New-York tribune., 1910-06-19

self inasmuch as the biOgrapher Of the ,-o,,
Laurey Is necessarily his apoIogist. Tbo-.
nothing like the task Of exposing a dubjonv =
from an angle Iessening its darker signis..-
to start the historian upon oracUIar shakin,.-.
|the head. Sterne was weak vessel u
biographer IS likely to be his protector ana :.
write accordingly with intimations. de,fv..',
Tex cathedra, that to comprehend all Is n ..
give all. Whether Sterne is entitled To tba tr
benefit Of that well worn saying is stu no-
haps, an open question John Addington G.
monds somewhere remarks that it is better
laugh with BoccacCio in the sunlight than 4,
singer with Arctino in the shade Tbera -.
some who would have it that Sterne not fp4,
quentIy leases US into snigger.
Professor saintsbury, while admitting that :.
was a very great genius. nevertheless has -
Gently asserted that. though seldom exae.,,
gross, he contrives. "in the numerous passsy.
which contain an element resembling grosspe,
in subject, to be infinitely little" Contiuui,v
the Edinburgh scholar says: The COMPARES
of 'chalking up naughty words is an old ans
but it is too good for him He chaIks I'D half
naughty word or a naughty word with lettsz
oInitted-and runs away" The criticism is srg
gesttve. Innuendo is the handmade of snigvr.
ing, and Sterne was a master OF innuendo Ys,
we believe that Professor Cross was right in hi,
declaration that there was nothing tf the beas
about the sublimated Yorick." and We NAV say
again what We have said before, that he seem,
a lightly irresponsible but never corrupt ty7e
an object of compassion rather than of scorn
1t is this view of the matter that is deveIop4d
by MIR. Sichel, who has no illusions about bis
author, but recognizes in him. despite unds
niable lapSes, the predOHinanCe Of a Certain
merely freabish element. morbid If you like Ht
at bottom harmless.
He arrives at this favorable hypothesis not bv
| blinking any of the facts in Sterne's Ffe-bis
| hirtations, his rakeheIly associations his do.
mestic instability, his unchurchmanlke d.
| meanor and habits generally and his free vii
but by apprehending in him Just force q
| genius let loose, a creature, as he SAYS Of;
essential unreality." To pardon Sterne hi
peccadi1loes you have indeed to begin by con.
pretending him, to realize his almost incredSs
saturation in sentinentaIity, his haIf-mad e.
| istence in the phantasnaI world of reyers
rather than In the world OF workaday lie
Here is good passage on this strange char
acter of his, doubly strange in the George.
era:
| About this man there seems no bone or rnusck
only arteries and nerve centres, little 10 touch
| handle Glimpses Of him We CLEAN on sever
| sides; letters of him remain. self-reveations
plenty. but we cannot imagine him eating Z
breakfast, romping with z child (unless it Esz
| very pretty, or giving any one a hearty SHAKE
the hand He seems always something outside Li-
SELF wavering around over il. But of two eemeg
we may be sure. His being held the SeedS-he hz
/ self is our informant-of two loves the 'sacra-
and the ''prOfane"-thOugh for sacred should
read '-airy-and the ''profane'' prepOnderated Q,
that side there was the strain. the nasty stra-
/ belonging to the brotherhood Of John HaIlStevE
s,l, though even here Sterne's bent was far mas
| SenSuOUS than sensual: the other, the aerL
strain (though ethereal never)-the triekSy Il:
| puts it, ITO get out of the body"-no sustaaz
feeling of SelheSS affection deep attachment II
a captivating Caper of sauCy spirits at once stnt
latlng pity and Stimulating II And Joined 70 o-
sounded those other notes Of faCn or satyr Of P
playing on his pipes amid the rushes while
dryads peer from their forest
Detached from the context this fragm1
savors possibly Of Casuistical hair-splitting Al
hints at the special pleader. but in justice /
Mr.. Sichel we hasten to add that his argunZ
is really 'an Of piece" and in the long r |
proves no less cogent than kindly. In one
the letters that he has had 70 write. folloR- ,
the exaggerated clamor over the question S
| who first printed the journal to Eliza, De z .
| Justly remarked that "it IS my cornmen@
that matters" It is for his commentary =
we would commend his book No tangible Po-
that is of any importance is neglected
| SicheI is the attentive biographer as well Is Z
thoughtfuI Interpreter. But as he reteAS J.
familiar story and puts through tneE l
Sterne's wife and daughter, Kitty FOurIi'A'
and the enchanting Eliza, to say nothing