New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-05
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
IANI)OR.

IL IL.
CT, rcrroxs FROM THE WRITINGS OF WALiEt
'sXVAGE LANDOR. Arranged and Editeo ny , 1ip,
Nay CoLvIS. 16mo. Pr. 1xAvh'' $40 Maciii'""
&Co. .
Lander is one of those authors who gain the most
Ia heirc presented to us IN well-chosen specimens
,other than in the bulk Of their writings. IL Is
NOT only that the volume of his work is too great
yeoarl being had to their character-for INC
ordinary reader but they abound in certain 'n''
perfectiops, the result in part Ct what Professor
Colvin calls a want of legitimate literary t"c'. -
part of an inconsecutive habit Of thought "n'on
always repelled the public from his books, ou' "i0
not conspicuous in brief selections lie ehoso "''
subjects and formed his STYLE with coh'einp."""'
disregard Of the popular favor anu even u ""
popular understanding; and Though there 10 9V ~
thing fine in this lofty and independent sp'''' NV
is something provoking. too. III inc p'''
,~b,ch ,uhl;sbes mainly what people are not OK
pecte1 to read neither this generation ho' .Ho
fptnre In the attractive pages OF lhe uo'ueh
Traasrrv series however this nUble master CT
r,cli.b anpeas to us with new force. Ills iaultS
,re not hidden, but they are so far obscured That
WA can forget them; aud his extraordinary
beauties are set in the very strongest nght MI
Lowell has remarked that III the region OF d'scur
sive thought we cannot so properly call La""oi
great thinker a man who has hau e'e"'
thoughts; and this distinction indicates nlote VI
less exactly the want OF system and organic COM
bitterness in all his work, which renders lhc rag
ments more acceptable than the whole. Ills oeSV
Is 40 superlati,el ely fine that one with spark OF
literary feeling can regard it without glo" oi
delight.
Professor Colvin defines Landors position ny
saving that he was classic writing in a romantic
age; ami this leads him to an admirably cic"'
and acute explanation of the difference between
the romantic and the classical treatment anu
very lust exposition of Landors CHARACTERISTICS
In classical writing every idea is called up 10 the
mind as markedly US possible and at the same time
rs distinctly: il is exhibited in white light ana ei
10 produce its effect by its own unalded powell III
romantic writing. on the other hand, all objects are
exhibited Is il were through colored ana lfides-
CENT atmosphere Round about every central idea
the romantic writer summons up ii cloud OF aces
sory aud subordinate ideas for the sake of enhanc-
ing its effect il at the risk of confusing its outlines
On the one hand there IS calm. on the other
hand enthusiasm: the virtues Of the one style aie
STRENGTH of grasp with clearness and justice OF
presentment: the virtues Of the other style are
glow of spirit. with magic and richness OF sugges-
ton" The main effort Of imaginative literature
in England has from the inst been romantic:
Landor's aim was always to write IN the stfong
and severe manner of the classic school. vi the
value of his conceptions, the elevation and range
of his ideas. tie richness OF his scholarship, the
force and beauty of his imagery, the firmness oil
his grasp. the .decacy vf his sympathes and the
vipor of his imagination, there has never been but
one opinion. ALMOST every great EngIsh writer
from the appearance of Gebir" to our own day
has recognized in Lander both natural and acquired
gifts of the very first ORDER and there are some of
his productions -pages. for example, of the I'M
aginarv Conversations which rank by common
consent with the most precious things of their kind
in English literature Professor ColVin is inclined
10 place his prose upon the whole higher than his
poetry The best judges will agree with him In
this verdict, and also in the reasons upon wnlca IL
is founded. They will assent, likewise, to the re-
mark that with Landor verse and prose do not as
with most writer's represent a higher and lower
form of literature respectively, but merely aterna
tive FORMS" and that his poetical and imaginative
mowers are displayed at least as fully in his prose
IN the forms more commonly adopted for poetlcal
expression. Certainly in the severely regulated
accurate majestic, clear and harmonious move
ment of bis best prose lie is quite alone. No Eng
lIsh master is like him, and few can be called his
betters
Professor Colvin has done we'll in selecting at
discretion either entire pieces parts of poems and
dialogues, and also i'll interminglins verse ana
prose- as Lander himself indeed. was fond OF
doing The classification is by subject and the
extracts vary in length from aphOrisms and para
graphs of "a few lines, such as made up the sub
stance of the American volume OF Selections
published many years ago to complete Converse
tons" " Ilellenics" etc. So competent and Sympa-
thetic a critic would hardly fail to make judi
cious choice of extracts. By prefxlng to the I'M
npuary Conversations" few words explaining
the situation he has rendered all unmlstakable
service to the reader which Lander, in his dsdan
for supeIhuites and his love for the naked present.
ment of ideas" somewhat haughtily neglected. BY
his sinrulaIly careful and comprehensive notes at
the end of the volume Professor Colvin has also
enriched the volume. But there is another depart
ment of the editorial function IN which his course
is questionable In several instances he disregards
the changes which the author made after the
original publication of the text and reverts to the
first edition because he considers it the est. AS
O matter of literary criticism his judgment may be
right but it is open to debate whether the author
himself is not entitled to the last word on the form
of his own productions. And, moreover, since
Professor Colvin at least in several instances gives
neither version IN its integrity, but follows what
he considers the best points of each, it results that
we sometimes have a composite text which Landor
never put forth that which he would have put
forth if In final revision he had deferred TO Pro-
lessor Colyins opinions. In one case The editor
has gone far arbitrarily to cxpunse sentence
which ofiends his taste. The peculartieS of
spelling upon which Lander insisted strongly
have been disregarded. :" have not thought it
desirable" says Professor Colvin. to spell his
work in these selections he liked II spelt but i'll
the usual way" What tempest there would he Il
Lander could come back and give an opinion
nbout his editor!