and then posed tho objections to IT, generally
by following suggested difficulty in It's wiacst
consequence. His volume on the Engmas oil Lie 10
famous instance of this ingenious and comprehensive
faculty. Mr.. Gregs thinking power lost notang by
shortcomings OF expression His style lucid easy
COpiOus, definite aud interesting in the highest degree
In controversy he had the art Of making opponents
think him bitter, but personally he OF the nOse
courteous gentle aud amlable OF men, Pail Mall IA
zette.
ROSSTTTIs DEFECTS.-Ile has been called
literary poet poet writing for poets ana TINS Is
true In the sense thar hs work Is likely 10 become
popular as Mr. TennysOn's work Is ByTOns was pop
lar that purpose he lacks the immediate rdppOrs
with contemporary feeling that broad human syna-
thy which TennysOD alone among LIVING poets COM
bines with the highest degree OF literary rehneneht.
IL has frequently been assorted that IN me
sonnet Mr. ROssets poetic power anu his mastery %
form are shown in their fullest deyelOpentan opinion
with Whicu we are unable TO Zoe more than one
reason It is here that detects OF literary poetry
In the sense above alluded to become most apparent
For here dramatic motive OF the ballads no longer
exists Tho poet supposed 10 utter his individual i.eL
ings and faith in the genuineness OF those eehs
ia somewhat severely shaken II find that they arc o
In archaic aud reiterated symbolsms oI LOfot
Hope Fate eto, entirely renOy ed from the simplicity u
modern dctiOn in mode of expression, in short "e
"A poet OF Dante's age might have used II he hhu u.o
able to read Shakespeare IL may be readily aiint,S
that OF the language thus created, MI
achieves rare effects of sOnOrOus beauty ana Oh
colOrf the term De permissible But the stream VI "a
lyrical feeling does not In artificial annets ro!
not without significance that the finest sonnet IN 49,
ume, intended 90 accompany OF tine authors nno''
pictures, Is in ItaLan--CIhe London Tnnes~