On this page

• Text (1)

  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.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • 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.

    Untitled Article

    develop the character ; it is consistent with the portrait , but it adds nothing . So also Valentine Blyth—not by any means so well done —who runs through the book always a pleasant figure , but not more nearly known to us at the close than he was at the beginning . The idea of the character is excellent , and there was fine material in that conception of an artist without genius , happy in . his belief of genius , and rendered -worthier by that belief : — " It is not all misfortune and disappointment to the man who is mentally unworthy of a great intellectual vocation , so long as he is morally worthy of it ; so long as he can pursue ft honestly * patiently , and affectionately , for its own dear sake . Let him work , though ever so obscurely , in this spirit towards his labour ; and he shall find the labour itself its own exceeding great reward . In that reward lives the divine consolation , ever gentle and eve * true , which , though fame turn her back on him contemptuously , and affluence pass over unpitying to the other side of the way , shall still pour oil upon all his wounds , and take him quietly and tenderly to the hard journey ' s end . To this one exhaustless solace , which the wort , no matter of what decree , can -yield always to earnest workers , the noan who has

    succeeded . ; and the man who lias failed , can turn alike as to a common mother ; the one , for refug ^ fr pm envy , from hatred , from misrepresentation , from all the sorest evils which evenrthe thriving child of fame is heir toj the other , from neglect , from disappointment , from ridicule , from afi the petty tyrannies which the pining bondman of obscurity is fated to undergo . ™ . . . The story of this painter ' s ambition , his marriage , and the charming episode / of the sick wife , axe what a dramatist would call capital " motives ; ( b ; utltKey should have bean more folly worked out—developed iivto a story , instead of being simply narrated . - The same renkark applies to Madonna , an original creation and one full of interest ,. but of whom , more might have been made . Mat is the best specimen in the book of tie other mode of character-drawing . No description is given of him . But he makes himself known to us vividly enough . Let the author , in future , throw bis efforts into that direction , and he will find the combination of incident with character far more effective for

    both . " Hide and Seek" teaches many lessons , all of them lessons of kindly , headthy ethics . The injudicious severity of Thorpe ( admirably mitigated while imitated by Mrs . Thorpe ) towards the harum-scarum T > oy , whose scapegrace doings do not prevent . our being very fond of him—tne kindness iina devotionof Blyth—the rough pathos of Mat—we shall not rob of their * elish by hinting at the story in which they appear ; but content ourselves "with a random extract ox two of easily-extractable matter .

    CLASSIC ABT . ** The chief aim of the muses who preside over classic art—whether it be ancient or modenif whether it take the form of poetry , painting , or music—seems to be to preserve their artificial dignity as goddesses , by banishing their natural charms as women ; to lave even jyith their professed admirers on the most stately and formal terras ; and to . keep the world ajt large thcnrqughly weD away fr tm them , by improving , informing , and attracting ; as few people as JDOSnble by any-recognisably useful , truthful , or graceful means . When , fur eumpleythe muse who presides over the classic dramacondescends to appeal icily to-ua frpmafar ofi ^ and writes a play , she selects a suicide—say Cato—for hero . She keeps him m 6 Bs 9 U » tly engaged in talkiog patriotism and philosophy ; represents him as always moving ajto ^ ujacomfor tably in halls , porticoes , senate-houses , and squares ; and never lets us hear 4 word ^ nrom Ks lips of any of the universal human subjects which the poor wretch mast have talked about , when h ? ate his . bit of classical dinner , when he dawdled out into the fortiiB on idle dajs to hear the news , or when he started off constitutionally for a brisk

    Bdmari walk . ¦ •? And , / again , when the classic muse resolves to paint a picture of the pastoral hilarity of . primeval iimes , is it not alvays her principle to make , men and women as unlike human 2 ^ tu ' re « s possible f Her haypy female revellers most always exhibit an incredibly- ugly " sba ^ ht pfp ^ e Une from the top of the forehead to the tip of the nose ; and must generally ' be rade to-expreM ecstasy by topping on one leg— -apparently in a hurricane , judging by the frightful manner in which their petticoats and hair are blown about them on these occasions . And as for the jovial male companions of the ladies , are they not always monsters withtawjly redskins , mottled outrageously with lumps of knotty muscle ? Are they not continually , more or less drunk ?—continually more or less beastly and ridiculous in tTieir ontics ? Must we believe such representations to be poetically suggestive of life among tbe simple inhabitants of a young world . Of course we must ; for it is the classic muse -who has done them I

    " Or , lastly , when this same classic muse appeals to our ears , and writes a symphony , what immense pains she takes in that , as in other things , to avoid being popularly and immediately pleasing ! She combines all her instruments in a general conspiracy against one weakly little atom of a tune ( frequently not her own property ) , which is always trying to make itself heard , and always being bellowed down sternly for its pains ; until , at last , assailed by screeching fiddles , shouting horns , grunting double basses , and tfeacheroa&lymelliflaous flutes , it expires , faintly piping , in a storm of furious fugue , after a gallant but vain struggle for existence , -which has lasted for more than half an hour . " Is not that description of the symphony wonderful ?

    THK GARDEN SCENE . "It was a quarter to twelve by the hall clock at the rectory , and one of tbe finest aatamn mornings of the whole Beasan . Vance , Doctor Joyce's middle-aged man servant , or * Bishop Vance , as the small wits of Rubbleford call him , in allusion to his sleek and solemn appearance , liis respectable manner , his clerical cravat , and his speckless black garments , is placing the cake and cowslip wine on the dining-table , -with as much stately formality and pompous precision as if has master expected an archbishop to lunch , instead of a clown's wife and a little girl of ten years old . It is- quite a sight to see Vance retiring , and looking at the general effect of each knife and fork as he lays it down ; or solemnly strutting about the room , with a spotless napkin waving gently in his hand ; or patronisingly confronting the pretty housemaid at the door , and taking p lates and dishes from her with the air of a kitchen sultan who can never afford to lose his dignity for a moment in the presence of the female slaves .

    "The dining-room window opens into the rectory garden . The morning shadows cast b y the noble old elm-trees that grow all around , are fading from the bright lawn . The rich floiver-beds g leam like beds of jewels in tbe radiant sunshine . The rookery id almost deserted , a solitary sleepy caw being only heard now and then at long intervals . The singing of birds , and the buzzing of busy insects sound faint , distant , and musical . On a sliady seat , nmong the trees , Mrs . Joyce is just visible , working in the open air . One of her daughters aits reading on tlie turf at her feet . The other is giving the younger children a ride by turns on the back of a large Newfoundland dog , who walks along Blowly with hia tongue hanging out , and his great bushy tail wacging gently . A prettier scene of garden beauty and family repose could not bo found in ufi England than the scene which th « view through the rectory window now presents . "

    THK COUNTENANCE OF" VICK . The Roman Poet wliO j writing of Vice , ascribed its influence entirely to the allurement of the fair disguises that it wore , and asserted it to bo n monster ho hideous by nature that it only needed to be seen to excite the hatred of all mankind , uttered a very p lausible moral sentiment , which wants nothing to recommend it to the unqualified admiration of posterity but a slight seasoning of -practical truth . Kven in the most luxurious days of old Rome , n may very safely bo questioned whether Vice could cvor nfTord to dwguise itself to win recruits , except from the wealthier classes of the population . But in these modern times , it may bo decidedly asserted us a fact , that Vice , in accomplishing the vast majority of its soduciions , usos no disguiiie at all ; appears impudently in its nuked deformity ; und , instead of horrifying all beholders , in accordance with the predictions of the Classical satirist ,

    absolutely attracts a much more numerous congregation of worshippers than has ever vet been brought together by the divinest beauties that Virtue cam display for the allurement of mankind . " That famous place of public amusement , known to the loose-living and late-roamine youth of London by the name of the Temple of Harmony , affords , among hosts of other instances whioh might be cited , a notable example to refnte the assertion of the ancient Doet by establishing the fact , that Vice Is in no danger of being loathed , even when it presents itself to the beholder uncovered by the bare rags and tatters of the flimsiest disgnise . " The Temple of Harmony , as its name denotes , was principally devoted to the exhibition of musical talent , and opened at a period of the night when the performances at the Theatres were over . The standing orchestral arrangements of the place were all comprised in one bad piano ; to which were occasionally added , by way of increasing the attractions , performances on the banjo and guitar . The singers were called 'Ladies and Gentlemen . ' The Temple itself consisted of one long room , with a doable row of benches , bearing troughs at their backs for the reception of glasses of liquor . It had a slightly raised stage at the end for the performers ; and its drab-coloured walls pretented to be panelled , but made so bad a pretence of it as to merit no notice , and even to get none .

    " Innocence itself most have seen at a glance that the Temple of Harmony was an utterly vicious place . Vice never so much as thought of wearing any disguise here . No glimmer of wit played over the foul substance of the songs that were sung , and lid it in dazzle from too close observation . No relic of youth and freshness , no artfully-assumed innocence and vivacity , concealed the squalid , physical deterioration of the worn-oat human counterfeits which stood up to sing , and were coarsely painted and padded to look like fine women . Their fellow performers among the men , were such sodden-faced blackguards as no shop-boy who applauded them at niglit would dare to walk . out with in the morning . The place itself had as little of the allurement of elegance and beauty about it . as th . « ueotrie .

    ere was no bri g ht gilding on the ceiling—no charm of ornament , no comfort of construction even , in the furniture . Here were no viciously-attractive pictures on the walls—no enervating sweet odours in the atmosphere—no contrivances of ventilation to cleanse away the stench of bad tobacco-smoke and brandy-flavoured human breath with which the room reeked all night lonp . Here , in short , was Vied wholly undisguised ; recklessly showing itself to every eye , without the varnish of beauty , without the tinsel of wit , without even so much as the flavour of cleanliness to recommend it . Were all beholders instincttively overcome by horror at the sight ? Far from it . The Temple of Harmony was crammed to its last benches every night ; and the proprietor filled bis pockets from tbe purses of applauding audiences . For , let Classical moralists say what they may , Vice gathers followers as easily , in modern times , with the mask off , as ever it gathered them in ancient times with the mask an . "

    To understand tbe following extract , it should be stated that Zack , the son of the respectable Thorpe , is in the habit of " letting himself in" at late hours , -while his parent sleeps secure ; this night he has been " indulging " too freely : — " There are some men whose minds get drunk , and some men whose bodies get drunk , under the influence of intoxicating liquor . Zack belonged to the second class . He was perfectly capable of understanding wbat was said to him , and of knowing what he said himself long after his utterance had grown thick , and his gait had become perilously uncertain . He was now quite conscious that his visit to the public-house had by no means tended to sober him ; and quite awake to the importance of noiselessly stealing up to bedbut be was , at the same time , totally unable to put the key into the door at the first attempt , or to look comfortably for the key-hole without previously leaning against the area railings at his side .

    " * Steady , ' muttered Zack , *¦ ¦ I ' m done for if I make any row . ' Here he felt for the key-hole , and guided the key elaborately , with his left hand , into its proper place . He next opened the door , ' so quietly that he was astonished at himself—entered the passage with marvellous stealthiness—then closed the door again , and cried ' Hush I' when he found that he had let the lock go a little too noisely . * ' He listened before lie attempted to light his candle . The air of the house felt strangely close and hot , after the air out of doors . The dark stillness above and arouod him was instinct with an awful and virtuous repose ; and was deepened ominously by the solemn tick-tick of the kitchen clock—never audible from the passage in the day time : terribly and incomprehensibly distinct at this moment . " * I won ' t bolt the door , ' be whispered to himself , ' till I have struck a— ' Here the unreliability of brandy as a curative agent in cases of fermentation in the stomach , was palpably demonstrated by the return of the hiccuping fit . ' Hush ! ' cried Zack for the second time ; terrified at the violence and suddenness of the relapse , and clapping his hand to bis mouth when it was too late .

    " After groping , on his knees , with extraordinary perseverance all round the rim of his bedroom candlestick , which stood on one of the hall chairs , he succeeded—not in finding the box of matches—but in knocking it inexplicably off the chair , and sending it rolling over the stone floor , until it was stopped by the opposite wall . With some , difficulty lie captured it , and struck a light . Never in all Zack ' s experience , had any former matches caught flame with such a shrill report , as was produced from tbe one disastrous and diabolical match which be happened to select to liglit his candle with . " The next thing to be doue was to bolt the door . He succeeded very well with the bolt at the top ; but failed signally with the bolt at the bottom , which appeared particularly difficult to deal "with that night ; for it first of all creaked fiercely on Deingmoved—then stuck spitefully just at the entrance of the staple—then slipped all of a sudden , under moderate pressure , and ran like lightning into its appointed place , with a bang of malicious triumph- lf'tbjat don't bring tlie governor down—thought Zack , listening with all Ins ears , and stifling the hiccups witL all hia might—he ' s a . harder sleeper ^ han I take him for . > > ¦

    " But no door opened , no voice called , no soun ^ any kiml broke the mysterious stillness of the bed-room regions . Zack sat down on the ^ stMf ^ iijad tpok his boots onV-got up aga in with some little difficulty , listened , took his candlestick , itsTenetiwfcaae-Biore , "whispered to himself , ' Now for it I' and begun the perilou& , ascent to ^ hus / own room . " He held tight by the bannisters , only falling- against them , and making them crack from top to bottom , once , before he reached the drawing-room landing . He ascended the second flight of stairs without casualties of any kind , until h « got to the top step , close by hia father ' s bed-room door . Here , by a dire fatality , the stiffed hiccups burst Beyond all control ; and distinctly asserted themselves by one convulsive yelp which betrayed Zack into a start of horror . The start shook his candlestick : the extinguisher , which lay 7 loose in itdropped out , hopped playfully down the stone stairs , and rolled over the landing with a loud and lively ring—a devilish and brazen flourish of exultation in honour of its own activity . " ' Oh Lord ! ' faintly ejaculated Zack , as lie heard somebody ' s voice speaking , and somebod y ' s body moving , in the bedroom ; and remembered that lie had to mount anotliei flight of stairs—wooden stairs this time—before ho got to his own quarters on the garretfloor .

    "He went up , however , directly , witli the recklessness of despair ; every separate stair creaking and cracking under him , as if a young elephant had been retiring to bed instead ot a young man . lie blew out his li g ht , toro oiF his clothes , and , slipping between the sheets , began to brcatlio elaborately , aa it he was fust asleep—in tho desperate hope of being still ablo to deceive his lather , if Mr . Thorpe came up stuirs to look after him . " liut another and a lust accident , the direst of all , baffled hia plans « . nd ruthlessly detrayed him . No sooner had l » o aa- ^ umed a recumbent position than a IuhIy and ceaseless hinging began in his ears , which bewildered and half duaifcnud him . His bed , tlie room , tlm house , the wholo world tore round and round , and heaved up and down frantically with him . Ho ceased to boa human being : ho becamu n giildy iitoin , spinning drunkenly in illimitable space . He started up in bed , and wua recalled to a sense of his humanity by a cold perspiration and a deathly ( juuhn . Hiccups burst from him no longer ; but they were succeeded by another and a louder aeries of sounds—sounds familiar to everybody who lias over been at sea—sounds uauticnll y and lamentably associated with white basins , whirling waves , and misery of mortal stomachs wailing in emetic despair .

    " In the momentary pauses between the . rapidly successive attacks of tho malady whicli now overwhelmed him , and which ho attributed in alter life entirely to tlio djspeptic influences of toasted cheese , Zack was faintly conscious of tho aound o ( slippered foot ascending tho stuirs . Hia back was to the door . He had no atrength to inovo , no courage to look

    Untitled Article

    592 THE LEADER . [ Saturday , "'1 ^ . ^ ^—^ ^ ^ ——— . —

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 24, 1854, page 592, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2044/page/16/