The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-04
MIR. THA CKERAY AND MR.. EDMUND YATES
THE GARRICK CIUR


| A case which promises to be of considerable in
terest in literary and club circles, and which will
raise an important and novel point is to be led by
! one of the common law Courts at Westminster II
| arises out of the dispute between Mr.. Tbackerav
and Mr.. Edmund Yates both members of the Gar
rick Club which arose under the following circum
stances Under the title of"Literary Talk" Mr.
| ates published an article having for its subject
Mr.. W. NJ: Thackeray, and thus describes "his ap-
| pcarance:"
| ''Mr. Thackeray is 46 years old, though from the
sllvery whlteness of his hair he appears somewhat
older. He is very tall standing upwards of six feet
two inches, and, as he walks erect his height makes
! him conspicuous in every assembly. His face is
bloodess and not particularly expressive but re-
markabe for the fracture of the bridge of the nose
the result OF an accident in youth He wears small
gray whisker, but otherwise is clean shaven. No
one meeting him would fail to recognize in him
gentleman His bearing is cold ana uninvitino.
his style OF conversation either openly cynical or
atlectedlv good -natured and benevolent; his boD-
homme is forced, his wit biting, his pride easily
touched; but his appearance is invariably that of a
cool, suore, wellbred gentleman, who whatever
may be ranking within, suffers no surface display
of his emotions"
Mr.. Yates then proceeded to comment on Mr..
Fhackeray's genius: at was with the publication
OF the third and fourth numbers of TdHify Fair
that he began to dawn upon the reading public as
a great genius" Then "His success eliminated
with Lectures on English Humorists of the Eigh-
tcenth Century which were attended bv all the
court and fashion Of London. The prices were ex-
trayagant, the lecturers aduaton of birth and
position was eXtravagant the success was extrava-
CANT"
The pubcationof of the article in question having
been brought to the knowledge of Mr. Thackeray
he wrote to Mr.. \ aes describing the article ''to
be not offensive and unirendly merely, but SANDER
Gus and untrue" Mr.. Thackeray concluded with
the following admOniton: 81 beg rs | have right
to do, that you will refrain from printing comments
upon my private conversation; that YOU will orc2o
discussion, however laundering, on INV private at
lars; and that you will hencetorth please to
] nfr ,,,,1t l-t,
ciSm."
Mr.: Yates Immediately reioned by a letter. in
which he rejected Mr.. Tbackeray's "anory under
standing" of his phrases adding: .lf your letters
were not slanderOus and untrue | should readily
have discussed the subject with you, and avowcd
my earnest and frank desire to set right anything
may have left wrong" Mr. Thackcrav then sub
mitted the correspondence which had passed be-
tween MIR. Yates and himself, together with the
copy OF the article to which he had taken exception,
! to the Committee of the Garrick Club. Mr.. Yates
having heard that Mr.. Thackeray had adopted this
| course, wrote to ask the Committee to suspend
their Judgment until he could prepare hls own YER
| SION OF the case; and subsequently wrote to the
Committee questioning their right to entertain the
matter at all. ''The article" be said may be in
exceedingly bad taste but the committee Is not a
! Committee of taste"
The Committee at a special meeting, resolved
| that it was competent IN them to entertain Mr..
! Thackarav's complaint. that the complaint itself
was well grounded, and that the practice of pub
lishinr such articles, beng reflections by one men,
Der of the Club against any other would be fatal to
the comfort of the Club, and nolerable in socie-
! ~ nj gentlemen. The Committee further resolved
! that Mr.. Yates, was bound to make can annie
! anoIoov" or retire from the Club. Mr. Yates de-
cined either to retire to apologize, and stated he
would appeal to general meeting two questions
! first, whether the case between Mr.. Thackeray
and himself was such a case as should be submitted
to the Committee at ALL and secondly, "Whether
Mr.. Thackeray has any right to call for an APOLOGY
from me when he had so arrogantly and coarsely
addressed me-
The result was that Mr.. Yates subscription was
returned, and it was intimated to him that he was
expelled from the Club. He has therefore institu
ted an action against the Committee for trespass in
refusing to allow him to enter She Club, and his
will raise the important question affecting the
rights of members generally, whether the Club had
the right to expel Mr.. Yates not 1t is under
stood that there will be large array of legal talent
on both sides. The Attorney General has been re-
tanned for the Committee of the Garrick Club. Mr.
Edwin James, q. c. is to lead the case on behalf of
the plaintiff, Mr.. Edmund \ ates.
They are reducing the wages at Lowell: in some
instances the reduction is equal to twenty-five per
cent.
The Cumberland Telegraph is informed that there
I hg.NnN EgagdE Eln nNaRlaW