Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-12-01
William Makepeaoe Thackeray.

William Makepeaoe Thaokeray.
Mr. Thackeray was born at Calcutta, of
English parents, in 1911. His father, man
of considerable wealth, gave him university
education, and left him a moderate competence.
At Cambridge, it is said, Mr.. Thackeray was
not distinguished and it is further said, that
his career at that abode of learning was similar
to that of his own Arthur Pendennis, Esquire.
Be that as it may, the future novelist soon ran
through his patrimony, and was compelled, for
tunately for the world, to take to his pen and
pencil for livelihood For some years he
struggled with pecuniary difficulties, writing
for magazines and booksellers at the rates Of
compensation usually awarded to young writer's
of no reputation.
The first work of the great satirist that at
tracted public attention was the g Yellowplush
Correspondence" published in Frazer's Maya
zine about sixteen years ago. But even after
the appearance of those celebrated papers, our
author was not in circumstances to decline an
offer made him by Mr.. N. P. Willis, to CORES
pond with the Corsair, weekly journal con-
Quoted by Mr.. Willis in New York He wrote
few letters for the Corsair, but the task was
unsuitable to his genius; the letters were
| thought dull, and were soon discontinued Mr..
| Thackeray was an early contributor to Punch
| Some of the best of his minor compositions ap-
peared in that amusing periodical; among
them sSnob Papers" the ''Diary Of Jeames,'
and series of burlesque novels in ludicrous
imitation of Bulwer, James, Ainsworth, and
others.
Mr.. Thackerays first great hit. however, was
ssVanity Fair" novel published originally in
parts, after the manner of Pickwick. The work
met with an extensive sale and emphatic APP
pause, and from that time the fame Of its
author has been second only to that Of Charles
Dickens. Subsequently, We have had :" PEN
Dennis" Esmond," and "The Newcomes,"
all Of them elaborate fctions of great merit and
popularity.
In 1851, Mr.. Thackeray appeared in England
| as q lecturer, delivering course Of six lee
lures upon the English Humorists of the Eigh-
teenth Century The course was remarkably
successful. In the year following, Mr.. Thacke-
ray accepted an invitation from the New York
Mercantile Libary Association to repeat his
lectures in the city of New York. The distin-
guished author received from our countrymen
the cordial welcome which they always bestow
upon the men whose works have entertained
and Instructed them.
The lectures were given in most of our prin-
cipal cities, and after tour Of a few months,
Mr.. Thackeray returned home twelve thousand
dollars richer than he came. He is now among
us for the second time, lecturing upon the
Four Georges who successfully disgraced the
throne of England. His present audiences are
as numerous as those which he addressed two
years ago, and he is listened to with the same
attention and admiration.
Though only forty-four years of age, Mr..
Thackeray has really venerable appearance
on the platform. His person has the English
amplitude, and his countenance is rosy with
English health and generous living. His hail
is almost white; he wears spectacles, and has
the general air of a well-preseryed elderly gen.
tleman. In a miscellaneous company, he is far
from being loquacious; but among his init
mates he conyerses as one would naturally ex-
pect the author of "The NeWcomes to con.
verse. -
Though his writings aresznot so generally
relished by women as by men, he is particular
ly fond of the society of ladies, and is keenly
alive to their charms, both personal and mental
He makes bad lion. People who invite him
to their parties in his leonine capacity are
frequently disappointed at finding the great
humorist. silent, if not moody, when he is ex'
pected to roar his prettiest
The principal works of Mr. Thackeray are
the following: 1.-THE Yellowplush Correspon-
dence;'' "The Great Hoggarty Diamonds;
g Jeames His Diary;" "Men's Wives" " The
Snob Papers," "Thel Paris Sketch Book p
1.-THE Irish Sketch Book" "a Shabby Gen
teel Story" "The English Humorists of the
Eighteenth Century, g Vanity FAIR s'Pen-
dennis: :" ''Esmond'' ''The Newcomes." There
are some other minor works which we do not
now call to mind. All the above have been
republished in this country, and can now be
procured but for the want of an international
copy right law, protecting the unquestionable
rights of authors, Mr.. Thackeray derives nc
advantage from the sale of his writings in the
United States. We are the more glad, there
fore, at his appearance here as public lee
turer; since he is thus enabled to draw from US
q portion of that revenue to which he is justly
entitled.-Life Illustrated.