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Leader (1850-1860), 16th December 1854, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1194

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      awakfcabMy ' SOf / rebabilitatecl , but . not the less a following in prose English of what the author * of the Tannhauser ballad has done in German verse . To t 3 ie cliil&'fehS ia simjrtjr avftihey tale of ' powerral- kings' with fabulous ^ wealth tend : innumerable armies ; valourous young * heroes-, opportune- fairies , hairbreadtu-esoapesi and a- genecaT and unutterable confusion- of ^ time , space , &n 4 language , without wnicn . a fairy tale is . sure to be a failure . Young l ^ i& . wJJJ ^ Qrja . over . itb y the glimmering ^ fire-light with engrossed : inte-C 69 t > aniLgo . to . bad ; anil dream , of Criglio and : Sosalba . aad . Bong Padella , wMe oldXXo ®^ Yirili » i taking , up the book * will ait witka genial pleasure in fel&httti ^ ajML * quiet , ourl at &e cerneraof his raauihY as he sees in the Hose cmdihmJiinghwnaxuc ^ ftini quiet sarcasm * useful lessons for grown . meu aad ^ fomeitvadmin 5 ster » d throug h , rude puppets ^ and enjoying-a : tMag unique in iitteraturo—characters i » aw-extravaganb-fairy tale always , acting and talking tot the ^ truest and deepest- principles ; of human nature . From a ttoo&tfiatneai ^ -everybody will" buy it is useless to extract , but ve cannotrrefrajh frcaa giving , one or two specimens o £ Thackeray on a new . ^ pound :- ^ A HINS FOR FAIBIES .

      JBret ^ eattitheJangdoma Eauagpnia . and . Grim Xartary . there lived a mysterious ^ jsrsonag ^ vha was towiwninjttjoae countries as the Fairy Blaekstick ,. from the efeonjwand or crutch which she carried ; 0 n . wlucJ 1 . 3 harode to themoon . soxuetunes » or upoa other excursions of business or pleasure , and with which she performed her wondera . Wheat she-wa ^ young , and had been first ; taught the art of oonjuringi by the necroamunerj her fatlier , die was alway&pnwtising hex-skill , whizzing about from oneking-¦ 4 am tcoauother : upon her black sticky and conferring her fairy flavours upon thiapriacfc oxthft fc . ahft . 'i » ad £ B 8 orea ; of royal godchildren : ; turned , numberless . wSdsed . people into ¦ b 9 a « t ^ tbird 8 » , mUlstoneaj . cJocfea , paoips , b 6 otjacks , umbrellas , or other absurcl shapes JUQ ^ uiua ^ TOBtinvras one of . the-. moat active , and officious of the . whole college of . fairies . But ^ te ^ two or . threathou ^ aad ye * r 3 of . this sport , I . suppose Blaciatick-grew tired ¦ ofcit . < fe , Eerliap ; s . Bhe : thQu ^ ht ,, "Wlvatu ©) 0 d . ain ., I doing by . sending , this Princess to sl ^ fprahwadtedyeara , ? by , fi ^ ng , * black puddittg on to that booby's nose ? by « au 3 ing diamouda and ' pearls to dtop . from one little girl * 9 mouth , and . vipers and toads iafcpnr another ' s ? I begin to think Tdo as much harm , as good by ray performances , I might as * w * H" shut my-incantations up , and allow things to take their natural ¦ coarse . " . . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' . : ¦ ' , . '

      ^ Tatero were ^ my young goddaughters ^ King Savio ' s wife , and Duke PadeU » T $ wife , I gave them eadta ^ presftnt v which was to render them ; charming in the eyes of timxhusband * ,, and ; se ^ ara- tie ; . affection , of -these genttemsiL as long : a » theyrh * ved > "WftMvgoo&owL n > y , Etose and . ii ^ lUng do the ^ Hone pnearth , Eroxa Slaving allitheib whhpihidttlged : by theirhusbands , . they became ca ] aicipus ,. lazy > ttl < - iuunoujfid , absurdly vain , and . leered , and . languished , " and . fancied , themseiyes irre--sfetiUly : beautMpl ,,. when . they ; wera reatUy quita old snd . hideous , the ridiculous crear ¦ tores I * Theyj twed actuaUy to p « trooise me when I went to pay , t&eni a visit - , — -me , tfe Pairy BlacKstick , -who knows all the wisdom of the necromancers , and who could liave turned them into baboons , and all their diamonds-into strings of onions by a single iv-ayeof my rod ! " So she locked up her books in her cupboard , declined further magical performances , ja < LscarceljrusedJifir . waaiLat all except as a cane to "Walk about with .

      So -when Duke Padella ' s lady had : a little son ( the . Duke -was at that time only one ofcthft principal noblemen i » . Grim , Taytaxy ) ,, Blackatick * , although / invited to the ¦ c £ r i 8 tBning ,, would aot so much as attend ; but merely sent her compliments , and a silver papboat for the baby , which was really not worth a couple of guineas . About tlift'saineftlto&tiie QTieen of"" Paflagonia presented hiar Majesty with' a son and heir <; « md ; gi «» : vpea * fi ^ s < li the capital illuminatedj and no end of- feasts , ordained , to cater * r « kettheyooneErince ' a birth . It : Vas . thought thefairvj , who waa asked to , ba his ^ dmother ^ ^ would at least nave presented , him with . an invisible jacket ,, aiflying hoiso , ^ Ftortunatus ' a purae , or eo » ixe other valuable token of her favour ; iut . insteadV Blaokatidcwant up to the cradlet of the xuiild . Giglio , when everybody was admiring him and = comn ^ eatiag h % . ray ^ Raj 8 a . and . mJun ^ said ,. "My poor child * the beat . thing I can ., send you is & little , misfortune ^* and this was all she would utter , to the disgust iof GffcJJo'a parents , wK <> died ' very soon after , when ( Jiglio's . uncle took tho throne , as -we-read in Chapter £

      NOTHING LIKE A SIQRAX , 'A * soiaiar , Prince * must needs obey hia orders : mine are to help his Majesty Padtilto And alfto ( though alack : that I should say it !) to seize wherever I should lighfeupco hiin , ' »• U -Birsi catohyoarrhare-J , ha * HedcoflF ! " exclaimed . his Boyal : HighneBft .. l » - » r-QAith »; hady-of < J % M » ,,-whiloi » & Prince of . Paflagonio , " UedKoff went on » . with indtawabaWA emotion > ?» ] Jt y- Erintffy . giw wp yo » c : e . word without . ado .. LooJc ! . we are tbicty , thouaantl Jnen . to on « V . ' ?' Criveiup . my , awordl . ^ tiglio give up . hia wYordi '" cried thePaince ^ and , ateppuig wpIC forward on t « the . balcony ,, the- , royal yowth ,. wi < A « H « ^ ejpamtfon , delivered a l 8 ent that no can do to ifc It all u \

      ¦*^ ew . O m agnific report iuatico . w « s blank vorae ?( ubcwhicn , from tioiatune , holhvariably spoke , as more becoming . liis mojeatiostation ) . Xt lABU&lftat three days and three nights , during -which not a single person who . heard him w « s tired , or- remarked' the difference betweea daylight and dark , The . soldiers onlycoHeering tremond 6 wsl ^ when occasionally , oitce in n » n « hours , the Prince pauaod *» aarft atr orange which Jones toek > out of the bag . He explained in terms which wo aayrirei-, sball : not ^ jtterop . t to oonvoy ,, the wholeihiatory of tuoprovaoua tronflaction ; : and W » . dot « rmln » ttonLKot only notto-givo uphia awowl ^ bttt to ., assum \ a hia rightful ccown : -andaK ^ the oiuL of taisr * x ; trQor < linory ,, thi 9 truly 9 tf <*^ o ^ ort , Captain , liedzpjff flung sup his helmet , and cried , " Hurray ! Hurray I Long liYe . BtiDgj . CUgliol " SM ? h . were . the otawquonccs . of-haying employed lua , tinao . woll , At cullogol

      AiIUWTTIiE H ( rfDHB 0 I « I » BDAbJ . ift Ij . had th « tp « n , » t a , 81 r Aw 4 u . baM Alison , roy doar frieuds , would < I not now -wxtx > rtom y /» with . th ^ acwuntoia . moH trowaadflus Bhindy ? , Showldnot ; fine blows bcfttnipU , / dreaOfuXwouJulahftdeUvftrfid ^ ftwows > darken , thoai * . ? oannonTholla cjaslx through the battflUpm ?; ooyal ry pbwg « . infantry ? infantry p ^ itoh into , oavalry ? bnglea lilfrw ; drama boat ; horsee noj ^; flfos 8 ing ; aoldiors roar , swear , hurray ; officers fljaowt ont ,, " IWardi my men ? This way , 3 o « lS , r " Give it 'em , boys , Tight for Kjng < 3 ? g 3 U > ,, and the couse of right ! " »» King I " adella , for over ! " Would I not de-« oribo--ftU this , X' aay , and in tlierory finest- language , too ? But' tHia humble pen does ftot'IMHUeastho skill- necessary for the deacrlptfcOn of comb at * . In a word , tB © overthrow oT Klngi EadelWfi army waia bo complete , that Ifi they had beon RuaaUins you <» uld ] notj h » V 0 tTrbhe < l th , dm to I ) e more utterly . 'amaahod and confounded .

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      NAVAL NOVELS . "RM ' Ttooi Athnirafc By J , X ^ almpre Cooper , Koutlcdge ., Tmituao willoertainly oome when tlia influence of novels on the mind of tt * , oowntryv will receive tho consideration of a philosophical historian . OAUy , th ^ : Qtuor daw'we read , on the authority of Panizai , tuafr Mr . Hallam

      had much regretted the vranfcof the novels of a certain period in th « British . Museum .. Mr Hallam . knows , what ? good 1 iterature is , and if he proposes to himself the task ofwadiag tbwugh aiuass-of such productiona as under the name-of novels deluge English book-shops , it must assuredly be with a clear oonvietioni that ' " trashy" or not trasby , the works in question have an important effect on the formation of public opinion . Even to know what only the . foals of a century ago liked , is certainly useful in its way , and belongs to history . 3 STbw , the fools of that p eriod are to be judged of ffom the ° nayeis ~ -as from tlie good ones we judge of the tastes , opinions , and . ways of living , of tlie sensible portion of the community . Innumerable readers in our . own century have been made tones by Scott ; and , assuredly , naval novels have sent many a ; youth of England and America to sea . it is

      characteristic of the novel that it divides itself into such immense varieties that every class of life and opinion has its own works of fiction . Our business at present ? is only -with those novels which profess to deal -with sea-life , and particularly with the life of the English navy- This work of Cooper ' s forms a very appropriate text , for the English navy is the scene of its action—and jjistat the present time the En ^ lishi navy occupies even a more prominent position than us « al in tho eyes of Europe . With the ancients sea-life was a comparatively unimportant affair . Xhe poetry , of that beautiful , sea ,. o £ which alone they knew much , foundits way into their songs and their traditions , of course . Bat the seaman by profession-was of the poorest class of freemen , and held in little esteem . The fighting-man in the ship was quite & , distinct person—and , indeed , was only a soldier temporarily changing bis element . Antiquity had no Nelsons nor

      Colhngwoods , and looked on a man who made the sea his career as an unhappy mortal at the mercy of the watery Orion , with the records of whose dangers the templea were full .. The terror . which breezes , braved with indaflference by our current brigs , inspired , in their writers , U-a sufficient testi ? mony that "T ? om Bowlia ^ ( or " Bow-lingius , ' * as a commentator would call him if making liieaeiemarks : m a : note on the " Oiium Z >« yos '') wafroneofthatlar » e class ofc productions " unknown to the ancients / ' There is undouhtedly a likeness between all sailors , but lorn Bowling is so infinitely superior to fchesej that it would : be an * injustice to dwell uoon the points of similarity . The Northern Sea developed our ancestors inta a very different race . The

      brawny" and bony fellows above wlioaa the raven floated were the founders of our nauticar power . To a gi ; eat eJCfcent we got sailors by the necessity of haying commerce ^—but , aiso . wegort commerce because we had sailors . To thiis day the best French sailors come from Normaady . Collirigwobd derived hia-lineage frjoraPanish Ifoifchumberlan ^ , and Nelson bore a . Scandinavian name . u JiForth .-cbuntrymen ' are stUl the best seaineu afloat , ; , and , on the whole t our ^ abips are supplied from . tbe same places ¦ whence seamen have always beenaupplied . In truth , it is ** seamanshi p ^ " strictl y so called ^ that consti fciltes < nir superiority- Wo have seen ^ Russian brig in harbour / beat an English one in routine performances . No one doubts that the French are brave men

      antf good gunners ; but it is when it is blowing , and the ship has to be handled well , that the superiority of Englishmen shows itself . The Yankees take to the sea , ' —after their ancestors ^ -though they have never , yet chosen to exert themselves to . have the great nayy which it is in their , power , and will probably be one day their destiny , to attam . By dint of our naval literature * , the seaman has become a familiar object to the . English . mind—being representedby a permanent figure , as Pwtoh \ a ~^ aodthiitfigurej . wheh wo trace it backwards , w not found to have material changed . Tho boatswain in the Tempest has an immense deal in common with the present boatswain of the popular imagination—and both hail a brother in Congreve ' s sailor in Love for Love . The sailor whom the English love to tfhncy , is a- fellbvv in whom all extravagances are pardoned for the sake of his pluck , and his fidelity , andhis hard life—whose drunkenness—whose noise—whose , lavish pecuniary , expenditure and questionable relation to " Poll" are not harshly treated even by Stiggjns . He is the most charitably treated of all Englishmen by public opinion , occupiea a fairy world where the instincts are allowed full , swing and everything is pardoned for its ojjvuKnicn ^ ivuu buouiunine atnis

      , wo pcrawii wuo . . a—n—g U * t loast in wur limo ) would be . thought orthodox indeed ,. but a littlo too strict .. Ho has been always and every where so considered . Mandeville * in the Fable of the Beesy makes a vetry happy illustration out of the case of the Dutch sailor , his oountryman . Says he—if he had tho least prudence— if he did not instantly , on-landing , get a fiddler ^ a coach , get well drunk , and all the rest of it , —if Hesavedi and retired }—whv , whea-e would be our East India trade ? Whereupon , Mandevillo ( a higbly humourous philosopher ) ' insists that " private \ nces are public benefits /* at least in . then case of the sailor . * The naval , officer ( of . tradition ) is very much , tho same peraon . as the humbler tar . For a while , indeed , military men , or private gentlomen eoEViCd afloat , and fought * and came on ,, shore again- —much aa was donej in tho Gr ^ ek ; » ndi Roman days * These gentlemen are repreeonted in our literature byvBowel ' s * well-known ^ and onpital song ; But such a custom could not have lasted—could- only have been exceptionally succoseful—and , if permanent ^ would' have made wa a far inferior naval power . Most of our groat naval ' men have beon at sea fi-om boyhood—for the sea demands a whole , life like everything else—and sailors respect , an officer , as < x sailor

      more , perna-ns , tl » an in any othor capacity , The great captains of tho lust century wero ^ naval men ,, and noUiingbut naval men : their representative mihtoraturais Smollett , whp drow Trunnion from life , Smollett ; was- not . at sea long , and that only as a surgeon . But an oyo Ukq Smollett ' s , ( whoso , talent , rs Tlmokoray has justly remarked , was leaa for invention than for delineation of > wliat ; he had seen ) sees iv great deal mnq , great while . Naval lifo , then , was . infinitely coarse and hard ; and an ofRcor was * so much at soa that ho differed from tho rest of his iamily as a farmer-differs from a Cockney , or a " digger * ' from a dancing-master . Ho was looked on , when ho came on shore , ns a different kind 1 of a . nimali and oxanuned with feelings of awe and wonder . His contempt for all huraau employments onshore—his loud voice—his execrations—Ins insatiable annetito

      tor grog aad tobacco—hia mortal shyness in tho ^ company of Lady Mary , and ^ the equally romarkablo fojeocity with which ho courted the dauy-auud •^ hia figurativo ueo of nautical language , in which alone he generally expressed liimselfi—conxhinod . to form a man whoso vocation m Hfo wae to

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      IM £ TmJSu LEAMB , [ 8 Am ^ KDAX ^

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 16, 1854, page 1194, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2069/page/18/