New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-05
Come Fug1tiUe Compositions by the
Late Canon 4inger.

- from which you expect only WISDOM gOoo
- and a really discriminating enthusiasm;
- ~ what he wrote had not the power or
ST. IN it. we could always be sure that it
s. "a At least have the distinction conferredlby
NUs ,r,.sre perfect sympathy and a winning
his friend Canon Beeching, who is him
SO. u-acefrl man of letters has put into shape
oI,,r4es Of Lectures and Essa vs. (the Mac
- Company). the materials for which were
- - among Ainger's literary remains by his
---,ors Most of the essays were originally
-,sbuted to -'Macnillan's Magazine" and
~ the lectures We're delivered at the Royal
.i+,,tion. No doubt If their author had had
-o-tunftv TO revise them all for publica-
. n book form, they would weGr to-day
sxrhst different appearance yet this is not
,sv that they are in the least unworthy of
-, He was never commonplace or slipshod,
re take these two volumes as illustrating
=. Characteristic talk, good talk about interest
.b,nss Canon Beeching warns US, in
-, preface, that his old friend never claimed
= ,ossess any gift for research or indeed. any
s,.,on for it. and that he was indifferent TO
=. -.sources Of paradox. AS a matter of fact,
lsers of Canon Anger have always liked him
- bs+ts- for the unpretentious nature OF his
- The document" in literary history has
So, terribly overdone by Jealous but quite un-
s~r,,rsd writer's, and the excessive vogue OF
-.-odox has only led TO the infection upon us
s.ranton diversions like those of the portentous
81 chesterton. Decidedly It is good to have
- ,,orlz of a man ike Canon Anger, who was
~,r.snt TO think sanely about the writings OF
~-oet authors and to put his thoughts into
s+rajrhtforward prose.
ms nresent editor we'll indicates the central
ling of Anglers charm. IF he is discussing
s.,Ie he notices how true feeling and earnest
lo-iFy he
.rnhp,srn as the putting of manner above mat
g.. he finds the root of real humor, and its
,rneriority over mere wit, in its sympathy with,
40 reverence for, what is human" One never
sasls that he is concerned with the great object
If the average latter-day critic, the throwing OF
.ew light on some point in a famous authors
sork which turns out, on a disinterested read
ers examination TO be point Of no consequences
whatever Canon Anger was anxious rather
n make those for whom he wrote or lectured
better acquainted with the broad essentials OF
g given subject Thus his lectures on The
Three Stages of Shakespeare's Art" while very
far from being beneath the contempt OF the
scholar are chiefly intended 10 bring light and
,eading to all the intelligent men and women
sho frequent the playhouse without pretending
That thew are learned in the mysteries of its lit
.rature. This kindly. polished churchrnan was,
IN short g born popuIarizer OF matters OF Guilt
walton But being what he was, a critic born
and not made, there is a delightful freshness
and there Is also peculiar dignity about his
most popular productions. Moreover, he was
always the man of humor, light IN hand Tor all
that he was too much in earnest. as well with
letters as with life TO be merely fippant- It
pas not for nothing that he devoted himself
10 the memory Of Charles Lamb, writing his
biography and editing his works. Something or
sarnbs sweetness was added to his own, and II
seems the most natural thing in the world 10
end him saying for example, at the END OF ms
Fart Of Conversation" just what we can i'm
esins Ella himself saying. Take care OF the
heart and the intellect Will take care of itself
The shirt Of this bit Of advice, as true TO the
genius Of art as it is to the genius Of living,
snakes itself felt throughout these volumes; IN
svhat he has TO say about Shakespeare or swift
about Cowper or Scott; in his portrait Of an OLD
actor like Charles James Mathews, or IN MS
"Reminiscences of Dickens's amateur theatTicals
"a which he was wont to share. There is much
in this last paper, by the way, which we would
like to quote but we must be content with these
signettes Of the novelist on the reading plat
form and the stage
Many persons will remember what a hush of ex-
pectatlon used TO take possession of the entire
audience when in the trial scene from t1GkW OK,
And that Immortal worthy stepped into the box
and what palpaole feeling Of disappointment
ensI Whether it was that the average reader of
,'Ffckwick" expected TO find the peculiar HoH OF
panied by come equally marked peculiariues OF
tore and manner. or that every person present had
therefore inevitably doomed 10 disappointment;
certain il is that nearly every one Of the audience
thought that the reader had in this respect unac-
eounta5ly failed; and, as we have sad many a low
comedian without 1.-THE OF Mr. blekens s genus GENUS
~ ss, heGlfse q i. Sut We are per
Eleded, and were persuaded at the tinle tnGI ~
stance more really artistic than IN his imitations
seant Buzfuz or MIS-; Siqp2Hs; re pi9seii1e leu
Samuel Weller as having, in spite OF all MS VIZ
tociety 10 which he belonged People had Iotgo.-
ten that Sam Weller was boots and n waiter,
e re- e., si1',. f!} olotgn ar5 thoZ- eS-
pected 10 hear from the artist ana literary man
sioa from the low comedy actor. In this respect
Mr. Dickens IS an actor vas aInateurish: but it
IS only ano. her vav Of saving that he WAS not Of
the stage. Stacey If there was certain ease and
san4intss which the practice Of the arr as a pro-
which ne tssi l mrs ga+ Irosf of our own tirne)
As a car1ediar II Is 1eri1a ps with Charles Math-
eWs alone that should think or cohpdIiuS
Charles Dickens. In repcse, the walk and voice
IN power Of facial ara vocal change Mr.. Dickens
had great advantages: and he had further an
esrnestness quite beyond the reach Of the other
sctor the LACK of which has kept him from excel
ling in MANY c7e racters for which in other re
specIs he would seem to be peculiarly quahed-
Tie same amazing fertility and rapidity Of inven-
n0morist often served him IN excellent Sleau ~, ~
me sudden substitution % eXtemDore remarks
known to the professional stage as gag On one
Occasion IN a farce (E-e forget the nance piayea
after The Frozen Deep" one Of the characters
having occasion II disguise himself for the mo-
ient In the chlntz cover Of the Sofa, AF IichSI5s
saddeny observed. 10 the establishment OF MS lei
low actors. He has a general appearance OF 60
ing 10 nave his hair cut comparison SO III
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