The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27
Dickens. Thaekeray. and others.

The fact that new edition of the
works OF Charles Dickens has just been
put upon the market may not be an Inn
portant fact, but it is none the less inter
esting. The appearance Of another ed-
lion indicates that there is still demand
for the works of the prolific novelist,
while the care which has been taken to
reproduce famous old sketches and
faithfully TO represent the localities men
toned in the stories makes IL also certain
that the demand is sufficiently remUnera-
tive to warrant considerable expense.
Dickens first sustained work, Pick
wick Papers" and the one which estab-
llshed his literary reputation. was pub
lished seventy years ago. The author
himself has been dead these thirty years
Despite all that has been said and writ
ten in detraction of his style and ability
IL still remains evident that his name and
his work are destined to escape oblivion
for some years to come. At the same
time. it must be admitted that his claim
to perennial existence does not rest upon
the greatness of his books. Some of
them are hardly above the commonplace.
both in plot and execution. His descrip-
tiOns. where they are not maWkish. are
theatrical and unreal. In spite Of al
this. however, ne possessed a keen sense
Of humor and, above all, he had the fac
ulty of investing his characters with an
intensely human interest. They seem
ike actual beings, and in many cases.
without a doubt. were faithful drawings
rtT
known, Whether real or imaginary, they
stand out from the pages OF the printed
book with vivid distincnesS The world
viii not soon forget Pickwick, or Micaw-
Der, or Tom Pinch. or Sam Weller. OF
Mrs. Camp. or a score Of other characters
whose names rise fresh i'm the mind
These personages, drawn with lifelike
fidelity and consistency, are worth meet
ing. and, In order to become thoroughly
acquainted with them. we endure many
pages Of the cheapest kind Of literary
ability.
The limitation Of Dickens genius is
shown in the fact that he is to-day old
fashioned. He simply transferred his
time to his books; he did not write for
universal time. Herein he differed from
whose career ended while
Dickens was still busy with his pen. and
Yet whose novels are to-day as fresh and
enjoyable as when they were written.
They do not lose their eternal freshness. /
They are not bounded by any period. but
can be read by generations yet unborn /
with the same pleasure that they gave To |
those who knew them first. Dickens I
faculty was largely objective He could 1
see and then tell what he had seen. he I
could describe a character and make that 4
character converse; but in all this he was I
little more than a reporter. Thackeray's /
genius was subjective and universal. His 4
imagination was richer. and the things he /
saw and the persons ne wrote about were /
not without. but within. They were lit /
orally the children of his brain.
OF all the English uovelists who -four |
ished during the middle Of the nineteenth /
century, Thackeray viii he longest re- /
membeTed. Even George Eliot. whose I
genius does not admit the shadow Of a 1
doubt. does not harmonic with our pres
ent life. She, too. is oId-fashioned and /
prOsy. even though her novels are un-
dOubtedly great. Charles Reade. except /
for The Cloister and the Hearth" VII /
kie Collins. Anthony Trollope-aH these 1
are destined soon to be forgotten. Even
now the ephemeral quality Of their I
work is admitted, and their books are
rarely called for in the public libraries. /
But Thackeray's fame remains undimmed.
and his books seem as though they were
written yesterday.
There Will be, as at the present time,
spasm6dic. revivals Of Dickens and new
editions Of his works. but the palm for a .
glorious and Yiyihed longevity will ever /
be with the masterpieces which William 4
Thackeray save to the world. /