-
Articles/Ads
Article A MODERN NOVEL SOMEWHAT UNDERVALUED. Page 1 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Modern Novel Somewhat Undervalued.
A MODERN NOVEL SOMEWHAT UNDERVALUED .
BY FHATEE SCHOLASTIOUS . WE are among those who think that justice has hardly been done to " Phineas Redux , " if not the last , one of the latest , of Mr . Anthony Trollope ' s works . \\ only precedes , if Ave remember rightly , " The Way Ave Live NOAV , " ancl " Tbe American Senator . " For some reason , though Avhy Ave knoAv not , ( perhaps a dread of political disquisition , a dislike of impossible occurrences ) , " Phineas Eedux " does not apparently
command the usual amount of interest and approval , Avhich many of the efforts of that most effective of writers have properly and undoubtedly obtained at the hands of a critical and complacent public . It may be , as Ave before observed , the fear of political disquisitions , the dislike of impossible occurrences , the somewhat unreal framework of the story , which have militated with the general and proper appreciation of Mr , TroBope ' s pleasant pages . The Trial is Ave deem a great mistake , ancl Avill always be a blemish on the work , however ably described , because , like another work of tho same prolific author , it is w _ approach to a , sensationalism utterly unworthy of the
genius and poAvers of Anthony Trollope . Such a " tour cle force" is unnecessary for the story , and gives to a very striking and admirably conceived work , that appearance of unreality and personaHty combined , Avhich has hindered much the proper development of hearty popular appreciation of a most amusing novel and a very attractive tale . Yet for all this—ancl a good deal more might be said , ancl has been said—Ave are among those AVIIO have perused " Phineas Redux" Avith much of heartfelt
pleasure , sympathy , and admiration . It may be , indeed , we admit at the outset , that the hero , " Poor Phinny , " comes before us an old acquanitance , by no means as an unexceptionable hero . It is unavoidable , but that Ave have to deal in part with the older story of " Phineas Finn , " AvMcb for some reason , if much praised , has also been , as we think , hastily depreciated .. " Phineas Redux " is necessarily built up on " Phineas Finn , " as an after-work on
an original foundation , ancl it is impossible to bring out the salient features of tho former Avithout recurring to tbe prevailing memories of the latter . Phineas is , as Violet Chiltern Avould wittily observe , " by no means a Swan ; " but yet , as " nous sonnies tous mortels , " let us be discreet and charitable , not too critical , and certainly not too severe . It is perhaps undeniable , Ave feel , that a rigid Moralist might hold , that Phineas had no right Avhatever to place bimself deliberately in the position of being a fervent admirer of Violet Effingham , Lady Laura , ancl Poor Mary , all at the same time !
We cannot—and no one can , Ave think—possibly defend our hero when he thus appears equally ardent , equally sympathetic , ancl equally inconsistent . If it be a true picture , as it probably is , of certain excitable dispositions , Ave feel that it is not a pleasant " spectacle " to contemplate , nor is it an improving one . Indeed , tho feelings and vieAvs and position of Phineas in this respect are , it appears to us , Ave confess , difficult to analyse , ancl still more difficult to defend . And yet let us not be too ready to blame Phineas . Violet , one of the most charming of Mr . Trollope's creations , probably hit the real mark Avhen she treated it all as a little amusement on the part of a genial , good-looking , somewhat impulsive young man .
She , Avith her wonderful clearness of vision and decision of character , saw throug h Ms little weakness , and " spotted" his little game . She recognised both his idiosyncrasy and his Avorth , ancl she treated him accordingly—all praise to her , as all true women should treat an amiable ancl Avell-meaning young man . She quietly refused him . —she did not even snub him , much less quarrel with Mm . After all , then , that anyone can say against this portrait of a modern hero , ancl Mrs . MuUgrubber and Tiger if ones , ancl the RevTbeodosius 0 'Whackhave great deal to especiall the " big 1
. , a say , y on ' moral line , " Ave cannot affirm here that we can very gravely blame Phbieas Finn . I * 01 ' Phinny is not the first man , nor will be by very many a long Avay , who has got into a scrape with "the petticoats , sir ! " As one old friend of ours used sententiously to observe , " There is nothing so dangerous , after all , in this world , as a bit of dimity . "
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Modern Novel Somewhat Undervalued.
A MODERN NOVEL SOMEWHAT UNDERVALUED .
BY FHATEE SCHOLASTIOUS . WE are among those who think that justice has hardly been done to " Phineas Redux , " if not the last , one of the latest , of Mr . Anthony Trollope ' s works . \\ only precedes , if Ave remember rightly , " The Way Ave Live NOAV , " ancl " Tbe American Senator . " For some reason , though Avhy Ave knoAv not , ( perhaps a dread of political disquisition , a dislike of impossible occurrences ) , " Phineas Eedux " does not apparently
command the usual amount of interest and approval , Avhich many of the efforts of that most effective of writers have properly and undoubtedly obtained at the hands of a critical and complacent public . It may be , as Ave before observed , the fear of political disquisitions , the dislike of impossible occurrences , the somewhat unreal framework of the story , which have militated with the general and proper appreciation of Mr , TroBope ' s pleasant pages . The Trial is Ave deem a great mistake , ancl Avill always be a blemish on the work , however ably described , because , like another work of tho same prolific author , it is w _ approach to a , sensationalism utterly unworthy of the
genius and poAvers of Anthony Trollope . Such a " tour cle force" is unnecessary for the story , and gives to a very striking and admirably conceived work , that appearance of unreality and personaHty combined , Avhich has hindered much the proper development of hearty popular appreciation of a most amusing novel and a very attractive tale . Yet for all this—ancl a good deal more might be said , ancl has been said—Ave are among those AVIIO have perused " Phineas Redux" Avith much of heartfelt
pleasure , sympathy , and admiration . It may be , indeed , we admit at the outset , that the hero , " Poor Phinny , " comes before us an old acquanitance , by no means as an unexceptionable hero . It is unavoidable , but that Ave have to deal in part with the older story of " Phineas Finn , " AvMcb for some reason , if much praised , has also been , as we think , hastily depreciated .. " Phineas Redux " is necessarily built up on " Phineas Finn , " as an after-work on
an original foundation , ancl it is impossible to bring out the salient features of tho former Avithout recurring to tbe prevailing memories of the latter . Phineas is , as Violet Chiltern Avould wittily observe , " by no means a Swan ; " but yet , as " nous sonnies tous mortels , " let us be discreet and charitable , not too critical , and certainly not too severe . It is perhaps undeniable , Ave feel , that a rigid Moralist might hold , that Phineas had no right Avhatever to place bimself deliberately in the position of being a fervent admirer of Violet Effingham , Lady Laura , ancl Poor Mary , all at the same time !
We cannot—and no one can , Ave think—possibly defend our hero when he thus appears equally ardent , equally sympathetic , ancl equally inconsistent . If it be a true picture , as it probably is , of certain excitable dispositions , Ave feel that it is not a pleasant " spectacle " to contemplate , nor is it an improving one . Indeed , tho feelings and vieAvs and position of Phineas in this respect are , it appears to us , Ave confess , difficult to analyse , ancl still more difficult to defend . And yet let us not be too ready to blame Phineas . Violet , one of the most charming of Mr . Trollope's creations , probably hit the real mark Avhen she treated it all as a little amusement on the part of a genial , good-looking , somewhat impulsive young man .
She , Avith her wonderful clearness of vision and decision of character , saw throug h Ms little weakness , and " spotted" his little game . She recognised both his idiosyncrasy and his Avorth , ancl she treated him accordingly—all praise to her , as all true women should treat an amiable ancl Avell-meaning young man . She quietly refused him . —she did not even snub him , much less quarrel with Mm . After all , then , that anyone can say against this portrait of a modern hero , ancl Mrs . MuUgrubber and Tiger if ones , ancl the RevTbeodosius 0 'Whackhave great deal to especiall the " big 1
. , a say , y on ' moral line , " Ave cannot affirm here that we can very gravely blame Phbieas Finn . I * 01 ' Phinny is not the first man , nor will be by very many a long Avay , who has got into a scrape with "the petticoats , sir ! " As one old friend of ours used sententiously to observe , " There is nothing so dangerous , after all , in this world , as a bit of dimity . "