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Article REVIEW OF LITERATURE THE DRAMA. &c. ← Page 4 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of Literature The Drama. &C.
they challenge disputation . But not so a novel , in which all responsibility is shuffled on to the puppets , or rests only on the prime mover when convenient . Another objection of a sinister kind is , that one chief end of fiction appears to be the portraiture of those beautiful and sublime points in human nature which are only of occasional occurrence , but which all feel to be the ennobling part of our nature , and which all , therefore , deliht to recal to and cherish ivith affectionThe stern truths of
g memory . human infirmity told in Maltravers we will allow , for the sake of argument , may be true . But where is the pleasure of knowing this , and whence comes the taste , that delights in describing the mean and the common parts of our nature ? It is unquestionable , that much that is said of mankind by Rousseau , in the " Confessions " is true as' regards many , but who does not feel ashamed of the picture—who does not congratulate himself , that such baseness is not the character of all men or but of few of moment , and that their contemplation is baneful and disgusting ?
In conclusion , we take our stand against Mr . Bulwer and all his predecessors , who have denounced the forms and habits of society as deserving of thorough reform . AVe believe , that at no time was there not much good resulting from the restrictive influence of customs on the conduct of men , and the majority of the best persons were those who yielded a certain deference to that influence . The worst those who rejected them . In no time does that appear to be more the case than at the t
presenday ; when the trammels of authority sit loosely on us , and the suggestions of innovation are received as the infallible precursors of improvements . It may belong to a freer and more unsophisticated class of minds to prefer the child of doubtful progeny to the proud daughter of the peer ; but society is better held together- by opposite opinions , lt may accord with the fine sensibility and good heart of an accomplished French woman , to discover the curse of that social which has bound her to
system an uncongenial partner for life . But the English system , which approves of no critical inquiries intosuch topics , is one happier ancl safer on the whole . We will not say that the marriage of Maltravers and Alice is one which , taking all the circumstances as detailed , should be considered improper . But such cases should rest with individuals , they bear no open discussion . In life , we find no girls brought bsuclv parents the father of Alice
young up y as , loving purely and devotedly , any more than we find them acquiring fine taste for music ancl excellent vocal execution , by listening to the exercises of a merschaum-smoking student . Ladies , who make appointments with captivating foreigners , do not generally receive from them an homily instead of an embrace , and it is seldom they discover that these flirtations lead to the love of abstract virtue , not to personal attachment . But all these wire-drawn refinements of character and sentiment lead to nothing but mischief foll such the vain
or y . From may ancl pampared votaress learn , that the noblest feelings , ancl the most superlatively virtuous conduct , are compatible with listening to sighs ancl murmurs of condolence from the young philosopher , who perceives and laments the misfortune of her matrimonial destiny . Ancl the booby apprentice , before he marries the maid , may learn from the aristocratic author of Pelham , that such alliances have in them nothing derogatory , whentheir object is possessed of those inflexible principles which will secure the utmost propriety of conduct , and of that intellectual power which will
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of Literature The Drama. &C.
they challenge disputation . But not so a novel , in which all responsibility is shuffled on to the puppets , or rests only on the prime mover when convenient . Another objection of a sinister kind is , that one chief end of fiction appears to be the portraiture of those beautiful and sublime points in human nature which are only of occasional occurrence , but which all feel to be the ennobling part of our nature , and which all , therefore , deliht to recal to and cherish ivith affectionThe stern truths of
g memory . human infirmity told in Maltravers we will allow , for the sake of argument , may be true . But where is the pleasure of knowing this , and whence comes the taste , that delights in describing the mean and the common parts of our nature ? It is unquestionable , that much that is said of mankind by Rousseau , in the " Confessions " is true as' regards many , but who does not feel ashamed of the picture—who does not congratulate himself , that such baseness is not the character of all men or but of few of moment , and that their contemplation is baneful and disgusting ?
In conclusion , we take our stand against Mr . Bulwer and all his predecessors , who have denounced the forms and habits of society as deserving of thorough reform . AVe believe , that at no time was there not much good resulting from the restrictive influence of customs on the conduct of men , and the majority of the best persons were those who yielded a certain deference to that influence . The worst those who rejected them . In no time does that appear to be more the case than at the t
presenday ; when the trammels of authority sit loosely on us , and the suggestions of innovation are received as the infallible precursors of improvements . It may belong to a freer and more unsophisticated class of minds to prefer the child of doubtful progeny to the proud daughter of the peer ; but society is better held together- by opposite opinions , lt may accord with the fine sensibility and good heart of an accomplished French woman , to discover the curse of that social which has bound her to
system an uncongenial partner for life . But the English system , which approves of no critical inquiries intosuch topics , is one happier ancl safer on the whole . We will not say that the marriage of Maltravers and Alice is one which , taking all the circumstances as detailed , should be considered improper . But such cases should rest with individuals , they bear no open discussion . In life , we find no girls brought bsuclv parents the father of Alice
young up y as , loving purely and devotedly , any more than we find them acquiring fine taste for music ancl excellent vocal execution , by listening to the exercises of a merschaum-smoking student . Ladies , who make appointments with captivating foreigners , do not generally receive from them an homily instead of an embrace , and it is seldom they discover that these flirtations lead to the love of abstract virtue , not to personal attachment . But all these wire-drawn refinements of character and sentiment lead to nothing but mischief foll such the vain
or y . From may ancl pampared votaress learn , that the noblest feelings , ancl the most superlatively virtuous conduct , are compatible with listening to sighs ancl murmurs of condolence from the young philosopher , who perceives and laments the misfortune of her matrimonial destiny . Ancl the booby apprentice , before he marries the maid , may learn from the aristocratic author of Pelham , that such alliances have in them nothing derogatory , whentheir object is possessed of those inflexible principles which will secure the utmost propriety of conduct , and of that intellectual power which will