The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-01

There was q decorating sense OF wrong.
Of cheating, Of lying. even OF viliainy.
Nobier qualities he saw In abundance. but
TO his mind they wero always moro or less
associated with weakness, and mostly with
weakness Of tho intellect. He went through
life with these convictions ana they are
scored and UNDERSIGNED in his books
Thackeray Of the novels was not "a
cynic deighting in evil" but: Can
1t we'll he denied that he saw more
clearly tho shortcomings than the ut
tainments Of the human hearth Quite
surely, VANITY Fair" Is a satire; II
speaks the mind OF those who are
smarting under disilusion, nortifica-
ton, defeat. disappointment, envy and
malice" Sir Robertson Nicoll cites
Bronte and Bagehot, the ono calling
Thackeray an eagle where Fielding, for
example, was vulture, the other en-
phasizing the novelist's skilful skat-
ing at the very edge Of the thin Ice
Of immortality without ever openly vio-
lating convention, and concludes the
whole matter with quotation Of Tom
Taylors tribute:
He was a cynic! by his life all wrought
| OF generous acts mild words and gentle
ways;
His heart widc open to oil kindly thought,
HIS hand 40 quick TO give, his tongue to
| praise!
lie was a cynic!
The esssayist Is circumspect HIS yea
Is not final yea nor his nay fiat nay.
but h!s utterance Is yea-nay. nay-yea-
He rather formulates tho evidence on
| both sides than hands down a decision.
1t seems likely that intending 70 talk tho
life into the books he has really talked
tho books into the life. And what q
| vanity It all is--not merely this essay.
nor the American professors book. but
| the mass 81 books about books whereof
50 infintesimAl a fraction has or can
possibly havo any least guiding value.
II the reader has critical acuinen he
does not need second hand judgment
Of tho big books In the little books;
and IL he has II not, how shall lie choose
between the totally dissimilar qualities
OF the clutches to the understanding
| placed at his disposal?
Prof. Stephenson's title. 1.-THE Spiritual
Drama" IL a chilling one for warmly
worked thesis to carry. He does not
differ from the English critic by the
$50 degree angle Of the diameter: he
admits the cynicism. with qualifications.
but maintains that the charge Of Bit
l
| sideration of VANITY Fair" and that
William Makepeacc cannot be correctly
Judged unless account Is taken of the
spiritual" progression which he finds
manifest in the series OF the novelist 8
big books. So far az the novel Is not
only a reflection but an Interpretation OF
life there can be no just appreciation OF
the novelist's import in the peoples
thought until his attitude toward life
is understood. Even II we are to- regard
the novel as "a sermon. one IL tempted
to ask how can you preach more
| strongly against the follies of life than
By reporting them honestly. accurately
and comprehensively?
| Dickens and Thackeray alike divide
tive novel reading public into partisan
factions. but the Dickens debate turns
upon the fulcr,im OF methods. his think
ing. So far az II goes. is rejected by few:
IL Is the mechanics Of his art that de
lcides between the givings OF pleasure and
Of offence. while the Thockerayan invi-
tation IL to logomachy over tine essen
tial goodness or badness Of human ma
ture and the success OF each In the
world: why, in his procession Of colos-
sal egoists," do We have to wait for
Denis Duval TO reveal belief in tho
possible existence of ~ man OF power
who is not q scoundrel"?
Prof Stephensons book il notably
though not petulantly controversial. It's
bole is built OF argument In rebuttal Of
statements made IN the memoir by MIR
whitley. ignoring the merits OF this
Interesting debate. let II suffice to say
that Mr.. Stephenson concentrates his
} criticism upon Mr.. Whibleys alleged
complete omission OF that 'inwart
!, drama" which il skin, pulp and core Of
! his own explanation OF Thac.ieray. His
! subject was not, he declares. the pro-
methcan character painted in Merivale'.
sympathetic" biography nor the sent!.
mcntalist depicted by Mr.. whitley, bu
"a sensitive. unhappy man. who IN hi,
early life showed something Of IN. Pro
mcthcus: who took on for "a season no
a little of the sentimentalist. but who
became az last bravely and simply 4
Christian"
Barry Lyndon" the professor call
zone Of the most remarkable perform
ances In iiction," out foreioomed to fail
urc in respect OF popularity. The "Snol
Papers can be swallowed because the,
are ironics in miniature, portrayiiig cacl
r. single phase OF meanness. THE Lucl
OF Barry Lyndon" il Zone great arch %
darkness; In II Thackeray was purel!
the stylist. Vanity Fair" has the sam
hard briliancc. with an addition OF Dicl.
ensian Gymnastics of feeling" English
men, weary of the prophets of despair
had taken up the huoyant Boz--he wa
"a gigantic pamphicteer.' Thackeray
, emulant OF his example Of popular she
cess, initiated unhappily. Mrs. Majo
I ~ to 4.