New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-21
FITZGERALUS LETTERS.
AN ECCENTRIC MAN OF GENIUS.

LETTERS AND LITERARY REMAINS or EDWARD
FITZGERALD. Edited by William Adds Wright.
In three volumes. 12mo, PIP. xii-5O2, ass, 4O2,
Macmillan d Co.
Tho letters OF Edward Fitzgerald, which fiji
the first volume of this latest edition of his works,
emphaticaly the memorials Of quiet life. The form
chosen by Mr. Wright in which 10 present these ma
erals FIR biography OF his friend IS not altogether
satisfactory however. The letters cover space Of
fifty years. nomlnaly, but there sometimes only
two or three to year, and the editors explanatory
notes arc so few and meage that is almost impossible
10 trace the life recorded in fragncnary a manner
Perhaps with man of Fitzgeralds peculiar character
this was partly inevitable. His editor says Ono Of
bis few surviving contemporaries speaking from life
long experience, described him with perfect truth
as an eccentric man Of genius, who took more pains
TO avoid fame than others do TO seek IT," This gives
the key TO his character. He says himself In one OF
his letters that cared nothing for wealth. fame
or rcspectablllty" lie Stunned society all HIS life,
and preferred solitude relieved by the Intimate friend
ship of a few choice spirits.
Edward Fitzgerald possessed modest competence
and perhaps IL fortunate for him that the neces-
sity of labor was laid upon him, Tor there can
be no doubt that invcteratc Incidence had much to
do with his love of retirement, and that he lacked the
temperamental excitants which would have brought
his really remarkable genius To full frlton. He was
lowered with fasildloIs taste. lie himself mod
cstly asserted that he had nothing but taste which,
said he is tho feminine Of genius" But his rem
derlng of the "Rubaiyat' of Omar Khayyam, and his
TRANSACTIONS or paraphrases rather Of Calderons plays,
together with his "Agamemnon' and Oedipus,
showed that no possessed an almost unique faculty
that namely OF transferring the spirit, meaning
and Intellectual beauties of foreign authors into the
English tongue smoothly, clearly and brilliantly
that his work produced nearly tho effect OF original
composition. He took great liberties with Omar
Khayyam, for example; but comparison between
hts rcnderlngs and those of literal translaors
once shows he has far better than they preserved
The ininost meaning OF his author, while regards
beauty of form and Language his arrangement IS In
anitely superior TO all others IIe polished and re
po,ished all his work patiently and assdnousy.
and kept It by him generally for many years, taking
the advice of his friends upon emendations and hest
tatng always 10 60 to press.
lie lived in the country by preference, hating Lon
don who's atmosphere stiAed him. Though fond of
travel Theoretically his Incidence never suffered him
10 voyage further than Paris and he does not appear
10 have been there than once for any length OF
time lie had few intimates, though many friends,
and while he visited rarely, and years often passed
without personal meetings between him and his cor
res pondenis the affection and esteem he inspired in
all who knew him testify TO the geniality and anna
blllty of his character One OF his friends 10 whom
he wrote Of domestic affairs. said The striking feat