New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14
CHARLES LAMB.
A STUDY BY GEORGE WILLIAM CURTISi


From The Austinlan.
l was wondering whether there be still a taste for
the writings Oi Charles Lamb among young readers
The question is interesting because is 10y
his literary companions in the form OF books wen
as by the living comrades wnom he prefers a cen
sor once said OF certain person in my hearing: lie
Is fond Of the second ratio he likes the essays OF Ella.
Now such criticism the criticism or epitnet or cpl
gram Is Interpreted by knowledge of the critic. Lamb
Is essentially poet but this critic knew 10 be wholly
destitute Of imagination Lamb is full of Wit; he Is
one of the wittcst of English authors. But the critic
had no sense of humOr. Lamb Is an exquisite literary
artist But The critic, again. had no artistic instinct
Judge delivers I'm bancO, the lawyers say, is
valuable. but only valuable as the opinion which
a spectator without eye for color may express Of
II is one OF The bestknown remarks Of the sonorous
Dr. Johnson that whoever wishes to attain an English
style familiar but not coarse, and eloquent, but not
ostentatous, must give his days and nights to the
volumes Of Addison. The limpd and sparkling purity
of the Addisonlan prose Is delightful
But there are many delightful styles in English
literature and il wouG have been distinct loss If
Johnson's great contemporary. Edmund Burke, had
been content to reproduce Addisons charming periods
have been wanting had Ella trimmed HIS essays into
There are few works in our literature. as the older
boys at St. Austns have doubtless heard IL the class
room, which are so remarkable for fccitous art as
the essays Of Ella. Even Tie archalsmS and quaint
sincerity Jeremy Taylor, Milton and Burke aU
masters Of what the French call in painting the great
STYLE. They have passages OF magnificent music
But there Is tricr or more substantial music than
that which is also heard in Fila 1t e OF another
strain than that OF the other masters but the moduated
rh thm stately sweep. and the delicate and subtle
choice Of words and phrases arc all there This feic
y appears In the first OF the essays The Old South
Sea house" and Is very characteristics of Blakcs
moor" The ease and poise Of conscious power are
as evident I'm Lamb IN any other author among the
English class
like ali masters OF STYLE he reveals uncx pcctsd
resources In language which carolessly suppose
has displayed all its riches, until the next magician
appears and shows onr mistake. Brownng's THE
ling and the Book Is OF the more recent exam
pies OF this service. But I'm Browning there Is not
always The aDben Transparency which IS constant in
always upon the saxon word II he finds III" Latin
10 be more suitable for his purpose 1t Is discarded
hui becomes I'm his hands. moro fitting and efcctlVo
No style is sner than If, from carecssncss common
place What seems 10 him worth saying would hardly
seem so II he did not how Il could be well said lii
chasing q cup. IN carving crncfX. enclosing a
dagger Ten.rnuio Ccni showed the instinct and gIft
OF art site cNpress0n aud power IN different drgr,o
indeed but less than Michel Anglo IN building a
baslllca. Iher0 is rertaln glcal aji doep
humanity I'm Lambs spirit, a sufnson OF tenderness
upon his page and latent melancholy sometimes Ike
a minor chord softly touched. which arr not wholly
undrrs TODD until his life is known Then the exquisite
artist in worls. this delightful companion whose talk
on every passing theme or pleasant hint Is 40 racy
ard humorous end shrcwd. 50 fine IN appreciation.
or higher emotion. becomes h'rOp and eXaiting. and
the blhe flower of what seem gay literary bubbles
gives us a deeper reverence for human nature q.
That here a writer IN the permanent sense,
another accession To- the band OF English WORTHLESS IN
letters was soon evident The traditions OF Johnson
and Burke stu fingered.
But newer dav was breaking, and Wordsworth.
Coeridge Pyron Shelley and Keats wero all coming
TO their own. WiI Wordsworth, Coerldso and
southcy Lamb was on most friendly terms. but
nothing amusing than the effort 10 classify
him with the Lake school. There never freer
lance In literature. The only authors whom he recalls