The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-06-14

dlId lIboA 49, - NV
without real interest as stories. His
faults as a writer is obscurity in many
places. The style at times is really
careless, involved, mechanical and
rugged. But there are other passages
that are remarkably neat. artistic
even, and flooded with power and in
felligence sometimes of a very uncom-
mon kind. Many years ago he wrote
"An Essay on Comedy and the uses
of the Comic Spirit" Some later
it was reprinted. 1t was first read as
duction he is at his best as to style.
1t is all aglow with inspiration and
its wit is bright and subtle. In con
trasting the wit of the two famous
comedy writers-COngreVe and Moliere
he brings out in a fine way this
happy. clear-cut contrast-that the
wit of Congreve lis a Toledo blade,
sharp and wonderfully subtle for
steel: cast for duelling. restless in the
s~cabbard, being SO pretty when out
of it. Moliere's wit is like a running
brook, with ~innumerable fresh lights
on it at every turn of the wood
through which it's business is to find
its way. 1t does not run in search
of distractions, to be noisy over them,
but when deal leaves and vilar sub
stances are heaped along the course
ats nature song is heightened. Without
IN 10 Will ho
of achievement, it is full of healing,
the wit Of good breeding, the wit Of
wisdom. This fine passage is too good
TO be overlooked, and richly merits
to be preserved in ones memory.
nave not doubted for many years
that among the novelists who used
English as their medium of communi-
cation that George Meredith was the
best of the last thirty years unless
Thomas Hardy be his equal or supe-
riOr, They were both very unusual
and deserve to hold a high rank next
to the greatest. / long agO had a
genuine relish for both of these origi-
nal and entertaining fiction
SO far as I recall the first novels /
ever read of these very original writ
ers seem to me to remain the best Of
all l ever read from them. But l
have not read one-half of the pro-
auctions CT either author. Far From
the Madding Crowd" by Hardy. was
quite delightful to me, 80 full of alb
solute reshne and vieOr, so strong
and masculine in portraiture, SO clear
and admirable in a virile and very
impressive English style, and free
from the offensive faint, even rapuls-
iveness, of this great novelist's later
productions There are several of
Hardy's fictions that are highly merit
oriOus, vigorous and original. A novel
of real merit and pure morals is to be
-" N|t Will Az IitSSh OS\ Ga
ways. / do not read in my advanced
years works of fiction. but very rare
ty, If at all, for / ave neither the
vision necessary or the taste perhaps,
but I none the less appreciate their
genuine, high qualities. and willingly
commend the best with which I am
acquainted. A novel of real genius
and exalted purity is to be properly
valued and commended. They are q
real blessing to humanity as we'll as
q delight.
A critic with sound judgment and
penetrating insight may be read with
anterest and confidence. A man or
mat type may be trusted and followed
His discussions will ordinarily be
marked with fairness and. insight.
There have been such critics in Great
Britain and in our own country. You
will not be misled or beguiled by such
Il critic. But he does not abound IN
any land or age. / nave never been
a great admirer Of Anthony Hawkins
or Hope as he called himself. / never
read very much Of his productions
when in vogue, but I did read enough
to gather something Of his art, to
note his style. his mannerisn. his
mastery Of plot. He tells a story vivid
~, vigorously, interestingly. His style
ooes not particularly impress me. but
ne knows how to construct an eneag-
ing plot with many intricacies Gre
mlnding one of Wilkie COllins) Il
making incident the chief source OF
interest, He is not a thinker and nov
el1st of the high grade of ~Thackeray
"r George Meredith. nor a great story
telIer like Walter Scott. whom he lml-
I1'es, or Dumas, the elder. or. Charles
Ilckens, the almost inimitable. But
ne Is clever and resourcefuf, full OF
"nIpr'seS. and keeps up a constant
puZzie- A Northern critic twenty years
d" wrote of him that his "style- was
i@unllrably adapted to his purpose
~ crisp. lucid. fluent and forceful."
same critic acutelv wrote Of one
:" his novels "phroso." that critics
eo"eraI!y REGARDED with favor: