The sun., 1904-05-15

world the Colonel deplores the society
into which no le thrown In London. His
brothers lack OF cordially is as unin-
tslNsibe TO him as Costigan's drunken
sharne. He carries unselfshnees to the
point Of inhumanity; his generosity. his
htndiness, his folly, arc oil too great for
flesh and blood. Even the pathetic scene
In which the Colonel says 'Adsum,' does
not move us as II should, because we have
so little confidence that the Colonel ever
lived and breathed. Thackeray has spared
his readers nothing. He has deafened
their ears with an appeal for pity. and
when the pity should be given, 1t Is per-
foros withheld, for who can shed tears
for the travesty Of mani"
VII.
There are not wanting men, even to-day
In England. to take up the gage which the
ohallengers Of I hackeray's art throw down.
I hus, In an article, -Uf the True Greatness
Of ihackeray." contributed to a recent
number OF the Foytniohtly Rerieu, Mr..
H. H. Stathsm eulo gises Laura Peno ennis,
and defends the traditional view OF Col.
Newcome. when women speak sneer-
ingly." he says, of Laura Pen. ennis as
commonplace and merely goooy-goooy per-
son, one is tempted TO think that the real
explanation Of this tone about her is that
they feel their own hearts and lives re-
buked before her simple yet adorable
loftiness OF character II it is not this, the
reason must lie In Bacon's theory that,
though the crowd may look with aston
ishment and admiration on virtues Of the
lower and middle oroers, OF the highest
virtues they have no sense or perception
at all" Mr.. Statham, for his part, CON-
tends that. far from being weak, Laura,
wherever she appears, dominates all around
her by sheer nobility, sweetness ana truth
of character. as she weak" asks he,
in that fine scene where Arthur Pendennis
offered, with kind Of conuescension. his
would be blast affection to the young girl
in tho hat and garGen gloves, ami received
from her q lesson on the true meaning OF
love which must have sent Master Pen
Lack TO the house feeling rather small?'
In a word. he holds that, while Laura Pen
dennis was not . Genius--was not meant to
be one-'she was lhaokeray's IDEAL Of the
perfect woman. nobly planned;' and II Is
an eternal honor to any writer that be
should have conceived and worked out such
an ideal, and women ought to reverence
his memory for it."
Mr.. statham admits that It is now popu-
lar idea that Col. Newcome 10 sim pleton, but
he suggests that the advocates Of this theory
must have overlooked the Commander
in-Chief's general orders In granting leave
to, Col. Newcome. when Sir George Hustler
could not refrain from expressing his sense
OF the great and meritorious services OF this
most distinguished officer. who has left his
regiment In tho highest state Of discipline
and efficiency The Colonel was no fool in
his profession. at all events. He did. 10 be
cure, two foolish thinea: undertaking busi-
ness operations which he did not properly
understand, and standing for Parliament
but he was egged into them both, in the one
case by rascals, In tho other by friends who.
he modestly thought. were better judges
than himself. .The fact is not that he was
Q sinpteton, but that he was q simple
minded man; the two characters are as wide
a. the poles asunder; though there seems to
be . large number OF people in the world
who cannot see the difference 1t is pro-
nounced significant that 1t Is only the vulgar
and snobbish actors In the story who thought
Col Nevcoms stupid; we know how dear
Laura loved him; and tho gentle Lady Ann,
who, though not a powerful intellect, al
ways ahows the delioacy Of feeling of true
lady, and II she did not quito understand. re-
spected and liked Col. Newcome from the
first. The Colonel was simpleton to Barnes
Newcome, no doubt; are We to adopt the
standard OF Barnes Newcome In judging
of character! Unless we do, the right esti-
mate Of Col Newcome's character. as drawn
by ThAckeray. may Be summed up In the
conclusion that 1t constitutes the finest and
most eloquent sermon ever preached on the
text, The wisdom Of this world is foolish-
ness with God" Mr.. StAtham 10 willing
to concede that. possibly, Thackeray was
not q philosophio thinker; possibly not a
oonsumnats literary stylist: but he insists
that "for insight into human nature. for
depth and fulness Of human sympathy-
for power and variety in character painting.
he stands absolutely alone among English
writer's OF fiction
Even Mr.. whitley, although the general
tone Of his book Is depreciatory. recognizes
that Thaokaray, when he died on the morn
ing OF Christmas eve. 1858, was mourned
BY thousands. who knew him only by his
works, as we'll As by those whom intimacy
permitted to undertand their loss Ed
ward FitzGesald. the Oldest. most faithful
of his friends, sat moping about him in his
superb grange and reading his books.
and thinking he would 'hear his step up the
stairs to this lodging as In old Charlotte
Street thirty years ago And it 10 without
doubt OF question that Mr., whitley echoes
FitzGerald's informal epitaph: "A great
Figure has sunk under Earth
M. VIII.