New-York tribune., 1894-01-27
AN IMPASSIONED TKlfLEn'
THE MoRALIzATIoNs OF VEhN0>

ALIHEA nsss ssGsnd S GGf vernon Tn Lee. PD
toms @ sna sn, ondon: Gsgood. Mc1vaine q w.
p.,.u,, N. stalking horse for Vernon Lee o n
,,,b whom she made her readers acau -. IN.
year. ago, reappears m the ia'es' ~ :" ra,,rk,
English writer's speculations. io" -, ,h,.
~. s,sno-a Elena 10 him: you say bA'i~ mt
inc 80 ,,.,ns avorce the serious work OF lie
., your ideal Measures. 1t is true 20 l"' q" "
and beautiful nature are concerned' you " ,,
as ennobng factors in reality. bu'-i' ~ u
nv the notes which Caro- took down d ''u' '
and also by things have heaT1 you sa'-!ou ~
70 treat human beings. and the feelings WITH "hic"
-, ,rav insnire vo,-the human beings you actu-
aIIy know-as something much more remote from
life and its duties. as much more IMAM ar'is'ic
material for unreal pleasures - AL this point
the signora Elena interrupted. and most ex-
pediently for the present purpose. III we nave
quoted this long sentence it is because she sum-
marizes concisely the substance of Baldwins o. e.
Vernon Lees, oracular G.scourse
Little souls require little, ,smulants. and the ever
lasting tendency of dlettane In life is to split hairs
for the exciting pleasure Of splitting them. Many
of Vernon Lees conclusions ed.iying. yet she Is
certainly preoccupied in this book. she was in
her previous volumes with the sphttng OF hars'
and the last impression she leaves Is that OF a
dlettante. At bottom she Is ethical aspring-as
the subtitle OF "Altnea" just.hably indicates The
undercurrent OF virtue that flows beneath her rather
affected dialogues is wholesome desire TO see the
individual shorn OF selshness and egotisIn and re-
adjusted to condition Of social life In whch ne
would share whatever was worthy in him with MS
fellow beings. All OF Vernon Lees arguments make
for a spiritual and at the same Time more
thoroughly sanely human existence than the aver
age atom In the social fabric-cultured or uncutured
is commonly mpeled TO lead. She presents these
arguments moreover. with sensittveness OF ana'!
sis and copiousness Of aesthetic ana literary AZ
fusion which make her OF the pleasah'es'
abe threatens to be perncious. threatens 10 be SUD-
versiye OF the direct thinking and still more direct
living which the surest FOUNDATIONS Iol spii''
advancement Is in commanding by the dignity OF
her theme too complaisant consideration LOT her
peculiar inpotent train OF discussion.
rh., ,ro,r a, discussion is not firmly and clearly
orpanIzed It is freighted with all the vague CROP
tngs Of thought and OF rhetoric py which the
idealistic struggles OF men are SO oiten uls'in-
r,.hod Ru, II carries too much the morbid air
~ an afternoon grown serious ana didacuc'
pa,dw,n AIthea the Slgnora Elena. Carlo. Donna
Marlathey are all delightfully."- talkative and daint-
fIy ambitIous but the saineo-glass luxury OF ther
environment is unmistakabe and Irritating. one
cannot help wondering, with a smile. what Wou'd
banpen 10 the group II they were suddenly called
,pon to shift for themselves and were brought IN
living contact with the race whose evolution ana
habits they ~libly and in such dehcously
solemn manner dissect. ponder and criticise' vi
course Vernon Lees aim Is TO present the views OF
her n. a
of number Of cultivated personages; TO ask her 20
depriye her mouthpieces OF their urbanity. taste
and so on would be like asking a scholar 70 thihK
like peasant. But that Is not the observation that
"a intended What Is missed In Vernon Lees TAX
e-s IL not more brusque manners. but more reaiity'
more vitality in themselves and IN their VIEWS tney
should have less OF the tone Of orchids. rcn sur
roundings and kind Of patrician alooiness' IL Is
all very neatly toucned off by the cynical ysung
Carlo He and Donna Maria had sent TO an artist
who was singing Orpheus superbly some pine ana
laurel branches. the most perfect symbols oithe
understanding which her art had created between
her auditors and her impersonation. DO you
think" asks Baldwin, the three sit together IN
box at the opera, that she will appreciate such an
Offering. unconsecrated by a florist? VIII she un-
derstand what II means?" The reply OF Carlo is
s,vniecant What does II matter whether she does?
Most probably she won't but we shall never be the
wiser and when will never be the wiser one s
SELF and one has a silent footman TO screen one
from Others why shouldn't one have the satisfac.
ton Of indulging In bit OF sentiment! Those
branches were not intended please her, bless you
They were intended to please ourselves. TO put the
finishing touch to our impression Against this
egotistical sentiment Donna Maria vehemently pro-
tests Against It, and against all sentiments akin TO
It, the whole teaching of Vernon Lee may be pre-
sumed to be directed But in speaking through the
lips of personalities she makes her own utterance
very personal: and a philosopher. as social
critic she is somehow found In the end, in spite OF
herself ranged tacy, unconsciously on the sue OK
1ust such view Of life Carlo formuia'es.
Vernon Lees belief In the profundity OF her topics
Is uninpeachabie. Her method OF handling them Is
unfortunate inasmuch as II throws over them the
disintegrating atmosphere OF emasculated mental
processes. She has a very attractive Individuality
In her work. and through the delicate. almost
sybartc. aesthetcism OF her mode Of thought she
has an undeniable power honestly inquisitive
and super refined. yet crudely developed minds. For
such minds she has 1t In her TO be beneficial. even
stimulating; IL they shrewd enough to make the
necessary deductions they can actually profit by her
suggestions II they are not thus shrewd they are
encouraged in vague thinking. and the desirable
reticence OF the serious and strong nature is under
mined by temptations 10 bring the difficulties OF the
spiritual life into the arena Of discussion with
the latest fashion in dress the newest craze in
art. No refuse Vernon Lee respect for the
care with which she develops her dialogues, for her
anxiety to be OF assistance to those who are FORM
ing themselves in the world. 1t Is pity that
through the artificial and unintentona.iy Hippant
nature of her book its good qualities should be
rendered futile.