The sun., 1904-05-15

was disposed 10 take q INT8o wow tho
moralist interrupted his vision. and the
moralist was so tight bound to tho super
stition OF the early Wet orian age that he
will probably never appear as great as he
cid to some OF his contemporaries.
Let US i'm from generalites to details.
What does this representative Of reaction
think Of Amelia Sedley; Of Laura, the wife
OF Pendennis; OF Lady Castlewood and
Beatrix Earnond OF Ethel Newcome-nay, OF
Henry Esrnond and Of Col. Newoome HIM
self As for the namby-pamby young
woman that George Osborne condeeoended
to marry, the author Of this book points
out that -even Amelia. very Niobe OF
tears, is drawn with cold contempt, and
am not certain that she is not as savage
piece Of satire as Becky herself. Else
where he notes that Thackersy himself
cares 80 little for Amef a that he cannot
expect to awake an appreciation In his
readers; while Dobbin, for all his nobility,
Is purposely made awkward. where no is
not ridiculous. There Is, indeed, little
doubt that Thackeray despieed Amelia
When Vanity Fair was being published
he used to talk about it to Dean Liddell
and his wife, and question them about
what he should do with the drdmst's psr-
so~9. Mrs. Lidden sah Qua day: oh,
Mr. Thackeray, you must let Dobbin marry
Amelia" 'Wen,' he replied, he shall,
and when he has got her be will not hnd her
worth having
In Pend 'nnis' there are two ladies, Laura
and Helen Pendennis, whom the reader
they suggest nothing save dulness and in
sipidity. They are not 90 much women
as bottles OF tears, reverberating phono-
graphs Of sobs. Their talk is like the sad
twittering OF sparrows In . wintry garden
or the pit-a-pat Of rain upon the window.
At the smallest excuse, the two women
rush into each others embraces, and. while
the mother is always fond. Laura Is over
"affectionate and pure. Why this young
woman Of 1e, brought up in the seolusion OF
Fairoaks. should be anything else than
pure, 1t is difficult TO surniAe. She pos
as pure, you are convinced, as the white
muslin frock, tied with blue bow on the
shoulder, which she certainly wore. But
it was the fashion Of tho time (the early
Victorian era) to insist upon the obvious
virtues which we now take for granted,
and Laura 10 essentially q thing. not OF
life. but Of fashion.
Our author considers Beatrix Esmond
a picturesque apparition rather than a
real woman. She walks. a magnificent
shadow. through the admirably depicted
world OF Castlewood. Her caprices are
too vain for belief, her reflections OF her
lovers too heartless. Yet admiration is
not stintsd for the dramatio effect with
which she 10 brought upon the scene. Who
will ever forget her descent OF the stairs
and the scarlet CLINT Of her stocking How
splendid, too, is Esmond'e enthusiasm when
he sees her again on his return from the
war! He had left her . girl; he now gazes
upon a woman whose eyes are fre; whose
look is love; whose voice is the aweatest
love song; whose shape is perfect SYM
metry, health, decision. activity: whose foot
a. it plants itself upon the ground is firm
but flexible; and whose motion, whether
rapid or slow. il always perfect grace
agile a. q nymph. lofty as a queen-now
melting, now imperious, now sarcssfis-
there is no single movement OF hers but
Is beautiful o Ded eertef What wonder
that a., far later in life, and on the other
side of the Atlantic. Esmond thought Of
her, he felt young again. remembering
a paragon'9
In our authors opinion, however. Bestrix
Esmond does not come into her own until
she appears long afterwards, and In The
virsinians," as Madame de Bernstein. We
are reminded that -Thacksray had very
keen eye for a worldly old woman; he under
stood, as few ever understood. both the
comedy and the bitterness OF her existence.
But never did he surpass the Baroness de
Bernstein, who is superior to Miss Crawley
in force, to Lady Kew in geniality, to both
in hunor. Though she Is but Beatrix
Esmond grown old, she is as far beyond
that tiashins young lady in temperament
q in years. Though abe be harsh and inn
perious, II she be not obeyed, she cherishes
a warm affection for those who bow the
knee and live up to her standard Of conduct. y
Il was Characteristic that, although she
conceived at first sight liking for Harry
Warrington, because he reminded her OF
her grandfather, for whom she kept soft
place In her otherwise indurated heart,
she wished, above all, that Harry should
, not grow up . milksop. she fondly b.
! lieved that her nephew was leading, not
merely merry life, but wicked one; and
had she known the truth she would have
been bitterly disappointed Mr.. whlbley
acknowledges that the baroness. from
beginning 10 end. is consistent and alive.
For once Thackeray was determined TO
depict . character without pointing moral
or smbellishing . sentiment, aud, though
ws may regret the somswhAs tedioua sur.
roundngs in which Madame de- Bsgnstsin
finds herself, we would not change single
touch In her admirable portrait To tbs