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MR RIDER HAGGARD'S "CLEOPATRA."

Pall Matt Gatette.

The first thing to be done Iα attwapttae to form a fair critical estimate otlfcJUdef Haggard's " Cleopatra," is to put aside alf thought of history; the second is tofga&tf archeology; the third is to forget Ba*fe speare. To niggle about historic aqcaraej would be the merest waste of time, a romance is a romance; if history doe*, no| choose to fit in, so much the woira* f o < history. As for archeology, if itoapptaed (by some inconceivable chance) that JJJ. Haggard had wholly succeeded where Flaubert is said to have failed in put, and had unlmpeachably reconstituted abjitoi civilisation, his achievement fdrm the subject of a separate jJjjaM from the archaeological point of vftfy Literary criticism would be coaJtflj to/ expref s polite admiration fop ■ feat that did not practically coneenMi, Mr Haggard's Egyptology may be Qxkhjfa or it may be the merest jargon; tionhasnobearingonthe essential quality of his work. Shakspcare,. again, cwjyji be allowed to claim property In this historic figure—or rather hUtoric aame-4 to the exclusion of other IndostrJbui Imagination-mongers. I That Shakspsara; happened to be beforehand with him is Mr Haggard's misfortune, not his fault; it would be unjust that he should suffer for It. In fulfilling the first two of.thjpge conditions—ln clearing his mlfl^iof Egyptian history and archaeology—the present writer has experienced Ina difficulty. To forget Sh&kepears was so easy; but he hastens to acknowledge the negative aid received from Mi Haggard, who has never once reminded him of that inconvenient person. '"'' "Cleopatra" Is Mr Haggard's mostep* bitiouswork. Its defects, if it,o'as anyi are not to be excused on the plea thatlt U a mere book for boys. For boys, indeed, " it is scarcely to be recommended. Mβ Haggard has been comically careful ttfwy nothing which could tempt theproverbjW two ladles In the country to CSmplaWoS Mr Mudie; but the tale is nevertiielen one tissue of lust and crueUy^afid treacherous revenge, uniUumlned Vfltl, single trait of generous humanity. is not a reproach to Mr Haggard, Cleopatr* and her time offers no fit matter lor a schoolroom etory-book. We maretyMigj gest to the parents and guardians whd have hitherto regarded the aatho* ot '*She," in their simple-minded way, i* rather an edifying writer for th* "Xoo&j Person, that it Iβ not advisable to Uf.ijW youthful fantasy dwell too long Iα m courts of Cleopatra. As a writer tot nwa and women, then, what are Mr Haggard a merits I Hβ ha« made agreeHmaglnatl**, effort, of that there Is no doaibt. Hβ has In no eeiwe scamped his work, Mi nas gone at it with all his faculties. Tkfj

quantity of imagination expended is tfffisJ! prodigious ; but what of tbe quality! IS reading the works of the great romanes!|J PnethriUs every now andthen— c It not ad —at some unforeseen t of etara,' M horror, of subtlety of nobility, whlcb sag. gests what we rough y describe as \mpvP atlon. ft How on earfcV we aek oor< selves (garnishing the question accordM to taste), "how on earth did the fellow come to think of that I" In Mr Eagg»» work no such surprises await ua..VQja.Ss4 contrary, the comment that most quently forces Itself upon usis !'Sasal? he might have thought of epmethiag Bw ter than this 1" We can follow the process of. his fancy. It is mechanical. We seem to see him#rsßg up the loins of his imaginatiotf/ejiy|fi|W himself, "Here I must be grandjioe® voluptuous; here appalling ; Urns p» found." Sometimes he succeeds, exceps In the last attempt; but whether. M succeeds or fails, the epithet which r#el to the foreground in the readerVp* eofouaness is neither voluptuous, nor appalling, but preteaUos* There is no title of fascination Iβ. em Cleopatra, -nave euch as can ba c^? 1 ?. imparted by hyperbolical descriptioas c 3 exaberanijiemale charms. ,„ Tbe style of this book is far more taxm than that of its predecessors. Not owf are the siipe and' splecfems; few, tJ4fr»*--Haggard has availed himself spartagJf " the opportunities tor writing sheer BWj , sense whloh ewarmed on every hw*. Even in hie most grandiloquent pssM he keepa himaelf weU in hand. ..Bw*J"" there, Indeed, we come across What does woei® ;P^ Se adjures Harmachia .to beagle crest of g whatf, is the elate of inM-AfiS-cated by Charmion wheo »&*J3& "There breathes within mc t^-W*2£s t t«*iory. blowing acrpse the*»W«gg'eoui, that can waft mc to..eaM *| noble than ever I have dreatnea•jwiWpihott wilt be my pilot and W $$fL On the whole, however, tbouga Mf W;. •zardrevels In the opportunitiea ,ftf:» • writing afforded by his theme, he «" iiiarevelllng more soberly tbaninigaS m been expected. One is astonished M a good many well-known paßf ft «fSS modern poets anticipated in u« e ™ k l %« but it is splendid to note that the Jgfc tian form is never so good *» the »«m version. The attempt to keep OP archaic diction Harmachis is a pathetic failure; »**? foredoomed. •'

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18890921.2.5

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7421, 21 September 1889, Page 2

Word Count
818

MR RIDER HAGGARD'S "CLEOPATRA." Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7421, 21 September 1889, Page 2

MR RIDER HAGGARD'S "CLEOPATRA." Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7421, 21 September 1889, Page 2

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