The New York herald., 1875-12-13
Is Martin Farquhar Tupper n Pla-
gIaristl

Is Martin Farquhar Tupper n Pla-
giaristf
| We printed the other day remarkable letter
from correspondent, accusing Mr.. Martin
Farquhar Upper of plagiarism, and furnish
ing the documentary evidence. The chargeis
founded upon the resemblance of Mr. Tup-
pers new play of washington" extracts
irom which Colonel John W. Forney recently
sent to this country to a play also called
Washington" written by Mr.. David Sim
clair, OF Boston. The worldwide reputation
Of Mr.. Upper, the fact that he intended his
drama as q compliment to the United States.
| and the announcement that he is coming to
this country to superintend it's production
at the Centennial celebration all make this
charge startling and important. 1t is partic-
ularly important to Mr.. Sinclair who is a
dramatic author of extensive experience
although we believe none of his plays have
ever been produced-if the fruits of his
genius have actually been appropriated by
the great English poet. SO far as we know
them we will lay the facts fully before the
public.
Had we both the plays of Washington"
before us judgment on this important
question would be easier, but Mr.. Tup-
per's play is unpublished and we only
know it by the description and extracts
given by Colonel Forney, who is one
of the few men whom the poet admitted
to his confidence Mr.. Sinclairs drama,
however, we have complete, as pub
lished by @. w. Calkins & Co., printers,
No. 1876 Washington street, Boston. Candor
compels us to say that after reading his
drama in the light of Mr.. Tuppers effort
the strong resemblance upon which our cor
respondent insists must be admitted. In the
first place we have the resemblance of name,
and that, although it might easily be coin
cidence, Is significant. Secondly, the same
characters are used in both the dramas We
find, besides Washington, that both Mr..
Upper and Mr.. Sinclair introduce Frank
lin, Adams, Arnold, Mrs. Washington, while
there are other characters different in name,
but substantially alike 1t is singular
that in each play Washingtons negro body
servant should appear, and it is idle to object
that Mr. Tupper calls him Bishop and Mr..
Sinclair William. The comic element in
both cases seems to depend upon these
Ethiopians and upon q Yankee, whom Tup-
per calls Nathan, low comedy Quaker, and
Mr. Sinclair Nazalhead. All of Tupper's
dramatic personages do not appear in the
quotations but if, in addition to those of Mr..
Sinclair which we have cited, he should also
have Lord Howe, Generals Lee, Gates,
Greene, Sullivan and others, the resemblance
would be still more striking. Their treat
Upper ends his play with the execution of
Andre, and Mr.. Sinclair with the capture of
Trenton, and both deal with Arnold's treason.
"He opens" says Colonel Forney of Tupper,
''with Arnold's violent patriotism, as if to
show that extreme men are always to be dis
trusted" So does Mr.. Sinclair, who, in his
first scene makes Arnold proclaim his
patriotism in the presence of Washington
and describe the treachery of men who allow
Despair,
The child OF backcst hell, to goad them on
To seek tho fellowship OF fancied friends,
And feel the bitterness of that deceit
They bore TO others
Colonel forney also refers TO IupperS excel
lent pictures of Franklin and Washington.
Similar portraits are drawn by Sinclair. 1t
is, indeed, when we compare the style of
dialogue and soliloquy of the two poets that
the accusation of plagiarism seems strongest.
1t would be unjust to condemn Mr.. Tup-
per hastily. He has been accused of plagia-
rism before, but it was generally ironically,
as in the comparison of his poems with
Mother Goose" Nursery Rhymes" &c.
But here we find him charged with taking
his subject, characters and ideas from an
American dramatist whose play was pub
iished more than year before his wash
ington" was heard of. 1t is certainly a mat
ter which demands an explanation from Mr..
Tupper before he can produce his play in
this country. 1t would never do to have at
the Centennial two "Washingtons," as like
as two peas, produced simultaneously at two
theatres, and this we now see is a calamity
which might easily occur.