Listings for Reader:
William Charles Macready
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Jane Austen : Emma
'Finished Miss Austen's "Emma", which amused me very much, impressing me with a high opinion of her powers of drawing and sustaining character, though not satisfying me always with the end and aim of her labours. She is successful in painting the ridiculous to the life, and while she makes demands on our patience for the almost intolerable absurdities and tediousness of her well-meaning gossips, she does not recompense us for what we suffer from her conceited and arrogant nuisances by making their vices their punishments. We are not much better, but perhaps a little more prudent for her writing. She does not probe the vices, but lays bare the weaknesses of character; the blemish on the skin, and not the corruption at the heart, is what she examines. Mrs. Brunton's books have a far higher aim; they try to make us better, and it is an addition to previous faults if they do not. The necessity, the comfort, and the elevating influence of piety is continually inculcated throughout her works - which never appear in Miss Austen's.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready Print: Book
Jane Austen : Northanger Abbey
'After dinner read a part of "Northanger Abbey", which I do not much like. Heavy, and too long a strain of irony on one topic.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready Print: Book
Jane Austen : Mansfield Park
'Lay down on the sofa, reading Miss Austen's "Mansfield Park"... The novel, I think, has the prevailing fault of the pleasant authoress's books; it deals too much in descriptions of the various states of mind, into which her characters are thrown, and amplifies into a page a search for motives which a stroke of the pen might give with greater power and interest. Is Richardson her model? She is an excellent portrait painter, she catches a man near to the life.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready Print: Book
Jane Austen : Mansfield Park
'Finished "Mansfield Park", which hurried with a very inartificial [sic] and disagreeable rapidity to its conclusion, leaving some opportunities for most interesting and beautiful scenes particularly the detailed expression of the "how and the when" Edward's love was turned from Miss Crawford to Fanny Price. The great merit of Miss Austen is in the finishing of her characters; the action and conduct of her stories I think frequently defective.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready Print: Book
Robert Browning : The Return of the Druses
William Charles Macready, in diary entry for 3 August 1840: 'Read Browning's play [The Return of the Druses], and with the deepest concern I yield to the belief that he will [italics]never write again[end italics] -- to any purpose. I fear his intellect is not quite clear.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready Manuscript: Unknown
Charles F. Darley : Plighted Troth
Wiliam Charles Macready, Journal, 6 August 1841: 'Finished the play of Plighted Troth -- a play written in a quaint style, but possessing the rare qualities of intense passion and happy imagination.'
UnknownCentury: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: William Charles Macready
Robert Browning : 'The Cardinal and the Dog'
William Charles Macready, Jr. to Robert Browning, May 1842: 'My dear Mr Browning 'I was very much obliged to you, for your kind letter. I liked exceedingly the Cardinal and the dog. I have tried to illustrate the poem, and I hope that you will like my attempt.'
