The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-05
THE LITERARY WORLD.
1MPREssIONIsM IN LITERATURE.
Tbe yyiteberv of DIckcns-The Novel NJ n
Tsachcr.--Tonnyson When He wrote
"In M.noriam."

IA the handler Of the brush has founded
school of art known as impressionism, OF
which Mr.. Whistler may be accepted as the
arcbpriesi and apostle, so there has sprung
nm also a school of literary impressionism
that is opposed to the old-fashioned pre-
Ranhaalitism. if you may call il 50, Of Words
worth. as well as 70 the later methods OF Iola
and his dirt-oying fellor-reaIists. The aim
OF the impressionist in art is 10 bring az lar
as possible the student Of his work into mat
frame Of mind in which the artist found
himself when be put brush to canvas, to I'LL
him with the same glow, 10 Eft him up to the
same heights Of ideal conception. and to place
him upon the same lofty plane OF sentiment
TO do this be does not deem IT necessary 70
resort 70 painstaking detail and toilsohle
technique, but rather 10 compress the essence
of his subject into a few happy strokes Of lhe
brush and by the magic Of his genus 10 eA'
terminate his thought, not so much WIN ie-
ference 10 the canvas on when ne paints 90
with view 10 stir up kindred eiDotiohs ~ VIC
soul of the person VINO studies his creatloh'
Thus out OF the unDTOken sOmbrehess VI tue
sssIave ShipU Turner has evoked an appalling
,msoe of the horrors Of the middle passage by
mat famous bit Of light when makes 1nc
t,itch-black storm clouds still nCrc oMlDOusN
dark. And this also is the elect at which .nc
literary tmpressOnist aims. HeJs not lDeiv
word painter, he does not DelleNe Jul eNndu'e-
,n0 Inc capacity Of language 10 give express
eion 10 his thoughts, but 70 make WORDS HIe-
snectiye of their linguistic value the uncOh-
scioug agent by which he enkin0les ln lDe
breast Of his reader the sdTne emOtOns, me
same warnings, the same mehtal sIVN tnoe
gwayed and burned his own. ouch literary
artist is AlpbOnse Daudet. WITH nm the III
tensity Of thought must SHINE through We
language lighting up the soul Oh ihe ie"oei
and the glow Of bis genius must spalnlS "a
his page and hence HASH INTO the le"uel
heart. 70 do this successfully ls the Junction
and privilege Of genius, and genius mas dc-
comDlished the task many time before
theory had been framed regarding II or I'M
pressiOnlsm had ever been mentioned
Dickens is a case in point. The wltcnery
Of Dickens is 10 be found IN the suDue lhnu-
ence that flows from MS pen into MS WOIus'
words that might have been woven into speech
nv another and vet have fallen on the ear with
tbedull weight Of the commonplace. A lght
shines ont between his lines, music IKE that
of the spheres charms, though us nOtes are
jnaudibe, and a subtle magic leaps from Dis
pen that stirs the soul TO ills depths, az nc
cngrayes thereon the picture OF ilttie NeiI,
the Warehouses, Emily, OF the Mother OF the
Marsbaisea. II is at the close OF ms chapters
that we chiefly notice this strange lasclna-
lion. this thrilling illumination OF genius.
He seems then 10 gather into Dunch the
stray and struggling beams OF sunlight lhai
have played on the previous pages ana 10
focalize their energy in line. NO analysis
can reveal 10 us the secret OF this spell. oil thls
rare significance which ordinary words are
made TO assume, and OF the sudden tbrlli
which a few strokes Of the pen can produce.
surely Dickens felt the power OIL impress
tiOnism. even though he pTacuced III uhcOh-
sciousy. In a lesser, though III more dell
cate and finished degree, dld 1nackeray e&-
eTcise the same charm. VINO that mas read
the beautiful story OF the diamonds has not
become aware OF the fact that spirit per-
yades it. fuil of tenderness and patb0s, and Oh
unctuous genteness which we look IN VAIN
for i'm tho more elaborate pages and the
harsher lines OF "Nanity FairV The soft ana
restful features of the heroine's character are
portrayed more wildly than by words. The
Spirit OF the author has breathed into those
lines, and as we read the repetition OF the
words carrying his sheayes Win him, carry
ing his sheayes with him." we feel That the
author sought to transmit an impression
more delicate and touching than any the mere
words embodied The I'm MemOram' OF
TeDuysen illustrates the same TRUTH and the
plaintiye dirge OF those finished lines sound
TO the heart like the sad tOlling Of slow bell.
A return 10 this species OF lmpresslOnlsm
augurs well for the new school OF writer's, Tor
the genius which Is capable OF succeeding IN
il must be welded to lofty thoughts and noble
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. REVIEW.