New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-09
SVINBURNE on JONSON.
TIE WORK OF A VEHEMENT CRITIC.

\ STUDY or BEN JoNsoN. ny Aeernon Charles
Swluburne. 12mO. PIP. Ia. WothlnStoh 20.
There is scarcely critical qualification which
is not lacking to Mr. Swinburnc. and his positive
equipment is not less inlelicitously selected Tor
cxecetical work. Of sober. ordered judgment he
knows nothing. His loves and his enmities III
turn so saturate his mind that lie IS incapable Of
writing otherwise than at extremes. All his
geese arc swans; all his honest men are demi-
gods: all his fools are eXecrablc villains; all his
moderate successes are masterpieces: all his ad-
vibrations are angelic; and all his averslons dlac
bolical Perhaps it might be thought that IN
study of Ben JonsOn the remotcncss OF the
rcrlod TO be considered would import some tran
ouillity info the discussion would at least tone
down the habitual fiery cNubcrancc Of the poet of
roses and rapturcs-7 But nothing Of the kind.
It seems that no statute Of limitations runs
against the vehcmencc Of Mr.. SWiuburnes express
sion Like Sydney Smiths friend, he is capable
Of speaking disrcspcctfully OF tie equator. Inc
fact that a man who did something ~ displease
him has been dust these three hundred years does
not for n moment stay his avcnging hand. His
dcnunciations roll and echo through mortuary
vaults as freely when the object OF them Is stl
in the flesh. This undying and inappcasahc ic-
rocity lends certain odd interest 10 his al eyed
cTluciShs' 'houSh 1t - HoO VI NM "
fresh confidence III thc JuuImch' u tne "''''''
ana thls Ola chara''eI'S"c - "''Fi"Nc' 90 '"''"
cdlv as ever in the volume before rs.
The only truly remarkable feature Of Mr.. Swim
burne's Jonsonian analysis is his simultaneous
perception OF the cause oil MS au'hor Ia""'e "
win popularity. and his inability to perceive how
the defect he notes must influence ''e genera
estimate Of Jonson's literary position ana genius
& any opuriuc critical cxorniuat of his work.
Vet we should not regard Mr. Nwnhurnes ascrip-
ton u Jonson as croWhihg anu u''llihI uc-
feet Of "a tedious and lntolerahle realism as
Tie happiest possible definition Tedious ana an
tocrahle Zen Jonson too often IS nNt s'r'N
realism is not precisely his iau.t Inc defect
which killed his later dramas and winch Irlee''el
him TO thc closet generations a-o Is tAcr an uh-
realistic stiffness and pedontry. Even ~ his hc't
work, the four plays Sir. Swlnburnc Justly. II TOO
cNtrayacuutIy. praises, namely. Tie A'hemlst'
f... go .t ~
Stip' -'r"N' '"'I' i JAZZ '""'c '--' '''''-'' -
what Mr. NWlnhHrrc, speaking OF Nu'H'
pc.l tcr,,s tre intolcrahlc elaboration Of pre-
.i ...,,.,.,,,. i,o,,i,,,lo II
lcht"DS uU-'''' "h" "s''l''','""S '"'P'''"'''
Is not ilat Jorson is TOO real; IL is tht ne Is "'
unreal Vcfrccu lis best p'Iv-" Tie Alchcu.>t
~. ~, .,............ e.. ,li-,i,,.to, - i'm
-'N' "Nc "' '"'"''f''''' Do '''' "''''" vi ~ "
siriilN app tf'A'. '"as"h carries more ''I"I"-
tl.u Shakespeare. Hut BE cannot employ n - al
,..,,,.. nae rio t,,.o IL o,.- embassies the
CUMBERSOME ""N""I"' ""H'' MAJ "''''''' 'C ~
sorts TO. The dramatic spirit is wanting IN him,
fl, trur SboLc,pearc.s ricn and women ar, ail
human helhgs, CONSISTENT pcil'''H A''.'.'' ''i'
easy I'm speech and motion. never strained or sti3.
rc,cr i'm fIe least y,o,lcn. With J,rso1. on tie
t, f .,r .....r.,,t,.. t-,,..ff ..
"'i'I "''"' '-' l''''' ''-''''''' "''
on discovery when he l-hts upon hatNIaI an"
ca.y character. such as Captain Iohad Too
....l ,......;i. ,.,.o- t. ,l,.a-,.. ,,,i
OBJ ' -''''' '
neal di."-Nc OF mere 'IS'l'i"'' "''I '''''' ''.'
attributes or derives Tie sole enjoyment attarahl"
f,,,. verbal ,,ifficisrs which are uurou!.c.tcd
-, $500 -. ., .,- , ,..-..
WIN 'AF "' '"i"S y w '"'" ~ 49,
Mr. N"iublfHe' however lAsl'iS 'A'' even
when Jor-ou is most Gry and rcpc!cnt We ought