New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-08-12
rR. SWINBURNE'S ROARS-
HIS PAPER on DICKENS N THE QUARTERLY
REVIEW

HIS PAPER ON DICKENS N THE QUARTERLY
REVIEW"
From The London Academy.
Mr. Svinburne's love of noise and rotundity
seems TO pre0ccupy him TO the extent OF destroy
ing his finer judgment. his sense OF scSle anu
his eve for the architecture OF his commentary.
In q single paragraph he will deafen himself 10
his own voice, so that Of Little Nell ne can
whisper that she would thoroughly deserve her
fame IF she were but thought mere human
md more credible" and then, On rising lungs,
vociferata that "a child whom nothing can
ever irritate whom nothing can ever natlle'
whom nothing can ever uisguide, whom nothing
can ever delude. and whom noJhlng can ever
dismay, IS monster as inhuman as naoy WIN
two heads"
Mr.. Swinburne reserves 20 himself the right
TO blame Dickens The DIRECTORS to the plot or
BLEAK House. as il affects Lady Dedlock, are
"helots Of culture whose brains may nave peen
affected by the academic delirium OF self-coln-
placent superiority" The critics VINO ma some
parts Of A Tale Of Two Cities exaggerated
and unreal share the cfattering duncery and
irlpudent nlalignity Of so consummate and
pseudosophical a quack as George Henry
IAvCes Anon the lava-tide Of adjectives
akes the blatant boobies who deny truthful
ness and realism TO the imagination or the
genius Of Dickens because it never condescended
to waIlow in metaphysics or in filth" Mr..
Lang's gentle chidings of Dickens may have
been thin and unnecessary sauce p!quante 10
the Gadshin banquet, but we are quite unaple
TO discover why they should infuriate poet
who screams the very same objections 1t Is ne
who finds the plot of "DOmbey and SON stupid,
and the characters Of the father and daughter
failures OF the first magnitude" 1t is he who
notes Dickenss curious and seemingly incorri-
gible ignorance of society; and whom the halt
ing invention and the poor huuor of Little
Dorrit'' affect with "ir-epressible irritation.
II may be that Mr.. Swinburne resents the
bestowal Of warm instead Of superheated praise
on the writer whon lie can hardly refer to eX-
cept under such phrase as this magnificent and
immortal benefactor.' It is doubtful, however,
whether the laudatiOn contained in the following
sentence has any meaning whatever: David
Copperheld,' from the first chapter to the last.
is unmistakable by any eye above the level
and beyond the insight Of a beetles as one of
the masterpieces to which time can only add
new charm and a unimaginable value" Judg-
ments like the following are more wonderful
than the thing they wonder at: ITO have created
Abel Magwitch is u be a god indeed among
the creators of deathless men," Even minor
characters are described flashing into eter-
pity across the stage of Dickens" 1t is but for
q moment that we meet Bill Barney but "eter-
nifty is in that moment And on, and so
If Mr.. Swinburnes aim were to do Dickens
hurt by paralyZing the praise Of others 1t would
perhaps explain his article, though II would not
effect his object. We only compare the
effect Of his prose on our nerves with that of
relentless steam organ braying in watts Of gas
heat while the characters of Dickens ride round
distractedIy hobby horses, urged, as 1t seems,
by the insupportab BILE accompaniment