New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-18

-,,,odo-ous Corners II Il similarly. I-.,ls
6isfngenuous for Mr.. Lang to Indulge himself IN
filings like the following:
N an age when an acquaintance with F1tz Ger
AIDS "Rubaiyat" u Omar khayyaIn. an e7.-i .-'-
ssTeciaI contempt for Scott, whom Fi-z Gerald -1
Intensely admired. are the equipment or .-T
critics we must be very cautious IN Dr7l7.-E ..e
''yVaverIey'' novels. They are not me work -.
P3s5gs they are not the work Of any Fa.--
Tom who studies woman In her d-e-5.1
and tries to spy or smell out the secrets O., -.a
eternaIly feminine We have novels t1-...v-
novels BY n1aIes-fuU OF clever spyings and disco
Hons Of vVor1ankind. which Scott would Lave
thrown into the fire.
The accuracy Of Mr.. LansSs description NJ --s
equipment OF many critics" IS no excuse f- bic
tacit foisting OF their stupidity and v--sa-.-y
mon numerous well meaning readers whose
good faith IS doubtless equal 20 his own. a-t
who happen 70 lack his instructive tole-t--- r.-
much that is tedious IN Scott HOweve-. We v.T
not IN turn. look at a point In Mr.. Lang with
heat or impatience. for he is in the main too
Just to excite serious disapprOvaL Indeed no
one could show greater fairness than he has
shown In exposing certain defects IN the novels.
and. moreover. he IS always bringing US back 90
delightful fashion to the personality behind -.e
works. Lockhart himself scarcely treats -.-s
LUMINOSITY the INTERVENING OF Scots oT-.a-
and literary activities. the growth o: the -r-
mances and the poems out OF his a--r-r-..-
enthusiasm and researches. and the sraE-.. dee
velopment Of career in authorship which --=
In a peculiar sense, the career Of q man There
was no pompous professionalism about --
From beginning to end he was the uat--.- -.-
man creature, doing the days work with --=.-.
practising a superb hospitality, finding his l.--
piness not in passionate and selfish rUr5... q
fame but IN the artless fuIdIme1- OF his -.--
tiny. in the love Of friendship and in the ez.--
ton OF familiar duties AIIuIlus 20 Ca--....s
censure Of Scott, that he has not
and a mission. and so forth" M Lang sa.--
%His mission was TO add enormously % human
happiness; his message was that OF honor. c.---
age, endurance, love. and Kindness Ever one
Of the vivid touches Of biography IN this book
and there are many OF them. goes 20 co16-- this
hypothesis. not only as regards the authr-. l--
as regards the man The pre-erni1elt merit q
| Scott" says MI Lang was that o: creator
Of characters" He makes Us see how the vital
| Ity OF SCOTS characters may be traced % tie
| rich resources OF SCOTS own manly soul
Readers-and we speak now OF inteIIgec- v.sI
| equipped readers, whose sufrrages are worth
whne-win continue TO divide themseIves into
| two classes. one embracing those who incess----
y return to the novels with increasing devotion
and delight, and the other made up OF those who
cannot for the life OF them feel at home or happy
amid those romantic pages Some OF US are
more than others, the creatures OF our time and
the restless spirit OF our tine hardly mak-s for
ready appreciation OF Scott But book Ike
Mr.. IAng,s Is well calculated 70 give the hurry
| ing skeptic pause. and. In opening his eyes 10
unsupported charms In the great writer. win him
to more jealous reading OF that writer's
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