New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-01
JANE AUSTEN.
A RELIGIOUS CRITIC ON THE ENGLISH
NOVELIST.

JANE AUSTEN HER CONTEMPORARIES ,- AND ND
HERSELF. An Essay IN CrluC Ism 9S o w
Herries Pollock. 1mo pp 10 LonsiHan'
Green Co.
one Of the engaging things about this book
IS the happy adaptation Of its construction 10
its theme No one breaks a butterfly upon
wheel No one writes with scholastic gravity
about Jane Austen. She can stand CRITICISM
but she could not stand scientific" CRITICISM OF
the ultra-modern, sapient sort, or too solemn
panegyrics. While are grateful Win MT
Pollock for Macaulay's whole souleo tribute
ranking lane Austen among the masters who
have approached nearest to the manner OF
Shakespeare we have always thought the MIS-
toriar,s fine 1ourishes little out of keeping
with the kind OF subject that you find IN
Emma and its companions. It is ali well enough
TO drag in Moliere and Sheridan, as they are
dragged into the passage from Macaulay winch
is quoted in this volume, but when you nave
DISTINGUISHED Miss Austen from the two drama
lists as a writer who is loved where they are
merely honored you have explained why the IN
formal, discursive method OF Mr.. PollocRs book
is to be preferred even to Macauay's ample
periods
Mr.. Pollock is an "Austenite" but he has too
lively q sense Of huulor to take his author too
seriously. Nowhere does he show his sane
Judgment more effectively than in the COM
parsons between Miss Austen and the other
famous women among English novelsts, Fanny
Burney, Maria Edgeworth and Susan Terrier
He admires all three none the less for admirng
and loving-AIiss Austen, and rightly taps on
the knuckles those critics who can don their
hats before but enc shrine. His defence or
Fanny Burney is especially gratifying. and not
alone for the reason that Miss Austen was her
self an appreciative reader Of the novelist whose
Z
talk of Cecilia talk on The truth is that she
is undoubtedly less popular, in the broadcast
sense than Miss Austen but the explanation
Of her gaining hundreds where Miss Austen en-
lists the votes of thousands is the solution OF
her charm for those who still read her The
SAVIOR of her books is historical where that OF
Miss Austen's is old fashioned. They were con-
temporarIes, but Fanny Burney was already IN
her twenties when her greatest rival was born
Q775, and had published "Evelina" only three
years later. Whether for these reasons, or for
others which elude pursuit in the subtleties OF
association environment, upbringing, and so
on. "Evelina" is full Of an atmosphere
that appeals most to dilettante OF
F1vgone manners where Pride and Preju-
Gtce" 'e.lorthanger Abbey and the rest
are, despite their fidelity to the gait and sent-
ment Of a particular period, really modern
books. To speak of "Evelina" a literary relic
would be TO overstate the case; there Is life in II
yet. But it was plainly written for an earlier
generation, and has. first and last the curious
and slightly faded charm that good work Of the
sort often has for the booEish student Such
students will always read Fanny Burney, and
Mr.. Pollock earns their gratitude in coming
forward to break lance in her favor. Miss
Austen. Of course, has wider audience than the
library alone can supply, and she asks for no
lances She is better served by such quiet, hu-
rnorous and affectionate criticism as Mr.. Pol
locks.
It is criticism that reaffirms the artless We
racity Of her character drawing, the faultless
poise which enabled her to put every detail IN
the right place, the eQuable but never stereo-
typed or nerveless tone which she sustained, and
the pure perfection OF her style. Mr.. Pollock is
felicitous on the subject of her wit in which he
refuses to recognize anything 'caustic," and his
point is clinched by an especially apt citation
from Miss Ferrier-the episode in Destiny of
Lady Elizabeth's fatuous resolution touching her
share in the private theatricals- Miss Terrier
uses some cutting phrases about the misguided
old lady. Had the matter been necessary to any
scheme of Miss Austen's. says Mr.. Pollock, I'VE
may be sure that it would have been handled
with a less caustic and certainly not less anus
ing touch We may be sure Of this, and ever
assert that the page would have been in every
way nlucn the OeIlei tOi the Dii990oH4N6 ii6'iio
Miss Austen is a standing rebuke to tht
-%acidulated vestals' whose ministrations in the
courts Of fiction are calculated to set the teetf
en- edge. Urbanity IS her most salient trait; no
the urbanity which means mere department, bu
the urbanity which makes it impossible for
human being to take anything but humane
view Of mankind. 4 more strenuous genius
gave TO Charlotte Bronte more poignant quail
ty, but, truth for truth Jane Austen is the fine
writer. Her works have in greater measure tina
mental serenity, that salt Of hunor and tina
sobriety Of plan which mark a great work IL
literature Mr.. Pollock has written his essa!
after many years Of devotion to the novels. H
knows their every merit, their least obvious bu
often most potent charms, and he interpret
Jane Austen with an authority that is only TIL
more persuasive because ii is unconsciously dis
closed.