The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-28
rhar,e. Reade I'm Luck.


Charles Reade I'm Luck.
1t is said to be an ill wind that blows no
body good, and even such great public
calamity as the Beecher scandal is not with
out advantage to at least one man. The per-
SON to whom this illest of winds blows good
Is no other than Charles Reade, the novelist.
or late years, Reade's reputation which had
risen to great popularity was falling rapidly.
The variety and ingenuity of his plots bad
ceased to surprise the public. His stalwart
heroes versed in all manly exercises, skilled
in all fair accomplishments and gifted with
all honorable virtues had grown
little iiresome. Even his wonder
full heroines - fair combinations OF
saint and sinner, 1.-the in motion,
incomprehensible in motive-sunshine and
shadow-pearl and peacock's featbers-wild
cat and angel-even those wonderful pro-
auctions, fol- the manufacture of which
Reade alone possessed the receipt, failed to
prove as interesting as of old. People
finally grew to such disgusting point of
indifference that they ceased to care whether
the author of "Love me Little. Love me
Long" stole hisplots from the French or not.
Mr.. Reade, however, in his later novels, hit
upon a means of securing public attention
which has rarely failed of success. He in
troduced into his stories, either un-
consciously or with malice prepense, a faint
tinge of gentlemsDly immortality. BY
continually verging upon delicate ground
he could interest many readers, even
those who were only curious to see how
near such a skillful man@uverer could 60
to the verge of indecency without trans
crossing. 1t took the American people some
time to find out that the celebrated Char es
Reade really was writing dangerous stories.
The discovery was made when "Griffith
Gaunt" was running as serial in the At
lantic Monthly. All prudish New England
hailed the opening chapters with delight,
but began TO draw down the corners of its
solemn mouth as the tale progressed. 1t be-
gan to be whispered that all was not per-
fectly proper in the great novel, that
Griffith, Kate, Father Leonard, and even
Mercy Vint were behaving themselves in
way not at all suited to a Mass chusetts au
dience. The immaculate Atlantic Monthly
had an elephant on its hands before the sc
rial was finished. On its publication in
book form the critics attacked the story
with great venom from that high moral |
standpoint upon which the indignant critic
is so frequently compelled to place himself.
'Grifith Gaunt" was denounced as danger |
Gus in its tendencies. Charles Resde was
altogether too good literary jockey to lose |
this opportunity to keep his book |
before the public. He shortly began a
libel suit against some of his American
censors which had the effect merely of Great !
ing good sale for the siandered novel The
case was carried on in a New York court
snd as the book had to be read publicly In
order to present its merits and defaults to
he jury, the celebrated reader Vandenhoff
was hired to give the perusal of the work
due dramatic force. The scene in court dur
ing the artists perusal of the story was one
of those whimsical ones which would render
any case memorable. And now, when the
sale of "Griffith Gaunt" had ceased, and its
had been forgotten in
the more glowing ones of "a Terri
BILE Temptation" there comes up
Mrs. Tilton's reference TO the story
OF Catherine Gaunt and her comparison OF
her own lot with that of Reade's heroine.
Verify the ingenious Charles is fortunate
mani Already extracts of his naligned |
work are appearing in all the papers of the |
which thus advertise Griffith |
Gaunt." in a style resembling that affected |
by Bonner ten years ago. Interest is kindled |
in the half forgotten novel and a casual al |
fusion to it by romantic woman gives it a |
which no other book could pur- |
chase for twenty thousand dollars. The |
story which the American people |
were too squeamish to read three or
four years ago can now be introduced |
into all households under the shadow OF this |
scandal which deals with fully indicate
matters, and treats of them in style COM |
pared to which Charles Reade's is cold and |
pure. After all perhaps this tolerance of
the dangerous reality when the dangerous
The troubles OF life we have TO face, no mat !
ter what guise they coma in, but the works |
of the Imagination we can shut our doors on |
IL they be unwelcome guests. Griffith |
Gauntr having now got back to good So
ciety, will doubtless prove harmless enough. |
1t is plain spoken, dramatic, highly sem
novel-a mixture of clay and gold 7,
Charles Merriam writes an elaborate argu-
ment to the Springfield Republican in favor
of the future life and Immortality of dumb