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other name on this title page—the priestess of this temple of art the enunciator of its oracles , and the hierophant of its mysteries . We have neglected Mrs . Jameson . The more shame for us . She is the most graceful ornament of the womanly literature of
bur country . And her gracefulness is ever that of truth . There are no compositions at once so feminine and so philosophical . She reminds us of a text in that rich old book of wisdom , the Eeclesiastes , and may appropriate to herself the declaration of Solomon , who ' sought out words of delight , and lo , they were words of truth / Mrs . Jameson ' s writings often indicate that
there is more in her than the world yet knows of , or perhaps , than she knows herself , although she is certainly wiser than the world in this matter . In her playfulness , or her sentiment , there
is often a depth of reflectiveness that makes the reader reflective too . Her mind is like the bottom of the sea ,, as described by the divers of the Brazilian coast ; the general expanse of thought is not far below the surface of things , but every here and there you come to an abyss , that goes down to the very centre of our moral being . Her best work is the ' Characteristics of Woman . ' It is more abundant in the indications we have noted , than anv other of her writings ; and , notwithstanding the eloquent panegyrics it has called forth , seems to us to be not yet rightly or fully appreciated . This work is the highest point to which her
remarkably progressive mind has attained . And it is good evidence of the capability of accomplishing much more . The fragments of moral treasure which may be gathered up in it , show a mine at hand that will well bear working . Her power is self derived , and self nurtured . It is fed from the fountains of
her own beautiful nature . And this is the reason why Mrs . Jameson is best when reflective . She suffers from sociality . We always love her in soliloquy , but she often teazes us in colloquy . Her dialogues make us long to tell her to cut her company . They almost vulgarize her own manners . Her wit degenerates ^ into smartness . The fairy spirit becomes a mortal . The world ' s people are not her proper associates . She should ever dwell
amongst the Loves of the Poets , or the Women of Shakespear . Or when she has communion with folks of this world , her intercourse should be , and so we trust it will be , on the present occasion , as that of a gentle interpreter between genius and popularity . Right worthy is she to introduce to her countrymen and countrywomen of England , the Fancies of the poet artist of
Germany . The simple , free , and expressive manner of these sketches is the same that we have alread y been familiarized with in the Outlines . There is the same power of realizing the conception , with the least possible employment of means and machinery : the power which is characteristic of genius in all its varied productions : and which is akin to that of nature in its elemental com-
Untitled Article
678 Retzsch * s Fancies .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1834, page 678, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2638/page/2/
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