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808 ?HE LEADER. [Saturday,
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IPrhvrflttir^ ^HK lUlAllr ir * —
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¦ \ Critics are not the legislators, but...
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Evebt autumn, the Times, let loose from ...
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. J,if seems^ f$8plif we w.erejon th(? p...
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We said lately that there were symptoms ...
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Madame George SA"si> r B.Story of my Lif...
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The fourth volume, of Doctor Vjhrpn's Me...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
808 ?He Leader. [Saturday,
808 ? HE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
Iprhvrflttir^ ^Hk Lulallr Ir * —
Eforutnrt
¦ \ Critics Are Not The Legislators, But...
¦ \ Critics are not the legislators , but the judges and police of literature . They do "' not make laws— they interpret and try to enforce them . —Edinburgh Review .
Evebt Autumn, The Times, Let Loose From ...
Evebt autumn , the Times , let loose from its Parliamentary duties , amuses its leisure by a ra ^ d into the field -of literature , . It glances into the literary arrears of the past six months or so , and fulminates a spare column or two , every third or fourth number during the political recess , at some famous book , or some hew literary notability . Then authors pray and tremble . " WTiat the weekly or monthly or quarterly journals of literature have said or ipay say , has-jts interest fpr them ; but the chance of a review in the Times - ' ^ O ; have one ' s name , blown—it may be , blasted—over the whole area of Great Britain , and round a considerable bit of the planet besides ! It is in vaia that people "call up the reflection that the Times reviewer , could he be eeett bodily in liis own perison , is probably a mere man , like the rest 6 f us , of
w ^ ththoligftts a strictly appreciable value , and often , perhaps , at a loss . jf ^ w , ' yio fini ^ bj his . sentences .. . Ifc" is not the mouth , it is the tremendous trumpet •; and the worst of it is you can ? t blow : back thiough the broad end of ? $ be 1 ; rtimpiet ^ t . ^ . ' you can ' t redargue ; TfitACKEBAr had ' some sxiccess , ^ dde ^ d y-m ^ -ihiefatit' etnpt tb doso , vvliteh' the' IPtjries attacked his l & ckleburys o ^ iiM ^ SWiiTn ' e ^ . " 'E ^ ven' ^ ey ^ hoyfeyer , was siiecessfol ; <> nly inmetropolitan ¦ « i ^^ a . \ v \ . A"XiiaiiS !^ s © s » pa the . otbier hand , must-possess his soul . iri silence , ¦ S ^ fiQ ^ the blasttoj & e away * and trust to that great soul ' ofthe world which 1 iju | l . : / . w - 'r ! . ¦;¦ ; .:: ;> .: - . -v . i- ;; : ; ' .- " . ' - ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦¦ : '' ; ¦ ; . ; . :., ¦ - ^ .. ' v ' w . . ^ .. j : ' ¦ . ' /• ' '¦ ¦ ¦^ the
j . ^ Oa Thursday Time ^ had wx ajrticle oh Poetry , in the shape of a review cF & AjxiEit , the auihorof Fesius ; Mr . JB ; aAr > BtrRij ^^ whos e" name of war" is tyuqllon : ; and Q-JE ! RAii >¦ ¦ ' MAssBii To all the Thunderer was unxjsuall ^ kind . rFrcsni certain passages in the article * however , we infer that the Tim . es , like ti ^^ th ^ r o ^ lit ) e > a ^ reac | i « on > --r reactioniat all events , againit the tendencies of such-recent poets ; a & ^ kj ^* i Aii ; xAia > Bit SikijTHV and SirDarEr Ymsbys . ; Speaking iaf ttie tendency or ^ and to' indirect arid occult expression oi" their thoughts ^ the Reviewer says : —*
\* What is' the . hopefollest remedy for this prevailing j this epidemical disease of our inodern yerfies ? ' W ?/ aifewer vcorifide ^ itlyi the diligent , the lpving study pf tlie masters of poetica l expression , such as Bryder i ^ jPope / a ^ aridKeafe-mujst ' lje ptifc'aside . " -Even * Sp 6 nser may be left on the shelffor a season . The institution of « tiryotiiigerpoets waii ^ ai ' bracihg ; and during a course of ' Pope' or '• biyden'therdiefc " of the mind should be strictly regulated . These poetical springs contain iron , and are to be drunk alone . Twelve months of suck medicine and exercise may work ¦ $ tmders . n - ' : ¦ . ¦ . " •¦ V ' ' ¦'¦ ' ¦•• ' ' . ' ¦ ¦• ¦' ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' '¦ ' > This is likely to . do good ; itamounts , however , to a direct denial of the doctrine which , since Co-xebidgb's time , lias been in the ascendant , that the interval betw-een , Meltost and Wobusworth was to be regarded as a kind ofinterregnum in English literature , during which there was no poetry—or
littji &^ betry , . ^ rpperl 3 r ; s ^ , called , but only , by way of substitute for jt , a great desjlof veryexcellent ' intellection ( vrip 7 sarcasm , criticism , declamation , and such , like ) . inverse . Does the Tivnes wish to yef , er back our young writers to this period as the age whose spirit they ought to breathe ? - Probably not . The-teviewepseetna only toreoom-merid'a course of * ' Daiv » insr ''' and ' * Pofe ' by w ^ jr of a corrective ijgain ' s ' t present iiifluericesi atidi above all , as a ti ' ain-«* $ . $ * &"« $% ^ l ^ ft ^ ana ° ( W )^?^ ii ? f ^® V / , ^ e % prV of the "' . *' iro ^' ' a ;^ 64 , pne . 5 qjit young jpoets do want a lfttlft ' * ijcoii , , ' Ji $ ut , why , whilie referring back t ' Dbyj > hn and Pope , pot point also to Tbnntson , a true poet of thepres . en , t"dayy ' in Vhom poetical genius < 6 f the purest order is foundj in coi > janction with the most exqjuisite taste for correct and beautiful form . ' , ¦ ¦ .:,. , ., : (• ¦ . ' <> ' .. ! j . ) . ¦ . ' ,,. ' . ¦ ¦ ; . ¦ ¦ ¦ ...- * '¦ W- A ¦ A I K , \ ' . ' . ' - » ' ¦ »* l ^ » ¦ l' I '» i II ¦ I Illl ¦ , ' ..
. J,If Seems^ F$8plif We W.Erejon Th(? P...
. J , if seems ^ f $ 8 plif we w . erejon th (? point of a reaction against ,, the Free-trade < lp * triae , whioUi for aQ . n ^ any years hna been our British gospel . Here wo have ^ been interferinjg with one of QUi- great privilege ' s as Britons- ^ the liberty of . ^ tttifig drunk ; a , tid 119 ^ an insinuating Cardinal proj ) o | s 6 s an ' an ^ irt ^ metit ijf our , jftjfai greatifterty . T-tha ' V of reaaing tjfasl ^ . , Trjjish J ay ,, thbro h , the rub ; . ; ' who , 5 a ito pay -what is trash ? " Chemistry , and history , ^ JH ^ g ^ c ^ tuws /' iarG . aU yery well ^ but . arc our ballads ^ ftrxd our othep Horns of © Id chapman' literatatej to bo accounted trash ? Heaven fpfbid ! The libiflrty of'trosh involves'the liberty qf much more ; for , if ;' tlibrobo , ariy truth {^ " ^^^^^^'' . i ^ . X ^'^ t as , vreiras the very worst things going » n ^_ < 5 , P , TOwnfty aropriocipejy thpse ^ thaji ^ ovorjampnt would , not stamp , Apfl , i £ thevfi . Is to . jbo a censorship , why not apply it . in high places also ? Tfhynot compel Messrs ; MmutAY and Lonomait to have thqir boolta cortiflod ¦ air wholesbmo ? Why not submit our faflhioriablu H 6 vels to the- stamp P N " ay , and if what is intellectual ppiapn Ja to bo determiinqd by ^ keen and' aoarching tests , -would Cardinal AY ^ sEM ^ Bj ' a Q-yrxx luqu-^? i | S be ^ P-pro worbhy of being Jet abroad into tho > public veins tlufci n , othor more vulgftr produotiona ? No , no ! Let us have tho inquiry , bjrinil means , for its results would bo rich ( ind beneficial ; but none of your Clt > retnMient oetidorship by wayoT cure ! Teach ovory child to read and ytfffceyand / a ' a much < jl ' so aa you canj let Cf ^ rernment do 03 much , positively ,
as a purveyor of educational implements as it likes ; but , above all , let it remove the Taxes on Knowledge , and let Messrs . Chambers , Mr . CnARiiES Knight , and others , labour and compete without let and hindrance . We don ' t want a Government definition of trash . Let Government enforce if it likes , the existing laws against all publications that are literally obnoxious to the police-laws , as worse than trashy ; but mere trash must be sacred—paTtly because nobody can say what is mere trash , and partly because , as a writer in Chairibers ' s Journal ingeniously argued the other day , trash is a step upwards , a kind of preparatory region whence wholesome literature obtains recruits .
The Athenaeum enumerates the following works as announced by our leading publishers in this dull season . From Mr . Murray ' s press we are to have Historical Memorials of Canterbury : the Black Prince , by the Rev . A . P . Sxanxet ; Inventions of James Watt , by Mr . Mujruead ; an & yl Thousand Leagues among the Showy Andes , by Mr , Li . orJ > . From the press of Messrs . Longman are forthcoming The Baltic : its Gates , Shores , and Cities-, by the Rev . T . Miliobr ; Gleanings from Piccadilly to P era , by Commander OiaJMixoN ; the British Commonwealth , by Mr . H . Cox ; Lord Carlisle ' s Diary in Turkish and Greek Waters ; and 31 i > Dennistoun ' s Memoirs of Sir Robert Strange . Mr . Constable of Edinburgh is to publish a Philosophy of the
Infinite , \> y Mr . Cau > krwood ; Mr . BENTjLEy is preparing the Letters of Queen Henrietta ; Maria ; and Messrs : Blackwooi ) a new volume of Miss !§ TRi € KiiANn >' s Life of fifrary Stuart ; and Messrs . Chapman and Hall have in the press anew serial by Mr . Le vjsr , to be called Martin of Cro-Martih . The Life and , Correspondence of : Lord Metcfilfe , late Grovernbf ' -General of Jtidia , Governor tf by Mr . B ^ 3 TTJLEy , from the pen of Mr . Kaye , already well known for his yvorks -on India , is likely to attract imitiediate attention ; wliiiej in less severe cirbles , the story of JSfortti arid South , by the authoress of Mary Barton , -which is to succeed Hard Times \ w Household Words , will be very welieome . . ¦¦ .
We Said Lately That There Were Symptoms ...
We said lately that there were symptoms in a neighbouring country of a severer tone of thought , and even of a religious spirit , reviving , as if to niake amends for the total prostration of public spirit and patriotic impulse , aad for that materializing and corrupting tendency of all despotisms to encourage social licence and levity , to treat austerity as treason , and thoughtfulness as the garb of discontent . Among these better signs may be named the success of such works \ as Zb Devoir , by Jules Simon ; Profession de Foi du XlJCrne Siecle , by Eugene PelletA s and Le Droit , by Eaiile de Gibardin ; all of which have rapidly reached second and third editions .
Madame George Sa"Si> R B.Story Of My Lif...
Madame George SA"si > B . Story of my Life is at length announced for publication in the feuilleion of La Presse , to be commenced on the 4 th of October . These Memoirs are already completely written . ; aud , in tlieir collected form , will make five large octavo volumes . They were purchased by the Presse so long ago as' 46 , but '' circumstances" have prevented their seeing the light until now- If , as we doubt not , these Memoirs ar 6 leaves torn from . tlie heart of the writer , and not merely " paper pellets of the brain , ' their appearance will indeed be ah event .
The Fourth Volume, Of Doctor Vjhrpn's Me...
The fourth volume , of Doctor Vjhrpn's Memoirs , just published , contains some curious correspondence on the ill-omened Spanish marriages between Louis PiucinePB and Iub ame damnJe , M . Ctuizot . Tlie letters of the Minister renaind Us of the mot current in -the salons of Paris in 1847 . MGuizot charged Mv be UiSmusat with hiiving called him an austere iutriguer . " Intriguant , out ; replied , M . pjb JRkmusat ; austere , nonjpasT Doctor Vbbon has some pungent and characteristic anecdotes of Madllc Bachel . Among others , take the following >^ - * ' M . lo Oprnto iVJol <^ , meeting Madomoigellq Rao ^ i ; l at my house , stud to her , ¦ with nil tlmb rofiiietl , aristocratjuj grace for which l » o is disjinguiahed , ' Madam , you have saved the Frmchjfmgwge / ' , MwJeinQisollo Kaclnel replied by a moat reflpeotfuVqurtsoy , and turning to . mq , ad ^ , ^ Tffiis , in deed , luo } cy as ^ never learnt UP . It was thus slio modestly "jeo ^ d , ^ cQinpliment , ft . lHtlo cxaggqrutod , perhup ^ , by a somewhiit funciful coafossiofl . " , .,, . ' ,,, B | ,,., i , , M Sorloud p «! CJple vylll I ds . ro say beflatoniahod at a cam ^ riaou i <> which lji y rominiscencoa lend me . I found in MadonioJu'cJlo liuchel more than one of thoso qunlltic ? of a pene- txating and practjeal intelli |; onco '' whibh lind Captivated mo in M . TJniora . flioro ia tlio aamo clearness of viows , tho snmo ardour in purauit of a , purpose , tho same ingenious ruses , tlic samq winning wiloa , tlio sumo fertility of oxpedionte , tho same philosophical toleration to which rindiotivenoss and hatred aro equally foreign , whicli is content to negotiate with enmities , to appease grudges , and to gain qvor every influence , every friendship that can bo useful . I consider that , allowing perhaps for n cortuin . elevation of mind , and tho advantages of education , Mndemoisello Kuoliol diapl » y » in iamiliar conversation as much wit , judgment , an « l good sonae , and porcoptloua tia original and aouto as tho groat omtor and atiitosniau of tlio monarchy of July . Tlio oratorical art ( I do not moan oloquonco ) and tho dramatic art demand almost tho 8 nmo study and tho muno trioka—oxoupt tho 7-oi ^/ c . When alio ia out of humour , or in a fit of vexation , Mademoiaullo Rachel is Boinotunoa as intcmpoi-atoi ^ hur language m M . Thlora . Ouo day rtlio hail a quurrol witli me . I remained ( iirn j I hoard her mutter the word canaille ! Wo mado it up , however . ' This in all very well , ' I said to her , ' bub you have insulted mo in o way I never before experienced , you called mo canailloP / jrity you , ' » 1 iq anaworod , w | tl > a kngl ,. « ow ? my oondiilcr yourself ono ofthejUviib j now : " R v *
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 26, 1854, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26081854/page/16/
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