New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-30

viewed are Mrs Sigourney, Coates Kinney Henry
Howard Brownell, Byron Forceythe WILSON
Stephen Collins Foster. Josiah Gilbert Holland
John Townsend Trowbridge, John Godfrey SAKE
John James Piatt, Paul Hamilton Haync, Henry
Timrod Sidney Lanier Joaquin Miller, Jones very
John Sullivan Dwight Ellen Sturels Hooper,
Christopher Pesrsc Cranch, William Ellery Chan
ming, IT,. Edward Rowland SILL Helen Maria Jack
son, James Watson Glider Thomas Bailey Adrich
and Mrs Sarah NJ Piatt In the majority OF these
brief notices the general estimate Of Mr. Stedman
seems to have been followed though it is not to be
understood that Mr.. Richardson is servile i'm
itator, and it would be no disparagcmcnt to his
Judgment il in such matter he deferred openly to
80 sound a scholar and critic
In his criticism on Whitman he makes one strong
and almost new point 1t is TO the effect that even
from the poets own point OF view his work ia
onc-sided and that the side presented is the lower
one: that Walt Whitman has explicitly declared
his inability to complete the scheme he had ar
ranged, and that in abandoning the attempt TO
present view of the spiritual aspects of life, he
has unwittingly emphasized the earthliness and
matcriaism of the work actually accomplished.
The criticism is temperate, but shrewd, dspasion-
ate and yet in its general effect rather condem-
natory than eulogstio. The last five chapters are
concerned with the novests OF whom Charles
Brockden Brown is the first recognized by Mr.
Richardson Exhaustive criticism is reserved for
but two Of the whole number, namely, James
Fenimorc Cooper and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and
the chapters on these writer's are thoroughly worth
reading In the analysis of Coopers works the
error is made of putting the author of The Pilot
above Maryatt as a writer Of sea stories Cooper s
early experience gave him some familiarity with
seafaring life. but in depth and extent Of seaman
ship and ability to describe intricate nautical
manoeuvres he must take the second rank. Mr..
Richardson hardly puts the Leather Stocking
tales too high, though we are inclined to think
that he undertakes some Of Cooper's minor novels
The Hawthorne chapter is in several respects adj
mirabe. 1t exhibits apprehension Of the great
romancer's character which will delight his adj
mirers Mr. James and Mr. Howells are too near
OF hand and too much alive to be treated of quite
coolly or without embarrassment in survey of
this kind But the former is criticised with con-
siderable severity, and his influence is declared
mischievous: while the latter is rebuked for al
lowing himself to be led by writer in no sense
his superior and lacking in some of his capacities
Mr. Richardson does not believe that either of the
above-named writers is likely TO found an endur-
ing school, and for the reason that they have viii
fully striven to achieve what he regards an un-
natural and in some respects repelent method.
Mr.. Howells's first manner is preferred to his
second, in which the apparent deliberate selection
of the least interesting subjects is condemned as
false art
We have followed the work before us far enough
and closely enough TO make il apparent that its
limitations somewhat narrow. and that it is
rather study than history Of American ltera-
ture. Even upon strict construction Of the au-
thors own principles the omissions are much
larger than can be accounted for, nor are those
omissions compensated by the chapters in which
an attempt is made TO preserve some breadth of
view by more or less perfunctory cataloguing
of writer's many Of whom deserve careful consdera-
ton. 1t would indeed have been impossible to do
justice to the subject within the space of two vol
umcs for while the work is only brought down to
1885, any adequate discussion of the fiction Of the
preceding ten years would have demanded at least
a third volume of equal bulk with the others.
Some attention is in truth paid TO the writer's Of
short stories but the names of n score of men
and women who rank with the best are not men
toned, and there is the less excuse for this mas
much as several inferior writer's are noticed at
length
Nevertheless Mr. Richardson is entitled to credit
for what he has done. 1t is at least an effort in
the right direction, courageous and on the whole
well executed attempt to establish sound critical
methods, An intellect of the first order would
have made much more of the undertaking, and the
estimates Of such a mind would have been much
less liable to Reputation. Mr.. Richardson is not
a Sainte-Beuve. His style is not beyond improve
ment He is sometimes prolix and at other times
far from lucid. He has not probably written a
work which win he accepted as settling much. But
he has made beginning on lines which will have
to be followed and regarded as pioneer work his
beginning is not a bad one 1t is certainly sug-
gestive. 1t appeals to the reason and the sober
Judgment of the reader. 1t is characterized by
candor, marked desire to be just, and very
respectable critical faculty. 1t is in fact work
which may be improved upon, but which deserves
to be read