The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-15

in a style OF literary distinction. 1t is
a well wrought work showing much re-
search. a careful study Of much OF the
vast Napoleonic literature. and is by no
means in the special interest of the
great man written OF. It is rather
a~nti-Napoleon than the work of an ad-
mirer. 1t has some capital defects. 1t
lacks lucidity often. 1t takes for grant
ed too much and leaves the reader at
and strength at times. 1t is said by
others to be deficient in philosophical.
insight Ind poise. 1t Is a narrative of
events rather than a deep study Of the
tremendous hero and the vast field Of
European politics at the time Of the
conception of the defects of Napoleon
more than a thorough comprehension Of
his manifold greatness. He certainly
knows all hat is bad in the marvel
lou man of the centuries if he does not
see him always under the most favor-
able light. The very marked p%eculiari-
ties hat disfigure are never lost sight
OF. while he really makes Napoleon less
Of a wonder Of greatness han probably
he "a After reading Sloane it would
be we'll to read Morris and the three
works now accessible written by those
who lived very near to him through
a years, including his famous valet
who las left three volumes. Works by
English authors as we'll as by two or
threevery hostile French writer's are too
one-sided 60 be true and to give a faith
full p~ortraiture Of the most extraordinary
character in all modern history. We be-
lieve Napoleon was the greatest mill
tary genius in nineteen centuries-that
he was very great outside Of his soldier
ship-that he was destitute of morality
and truth-that he was %singularly SYM
pathetic, brave, ~nevOl and CRATE
ful-that he had many noble qualities
blended with much that was ignoble.
Kipling's only novel will add to his
fame. 1t is of American subject and is
sure to be widely read. We read per-
haps one-half a year ago but have not
seen the remainder. The Boston Jour-
nal considers it "the most vivid picture
which this generation has known"
What other generation" has known
powerful picture" so overlooking with
the most graphic, minute description?
Captains Courageous" will be e
with pleasure by those who love the
adventures Of the sea as we'll as the
most vigorous character painting.
The work that is attracting the critics
above all other books now is not the
novel but the Memoirs of Lord Tenny-
son but just issued. They appear in
two lage volume of more than 500
pages each, and will sell for S. a VOL
ume. We have read some fine criti-
cisms in the New York Tribune and
Mail and Express. They are highly
sympathetic, just and wise, showing a
proper understanding of the great
genius who is the theme of the two oc-
tavos. We confess to being Of the Ten
nysonian lovers who place him among
Gods very great poets. For nearly
thirty years he has beer our joy and
comfort above all poets save the su-
preme one. This is not the time to dis
uss him afresh if necessary. He was
born a poet and early gave indications
Of his bent. In Mr.. Richard Henry
Stoddard's delightful critical paper upon
him in the Mail and Express of last
Saturday there is much that is quota
BILE. He is a true interpreter, a. poet
himself and of rare good taste and
sanity Of judgment. He says this new
biography by Hallam, the poets only
surviving child, sis the most important
literary biography that has appeared
sine Lockhart's Scott and Moore's
Byron" and the world has not had
to wait so long for it as it did for those
delightful books, for here we have it
complete in five years after the death
Of it's illustrious subject, who closed
his eyes on earthly things for the last
time in the early morning hours of Oc-
tober 1882. It's Importance as a biog-
raphy is derived from the celebrity,
the distinction, which attaches to the
name of Lord Tennyson, as certainly
and as Unanimously as the names of
Scot and Byron, and is enhanced by
the singular skill, the faultless tact, the
perfect taste, with which it is written"
The able critic Of the Tribune says the
biography is uniformly fascinating"
and "holds the attention with the power
of a novel" Like the other critic he re-
cognizes the great cleverness Of the
biography in the "comsummate tact"
The material was vast (the ~biOgrapher
had O 1000 letters to handle alone,) and
the Tribune critic says "he has chosen
them with judgment, has handled them
with delicacy. and all along refuses to
allow the fact that he is his fathers
son to lead him into anything like SEN
timentality OF egotism or blind partial