Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-02-15
COMMUNICATED
A Wonderful Coincidence" Small
Talk" vs., the London Review.

A Wonderful COinciience-'' Small
talk" vs.. the London Review.
That the minds Of literary men often run
in the saae channel has been admitted by
the most critical reviewers. This fact has
often been arrayed in defense of Mr.. Long
fellow for his gross plagiarism of Mother
wells Good George CampbelP and other
antique poems, and the friends of that
chas1e aud perfect poet, Thomas Campbell,
have brought forth the same defense for
him in reference TO that oit-quoled couplet
Its distance lends enchantment to the view
And robes the mountain in its azure hue,
and another familiar line:
Like angels visits. few and far between"
all of which are gross plagiarisms, very
much injured by manipulation. We have
been much edited and instructed recently
by series of articles under the head of
"Small Talk" from the graceful pen of
the senior editor Of the Republican Ban
asr. He occasionally dips into literature,
and then it is that he breaks the letters
which bind him to the political tripod and
gives US his choicest small talk" A most
wonderful literary coincidence occurred in
one of the paragraphs on Small talk" in
the Banner of the 18th. 1t exhibits a
power of imitation, which, if applied to
ne art of painting, would make tie
author, the peer of Raphael. The author
of "Small Talk" and the editor of the
London RerieW, both concluded to write
something in regard to Mr.. Tennyson, the
Poet-L aureate of England. In order to
show the striking similarity between the
editor of the Bonner and the Repielc, we
will first quote what the Reriew says:
"Mr. Tennysou has grown weary of in-
cense. He is sick of indiscriminate praise
A surfet of vague adulation has produced
a strong reaction; and he gives everybody
notice that henceforward he will not take
any more, and that there is no use
in offering it. 1t seems that his in
Vulnerable admirers have always been
in the habit of sending him manu-
script verses and letters in tolerable
quantities; but that this token of popular
regard has lately increased to quite I'M
! bearable extent. He will no more answer
these vague letters from strangers; he will
no more read their thin versicIes; he has
closed the door of his heart against them,
snd the most touching sppealnor the most
| astounding hattery will draw from him the
boon of an autograph He has requested
the newspaper press to inform all whom it
may concern OF this, his final decision"
And now we will quote from the Banner :
The poet Tennyson hiss grown weary
| of incense and is sick OF indiscTiminate
| praise, and gives everybody notice that
hencefOrward he will not take any more,
and that there IL no use in Offering 1T. 1t
seems that his innumerable admirers have
| always been in the habit OF sending him
manuscript verses and letters in tolerable
quantities; but that this token Of popular
regard has lately increased to quite I'M
| besrsble extent He will no more answer
| these vague letters from strangers; he will
no more read their thin versicles he has
closed the door of has heart against them,
and not the most touching appeal nor the
most astounding hsttery win draw from
him the boon of an autograph. He has
requested the newspaper press, through
the London Rsviei0, to inform all whom it
may concern Of this, his final decision"
This is a most remarkable imitation,
| and in a court of critics, might be pro-
| nounced IN established case Of literary
| piracy. Ii IT did not appear from the
dste, that the article in the London Re
pis,e was published first, ge would present
this case to the international Copyright
/ Convention, az an additional reason for Its
speedy action in requiring foreigners to
| paw for American brainwork.
To be charitable 10 both the Repia5 and
the Banner, we prefer concedinF that the
author of Small Talk" ia his recent
yisit to London, agreed with the editor Of
The Reiesr that they wonld write article
at this time, on Mr. TeRnyson which
should he exactly alike, in manner, style
and even punctuation.
"LARGE TALEh