The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-09-21
THF COLER|DGE FAMuY w.
CONCERNING ENGLISH PEOPLE
By DR.. T. Il. KINGSBURY.

and valued, she said this and it is true
criticism: Il am reproducing with
great delight the Scotch novels
of Walter Scott. l do not tnlnK
.Ivanhoe' and the later works, not
on Scottish ground at all to be reck-
oned among the great influencing lit
erary productions Of the age-pro-
auctions Of genius-along with wa
verify Guy Mannering.' The Anti
quarry (perhaps the best Of alb, ROD
Roy The Black Dwarf (Which has
been underrated) old Mortality
The Heart Of Midlothian and The
Bride OF Lammermoor.' The Black
Dwarf has especial merit in exhibit
ing the odd mixture OF feelings and
opinions on particular subjects which
may exist in uneducated and unre-
mates thus stated are not precisely in
agreement with opinions OF later
growth, perhaps, but are Of recog.
nized value. For instance "Waver1y
nor Rob Roy" nor the BLACK
Dwarf could be placed with Ivan
hoe" and "Kenilworth." The great
Gladstone held hat SCOTS greatest
novel was Wentworth" I am not
sure that his Judgment in this is not
sound and safe. In old age I have
lead again "Ivanhoe," and it inn
pressed me as being a greater novel
than I once thought. BY the way
that was the only novel ever written
that beguiled me so that | sat up all
night to read it through. l did so,
and it was in my college days at the
University of North Carolina. [ closed
the work fully read as the college
bell rang for prayers IN the early
morning about sunrise. 1t IS a most
fascinating volume to me n no one
but 1.-The Great Majician'' could nave
uyritfon II rood If several times.
the last within a few years. l do
not stop to give my opinions Of all the
other novels mentioned by the &C
complished and able English woman.
l hold that THE AntiQuary' is not his
greatest work, but very fine. nor do
/ think that some that are numbered
are really not so great and entertain
ing as Quentin Durward.' .
course doctors will differ" as to their
patients. | am a great lover of Scott,
who is really a wonderful genius, and
there have been among novelists none
greater. He did more for the tictive
world than any writer Of any nation
had a high opinion of the BLACK
Dwarf"
I would give here an extract
from another writer-a Coleridge
describing graphically the con-
verSatiOnal manner and charm of
the great Coleridge, but l am unable
to lay my hand upon it Just now. I
have not said all I desired concerning
the able daughter / have SO briefly re-
ferred to. l could write several addi-
tional pages concerning the great
father, but I have not space now. He
was a great n ~stupendOus dreamer,
before whose minds eye visions of
sublime temples were continually
floating" He was born at Ottery st.
Mary, in Devonshire. England, 21st
October, 1772. He was the youngest
child of a poor country vicar and vas
hastily educated at an orphans chapel.
He went to school with Charles Lamb,
another rare and charming genius.
He w a two years at the University OF
Cambridge, at Jesus College. His
first success was a gold medal for
Greek verse. He went to London and
nearly starved. when he enlisted in
the 18th Light Dragons. He wrote
verse in Latin in his saddle. But I
must not enlarge now and here.
Let me mention that C%oleridge has
been muc criticised because Of the
| smallness of his productions consider
ing his great genius and reputation.
He wrote some exquisite verse-for
instance, Love, Of Genevieve," posi-
bly, as perfect a poem as was ever
written. Then hin of his marvellous
conversa-i onal oratory that was never
surpassed and you have indeed a
genius of almost ~unrivalled excellence.
But he was not so prolific as might
have been expected. But I set forth
the main cause Of his failure to pro-
ice more. But read his Rhine OF
the Ancient Marinere,'' "Christabel,'
"Kubla Khan "Genevieve," and some
others If you would see something of
the real genius of the poet. Homer
tells of prodigy he calls Nesto-, Of
whom he wrote that from his tongue
his speech streamed on, like silent
flokes of e~ver-faIling snow. We
should be YER thankful for all we got
from Coleridge.
So after all the English people are
not much improvement upon the
Americans so far as the character Of
their reading is involved. In this re-
I m q rk no refereuce Is bad Ia tho LIZ