New-York tribune., 1910-04-23
BUlWER.
A Tribute of Justice to the
Author of Rienzi."

EDWARD BTLNER. First Baron Lytton
OF knebWorth. A social, personal and
political monograph. BY I. II. s. Es-
colt With a frontispiece portrait. Svo.
~. 3sS r J.. Dutton &. 60.
Mr.. Escott saw much OF Bulwer-Lyt-
ton in the later years Of the noVelist's
life. and 10 his personal impressions he
has added q great deal of entertaining
material gathered from intimates and
official associates of his hero. Those
who have not been accustomed to re
gard BUlwer as a statesman may turn
With zest 10 the details of his parlia-
mentary and official career; but to read
ing Americans generally who cherish
the memory Of The Last DAYS ~ Pom
peii" and of "Zsnoni." and 20 whom the
Wit and wisdom of My Novel" are a
perennial delight, Nr Escotts chapters
on their authors intellectual develop
ment and literary achievements will
prove most attractive. Those novels
are doubtless less popular now than they
used to be; Yet the biograp pher testifes
from personal experience that in several
parts Of provincial England Bulwer-
Lytton has not only readers but stu
dents of his works in the persons OF
Northumbrian miners and Midland ar
/ tissns, one Of whom wrote in reply 10 a
query: Neither the lapse Of time nor
the rising cf new lights has made any
difference here in our appreciation OF
Bulwer-L Lytton's stories and essays. -
Cheap editions have to-day many pur-
chssers-especially editions Of The Last
Days OF Pompeii,' "Harold" and
"Rienzi." In this devotion these readers
are building better than they know.
Froude at oxford in 1892 said TO his
students: GO back 20 Bulwer- Lytton
He may have had his literary weak
nesses, stiil. 10 read him would be q
cur Young barbarisns a kind Of liberal
education
We do not know what was az the bot
tom Of Thackerays unsparing satiricaI
attacks On Sir Edwshd Bulwig": il
would seem 70 have been something
more than Bulwers youthful affecta-
tions ana extrsvsgancies, II we may be-
1 lieve the late Sir William Frssers de-
scription of the irreconcilable attitude oi
F the author of Vanity Fair" In view oi
that attitude II is surprising 10 read
printed for the FIRST time in this volume
an authentic utteranoe Of Thackeray
4 to his friend Hannay. so far from de-
crying him" he said 81 his brother nov
elist. Il have the highest admiration 70,
him. ] would gladly give half Of my
reputation 90 be able 70 put the other
+ half on basis - scholarship and liter
+ ature equal 10 Lyfton's." u is pheasant
20 quote this remark and 10 forget the
caricauurcs which in their day undoubt
cdly did much 20 make Lytton seem con
temptiblo Tennyson, We are told
shared TLackcrsys opinion of Rulwer'
I literature and scholarship. lie often. in
/ Informal talk, admitted obligations "a
4 the novelist. 4 do not forget" he oncs
snld. that Bulwc--Lytton's Combridgs
talks with me stimulated my early inter
/ est in the Round Table cycle, and that
ten years before any 'Idylls OF the King
were written his twelve books OF 'Klng
Arthur helped 10 create the public taste
f0r nv own writing on tie same subject
1 Nor ia his day cid any one do more
toward intellectually raising the public
piquing i;s interest in better things and
enabling 4 10 separate the wheat from
+ the chat" Henry Reeve. who la 1S3t
called "Rlenzf" trash. la 1863 read
/ "Caxtonlans" and Acknowledged that he
I had done Bulwcr an injustice all his
life How could ! bc prepared" he
asked. FOR the acumen. scholarship
shroUd observation and good sense tha'
have gone to produce these capital es'
SAWS"
4 We are remlnaea lknt DaIwsIs wit.