From The Spectator.

MR. HAWTHORNE ON ENGLAND.*

But

fortable self-esteem, occasional dulness, and frequent superficial moroseness draw from THERE are very few living men, except Mr. him. We feel more inclined to quarrel with Hawthorne, who could write two volumes him on party-American than on English upon English places and things without mak- grounds. We certainly cannot think the ing them intolerably dull. Even in this better of his judgment that he still takes book, full of graceful sentiment and delicate every possible pains to mark his admiration fancy as it is, crowded with sentences the for the "statesmanship" of his friend, the late mere harmonious cadence of which makes President Franklin Pierce. That that purthem a pleasure almost apart from their blind instrument of the great Southern party meaning, and whose meaning has the fanci- had Southern statesmen at his back, amply ful kind of beauty which we see in the tinted justifying Mr. Hawthorne's significant euloclouds of sunset—even in the midst of Mr. gium on their administrative ability and imHawthorne's subtle and airy criticisms on plied sarcasms on the men now in power, that English scenes, we waken up with a sensa"God had not denied us an administration tion of more vivid pleasure when he conde- of statesmen then," we are well aware. scends to some of the many fair but pungent that, looking back at General Pierce's adminsarcasms on English manners with which he istration by the light of recent events, Mr. strows his half-dreamy and half-vigilant com- Hawthorne should feel anything but the bitments. It is like the pleasure of the prince terest shame at having pleaded the cause of in the "Arabian Nights," when he comes one whose only political claim to the presiacross a grain or two of cayenne in the subtle dency was grounded on his servility to the and delicate, but otherwise slightly monoto- champions and the cause of slavery, and, as nous, flavor of the cream tarts. Mr. Haw- we now know, of secession, it is not so easy thorne's artistic eye probably recognizes the to understand. However, Mr. Hawthorne's value of this vital element in his literary fan- political ties are no affairs of ours. We alcies, and without opportunity for its use would lude to them only because he takes some pains never have undertaken to produce two volumes in this book to prove that he still regards his on the old churches, cathedrals, quaint vil-electioneering little" Life of Franklin Pierce' lages, and other to his eye-grotesque inher- without the shame and regret which, as a itances to which the England of to-day is heir. politician, we think he ought to indulge, and For our own parts, instead of being inclined which even as a literary man he has no reason to take offence at his sparing use of sarcasm, to repress. we could have enjoyed a good deal more of its pleasant stimulus, being quite aware not only that many of his caustic touches are deserved, but that even when they are least so, they are but set-offs against English prestige, which the sensitive patriotism of the American obliges him to put down and make much of, in order to satisfy himself that his own branch of the English stock has surpassed the parent stem in life and beauty. We could wish Mr. Hawthorne had oftener indulged in these racy and pertinent reflections in which our own countrymen with more or less humor, according to the individuality of the writer, but, rarely indeed, with so much good taste and self-restraint,-have so freely indulged in visiting America; and we should be ashamed, indeed, if Englishmen could not take in good part the sly laughter or, perhaps, now and then, bitter sarcasm which our com"Our Old Home." By Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Two volumes. Smith and Elder.

Mr. Hawthorne has always had a very keen sense of the imaginative value of a long historical past, and what is, perhaps, the most curious part of the matter, of actual, visible monuments of such a past existing on the very scenes and in the face of the living present. We doubt if any nation can really be great all at once; it must have at least a vast deal more conscious power if it acts in the spirit of a glorious past, than if it can only extemporize anxiously and doubtfully the true national attitude of the moment. But why the Americans should not put in their claim to our common historical inheritance simply because they have abandoned to us the physical monuments of the past, and have transferred themselves to a new theatre of events, it is not so easy to see. The dramatic unities would seem to have a vital truth, after all, if a nation can so intimately feel that a complete change of scene breaks the continuity of its historic life.

fairly be said to stand upon the previous stage, the past is no more a burden than the firm earth which lies beneath us. Mr. Hawthorne clearly recognizes in the American nation this unappeasable regret which alone renders the past anything but a support. It is a noble and graceful sentiment, but as a taunt it recoils upon himself.

Mr. Hawthorne, however, scarcely seems we doubt whether, in fact, the "burden of to admit this. In the very title of his book, the past, as Mr. Hawthorne calls it, is and throughout its substance, he seems to near so keenly felt by those for whom the divide the imaginative claim to a historic past past still partially lives in the present, as by somewhat unfairly between the two nations, those whose institutions ignore, while their leaving us all the weariness and stupidity of hearts and habits acknowledge it. With us a burden of centuries, and claiming for his the past, no doubt, partly obsolete, is, so far own countrymen all the refining influences of as it is alive at all, a part of the actual life national memory, without any of the disa- of to-day, and, therefore, no more a burden greeable dead weight of national responsibil- to the imagination than any other part of our ity. The "Old Home," is, in fact, to the living organization. The burden is felt only American nation just what an ancestral hall when the past has impressed a tendency which is to the younger branch of a great family, the present is compelled to resist. When a which has gone forth thence to found its own plant which has been trained to climb against fortunes in the world. They recall the stately a tree or wall reaches its highest summit, deeds of the old stock with pride and pleas- casts out its new shoots into the unsupporture, but throw off all the oppression of its ing air, and is obliged to creep downwards meanness and its crimes. Their connection again towards the foot, no doubt, there is therewith is just slight enough to choose a “solution of continuity " which makes the whatever they like from among the tradi- previous habit of the plant a "burden" to tions to connect with their name, and to it, but when there is no break of this speak of what they do not like with a foreign kind, and each stage of the organism may air, as the unfortunate ancestral traditions of the elder branch. Thus, Mr. Hawthorne tells us, that the Englishman "likes to feel the weight of all the past upon his back; and, moreover, the antiquity that overburdens him has taken root in his being, and has grown to be rather a hump than a pack, so that there is no getting rid of it without tearing his whole structure to pieces. In my The book has plenty of other good-hujudgment, as he appears to be sufficiently mored sarcasms, of which it is, perhaps, less comfortable under the mouldy accretion, he casy to extract the sting, but not at all diffihad better stumble on with it as long as he cult to bear it. The passage, already famous, can. He presents a spectacle which is by no on the English dowager with "awful ponmeans without its charms for a disinterested derosity of frame, not pulpy like the looser and unencumbered observer." Surely, it is development of our few fat women, but masa little unfair to an American critic to speak sive with solid beef and streaky tallow, so of himself as the "unencumbered observer." that (though struggling manfully with the If England has a large hump of tradition on idea) you inevitably think of her as made up her back, like the dromedary, America has of steaks and sirloins," is full of point and two smaller ones, like the camel,—one ac-humor. What can be happier than the folcreted" before the emigration, and one of lowing?" When she walks, her advance is transatlantic growth. Which is the least elephantine. When she sits down, it is on a burdened by its load Mr. Hawthorne well great round space of her Maker's footstool, knows. The dromedary is the fleet steed, where she looks as if nothing could ever which goes on swiftly with the pioneer, while move her." Mr. Hawthorne evidently thinks the camel plods with the heavy goods behind. that something like this was the allusion With an "intuition" of the past so vivid when the Psalmist reported the "round as he shows everywhere in this book, we can-earth so fast that it cannot be moved," not allow Mr. Hawthorne to repudiate its re- though the British dowager can scarcely sponsibilities because he happens to have have then been invented to glue the footmoved (like millions of stay-at-home English-stool down. Yet the American critic is men) out of the immediate scene of hoar an- not insensible to the brighter side of Brittiquity into a more modern world. Indeed, ish beauty. "An English maiden in her

66

"His shall be the breathing balm,

And his the silence and the calm,
Of mute insensate things ;"

for he has a way of letting his fancy settle
on them, and leisurely creep over them like
an old moss, till it takes off their exact shape
and influence. Here, for instance, is his no-
tion of the effect produced upon him by the
crumbling architectural beauties of the out-
side of Litchfield Cathedral:-

"Everywhere there were empty niches where statues had been thrown down, and here and there a statue still lingered in its niche; and over the chief entrance, and extending across the whole breadth of the building, was a row of angels, sainted personages, martyrs, and kings, sculptured in reddish stone. Being much corroded by the moist English atmosphere, during four or five hundred winters that they had stood there, these benign and majestic figures perversely put me in mind of the appearance of a sugar image, after a child has been holding it in his mouth The venerable infant Time has evidently found them sweet morsels."

teens," he says, "though very seldom so' amusing fancy become a little tame and pretty as our own damsels, possesses, to say listless in dwelling so long, as they do, on the truth, a certain charm of half-blossom, mere things, however old. Yet he has a and delicately folded leaves, and tender wo- sense of things, too, which few literary men manhood, shielded by maidenly reserves, can equal. It might have been said of him with which, somehow or other, our Ameri-thatcan girls fail to adorn themselves during an appreciable moment. It is a pity that the English violet should grow into such an outrageously developed peony as I have attempted to describe. I wonder whether a middle-aged husband ought to be considered as legally married to all the accretions that have overgrown the slenderness of his bride since he led her to the altar, and which make her so much more than he ever bargained for. Is it not a sounder view of the case that the matrimonial bond cannot be held to include the three-fourths of the wife that had no existence when the ceremony was performed?" Mr. Hawthorne, as an artist, feels the retrograde nature of a living process which, instead of gradually setting free the statue from the block in which it is, according to the artistic theory, somewhere imprisoned, begins with the statue and ends with scaling it up in a block. Perhaps he may derive comfort as a man from Mrs. Browning's suggestion, that "youth, with its beauty and grace, would seem bestowed on us for some such reason as to make us partly endurable till we have time for really This kind of power of entering into the becoming so without their aid,-when they nature of places and things is a very marked leave us." Many a face, "massive with one of Mr. Hawthorne's, so that we somesolid beef and streaky tallow," which inevi- times think he might produce quite as good tably reminds you of "steaks and sirloins "" intuitions" concerning the mode of existwill have a good hearty laugh over Mr. Haw-ence of inorganic nature as of our English thorne's description, where the violet-eyed past. It is the principal charm of this book maiden would resent the least imputation on which, except a very happy episode on Miss her beauty. But if Mr. Hawthorne is mis- Laura Bacon, the Shaksperian philosopher, chievous on the British, he is not less amus- whose book Mr. Hawthorne could not read, ing sometimes in hits at his own countrymen. but is very angry with us for not both readHis description of his own troubles at the ing and admiring, a fine chapter on Dr. Liverpool consulate, when deputations of Johnson's penance in Uttoxeter, the account Yankees would come simply to put him of his consulate before referred to, and a through his paces as their principal consul, very humorous description of our civic banchoosing a chairman apparently outside his quets, is so entirely occupied with localities door, and then subjecting him to a stiff cross-as to be exceedingly dull in any one else's examination from that worthy, who adressed hands. He, however, has the art of half him as " My consul," is exceedingly entertaining. But we must take to heart the parts intended for our improvement, and leave this admirable first chapter for discussion across the water.

transforming himself into a sleepy place, keeping, however, just the slightest possible flavor of intellectual malice about him as he creeps about describing how slow it is, which invigorates and refreshes the imagination of

Even Mr. Hawthorne's delicate humor and the reader.

The lord mayor whom he has immortal- | which his office was held—at least my friend ized in his last chapter, when he coupled Mr. thought that there would be no harm in giving Hawthorne's name quite unexpectedly with his lordship this little sugar-plum, whether a toast, with true civic address panegyrized quite the fact or no-was held by the dethe American consul's "literary and com- if I liked, getting flexible with the oil of my scendants of the Puritan forefathers. Thence, mercial attainments," a compliment of which own eloquence, I might easily slide off into Mr. Hawthorne very fairly makes good fun. the momentous subject of the relations beBut the lord mayor was not so far wrong. tween England and America, to which his Few literary men ever possessed a more envi- lordship had made such weighty allusion. able faculty of making capital out of small Seizing this handful of straw with a deathevents and putting it out to usury success- rip, and bidding my three friends bury me fully, which is, we suppose, a commercial honorably, I got upon my legs to save both faculty, though it is used in literature. For bles roared and thundered at me, and sudcountries, or perish in the attempt. The tainstance, the aforesaid incident gives Mr. denly were silent again. But, as I have Hawthorne a most happy occasion for a hu- never happened to stand in a position of morous, stately, and even dramatic fall of greater dignity or peril, I deem it a stratthe curtain on these sketches. Let our read- agem of sage policy here to close these ers judge for themselves :sketches, leaving myself still erect in so heroic an attitude."

:

"As soon as the lord mayor began to speak, I rapped upon my mind, and it gave And thus Mr. Hawthorne remains forever forth a hollow sound, being absolutely empty in our minds in the truly "statuesqe" attiof appropriate ideas. I never thought of tude which he denies to us poor Englishmen, listening to the speech, because I knew it all beforehand in twenty repetitions from other facing Gog and Magog and the man in armor lips, and was aware that it would not offer a and the English nobility and the assembled single suggestive point. In this dilemma, I aldermen and his treacherous enemy, the lord turned to one of my three friends, a gentle- mayor himself, about to win one of the man whom I knew to possess an enviable flow great triumphs of oratory, but withholding of silver speech, and obtested him, by what- from us the secret of its glories. It is a ever he deemed holiest, to give me at least an

available thought or two to start with, and, striking attitude and a memorable scene, once afloat, I would trust to my guardian which will remain burned into our imaginaangel for enabling me to flounder ashore tion almost as long as the Scarlet Letter again. He advised me to begin with some which his genius has so effectually branded remarks complimentary to the lord mayor, into it.

and expressive of the hereditary reverence in

FROM a letter dated August 17th from President Lincoln to Mr. Hackett, the tragedian, we glean the President's critical opinion upon some of Shakspeare's plays. "Some of Shakspeare's plays," he writes, "I have never read; while others I have gone over perhaps as frequently as any professional reader. Among the latter are Lear,' Richard III., Henry VIII.' 'Hamlet,' and especiallyMacbeth." I think none equals Macbeth." It is wonderful. Unlike you gentlemen of the profession, I think the soliloquy in Hamlet' commencing, 'Oh, my offence is rank,' surpasses that commencing, To be or not to be.' But pardon this small attempt at criticism. I should like to hear you pronounce the opening speech of Richard III.' '*

MESSRS. STRAHAN AND COMPANY are preparing for publication "Memoirs of the Life and Labors of Dr. Andrew Reed," by his sons; "Select Writings of Edward Irving" edited by his nephew, the Rev. G. Carly te; and "A Sister's Bye-Hours," by Miss Jean Ingelow.

M. FELIX RIBEYRE, the editor of the Constitutionnel, has in press, "Histoire Politique, Militaire, et Pittoresque de la Guerre du Mexique," compiled from official documents. It will form a royal octavo volume of about three hundred pages, and will be illustrated, by way of frontispiece, with a steel engraving of the portrait of the present Emperor of the French.

From The National Anti-Slavery Standard. among the list of that great company of noble THE REV. H. W. BEECHER AT MANCHESTER. Englishmen from whom we derived our docA MEETING was held on Friday, Oct. 9, in trines of liberty (cheers). For although I the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, according understand there is some opposition to what to announcement, "to welcome the Rev. H. are called American ideas, what are these W. Beecher, on his public appearance in this American ideas? The seed-corn we got in country." The hall was extremely crowded, England (hear); and if, on a larger sphere, and there were probably six thousand persons and under circumstances of unobstruction, present. It was supposed, from the paper we have reared mightier sheaves, every sheaf war of placards for the last fortnight, that contains the grain that has made old Engthe meeting might be disturbed by partisans land rich for a hundred years (great cheerof the Confederate States. Arrangements ing). I am also not a little gratified that my had, therefore, been made for the prompt first appearance to speak on secular topics in suppression of disorder; and notices to that England is in this goodly town of Mancheseffect were posted about the room. The chair ter, for I had rather have praise from men was taken at half-past six, by Mr. Francis who understand the quality praised, than Taylor. At the same time the entrance of from those who speak at hazard and with Mr. Beecher, accompanied by Mr. Bazely, little acquaintance with the subject (hear). M.P., and some prominent members of the And where else, more than in these great Union and Emancipation Society, was the central portions of England, have the docsignal for enthusiastic and repeated cheering. trines of human rights been battled for, and Padre Gavazzi was in one of the reserved where else, have there been gained for them seats below the platform. The first row was nobler victories than here? (Checrs.) It is occupied by forty of the students of the Lan- not indiscriminate praise therefore; you know cashire Independent College. what you talk about. You have had practice in these doctrines yourselves, and to be praised by those who are illustrious is praise indeed (cheers). Allusion has been made by one of the gentlemen-a cautionary allusion, a kind of deference evidently paid to some supposed feeling-an allusion has been made to words or deeds of mine that might be supMr. Beecher then said, Mr. Chairman, posed to be offensive to Englishmen (hear). Ladies, and Gentlemen: The address which I cannot say how that may be. I am sure you have kindly presented to me contains that I have never thought, in the midst of matters both personal and national (inter- this mighty struggle, which has taxed every ruption). My friends, we will have a whole power and energy in our land (“Oh," and night session but we will be heard! (Loud cheers)-I have never stopped to measure cheers.) I have not come to England to be and to think whether my words spoken for surprised that those men whose cause cannot truth and fidelity to duty would be liked in bear the light are afraid of free speech this shape or in that shape, by one or another (cheers). I have had practice of more than person (cheers). I have had one simple, twenty-five years in the presence of mobs and honest purpose, which I have pursued ever riots, opposing those very men whose repre- since I have been in public life, and that was sentatives now attempt to forestall free speech with all the strength that God has given me (hear). Little by little, I doubt not, I shall to maintain the cause of the poor and of the be permitted to speak to-night (hear). Little weak in my own country (cheers). And if, by little I have been permitted in my own in the height and heat of conflict some words country to speak, until at last the day has have been over sharp, and some positions come there when nothing but the utterance have been taken heedlessly, are you the men of speech for freedom is popular (cheers). to call me to account? (Hear.) What if You have been pleased to speak of me as one some exquisite French dancing-master standconnected with the great cause of progress in ing on the edge of a battle, where some Richcivil and religious liberty. I covet no higher ard Coeur de Leon swung his axe, and critihonor than to have my name joined as one cised him, by saying that it "violated the

Mr. Greening having read an address to Mr. Beecher on behalf of the Union and Emancipation Society, the Rev. Mr. Beecher turned to the audience to speak, but for several minutes he was prevented by deafening cheers, followed by a few hisses, which only provoked a renewed outburst of applause.