New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-16
CREAM OF THE MAGAZINES.
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS ON "ENDYMIoN.p
From Hnrper's Magazine.

From Hdrper's Magazine
II is thoroughly aud amusingly characteIs.dc "
| his whole career lie has been Prime Minister OF
| England and for time one of the most conspicuous
contemporary figures in the world. lie mas suu-
| denly encountered an unexpected anu tremendous
political defeat and, well past threescore ana zen;
he retires to private life. An old and renowned
statesman in retirement Is one OF the gravest anu
most respectable of characters 10 the maginatlon,
il he be not ohafIg and angry. and plotilng Impo
tenty to regain power But the gartered hero OF tne
Berlin Treaty and its queer peace WItn
honor" without mopping or yanlshin ing INTO sen
and dignified privacy turns off later "tiyan Grey
.'Youn0 Dukrp "Conlngsby," "Tancred," and " LO
thar all trufles and Tokay and coronets and prime
ministers and cloth OF gold and banque[s anu 9eak
ers Instead of commenting MS to Sir William lem
pie in cOntempative retirement and MS eaooages
nj Sheen or missing upon tho ruins OF empires anu
the vanity Of human wishes, the old necTomancer'
with the air of Brummel redivivns, or Major zen,
dennis with fresh padding, introduces the amused
reader INTO the modern world or Sardanapaus anu
Hop-o' Thumb, and the whole fairy realm, wne ere
The trees bear pearls and the rivers run elneraids
ana every bantam IS peacock.
The most comca part Of the n IS tf s
author drdHd seJic'iE hey speak OF MN ana us
books Pravey. They read the Young Duke anu
"Sbyl" as il they were pictures OF life ana characeI
when they are only stories Of the Fair One with
Golden Locks and the little TAI oil Cashgar Ihey
are novels as "Phantasmion" is a novel. They are
entertaining and brilliant, indeed; they are the
recreations Of a golden youth grown old, who has
seen fine society III his day, ana eaIen sonp WIN
golden spoon, and who has natural passion ior MI
are pictures of life and por, ISo,;s, Of if
a novel, and the " Heart of Mid-Lothian,nn
and tae "Newcomes," and Adam Bede."
"Endymion is as much like novel as st. Barbe IS
like Thackerny As q novel, cabinet picture by
Miss Austen is worth all the Dsracl COLLECTION YET
his works are very illustrative of himself Ihey
must always have the attraction winch MS person,
alIty gives them. If Sir Robert Walp0le or Lord
Chatham had written stories. they would De READ
because of their authors. George ElOts tales nave
an enormous sale because Of their excellence, LoTd
Beaconsiicds because he wrote them. EndynlOh
ne the work OF an unknown writer would have been
thought dull imitation of the old poitlcO-fashOn-
able novcl as Lord Beaconselds, the copyright Is
sold for SdU 900. The LOHdOR Times pays $4,000 Tor
q copy two three DAVIS in advance ana oOOOO
copies are said IN the United States within two OF
three days after publicanon
The ordinary novel reader must road Vt, OF course,
but he or she cannot be really pleased with It, The
student OF human nature can lind to study IN IL
only the Earl Of Beaconsield, X. q. Prince Flores
tan Lord and Lady R1champtOn, Lord and Lady
Montiort. Mr.. Neuchatel. I@noDIa, AsripDlna. ana
the rest are not men aud women. They are mines
used by an eX-Pnmo Minister of England IN the
composition Of a treatise to show how sweet thing
It IL To have plos OF precious stones ana pohucal
place, the precious stones being acquired by other
intrigue End ymon is the kind Of book that
clever Bubb DoddingtOn with taste for politics
might have written, and might greatly delight TO
read. But to the general nOvcl-readcr without Ia
miliar knowledge of English politics. the only inter-
est OF the book must b. descriptions OF fine soci-
ETY.. there IS properly no plot and no development
nf ph