George P. James

George P. James. The Gentleman of the Old School

London:  G. Routledge, 1839.

Contemporary Reviews

Spirit of the Times; A Chronicle of the Turf, Agriculture, Field Sports, Literature and the Stage; Jun 22, 1839, p. 192

New Books; JAMES has written a new novel called "The Gentleman of the Old School," which the HARPERS have just published. It came to us only an hour since, and we have, therefore, only looked at the title-page. But it is by James, which is quite enough.

The Expositor: A Weekly Journal of Foreign and Domestic Intelligence, Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts; June 29, 1830, p.327.

The Gentleman of the Old School. A Tale. By G. P. R. James, author of "The Hugenot," "The Gipsy," "The Robber," etc., etc. Harper & Brothers: New York.

We question whether the great Encyclopaediasts of old, the Gronovii, the Salmasius's, and the Seldons, were truly more laborious than those who devour page after page of so-called light reading. The commentators and scholiasts were their delight, not their task; and they sat down to crunch a gnarled sentence or to illustrate some dubious custom of antiquity, with as much zest as an epicure brings to a banquet. We begin to think that, like poets, novel-readers by profession must be born, not made; and that to read from a high sense of duty, that is, with a view to criticise, twenty modern works of fiction ought to rank any day with an article on the Digamma, or an inquiry into Icon Basilike. Learned reading, like old wine, derives dignity from its cobwebs; but the patient study of twenty novels is called by rigid moralists a waste of time, and by an ungrateful public, light reading. We mean to illuminate both parties ere long; meanwhile revenons a notre ancien gentilhomme.

Whatever powers of creation may reside in the mind of Mr. James, it is plain that the present work owes its attractions to something more than to splendor of imagination; for the character of Sir Andrew Stalbrooke, with his bland courtesy of manners, his uncompromising rectitude of principles, and noble magnanimity of heart, which distinguish the gentleman of the old school, in every country, from the spurious imitations, so frequently thrust upon society by the tinsel refinement of our own day, is manifestly drawn from life, and we almost swear to having met the original of the portrait somewhere. It has been the author's particular study to place this character in circumstances calculated to make the feelings and predilections of such a person most effectual in exhibition, united with a substratum of descriptions which must entitle the book to more regard than if it had been drawn merely from imagination. In this, therefore, as in all Mr. James's works of fiction, we have
the gratifying conviction, that he has had information as well as amusement in view; and although the fact may not be universally obvious, the task, it must be allowed, has always been adroitly executed.

The actual, till we know it to be such, is so frequently the improbable, even in the events which are occurring daily about us, that is is not matter of much surprise if the extraordinary, in works professedly of the imagination, even with it is the real and true, should be, by some readers or critics, scouted as false, not as to fact merely, but to the usual and credible course of nature. Hence it is, that with works betraying too much enthusiasm and too great an effort for effect, facts are almost invariably treated as fiction, and what was intended as a transcript of true feeling is frequently received as a caricature or a daub. It is far otherwise, however, with Mr. James's portraitures. Almost every scene described, every character delineated in his books, seems to have been sketched from its original in nature, so that, viewed as a mere gallery of spirited and life-like portraits, as a mere series of stories, and sequence of slightly-connected events, each of his novels will be found highly and uniformly interesting. "The Gentleman of the Old School" is the production of a man who has seen much, and has well meditated upon that which he has seen; and there is so decided an air of verisimilitude pervading nearly the whole that we are almost persuaded to believe, that the cognomen given to each of the dramatic personae, is the only fictitious part of the book. We are not quite sure that there is the same sort of master visible here, as on some of Mr. James's earlier productions, but everywhere we see exhibited an intimate knowledge not of men and manners only, but of that profounder kind, a knowledge of the heart. Page following page bears the impress of a great and well-practised power, calmly moving on towards the accomplishment of its purpose, nor is there any want of scenes touching and impressive.

But we are just reminded, that Mr. James has drawn so exorbitantly upon us of late, by the wonderful facility with which he contrives to give form and substance to all his conceptions; that is time for us to bow him politely out of court; we cannot, however, dismiss the case, in so peremptory a manner, without calling in at least one witness to give evidence that the author's powers for philosophic generalization, have lost none of their force and originality, and that the fascinating elegance of style which marked all that ever emanated from his pen, is as preeminently characteristic of this as of all his other productions.

[This is followed by a reprinting of the first four paragraphs of the novel.]

The New-Yorker; Jun 29, 1839, p. 237

The Gentleman of the Old School; by the author of 'Darnley,' &c. (Harper and Brothers). Mr. James seems resolved to take advantage of his present popularity to the gaining of fortune if not of fame. Not one of his late productions will add to his reputation—and it will be well for him to be more chary of his appearance or the public will weary of him as an actor who is too frequently upon the stage. Within the past eight months, four original works by this author have been republished in the United States, viz: 'Tales of Passion,' 'The Huguenot,' 'Charles Tyrrell,' and 'The Gentleman of the Old School.'

The broadest marks of haste are evident throughout this latter production. the marble bears traces, indeed, of the hand of a master-sculptor, but many parts are unfinished, and the whole betrays a lack of time and study. The reader of this novel needs the faculty of 'skipping.' It is overrun with irrelevances; there is a great deal of extraneous matter, a large superfluity of words and ideas introduced to eke out the requisite quantity for the publisher. Still the story is deeply interesting and managed with considerable skill. We were somewhat disappointed in the character of 'Sir Andrew Stalbrooke,' the 'Gentleman of the Old School.' He is indeed full of all generous and noble qualities; lofty in his principles; elegant and refined in his manners; gentle in his disposition; but there are all of his 'old school' traits. We see no portrayal of eccentricities; none of those Holbein and Vandyke touches with are anticipated in this portrait. Moreover it is too seldom introduced; the interest of the reader is attracted to other characters; so that we suspect the name of the book to have been given with but little regard to the course and incidents of the narrative.

The Knickerbocker; or New York Monthly Magazine; Jul 1839, p. 77

LITERARY NOTICES.

CHARLES TYRRELL, OR THE BITTER BLOOD: A NOVEL. BY G. P. R. JAMES. In two volumes, 12mo. pp. 413. New-York: HARPER AND BROTHERS.

THE GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL: A NOVEL. BY G. P. R. JAMES. In two volumes. pp. 489. New-York: HARPER AND BROTHERS.

THE almost simultaneous appearance of these two fictions -- for they were both published, in England and here, within a month -- makes it proper, as well as convenient, to say what we have to say of them in one article. In fact, the presumption is reasonable, that they were both upon the anvil of the author's invention at the same time; and that his mind, when fatigued with the laboring at the one, found the relief of change in taking up the other. That such change affords relief, is perfectly well known to all who have had much practice in composition; and we can very easily imagine, that a writer of such facility as Mr. JAMES, and so thoroughly broken in to the harness of literary drudgery, might readily produce two romances in such near conjunction, but in the fact that they were preceded, at an interval of little more than a year, by a voluminous history, by a large volume of tales, by yet another novel, and if we remember rightly, by some two or three volumes of biography. The wonder is, that working at them by turns, as we suppose he did, the two exhibit so little trace of similarity in plot, character or incident.

The general idea of 'Charles Tyrrell' is, to show the efficacy of trials, cöoperating with good principles, in subduing the faults of a violent hereditary temperament, the 'bitter blood' of the title. Charles Tyrrell, the hero, is the descendant of a race which for centuries has been distinguished by a malignant ferocity of disposition, always active, and at times breaking forth in such outrageous fury, as could hardly be accounted for, by any supposition but that of insanity. In his father, this mauvais naturel exists in full vigor; proving the life-torent of this gentle and unhappy wife, and only less effectual in crushing the soul and spirit of his son, because in the kindred temper of that personage, it finds a resisting power, almost equal in energy to itself. The contrast to this character is a cold, philosophical skeptic, who has faith in neither virtue nor religion; whose intense selfishness has taught him to control his own passions, and take advantage of other men's; and whose only conception of good and evil is founded upon the consideration of expediency. The other principal personages are the heroine and her mother; and the interest they inspire, is more in the mingling of their destinies with those of young Tyrrell, than in their own qualities or actions.

It will be seen, then, that the range of character laid down by Mr. JAMES, in this novel, is not extensive; and that of incident is but little more so. All turns upon the savage malignity of the father: its development, and the effects it produces on the disposition and fortunes of the son, are the material of the story. What that story is, we need not indicate; for they who have read the book, are advised of it, and they who have not yet, would probably not thank us for the ill-timed disclosure. We have only to add, that it is largely imbued with interest; that after the progress of the narrative has once commenced, it is kept up with vigor and directness, no impertinent episodes being introduced, to eke out the requisite number of pages and protract the catastrophe; and that the final consummation is brought about naturally, consistently, and to the entire satisfaction to the reader.

In the 'Gentleman of the old School,' characters entirely different, and a different contrast, are exhibited; the number of personages is greater, and the plot is much less simple. The eminent individual who gives the book its name, is a wealthy English baronet, well advanced in years, but enjoying that hearty and mellow old age, which cöexists with health, serenity of temper, virtuous principles, feelings of pure benevolence, high cultivation of mind, unblemished honor, and the consciousness of being reverenced and beloved. The contrast is, a man destitute of principle, of narrow intellect, placing his trust in cunning, and a slave to avarice. A parallel contrast is exhibited between the hero of the tale, who is a nephew of the 'fine old gentleman,' and his rival, who is the nephew of the avaricious Mr. Forrest; these two being so drawn, as to present the difference between youth and age, in the opposition of their character, and those of the respective uncles. Another personage, of striking characteristics, and exerting a decided influence in the progress of the story, is an old soldier, who has taken up poaching, not as a trade, but merely from the love of sport, and for the excitement of its unlawful prosecution. This is a finely drawn character; abounding in strong points of originality, and extremely well sustained. The gentle sex is represented by no less than four prominent individuals; the heroine, a loving but high-hearted girl, over whom the bad old man exercises the tyranny of an unloving father; a rich a beautiful widow, whom unrequited love betrays to the verge of crime, but who redeems herself before it is too late; an elderly German domestic, and an orphan girl, who suffers prosecution from the licentious love of the younger reprobate, and subsequently plays a very distinguished part in the progress of the narrative.

The incidents of this novel are much more varied and complex than those of the one first mentioned in this notice; they include a greater number of person, and extend over a much greater lapse of time. As in the other, however, there is no needless interruption; no superfluous delay; nothing to excite the impatience of the reader, and inspire him (or her) with an inclination to skip fifty or a hundred pages, and find out at once what the fate of the parties is to be. There are mysteries, indeed, but they are developed in gradual and regular progression, and not crowded all together at the end, as is the case in too many novels, for the mere sake of keeping the reader in suspense as long as possible. In short, the story is constructed with consummate skill, so as to keep interest alive, and yet give curiosity its progressive satisfaction. The only fault, of any moment, that we can discover, is the somewhat too liberal employment of a disguise, which is not eventually explained, and cannot be, while it appears to be unnecessarily introduced. the novel betrays, also, one point of similarity with 'Charles Tyrrell,' which might have been avoided; the apprehension of the hero, in each, on a charge of murder.

But they are fine novels, both of them; less brilliant, certainly, that BULWER'S, but in every other point superior, as they are infinitely superior, like all Mr. JAMES's fiction, in their perfect freedom from any, the slightest, immoral taint, either in sentiment, precept, example, or expression. This is high praise, which can be awarded to but too few novels, foreign or indigenous, of the present day.

Lady's Book; Aug 1839, p. 96

The Gentleman of the Old School. A Tale; 2 vols. Harper & Brothers; New York, 1830.

Mr. James writes too much. Volume succeeds volume with unceasing rapidity, and the press is continuously burdened with his productions. We admire Mr. James; he is a novelist of the very highest character, and we regret to see him producing his works with a haste that does not allow proper time for supervision. 'The Gentleman of the Old School' has many merits, but it is unfortunately marred by the inevitable blemishes of too rapid composition.

-- Prepared by Dave Madden, University of Nebraska, April 2006.
© Dave Madden, 2006.