OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. 93 



the man did not get into his stories except by implication. He 

 was too shy, too reticent, perhaps felt too genuinely and deeply 

 to ever unburden himself and make talk about the real things of 

 life. Yes, I think that is true. He had the man's shyness 

 that leaves the deepest and best things unsaid, a sensitive spirit 

 that concealed itself behind all outward acts, knowing keenly 

 what careless, painful and irritating comments are made by the 

 world on what the soul holds most dear. For the real life and 

 vital touch in Thackeray you must go to his letters, to the an- 

 ecdotes about him, to his comical sketches; to his ballads and 

 verses. It was here he bubbled over in fun, let himself loose, 

 plaj^ed the generous, hearty boy he actually was. That he 

 couldn't do with the general public. He never quite forgets in 

 his novels that somebody is looking on. 



How far away this is from Homer or Shakespeare! There zx^ 

 two personalities that stand forever as types of that substantial 

 quality, that primitive force in literature which shows men that 

 take their work seriously because they are in it heart and soul. 

 Homer, (yes, I know it has been doubted there ever was a sin- 

 gle individual of that name, but the name represents a stage at 

 any rate in Greek thought and Greek history) Homer plunges 

 into his tale with the hearty unquestioning delight and uncon- 

 sciousness of boyhood. He is excited by the swish of the water 

 as the boat cuts the ^gean or he follows the precise steps of a 

 priestly sacrifice with the serene assurance that everyone is 

 equally interested with himself. He didn't see anything sad in 

 life. It was all prime fun. But Thackeray is the boy without 

 the unconsciousness of boyhood. The trail of the blase is over 

 his work. 'Xet us make the best of it," he would say, "but 

 there's not much to be proud of in this world. It is empty, it 

 won't bear examination, it is a puppet show." Imagine Shake- 

 speare giving that impression ; you can't imagine it. Withal 

 he gives you far cruder tragedies and shrinks not from the agon- 

 ies, physical, mental and moral, the sum total is always the pro- 

 found and lasting conviction that this is a great world with vast 

 undiscovered realms in it of unmeasured potencies and excel- 

 lence. One Cordelia, Portia and the rest, redeem the presence 



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