The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-28
CHARLES READE.
THE MAN WHO REAps CROP OF QuARIELs FOB
EVERY BOOK he wRITEs-HIs pug
NACITY AND HIS CRITICS.

We are disposed to associate gentle. re-
| firing spirit with musical genius, and mild
and genial temperament with literary talent.
It is only upon close inquiry into the lives Of
men whose sym phonies and fugues have de-
lighted our ears that We discover many of
them to have been gentlemen ofungovernable
! temper, sensitive, crotchety natures, capri
tious and disagreeable in oil relations Of life.
The sublime Beethoven was such an ILL
| natursd old bear that even his dearest friends
could scarcely approach him; the very curls
upon his wig used to shake with rage; and,
like Swift, he would discharge three servants
in a fortnight Schubert, the delightful lyric
songster, was another Hazlett- always snarl-
ing, ever fighting; and Rossini, the great
Italian, threw up his country in fit of anger
and conceit and died miserable cynic.
The elder Disraei gives us a tolerable in
sight into the tempers and jealousies of liter
ary men, and we are we'll aware from the
paper wars of literary history, not to mention
duels and law pleas, that many of these excita-
bic gentlemen have united the pugnacity Of
the bulldog with the blood-thirstiness Of the
leech. The Sage of Chelsea is generally cred
tied with being sort of dog in the manger.
who loves to bark philosophically at the hu-
man race; but he is lamb, q dove, mild
Fitz James to that Ismaelitish Roderick Dhu
of fiction, Charles Reade.
Mr.. Reade is as sensitive as blushing
school girl, as fiery as Cuban patriot, as de-
structive as q champion murderer. As q
novelist he has commanded unbounded sue
cess in popular and pecuniary point of
view. but this success has been won at the
point of the bayonet. For every book he
writes he reaps q crop of quarrels, and his
latest is likely to prove his best, SO far as
venom, hard blows and the amusement of
the public are concerned.
1.-The Wandering Heir" Mr.. Reade's latest
novel, has reached, according to its author,
the enormous circulation of 200, 1000 through
the columns of the Graphic in England, $780,
600 through Hdrper's Weekly in America, and
SO, 900 copies in book form. Such success,
says Mr.. Reade, can only be achieved by q
rare combination of intellectual qualities.
Nothing succeeds like success; but it may be
very fairly doubted whether success is always
a sure test of an authors intellectual great
ness Mrs. Southworths novels have always
sold like hot cakes, and yet no one would
think of calling that lady as great writer as
many whose novels have not sold at all.
There is a certain quality called tact, or
worldly wisdom, which enters as q large
Ingredient into all success, literary or other
wise, and certain "criticasters" (the latest
horror have been bold enough to accuse Mr..
u
ing to his recently published book, "Trade
Malice" were two pseudo-nymuncules'
SIGNING themselves &C. F." and "Cacilius"
They Tor rather she. for it turns out to be
the wife of brother novelist) charge him
With having stolen a passage from Swifl's
doggerel verses, called 1.-The Journal Of Q
Modern Lady"
Presuming her to be man. Mr.. Reade first
characterized him as trickster, scurrilous
skunk, and pseudo-nymuncle. Upon her
replying that she was woman, but had
proved her case, Mr.. Reade withdrew the
epithets heaped upon this ''sott. gentle, mod
est, kindly, womanly creature. But, said he.
if it had been q man, odds triggers and
bludeeons he would have been an Incursble
liar and shutiler. As it is only woman who
has written both letters-why, it is only q
woman.
Critical opinion generally in England seems
to absolve Mr.. Reade from any charge OF pla.
ciarism, His novel, "The Wandering Heir,
Is founded upon the celebrated Annesiey case,
and he has merely done what Shakespeare.
Scott, and other historical romancers and
dramatists have done-taken the best author
tiles upon the manners and customs OF the
times Of which he writes, sifted, condensed,
and blended them into one harmonious whole.
Mr. Reade has not shown so much ingenuity
in the composition of this novel Is ne mas
painstaking labor and research.
His fault has not been one OF plagiarism 30 |
much Is Of quoting peacemeal his authorl-
ties, instead Of dieesting and artfully weaving
them into the web of his story. The conduct
OF bis accusers is generally condemned, but
the world Is again called upon to behold the
great Charles In a rage. Had he treated the
story with contempt. full justice would have
been done him, and the literary world, in all
probability. have lost itslaughL- Chicago Inter-
Ocean.