A LITERARY LETTER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7865, 29 July 1911, Page 12

A LITERARY LETTER

(BY "LIBER.”) Thackeray on Dickens. Thackeray was undoubtedly, afc one time, mot a jealous -of "the groat hold which Dickens/got upon tlio English reading public while the former was still awaiting his first big hit, and on fcbo other hand, that Dickons feJifc that his laurels wore in danger when ‘'Vanity Pair” rnp.de its appearance, is equal-* lv a .matter of notoriety. But although' Thackeray could discern whose, at limes. Dickens's love of llio bizarre in character Jed him into exaggeration, ho fully appreciated tho brilliant talents of “Boz.” In the July issue of tho "Cornhill Magazine,” Miss Flora Masson quotes from a letter written by Thackeray to her father, David Masson, in. 1851, when Masson contributed an article to tho “North British Review” oh tho two novels of the moment, ‘'Den-* dennis” ami "David Cox>pcirliekl. ” A iter 1 expressing his gratification at Mr Mas-’ eon's article, Thackeray wrote: —“I think Mr Dickens luus in many tilings quite a divine genius, so to sx>eak, and cerpiiii notes in his song arc so delightful and admirable that I should never think of trying to imitate him, *only hold my’ tongue and admire h v im. I quarrel with his art in many respects—which I don!t think represents Nature duly—for instance. Jlicawber appears to me tui exaggeration of a man, as his name is of a name. It is delightful and makes me laugh; but it is uo more a read man than my friend Punch is; in iso far I .-protest ‘ against him—and against the doctrine quoted by my reviewer from. Goethe, too —holding that the art of novels is to represent Nature; to convey as strongly as possible tho sentiment of reality—in a .tragedy or a poem! or 4i lofty drama yon aim at producing! different .emotions; the figures moving, and their words sounding, heroically; but in a drawingroom drama a coat is a icoat, and a poker a poker; and must ’be nothing else according to my ethics,, not an embroidered tunic, nor a. great* ivd-hot instrument like the pantomime' weapon. But let what defects you (oil rather I) will be finding in Dickens’s theory —there is no doubt, according to my no- 1 -tion, that his writing has one admiv-* ’able quality—it is charming—that an-* ■tfwers •everything. Another may write tho most perfect English, have the greatest fund of wit, learning, and so forth—but I doubt if any iloveils, writer nasi that quality, ' that wonderful -sweetness! and freshness which belongs to Dickens.” Dickens in France. Miss Botham Edwards, who has lived long in France, and y>houkl know French people and their literary tastes' very well .by this time, says (in Lor Tccenkiy •published book, “Friendly Faces of Three Nationalities”), that "no English .author, not Shakespeare himself, is half 160 dear to French readers” as Dickens. Miss Edwards tells a istory which she ‘had from tho lips .of a French general* of high position, who knows his Dickens as bo knows his military code. When he was in garrison at Rouen many years ago, he said, there was living in that city a dwarf who used to maltreat his, wife; indeed, ho used to get on a chair and beat her after tho manner of Dickens's villain. This man was called "Quilp,” a few folk having read “The ‘Old Curiosity 'Shop,” and nicknamed .him accordingly, the .nickname getting current. ' Nonsense Novels. In his "Nonsense Novels” (John Lane) clever .Stephen Leacock, tho author of that immensely funny book, “Literary Lapses,” gi/ves the reading public some vastly amusing parodies of various types of modern fiction. His are not wildly burlesqued versions of novels, as were these .of Thackeray, and, later on, of Bret Harto and F. C. Burnand, but arc quietly, yet significantly, satirical travesties c-f various modes in latterday fiction. How cleverly he can, hit off Mr Maurice Hewlett’s mediaeval mannerisms, such as those in his Italian stories and the recently published “Brazenhead the Groat,” may bo seen by the sample story, “Guido the Gimlet of Ghent,” which I reprint in another column, from Mr John Lane's lively little periodical, "The Bodleian/-’ Another extract. which I give below, is from “Caroline's Christinas/' a satire on the melodramatic noved. It pictures a distressed farmer in mem mu. of perplexity turning for consolation. to Euclid: — "Anna, with tho patient resignation of her sex, sat eikiat or at times endeavoured to read. She had taken down, from the little wall-shelf Buiryan’a/Holy Living and Holy Dying/ Sue* tided to read it. She could not. Then she had taken Dance's ‘inferno/ She could not road it. Then she had selected Kant’s 'Critique of Pure Reason/ But she could not road it either. Lastly, 6ho had taken the ‘Farmer a Almanac for 1011/ Tho books lay littered about her as die Ait in patient despair. John Enderby showed ail ,the passion of an imcoatruiicd nature; At times he would reach out for.; tho crock of buttermilk that\ stood beside him, and drained a draught of tho maddening liquid, till his brain glowed like clue cools of the tamarack tiro before him. ‘John/ pleaded Anna, ‘leave alone the button uidk. It only maddeßs you. No good ever came of that/ ‘Aye, loss,' said tlxc farmer. with a bitter laugh,- as he buried his head again in tints crock, ‘what care I if it maddens me?' 'Ah, John, you'd better be employed in readings tho G-ood Book than in your wild courses. Here, lake it, father, and read it' —and she handed to him tho well-worn black volume from the shelf, linderby paused a moment, and held the volume in his hand. Ho and his wife had known nothing of religions teaching in tho pub-

lio schools of their day, but tho first, claw non-sectarian education that the farmer had received had stood him in good stead. ‘Take tho book,' sho said. 'Rend, John, in this hour of affliction; it brin".s comfort.' The farmer took from her hand (ho rvofl-woni copy of Euclid's ‘Klemcn'ts,’ and, laying asido his hat with rwvrcnoo, he road aloud, ‘The anttko at tho base of a.u isosceles trianßla are equal, and whosoever shall nrudiiw the sides, 10, the same also sdiaU bo equal each unto each.' The farmer put the hook ns;de. ‘lt’s no use, Anna; I can’t read tho yood words tonight.' He rose, s r acf.;end to the crock of buttermilk, and before his wife could stay his hand drained it to the last drop.’’ Stray Leaves. A wonderfully cheap book for lovers of art to take note of is (iowans ami Gray’s shilling edition of Turner’s famous “Liher Btudionnn.” It contains iniiiiature reproductions of all the hitherto unpublished plates. "The majority of people do not dislike jinetry—they hate it.” Lord Dunsatiy ut a recent meeting of the Poetry Society. But all poetry is not that ot Lord lUuisany. "Pedestals aro not practicable for women of flesh and blood.” T'roin .Miss Bills Young's novel, "Bam.'s Kid" (Lane). The "Athenaeum” (-Tune 10th) dislikes tho ‘‘excessive violence’’ of Jack Loudon’s "latest personification of Brute Strength” in his new Klondyko story, ‘‘Burning Daylight.” but nevertheless declares the novel "will confirm Mr Loudon iu his place 'ns the most forceful writer of fiction iu his country." Those who enjoyed ‘‘.Marcia in Germany.'’ and ‘Tiedwig in England,” by a writer who lias hitherto maintained her anonymity, may he interested to learn that the author’s name is Miss Bvhil Spottiswoode. ileiucmaim is publishing a new story from tho same pen, 'Tier Husband’s Country.” Over five million copies of 3frs Henry Woods’ novel have been sold. Oh, dear! oh, dear! H. Parnham Burke, C.V.0., "Somerset Herald,” etc., etc., etc., "has been au thorised by the Earl Marshal” —whoever he may' be—"to prepare an historical account of the Coronation •of King George tho fifth and Queen ,Mary.” The price is only four guineas. ,1 wonder who buys this class of book. Within a year copies will bo plentiful 'in tho second-hand booksellers' catalogues—at much less than half-price. A shilling spent on the special "Coronation (Number of London “Graphic” or ‘'lllustrated News” will probably be far better value. Upton Sinclair, tho American “muckraker.” has written a book on tha vir- • tuoa of fasting. But, surely, after “Tho 'Jungle” this was unnecessary—at least 'so far as "Ghcocawgo” "packed” meal: was concerned. Sample of the newest English to bo found in Donald Armstrong's ".Marriage .of Quixote” (Seeker) : “The molluscuous pap that enervates their squirming souls.” “Molloscuous papi” is “good,” as friend Polonius would have said. I notice that a third and greatly enlarged edition of Ncild’s "Guide to tho Best Historical Novels and Tales” has brea published by Elkin Matthews (ss). This is one of the best literary reference books I know', and a cony ot it should 'he found in every library.