Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-01-09
Regarding Essays

The resources of the Gnest novel mas
be, at length exhausted We learn It's
incidents by heart, and its characters
become SO familiar that we know ex-
actly what they are going to DO and
saw. in every exigency. 80, 100, the
measures of our favorlte poems go
singing through the brain until they
colne obed iently at memory's call, and
we have no need to refer TO the printed
page. But the secret of the perennial
charm OF the essay, from the Spectator
and the Guardian downward, lies IN the
fact that it may be read and reread with
pleasure and affection that grows with
each perusal. The volume OF essays IS
a beguiling fireside crony, and travel
ing companion that never disappoints.
1t may be slipped i'll the pocket, or
tucked under the arm and taken upon
an excursion, without fear of unpleas-
ant consequences. BeacuSe il discouIses
of many things, and often changes its
theme. it never wearies: and, IN
asmuch as IL may be loitered over and
dipped into, here and there, in Idle fash
ion, its intIuance Is soothing. 1t does
not quicken the mind painfully, or urge
the mental movements to feayerlsh
haste Having sll seasons for its own,
somewhat of the magic or the environ
ment in which il revealed its heart to
US fingers around it. a rosy drift OF
peach t'.s-O:i.s +. = csc ':Qol is pages,
:. HE "a skittish Wind ruiiled the feath-
cry young tree tops, and the thrush III
the wood beyond, like the Arcadian
shepherd boy, WAS piping rs though he
could never gTow DID, Perhaps II was
the tingiing air of an autumn day that
luttered its leaves, when the sky shone
between withered branches, and a
shuddering sigh passed through the dry
corn fields; or, perhaps, the snow Missed
against the pane, and the fire gllttered,
gem-like, upon the hearth
The first affections Of the essay-loyer
are often given 10 Charles Lambs
wTitiEgs-their pathOS intensified, and
their quaint conceits touched always
by remembrance of the man himself,
and the self sacrificing life across which
the madhouse cast its black shadow.
And, although we read, but the other
day, that William HaZlitt was 1.-The
most amazing example OF what 4 critic
ought to be, - few can deny the merits
of his Table Talk" Tie papers ''On
the feeling of Immortality in Youth, !"
son Going a Journey" and why
Distant Objects Please,'' are admirable
examples>of his manner, and OF the
charm he Exercises. He loiterS arm,
in-arm with the reader, rs 1t were, In 4
familiar attitude, murmuring 10 him
his thoughts and memories, while the
pensive, twilight atmesIhere OF retro
spection hovers over ~. Emerson,
on the contrary, allews no stTaG-
Cling out of ranks. He speaks
with the serious intention of teaching
Probably 10 thoughtful person has
ever risen from the perusal OF Sccu-
reliance" without feeling that he has
learned something; for though lie may
begin indolently, he.will end by ting
ling all over from the electrical sparks
and shoCksr OF which Birrell speaks.
Birreu himself. in his ''ObiteI Dicta,, ,
has made valuable contribution to
this department of literature. The
essays upon "Dr- Johnson" Worn
out Types" and ''Book-Buying do
not contain Il commonplace line; while
the paper upon ''Falstaff,' contri-
buted by George RadfUrd TO the first
series, cannot lie passed without praise.
Nor shall we forget that Andrew Lang
NAV be found AT the : on of the
Ship" or that Symonds and GOSse-
though the latter did say that America
has not produced 4 poet-stil WELD
their facile pens. On our ewn side of
the water We have the scholarly Lowell,
and Henry Janus, who discourSes
cleverly, if without any great breadth,
upon sundry modern authors Holmes
poet, autOcrirt, of wits
own breakfast taRle''-and Warner,
whose sunny humor is an aatidote to
pessimism, possess some Of the same
genial mood, though widely diverse in
style. 1t is to be observed that the
tendency of the esSayists of to-day is
more towards litera y criticism than
toward contempla,ve and abstract
thought. With Matthew Arnold, as it
has been well said, criticism of books
was 4 criticism of life and struck deep
into human nature. In his hands il
never degenerated into mere venting
of opinions. Though Stevenson has eS-
capped this popular mania he does not
take the reader TO his bosom. We
stand, rather, at Il safe distance and
watch the rockets go up. As a guide
and philosopher lie would be about as
reliable rs Robin Goodfellow. He
appears 10 pride himself upon his in
consistency, and has 4 ''swashing and a
martial'' audacity. We are daZZled
and amazed by the wonderful legerde-
main he exercises upon words, and, ~tne
dexterity with which he eNch3aSes old
lamps for new. lie can turn and twist
the most ancient idea until IL catcnes
the light at every angle