New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-27
TIIACKERAY.
PoPULARIzING TIE GREAT NOVELIST.


The announcement that the J. u. L:ppincott
Companv. IN connection with Smith. Elder x Co..
of London will publish new handy edition OF the
works OF Thackeray should be heartily weicomen
The new edition will he issued a. an excced'hc!
low price. but it will be printed I'D clear " pc q"
fine paper and while within the rcach oi very
modest means will he well worth possessl'1e IL is
curious that this should be the first cheap EDITION VI
Thackeray to be published in England Inc
works of that great writer have been Produced III
this country in various inexpensive f"rmS p"' !"
his own land never until now. IL may De tia' '"o
demand for the more costly editions mas been 40
steady that the publishers have not tnouent IL
worth their while TO prepare n popular Issue IL
NAV he that the literary taste OF the masses mas ho'
risen to appreciation OF Thackeray. Whatever the
ransom Il cansc for congratu alton that the work
Of ponnlarzing one of the greatest masters OF he
tion one of the greatest writers of this or any age
is to he undertaken
There il no anthor who better deserves to he read.
and more TO he studied nor IS there any anthor
whose charms of sty,e. whose fecities OF Thought
whose genuineness earnesiness. versatility, whose
humor and pathCs. are more remarkao'e' au"
enduring in interest. Thackeray looms a giant
beside tho hin-pioodcd. shadowy and passiohess
writers of the new school of fction. Ing Sihp'o
Truth is that his genius embraced all, ana tho"-
sand times more than all, their qualifications. IN
analvsis rs in every other literary mipment he
was their superior. But to analysis. which Is 'heir
main resource he added host of gifts which per
fected and rounded out his work. and gave to /. the
solidity. the vitality. tho fire and the tenderness
o,o,e,icuous bv their absence In the novels of to-
day.
LeJ us recnr for moment to a Characterization
of Thackcrav by a woman of genius-the author OF
Jane Eyre 1t is from the dedication OF that
fine novel; Charlotte Bronte there says: " There
isa man IN our own day whose words are not
framed TO tickle delicate ears who. to NY thinking
cnmcs before the great ones of society," much the
son of Imlah came before the thronad Kings OF
judah and Israel; and who speaks truth rs deep,
with pow er as prcphct-like and as yital-a men
rs dauntless and as daring. Is the satirlst OF
VANITY FAIR admired in high places cannot
tell: but think if some of those among whom he
hurls the Greek fire of his and over whom
he flashes the leyn-brand of his dennneiaton, were
to FAKE his warnings in time they or their seed
mipht vet escape fatal Ramoth-Gllead. Why
have alluded to this man ! have alluded to
HIM because think see in him an INTEL ct pro-
founder and more uuquc than bis contemporaries
have vet recognized: because ] regard him as the
first social regenerator of the day-as the very
master of that working corps who would restore to
rrctiiude the warped system of things BECAUSE
think no commentator his writings has yet
found tho comparison that suits him. the terms
which Chilly characterize his talent. They say he
is like Fielding; they talk of his wit, humor,
comic powers. He resembles Fielding rs an eagle
does vulture; Fielding could stoop on carron,
but Thackeray never does His wit is bright. his
hnmor attractive but both bear the same relation
to his sericus genius that the mere lambent sheet
lightning playing under the edge of the summer
cloud does to the electric death spark hid IN its
womb"
No doubt the new school would curl the liz at
such eulory and remark that Charlotte BrOnte
herself belonged in the category OF the obsolete
authors who in their time del ghe generations not
eduratcd to appreciate "art;" the art" which
excludes action. feeling. and above all passion. and
spins oui wiredrawn speculatons about the COM
MON place and Insignificant
So long as the English language endures so long
will the inen and women of 1hackeray's books be
remembered AMI admired and marveled at. In all
the vast literature of fiction there is nothing TO
approach the beauty. tenderness. nobility fdo.Ity
to nature. of his Colonel Newcome Neither can
the same profusc literature furnish parallel to
the sinister, subtly-drawn figure of Becky Sharp !:
aud between those extremes there is a crowd Of
people each of whom dwell, IN the readers memory.
each of whom stands out distinct. real. a COM
plctey furnished character MAJOR Iendenn's,
Esmond Beatrice, Laura. BIyhan the de Florlc',
Deuceacc, Amelia Sedley. Dobbin. the Vi irquis OF
Steyne Et0el Newcome. Barnes. The Old Cam
paicner-as we recall them they step to the front.
clearly drawn fully differentiated varying in char
acter and idiosy rs widely as living men
and women do TO lhackeray, as to Bazic, was
given that intense power Of conception which
alone can impart life to imaginary persons. His
peop'e issued from his BRAIN fully vitalzed and 1t
bat -ul,,., "A
afterward proceed independently, often. he SAID.
astonishing him by saying and doing things which
they seemed to have originated quite apart from
his vohtion.
But ii has been objected Of late, Thackeray plays
the Snowman TOO much. He is too constantly at
hand IN the role of the Greek Chorus. lie is too
fond of moralizing and philo.ophizimg as he goes
a long. lie does not let the story dow quietly
enough. 1t is true that Thackeray moralizes.
{ satirizes philosophers, keeps up running COM
mentary bat that mind mu t be strangely con III
tuted which finds matter of offence in a habit which
las enriched the world with 50 much WIT and wis
dom, much humor and keen. wholesome satire.
1t is indeed this philosophy of his. so quaint. so
genial. lofty in tone and pnrpose that ren lcrs
Thackerly's humbest Fraser" essay not less
deserving of attentive study than are his master
pieces. 1t = this which jnsiGes the assertion that
he wrote scarcely anything unworthy of preser-
walton. And how fine his lighter medi tatOns often
are! In the Roundabout Papers," which include
the last work hs did there many pages the
writing of which alone would have made Il reputa-
ton. In the paper entitled Nil Ni,i Boanm lie paid
graceful tribute TO two recently departed great
Lord Macanlay and Washington Irving. When
have tenderer and more apprecative words than
these been written of tie latter: - lie good man.
my dear One can't but think of these last words
of the veteran Chief OF Letters, who had tasted and
tested the value of worldly Success admiration,
prosperity. Was Irving not good and, of his
works. not his life the best part In bis
family. gentle, generous. good humored. affection
ate. srlf-NcnYmp: Id spcIetX a deli hfful eNnmnle