New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-12

a point In his character. Borrow VIII !" '''o '
unexpected way compel the student 70 aoa"uo"
his analysis and accept without question some Gil
tirely illogical attitude on the part OF the cn"'-
acter he is discussing Thus In his writings BOT
row stands as a man bound by links OF steel TO
the struggling painting, human horde, as one VINO
speaks to them In their own tongue. but as one
who has A life OF his own In the a kground full OF
mystery and dream. Of which he will grant his
audience ftful gmpses. The reader begins as
indicated above by reckoning these glimpses az
Interruptions to the normal flow OF Borrows
story He ends by looking for them, by Wis.,
fully lingering over them, as has also been noted
and finally he concludes that without their ran
tastic half lights, recurring from time to time,
the picture would not be complete. THIS, tneh'
is the subtle charm of Borrow. to have established
through perfectly frank and accustomed means a
bond of sympathy between himself and MS IN
terlocutor and then to have piqued the curiosity
OF the latter by limitations Of things beyond his
ken. Had he achieved this on literary grounds.
through literary articles. he would perhaps have
been forgotten AS he achieved 1t through CIV
ing free play to his natural instincts. he Is unfor-
gotta Bile. and beyond the reach OF merely literary
criticism.
His spontaneity in this matter Is borne out
not merely by such biographical data as may be
drawn from "Lavengro" and other sources
but by the character of his other works. In
1.-The Bible In Spain" he had no occasion to pre-
serve the atmosphere which would have been
dictated by the scheme OF "Lavengro even II
the latter were a work OF pure fancy, yet the
Spanish narrative has that atmosphere, and fore
Swallowed in 1913 the enchantment which La
vengro" was to bring upon the scene Of English
literature In 1851. There be those who feel that
tha rIia
being always conscious Of 1t they tactly re-
| echo the prejudiccd criticism OF those who wit
messed the first appearance Of "Lavensro. and
they find II n less persuasive book than The
Bible in Spain" The latter. We are told. Is Bor-
rows greatest book. He never did anything
quite equal to II in rounded perfection. 1t Is dif-
ncult to admit this or to regard the charm OF
THE BitAe In Spain" rs at the apex OF Borrows
achievement. with "Lavengro' following on
lower plane. Nor Is It easy to take the obvious
way out Of the situation and conclude that since
"The Bible in Spair" and "Lavengro' represent
two different ambitions. they should be consid-
cred without comparison. No argument OF this
kind will dispose Of the considerable fact that
Borrow tactfully exploits mood In The Bipie
In Spain" which he liberated audaciously In La
vengro" and recklessly In THE Romany Rye
This hypothesis rejected again and again. VIII
as surely come back. and with every return 1t
renews the conviction that whether as a repre-
sentative in Spain Il the Bible Society," or the
friend Of Mr.. Petulengro. idllng in a Norfolk
dngle Borrow the same man. the same rare
spirit. .the same advcnturer. finding among the
Spaniards what he found among the gyps'es,
the zest and beauty Of living.
That IT, in the long run. the kernel 10 be ex-
trac,ed from The Bible In Spain and from
"Lavengro." and an interesting test Is pro-
yidad by the association OF these two books
in one ANALYSIS OF Borrow. The eye takes In the
mage which ia spread before one but the mind. the
memory roves from Borrow's romance 10 his
record without taking account OF the dividing
line that should run between the two, according
to all precedent Borrow dencd precedent and
In "Iavengro" tangled truth With fancy so In
extricably that no one has ever been able 10
set the tale Alright. Ne one could really desire
go to do. II is better 10 take Borrow as he Is. to
pat aside the vcSed questions as 10 how much
a, hs own career Is or is not accurately de-
scribed In "Lavengro." as to how man. OF the
adventure celebrated in The Bible In Spain
actually happened to the author IT. jVsr the way
IN which he said they happened Minute re-
search In the spirit OF NJ. Burkes new edition
o, the Spa nish book. leaves little doubt that the
latter Is n contribution 20 history. pure ana
simple "Lavengro' has been more or less sue
ce~sfully taken 70 pieces and II Is fairly certain
now. for example. that no such manuscript
novel as tho Joseph Sell mentioned in La
vengro" was ever written. But wher the mint
and cummin OF Borrow have been pragmati-
cally dealt with when editorial zeal has done Its
utmost the rca! theme o, the books Is still seen
70 be that yes, and beauty OF living to which
allus!on has Just been made, a theme incom-
| patible with any bald scheme OF either veracity
or romance.
1t is the Illusion that counts. the divine illu
sion" and 1t Is FOR the maintenance OF this that
gratitude IL due TO Borrow. He had scholarship
metaphysical criticism. ahd his pages are strewn
with the fruits OF these: bat he had still more the
devouring gaze OF Traveller who Is happy In
the sheer luxury Of seeing the world stretched
out before him. and ne revelled In II no matter
how gloomily his thoughts were disposed to color
! his environment. Adventure filled some OF the
most important years NJ life and 1t overnows In
all his books not the adventure Of the purely TO
mantle novelists but OF those realists who recog-
nize that life Itself is the greatest romance Of all
Take In proof OF this. not alone his deeds but
/ his companions Is there In recent fiction OF the
realistic sort heroine more passionatey human
than Isopc Bcrners7 Has anything been writ
ten by a modern novelist which can surpass In
actually and brutal candor the extraordinary
battle between Lnvengro and the Flaming Tin
man. upon which the eyes Of Isopcl unninchingy
rested? Yet where In idealistic literature IL
| there n woman with n more romantic glamour
than enwraps this same engmatcal creature?
Here In the witchery Of lsopel Berners there Is
offered one more instance of the witchery Of Bor
row. for without cxtenuating by a hairs breadth
the repelent traits In Isopel. or the revolving ele
ments in the situation which brings her to the
front In connection with the Flaming Tinman. he
yet contrives to make her the poetic figure that
she Is
| Poetic. IL there not. In the last analysis of
Borrow. room FOR conception OF him which will