New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-09
4 WORD WITH MIR. KIPLLNG
ADVICE FROM A FRIENDLY CRITIC WIN
LOVES HIM WE'LL.

From The London Saturday REVIEW
M Kiphng must hold himself well In mana
No one now before the world lS III a poSI--'u
more perous. 1t is depressing 10 DE- uhI'i'S't-
mated and may even have 4 baleiui elect upon
no tamper But to be Overes,lmated j. lar
more dangerous to those qualities Whch 9 nan
needs in the prosecution OF ms daiy WON ~
shall be asked whether it Is true that ltui-
ward Kipling has been Overestimated ana "hd'
is our reason for "atiackingS him. We ma
seen this word used half a dozen times wIth.n as
many months 70 describe attempts, Of "ho.y
sympathetic character, TO discriminate III l4-
mrs, ise> OF MIR Kiping We viii, thereiore-t.-
though to attack this delightful and eV !"
spIen1id national hero is not within the cree
Of our thoughts answer the question N D'i4
Affirmative Mr.. Kipling has been. ana no"
habitually is, overpraised The language ADOPT
ed regarding him would he excessive because
unbalanced and irrational II II Were applied u
Sir Walter Scott, To TennySon. 10 victor HUG
Ten years have passed. and no more, since ~
wonderful boy published The story OF -.e
Gadsbys" and already he is r~ised on a pinnacle
II GOLDEN alteration higher. perhaps. than any
author has ever reached IN his lifetime. The
world grovels at his feet, and those few * -
who have kept our heads gaze up into the dim
air To see whether the little figure high IN The
shimmering distance will be able 10 endure TINS
deifcatiJn. 1t is q very dangerous thing 70 De
raised 10 this height. Let Mr.. Kipllng be" are
that he does not assume the god, affect 10 nOi.
and seem to shake the spheres The tempta-
ton To do 50 is almost irresistible.
Two elements have combined 10 place me
youthful author Of "A Fleet in Being in the
extremely exalted position which he holds. one
of these Of course. is his own genius-the pun
gency If his style the clOseness AMI abundance
OF his observation. his rich and multiform mag
nation All praise which these qualities secure
for him is safe and wholesome on this side NJ
need not suspect straining OF the note. Bui
these alone would not account for a quarter =
his popularity and the preponderaiing element
in this is the ENCOURAGEMENT his writings have
given to a certain national state OF mind. A..
that is Unitarian and materialistic all that IS
inimical TO thought and favorable 10 acton. al
the external rowdiness and latent puritansW
with which this century is closing surprising
ly in England. find IN 'ir exact echo and coniir-
nation in Mr.. Kipling's books. We observe that
the admirers now claim for their hero that he
set all this great imperial machinery in motion.
that England was lying spellbound when the
majestic genius Of Kipllng broOded over the
deep and called forth the forces which ran.
throbbing with life TO the extremites Of the
Seven Seas But this is Ia exaggerate the func-
ton of an author. The greatest poet does not
start a national movement: the most that H. IN
do is To identify himself with il, and - speed .
smoothly on its way. That we cannot deny
that Mr. Kipling has done
But what will be Mr.. Kiping's position When
this fiji Of popular materialiSm has played its~.t
out? We are sure f one thing: the very ad1r r,
Of to-day will be the first to turn upon tho
image ard pelt il with stones. Public taste IS.
change but Mr. Kipling j. far too deeply scor.
with the characteristics If his talent 10 chang
with ii. Within certain flexible limits We KIN"
now what ne viii, give US At present every
thing ten IS 10 me giorlncatlpn ~ ms strength
and 10 the minimizing of his weaknesses. Borne
along On the crest Of the wave of public S2tiSft.-
ton he seems to have no defects At all But ~
is not that flultleSs monster which the world
neer saw the author equally equipped on a..
sides If the tickle public should turn round
and demand phil )sophcal reflection from 30,
poets or tender sentiment. or the symbolism ~
a, rial melancholy. there will be no "R'''u,''
and no In Memoriam" and no "Kuhla Khan %
be- oxnec;cd from Mr.. Kiuing In these ana
other provinces much lesser rem. IN he puh .r
n their back. will go far beyond him. Thasa
are the reflections which make Us tremble flr
Mr. Kipirg in the Ciddy altitude ~ his fr-
umphs to-day. He is in danger 81 assuming
the god" of considering himself above all fear
II reverses. Of being persuaded by the incense
burned before him that n is an impe,cahi'
artist We would II we could with his own
interest solely before US. recall him 10 a sense x
his mortality. lest he fOrEet-leSt ne forget"
that there other men than he in the world.
and other manners.