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Article REVIEW OF LITERATURE THE DRAMA. &c. ← Page 3 of 8 →
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Review Of Literature The Drama. &C.
those who , anxious for the care of youth , have adopted tlie idea that the very essence of that care consists in concealing or reviling every opinion not based upon the established dogmata of the sect or coterie to which they belong . Hence we cannot feel much surprise that the minds of many of Mr . Bulwer ' s former admirers have been excited by the ajipearance of his last productionand have experienced little alarm as to its tendency
, no to injure the morals of the rising generation . On the other band , the unshrinking boldness of tone ancl sentiment , and the frequent bursts of eloquence and feeling which irradiate parts of the work , havo enlisted in his favour a vast number of the young ancl enthusiastic , who see in his eccentric flights the highest order of beauty and sublimity . For our own parts , we partake in neither of these species of sentiment . AVe feel no fearthat popular as Mr . B . deservedlishe will
, y , carry his readers far with him in favour of such a character as Ernest Maltravers , whose faults are too notetlly exposed to suffer one to mould him into the semblance of that perfect model which forms the essential feature of the hero of romance , on whom the young mind loves to dwell ancl to recur to . Neither is the influence of works of fiction of any weight in our clays , compared to their effect formerly , when efforts of the mind were less frequent . The impression of the novel of to-day
is usually effaced by the perusal ofthe next closely following . But we cannot admire the six-volumed novel . Its quantity is too great , for however nominally distinct , Maltravers ancl Alice are one ancl the same tale . In the next place , allowing the correctness of the theory above referred to , Maltravers is not happily embodied with type of the superior order of mankind . Much is said of his genius , of his mastery ,
of his powers of sarcasm , & c , but unfortunately , for these glowing epithets , he talks much , and in this conversation we find few traits that bear them out . There is , indeed , a great difference in describing a grancl character , and displaying one in language , and in action . Hence the safer plan will be found to follow tlie example of our excellent comic friend , who , having narrated the wonderful effects of a particular joke on the risibility of various audiences , discreetly and artfully conthe
trives to elude the inquiring what the joke really was . So , approved recipe for depicting a modern hero , is to speak as much as convenient of the thunders of his eloquence in the senate , but imitate none of the thunders , let us have no speech in full . Let him mow down armies in the field , but deal only in very general descriptions of the plan and details of his engagements . Maltravers is the model of eloquence , delicacyof propriety of conduct and feelingbut he says things
occa-, , sionally which sound to our ears gratingly coarse . But the chief reason we regret that the author of Rienzi has laboured at his last task is , because we consider he has wandered entirely from the proper end and use of fiction ; from what constitutes its poetry and enchantment . It is at all times a mistake to make such productions the vehicle for political or moral sentiments not perfectly understood and acknowledgedbecause it betrays an endeavour to from the
fan-; escape arena of controversy . But we forgive slight deviations of the kind . Maltravers and its sequel are , however , a connected and continued dissertation in favour of a particular class of- unsettled opinions as to the social state . It is not of any consequence to the argument , whether the author be right against society , or the just verdict should run the other way . A pamphlet , a volume , a sermon , are forms to be replied to : vor ,. v . 3 c .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of Literature The Drama. &C.
those who , anxious for the care of youth , have adopted tlie idea that the very essence of that care consists in concealing or reviling every opinion not based upon the established dogmata of the sect or coterie to which they belong . Hence we cannot feel much surprise that the minds of many of Mr . Bulwer ' s former admirers have been excited by the ajipearance of his last productionand have experienced little alarm as to its tendency
, no to injure the morals of the rising generation . On the other band , the unshrinking boldness of tone ancl sentiment , and the frequent bursts of eloquence and feeling which irradiate parts of the work , havo enlisted in his favour a vast number of the young ancl enthusiastic , who see in his eccentric flights the highest order of beauty and sublimity . For our own parts , we partake in neither of these species of sentiment . AVe feel no fearthat popular as Mr . B . deservedlishe will
, y , carry his readers far with him in favour of such a character as Ernest Maltravers , whose faults are too notetlly exposed to suffer one to mould him into the semblance of that perfect model which forms the essential feature of the hero of romance , on whom the young mind loves to dwell ancl to recur to . Neither is the influence of works of fiction of any weight in our clays , compared to their effect formerly , when efforts of the mind were less frequent . The impression of the novel of to-day
is usually effaced by the perusal ofthe next closely following . But we cannot admire the six-volumed novel . Its quantity is too great , for however nominally distinct , Maltravers ancl Alice are one ancl the same tale . In the next place , allowing the correctness of the theory above referred to , Maltravers is not happily embodied with type of the superior order of mankind . Much is said of his genius , of his mastery ,
of his powers of sarcasm , & c , but unfortunately , for these glowing epithets , he talks much , and in this conversation we find few traits that bear them out . There is , indeed , a great difference in describing a grancl character , and displaying one in language , and in action . Hence the safer plan will be found to follow tlie example of our excellent comic friend , who , having narrated the wonderful effects of a particular joke on the risibility of various audiences , discreetly and artfully conthe
trives to elude the inquiring what the joke really was . So , approved recipe for depicting a modern hero , is to speak as much as convenient of the thunders of his eloquence in the senate , but imitate none of the thunders , let us have no speech in full . Let him mow down armies in the field , but deal only in very general descriptions of the plan and details of his engagements . Maltravers is the model of eloquence , delicacyof propriety of conduct and feelingbut he says things
occa-, , sionally which sound to our ears gratingly coarse . But the chief reason we regret that the author of Rienzi has laboured at his last task is , because we consider he has wandered entirely from the proper end and use of fiction ; from what constitutes its poetry and enchantment . It is at all times a mistake to make such productions the vehicle for political or moral sentiments not perfectly understood and acknowledgedbecause it betrays an endeavour to from the
fan-; escape arena of controversy . But we forgive slight deviations of the kind . Maltravers and its sequel are , however , a connected and continued dissertation in favour of a particular class of- unsettled opinions as to the social state . It is not of any consequence to the argument , whether the author be right against society , or the just verdict should run the other way . A pamphlet , a volume , a sermon , are forms to be replied to : vor ,. v . 3 c .