The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-28
OUR LITERARY BUDGET.
l Humbsr Of Interesting Letters by
Charlotte Bronts,
WHAT SIZE THOUGHT OF THACKERAY.
.,or. in His sagacity. Alone In His Truth
Alone In His FeeIing-The oharm ana
Majesty of Repose in His Efforts.

A uumber of deeply interesting letters writ
,er nv Charlotte Bronte 10 friend IN Lon
don Mr.. w. S. Williams, are printed for the
a., ,;n,e in "Macmillans Magazine" They
,oveal much OF the character and genius Of
their writer. and are particularly attractive
IN their comments on the authors and topics
Of her day. We find in one Of the earlier let
.ers that Miss BroDte, in her moorland ioneh-
ness had been most keenly and disagreeably
moved. As were most women then, by Ihack-
erav's satirical powers: but as time went on
she began 10 understand him better. Writ
inc ID reference 10 suggestion tnat she
should herself illustrate Jane Eyre she
says
You will not easily find a second Ihackeray;
How he can render with few black lines ana
dots shades OF expression so fine, 50 real
traits Of character 50 minute so subtle, so
difficult 10 seize and FIX. cannot tell. can
ONLY wonder and admire. Ihackeray may not
be a painter. but lie IS wizard OF diaughts-
man. touched by his pencil. paper lives All
i true 10 Thackeray: If Truth were. again a
goddess Ihackeray should be her high priest
The more read OF his works the more certain
/ am hat he stands alone alone in his sagaci-
ty. alone in his truth. alone IN his feeling MS
feeling, though he makes no noise about II, ls
about the most genuine that ever
lived in n printed page alone IN ms
power. alone 10 his simplicity: alone IN MS
selfcOntrol Thackeray Is Titan, so strong
that he can afford 20 perform with calm the
most Herculean feats there 10 the charm ana
majesty Of repose in his greatest efforts lie
borrows nothing from fever his - never the
energy Of delirium his energy is sano energy
deliberate energy, thoughtful energy Inc
last number OF Vanity Far proves inns
to form NH
more impressive than exciting. carrying on
the interest OF the narrative in a flow deep
full. resistess it IS still quiet-as quiet rs re-
Election. as Quiet as memory and 10 me there
arc parts Of II which sound az solemn a. an
oracle Thackeray 10 never bOrne away by
his own ardoT he has 1t under control, MS
genius Obeys hint is his servant. and works
DO fantastic changes at rs own valid WILL II
must still achieve the task which reason and
sense assign il, and none other. Ihackeray
10 unique. / can say no more. VIII say no
less
IN a later letter she declares that she regards
ThRokeray az the first If modern masters.
II study him with reverence. lie. see.
keeps the mermmd's tail below water, and
only hints at the dead mems bones and noX-
ous slime amidst which II wriggles but his
hint IL more vivid than other mems elaborate
explanations and never ~ his satire whetted
10 80 keen an edge As when with Quiet mock
lng IRONY he mOdesfly recommends 10 me ap-
probation Of the public bis own exemplary
discretion and forbearauce. The world begins
10 know 1hackeray better than D. did two
years or even a year ago. but as yet 1t only
half knows him. His mind seems % me
fabric as simple and unpretendlng as It is
deep-founded and enduring. There 10
No meretrIclOus ornament 20 attract OF
fix a superficial glance. his great distinction
Of the genuine is ono that can only be fully
appreciated with time There IS something
a sort of 'still-prOfOund' revealed IN the con
Guiding part If Vanity Fair which the dis
cernment of one generation Will not suffice 20
fathom. A hundred years hence, il be only
lives to DO justice 10 himself, he will be bet
ter known than be Is now. hundred years
hence some thoughtful critic standing and
looking down on the deep waters, Will see
shining through them the pear without price
OF purely original mind such mind as
the Bulwers etc. his contemporaries. have
not: not requirements gained from study. but
the thing that came into the world with him
his Inherent genius-the thing that made him.
"Thackeray's Christmas book at once
grieved and pleased me / have come % the
conclusion hat when be writes llephlstOpheles
stands on his right hand and Raphael ON his
LETT the great doubter and sneerer usually
guides the pen-the angel. noble and gentle,
interlnes letters Of light here and there.
Alas Thackeray | wish your strong wings
would lift you oftener above the smoke OF
cities into the purer region nearer Heaven"