Next Month will be published, in 3 vols. post 8vo. THE YOUTH OF REGINALD 'DALTON. Want of room obliges us to omit the usual Lists of New Books, Appointments, &c. BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. No. LXXIV. MARCH, 1823. MR NORTH, THE CANDID. No. II. The insertion of a paper of mine în your invaluable miscellany, by entitling me to rank as an author of the very highest class, renders apology needless for saying something of a personage so important as I perceive myself to be. On such a subject, I am aware that one is liable to become tedious long before he suspects it, and can only promise not thus to transgress again. When I sat down to pass away an idle hour in writing remarks on The Liberal, in my chambers in London that publication had just come out, and the name met the eye of the pedes trian wherever he turned—as is always the case when a new work of a trading author appears, if he understands his business. In the remote part of this northern kingdom where I have resided since, The Liberal is unknown; insomuch, that although I pass some hours of almost every day in a large and populous town, the first intimation I received that a second number had appeared, was through the channel of your Magazine for January. People are unapt to suppose that a work which is unknown within the sphere of their own observation, attracts notice in the world. When business called me to your Athens for two days in January, I believed the subject to be stale and out of date, and wanted confidence to ask a place in Maga, for a paper that had lain by me, disregarded, upwards of a month. It was left at Mr Blackwood's, with a written request that it might be published by itself, or burnt; but without an expectation that it would be so published, or a wish that it should be destroyed VOL. XIII. VOL. XII. unused. In submitting its fate to Mr B.'s decision, my view was, to give it a chance of escaping the flames, by finding its way into that Limbo of Vanity, the Balaam box, if such a receptacle for all vain things, embryos, abortions, and unfinished works, has a real material existence; and my hope, that it would not lie unnoticed, but that I might some day have the pleasure of recognizing my own engrafted blossoms, springing from the stem of some nobler plant. There was nothing confidential in the way in which it was thrust upon him; and a paper, of which the writer made so little account, might have been used in whatever way appeared most convenient. When I took up the pen, it was no part of my purpose to play the critic, or to take notice of poetical, or literary beauties or blemishes, merely as such. But moral beauties and blemishes in poetical works, are poetical beauties and blemishes of the highest kind; and some literary offences amount to moral misdemeanours at least. Since the offices of CENSOR and of CRITIC thus interfere with and slide into each other, I shall not be over scrupulous in my adherence to the office to which I appointed myself, but I still desire the former rather than the latter to be considered as my proper department. I acknowledge that an obligation to furnish a No. II. is conveyed in the very title of No. I., at least should my fellow-labourers in Italy persevere in their exertions to improve and enlighten the world by continuing The Liberal. In the care that I observe has been bestowed on my paper to clear it of grammatical errors, I find an as2 K a surance more satisfactory than what teries," and other works alluded to, the is furnished by its being received into reader sees nothing in the Creator and the Magazine, that a continuance of Governor of the world, but the author my correspondence will not be unac- of misery and suffering to his creatures. ceptable. (I wish the corrector of the In“Heaven and Earth," the impendMS. had also superintended the print- ing destruction of the human race is ing.) Unfortunately, I am one of those the theine constantly dwelt upon; the barren rascals who are gagged, unless universal wickedness that produced it you minister occasion to them. I can is but incidentally mentioned, never make nothing out of nothing. The brought home to the reader's heart, or promise to proceed with The Candid impressed on his imagination. The should have been conditional, “To sufferers are the parties with whom he appear whenever The Liberal shall fur- must sympathize, if he enters into the nish a subject.” That I may redeem views of the author. In some of his my pledge, since it has inconsiderately other pieces, the wickedness of the been given, I shall fag at it; but, (to gloomy beings who think themselves speak in the style of the shrewd people I hardly dealt with, because they cannot sojourn amongst,) a man who dines on alter the course of nature, is not kept pin-the-widdies, soon looks like his out of sight, but vindicated, or charmeat. A paper on The Liberal, No. ged on the Author of their being, as II., must be a meagre one ; and whilst unavoidable. No man can carry selfI am picking the bones of this poor deceit so far as to suppose that he is pin-the-widdie, I cannot be blamed if serving a righteous cause by thus reI attempt to inend my dinner with a presenting our nature, or the Author slice of something better. of it. Now that the reader knows as much A poet who professes to take his faof the origin and object of The Candid ble from history or tradition, though as it imports him to know, or suits me not bound by the strict rules imposed. to impart, I proceed. on the bistorian, whose most indispenThe second number of The Liberal sable duty is fidelity to truth, is not at opens with “ Heaven and Earth,” a liberty to pervert history. He is not repoem professing to be founded on a quired to adhere scrupulously to facts; passage in Holy Writ. Whatever may but his inventions must be in perfect be the proper interpretation of this pas- accordance with the great outlines, and sage, spiritual beings, the inhabitants with the genius and character of the of the blest abodes, where there is no genuine story, or the received tradimarrying or giving in marriage, never tion, and carry the semblance of truth became the husbands to material crea- to those who believe the relations on tures. There is no foundation for which they are founded. Even imacharging such an absurdity on the ginary beings, the creations of fancy, Scriptures, in the words of the passage. should act and speak in conformity to Mr Moore, who has fallen into the sonie received theory or hypothesis resame blunder with Byron, more moc specting their nature and existence. destly takes his text from a romance. When an important lesson is inculca. The sin that forms the very essence ted by a great event, the drift of the of Byron's mysteries, and the season- story should be more sacred, if possiing of many of his other poems, is a ble, to the poet than to the historian. seeming purpose, an evident and un- It demands talents of a higher kind, to questionable tendency whether pur invent a tale in accordance with known posed or not, the very reverse of that facts, and to represent men acting which Milton proposes as the theme suitably to the circumstances in which and purpose of his divine poem ; to they were placed, and the characters “ assert eternal Providence, they sustained in the world, than to “ And justify the ways of God to man.” invent a romance, and appply historical names to crcations of the author's This impious tendency, perhaps, is brain. not so offensively prominent in his The inspired historian has recorded, “ Heaven and Earth,” as in some of that the whole world was destroyed by his other productions, yet sufficiently a flood for the wickedness of its inhaapparent to turn his gold into dross, bitants. The family of one righteous. were it much finer in other respects man, who had maintained his integrithan it really is at best. In the “Mys.. ty amidst the universal corruption, a a were miraculously preserved to re- militate against an important article in people the earth, and be the founders the natural belief of mankind, as well of a new race. Byron must either have as the particular creed of Christendom. supposed that he had already made We are taught that this world only will more progress in Italianizing and Ma- be to ourselves a state of trial ; and that homedanizing the people of England, when we are called hence to be judged than he ever will ; or he must have fora for the deeds done in the body, our state gotten that Japhet had a wife, else he will be finally and for ever fixed. If an would not have represented a member angel may still lose his place in Heaof this separated and consecrated fami- ven, so may departed men, who have ly cherishing an adulterous passion for been absolved from the sins committed a daughter of Cain, especially when it on earth. There is still war in Heais farther considered, that such inter- ven, and the powers of darkness are course with their race seems to have not brought under controul. It more been, from the beginning, interdicted concerns us to reflect that such is realto the descendants of Seth ; and much ly the case in this world, as far as each of the wickedness that prevailed in the individual is concerned, than to strain world was ascribed to the disregard of after knowledge, or lose ourselves in this prohibition. Yet the author of vain conjectures, respecting matters on “ Heaven and Earth” has not only which knowledge is unattainable. I done this, but the whole interest of the do not think it blameless to indulge in poem rests on this exceptionable cir- vain speculations on matters which we cumstance. Strike out the passion of have not faculties to comprehend ; and the patriarch for Anah, and you annihi- erroneous notions on points that have late“ Heaven and Earth” at once. The been subjects of unprofitable controsarcastic jeer of Syphax to the Numi- versy, since books began to be written, dian prince,-“Cato's a proper person may be inculcated inore effectually in to entrust a love-tale with,”-seems a romance or poem, than in a formal applicable to the poet. “ A patriarch's treatise. a proper hero for a love-tale.” If he The graver offences of such a muse only desired to astonish the natives, as Byron's, ought not to be treated and would rather excite momentary lightly; they should be censured, not wonder than lasting admiration, it ridiculed. But enough of this. More must be admitted that he knew what venial trespasses shall be noticed anon. he was about, and has taken the best When I consider“ Heaven and Earth" method to attain his end. But the not as a separate work, but a comporeaders are many whom this will not nent part of The Liberal, No II., I satisfy; who think that a patriarch, in am sensible, that whoever censures, or a serious poem, should speak and act applauds, or speaks of it at all with a as becomes a patriarch, and an angel serious face, makes a very ridiculous as becomes an angel ; and that it is appearance. not consonant to good taste or good Is it true, sir, as seems to be intisense, to transform patriarchs and an- mated in a note in your last number, gels into Laras, even in a poem. under title “ Heaven and Earth,” that That an angel, who kept his first Lord Byron has added another Cock estate when Satan fell, should re- ney to the number of accomplished nounce Heaven rather than forego a scholars and friends who share his passion for a daughter of Evema pas- task ?-Hazlitt ! I have seen some of sion that was as hopeless to a lost as the writings of Mr Hazlitt, and that is to an upright spirit is an extravagant saying enough. This will not do long, absurdity. I am not theologian enough my Lord Byron ; be assured of that. to know, whether it is agreeable to the Bind a log of wood and a block of stone usually received notions respecting the together, and cast them on the water; world of spirits, that inhabitants of if the buoyant power of the log is so Heaven have fallen since the creation strong as effectually to counteract the of the material world.* It seems to bathic tendency of the block, of course The opinion, I believe, is Mahomedan. The angels, Harud and Marud, accusers of mankind, were sent to the earth to make trial of their temptations, and were soon seduced into every kind of wickeisess. They were punished by being suspended by the feet till the day of judgment. I write from memory, and cannot quote my authority. they both swim. If the weightier sub- pretty subjects for a fairy tale, or a stance is undermost, as it will be, un- playful effusion of wanton and way. less means are used to place and keep ward fancy, like the Rape of the Lock; it uppermost, the log may be so fools but the monstrosity is too glaring to ish as to suppose, that it rests upon, form the ground-work of a tale, not and is carried by, the block; but if avowedly burlesque or allegorical. The you give it another such supporter, all elopement of spirits with children of three go down together. I do not say dust, is an incident that wants the but that such a spar as Byron may sanction of reason, good taste, popular bear up two such blocks as Hunt and opinion, history, or tradition. It is Hazlitt ; but it is a hazardous, and at only countenanced by the mythology best an unprofitable experiment, to which school-boys learn from their try how many such blocks it can float pantheons, and when endowed with nawith. If the blocks are but laid upon tural good sense, learn to despise bethe spar, not made fast to it, it may fore they cease to be boys; and by rohave the good fortune, at some lucky mances, which the good sense of later moment, to spill them, and right again; ages had discarded from their literabut after being for a length of time ture, although the superior sense of water-logged, it will never again stand this enlightened age seems willing to so well up from the water as it did be- restore them to favour. Milton is so fore. far from countenancing any thing so Byron is known to be a reader and monstrous and inconceivable as sexual admirer of your Magazine ; and the love between spiritual and material parable of the spar and the blocks is creatures, that his Adam speaks to Rameant as a friendly whisper for his phael of the passion to which he was own private ear. His Lordship must too inuch enthralled by female charms, have discovered me to be a warm ad- even where it was properly and natumirer of his works ; and, I doubt not, rally placed, as a weakness of which will take it in good part. he seems to be half ashamed, I agree with you, that there is no kind of coherence, or keeping, between “ Here passion first I felt Commotion strange! In all enjoyments else, this poetic scrap, “Heaven and Earth,” Superior and unmoved. Here only, weak and the other parts of the publication; Against the charms of Beauty's powerful but I must be allowed to say, that in glance.” the note above alluded to, you represent the discordance between them by The angel rebukes him for yielding too strong a figure. Think not, sir, to a subjection unworthy the perfecthat I am swayed by partiality or sym tion of his nature, and warns him of pathy for the Cockneys, as being myself the debasement and disgrace in which à denizen of Cockenzie, in saying so. it might involve him. This produces It is not in thinking better than you a question from the man, whether sexdo, of the other parts of the work, but ual love made no part of the happiness in not thinking quite so well as you of the blest above. To whom the anseem to do of the first, that I differ gel (with a smile that glowed celestial from you. The ape's buttocks, and rosy red, love's proper hue) answered, the stot's tail, aptly enough represent " Let it suffice thee, that thou know'st the hinder parts of the monster ; but Us happy ; and without love, no happi. I see nothing of the lion in his front, but the audacity. Byron and a leash Whatever pure thou in thy body enjoy'st, of Cockneys clubbing their wits to pro- And pure thou wert created, we enjoy duce an obscene Magazine, and bring- Jn eminence.” ing forth such an abortion as The Li. beral, is certainly a sad, droll, strange, sion, may be applied to these unnatu What Adam says on another occatragi-comic, melo-dramatic spectacle -a“ mystery"-a phenomenon, al ral conjunctions: most as much out of the ordinary “ Among unequals, what society course of nature, as two sons of light Can sort, what harmony, and true delight!" or darkness flying off with a brace of damsels of substantial flesh and blood, In Byron's poem, they are censured to their villa in the milky-way. by Noah, as improper and unlawful; The loves of sylphs and ladies, of but this docs not lessen the absurdity spiritual and corporeal beings, may be of supposing them possible. Dess! |