vanity of manner, no false pomp of phraseology; the expression is everywhere clear, direct, and resonant, and all without the slightest appearance of effort. The 'Newcomes,' the 'Virginians,' the Adventures of Philip,' and Lovel the Widower,' followed Esmond;' and at intervals appeared the 'Humourists,' and the Four Georges,' which formed the substance of lectures Mr. Thackeray had delivered in England and America. Out of all these works, the character of Colonel Newcome will at once come to the mind as the prominent figure. Had Mr. Thackeray produced no other creation, it would have acquired for him a permanent place amongst our great writers of fiction. It is as perfect in its way as Don Quixote or Parson Adams,-a thorough gentleman, with a tender and loyal heart. Judging from the verdicts of posterity in other cases, 'Vanity Fair' seems to us the most likely of all the novels to maintain its reputation. The work that is most compact and direct in treatment, that is nearest to general truth, and has most of the permanent elements of life, and least of the accidents of time and place, usually outlives its contemporaries. Of De Foe's novels and seminovels, Robinson Crusoe' is the only one known to the mass of readers; and, although 'Amelia' will probably always find a corner in choice libraries, and 'Jonathan Wild' is still occasionally talked of, Fielding survives mainly in Tom Jones,' which holds its ground by virtue of its constructive skill, unity, wit, and profound knowledge of human nature. For similar reasons, a long tenure of popularity may be anticipated for 'Vanity Fair;' it is the most complete, varied, and artistic of Mr. Thackeray's novels, displays more power in different directions than any of the rest, has more story in it, and is less broken up by excursions and digressions. We do not expect that this comparative estimate will carry universal assent. Many circumstances combine to distract opinion in the lifetime of an author, and to produce a diversity of judgments even for some time after his death; and hence each novel has its own circle of admirers, who set it above the rest. We have heard that Lord Macaulay considered Pendennis' the best of the series; and if the constituencies of the circulating libraries throughout the country could be polled for their favourite, there is no doubt that the Newcomes' would run away with a large proportion of the votes. |