The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-30
TX.

This study Of Disraeli's personality and
ideas necessarily includes a chapter on
his relations to literature. When we speak
Of an artificial" style. we mean, OF ought
to mean, one unnatural to the author
The present bios rapher contends that
Disrael's style was perfectly natural to
him and points out that it altered little
Unquestionably. his style would not have
been natural to the ordinary man. which
OF course, is the reason why it seemed to
most persons affected. Mr.. Sichel admits
that even in his great political novels.
with all their deep thought and striking
insight. their, absolute originality and
stimulating suggestiveness, we get at times
a Whit OF the atmosphere OF the perfumer's
shop rather than OF the fresh air. Even
-Sybi" cries out: "Oh! The saints, it's
merry morn" -Coninesby" meets his lady
love at ball which is "a dispensation OF
almost supernatural ecstasy" In Lothian
itself we revert to -barbs" and jennets."
Our author thinks that these later defects
were partly due to the reaction against
the restraint, repression and formaiity
compelled by Disraelis political career
They were a reaction in form rather than
artificial In substance. They meant some
thing, and they pressed it home. Disrael
was always q fantastic; but fantastics-for
example Cervantes-have held high rank
in literature. Fantasy is different from
frippery. As our author would put it.
fantasy is the flicker OF freight not the
fare of gas"
It is, of course Away vs. hard for origina lily
to win first hearing from the public. Brown
ing once said in letter that to fasten
the attention Of the British public some
stroke OF style is required. Browning
himself was an exa mple Of the truth Of this
averment Carlyle was another; the latter's
early essays are utterly lacking in the
compound Of Jean Paul's German and
old Mrs. Carlyle's Scotch, ont of which
Carlylese was evolved. Ruskin il a third
instance. Mr.. Sichel points out that Dis
rael in his correspondence il far more
free and flowing than in his books. Among
those books there Ia the least trace OF ap-
parent aifectation in "Coningsby.' which
most readers would acknowledge 10 be the
best political novel in any language. Re-
viewing them az a whole, the author Of
the present biography would say that
Disraeli's novels are creative and afford,
as whole. a marvellous medium for the
conveyance OF thought. Some bedizen-
ment there Is undoubtedly, and there are
many gauds OF fancy; parts, indeed Of
the chara cterization may be said to DO
written in italics. 1t Ia true, also. that some
OF the persons are waxworks: but none
OF the principal characters is, and Dis
raelis movement Of ideas, as well az his
ideas Of movement. display fexibility
rarely Joined to such piercing penetration.
ri. tzal
novels, and, In some respects above them.
our author would rank 'Venetia, which.
in his Judgment, has never met with ade-
q,iate apprecia ton. 1t Is certain that,
even when he was ford, Disraeli was fas-
tidious He relieved his last illness by
correcting the proofs Of his latest speeches
for Hansa rd--The Dunciad Of Politics.
Il will not he said, descend to history
speaking bad grammar.
About national literature Disraeli held
views which sprang rom his theories Of
life. He considered that modern Europe
depended overmuch on ideas derived from
Rome, Greece and Palestine. AT the
revival Of letters We behold the porten-
tous spectacle Of national poets communi-
eating their inventions in an exotic tongue.
They sought variety In increased artifice
OF diction, and substituted the barbaric
clash of rhyme for the melody Of the Tyre.
Spain, he thought. offered the best field
for a national novel. THE outdoor life
Of the natives induces variety Of the most
picturesque manners. while their semi
civilization makes each district retain
with barbarous jealousy it's peculiar Gus
TOMS For the critics Disraeli had a smile
at the first. as at the last. They admired,
he said, what had BEEN written In haste
and without premeditation, and generally
disapproved OF what had cost me much
forethought and been executed with great
care. My perpetual efforts at being imagi-
native were highly reprobated. puzzled
them and no one offered prediction as to