New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-17

There ought to be a warm welcome lor MI.
sedgwick's essays. if only for the reason that
they are written without preciosity. That OBJ
noxious trait which belongs exclusively TO the
minor poet, has Of late years been cultivated
with singular assduity 10y the young authors
who have undertaken to talk about books They
have read Charles Lamb, they have read Wal
Ter Pater, and they are great on three things
originality" charm" and style" Mr. Sedg-
wick is evidently willing to leave these matters
10 take their chances-in other words, to think
Of his subject, and not OF himself lie does not
say ANYTHING that is new or startling. He sim
Ily writes with good sense and in straight
forward manner about certain interesting au-
thors and though in one case, TO which we shall
return, the first Of these resources Of his seems
TO fail him utterly his book, as a whole, de-
serves cordial praise
The opening essay. on LockhaTt's life OF Scott
has in II the true feeling for what is best in lit
erature, it is critical without patronage-Which
Is more than can be said Of most Of the ar
ticles on the great rouaucer written by MEM
bers Of the rising schoo, to-day-and it IS ap-
preciative without being sentimental save IN
one particular or course Mr.. Sedgwick adopts
the familiar attitude toward Scott as an he
roic' figure. That We suppose, is unavoidable
to produce a critic who viii have the courage,
and the humor. TO paint him as fine and
lOvable but merely human character. There Is a
kind Of cant that is almost respectable, and
writer's Of unimpeachable sincerity, 81 not OF i'm
peocable judgment, VIII doubtless continue for
years TO come to grow dithyrambic over ScOtt's
"heroismL" Meanwhile. We may enjoy. in an es-
say like Mr.. Sedgwick's, remarks which draw in
spiraton from love OF the man, largely, after
all to heighten appreciation Of his work, into
which he put SO much Of himself These pages
are well calculated 10 serve the best Of purposes
10 send their reader to the novels with renewed
enthusiasm In his second paper Mr.. Sedgwick
Is, In way. even more useful No one could
vel go wrong where Scott is concerned; to pay
tribute 20 him is to feed a fame that is always
Aept burning But il is very easy for the mex
peTleneed 10 go wrong about d'Annunzio since
30 many writers are constantly acclaiming him
master, and Mr. Sedgwick has done well IN
'eillig The truth about the Italian novelist His
essay is, In fact, the best we have seen on the
SUBJECT 1t does Justice TO d'Annunzio's merits
u culture and style. hut il makes very plain
as want Of the things that are indispensable to
e'eat Notion Half dozen passages in It invite
Suo'auon- one would as soon expect to find a
- u@ll o. Mr. Pickwick by Botticelli," says
'eue@ WICK, as the spirit OF Dickens IN any
i! oI Italian literature and he has many
pointed sayings. But we must content
a. With only one Of the longer passages
" 'iH vigorous and wholesome survey:
ca, ne 90 not believe that novel OF the first rank
CaI be made out OF the materials AT d'Annunzios
sSe 1ra no Instead of humor be has scorn and
Eoasm; FOR the deep affections he proffers lust
sets up fs lIiilsl We want human beings, and he
under eSers ~; puppets We ask for man. and
Frov wee masses ne puts forth himself. We
enes 800 800 OF caparisonei paragraph and bediz-
tiEstio1. o. clever imitation and brilliant cul-
needs =, we demand something to satisfy our
bress % % religion, education, feeling; we want
great reS3o, ne gives US gilded stone There
coyeres ~ OF reality and romance still 20 be dis
nuBzsoo ~ bold Adventures, but Gabrielle DAN
IA nOt mo them unless he be born again
oeog~ick turns from d'Annunzio 10 Mon
IS SIS then to Gacaulay writing well on both
=, - ana he gives also a capital paper
:. DOn ouixote-" But Just as we are ready
n. 70 me conclusion that he is, wherever
go 10y nna him. Trustworthy guide, he be-
60. US by bringing his book to a close with
- as ootuse an essay on Thackeray as Il
fT Deen our 81 fortune 10 read. Thack-
~ ~ 10 his teens at weimar. ''is not eager TO
- me great measures Of life He IS not
Fe TO Goethe. but to the court OF Pun
r- Thackeray al Paris, witnessing a
nAahce OF Marion Delorme." failed. IL
...S 20 look through pain and extravagance
~ "e noble passion Of the play" DO we ask
was because he lived in a moral
"a. pernlckel whore the ideal IS kept outside
-, ""n gates" Thackeray. again. '3s the
=, - " respectability," he sees a world all
e., 'urFey, and It so does not occur 10 him
81 - "e, and not the world, is al fault" Thack-
-. -OFe or reality was merely an embodi-