The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-11-13
" THAT LASS O. LOWRIE's."

It seems that Charles Reade, the IA
NOUS English novelist and dramatist,
has taken "That Lass O. LOwrie's," the
popular and charming story of Mrs.
Frances Hodgson Burnett, and dramat-
lied it or production not only on the
English stage but had sold his version
20 Miss Rose Etinge, the artist-actress,
for presentation on the American boards
DR.. Burnett, the husband of Mrs. Burn
ett, wrote letter to Mr.. Reade, protest
ing against this piracy on the part Of
the author sf Foul Play" Mr.. Reade
promptly replied, claiming that he had
every right in law and morals to dram
atize the story, and declaring that even
If the right was questioned by any one,
Americans had no right to complain, as
they were notorious pirates. ''The Lass"
was not particularly engaged when the
next letter was to be written TO Mr..
Reade and so she wrote it herself. 1t
makes short work of his sOphistical i'm
nertinence, and is not the less effective
because Mrs Burnett happens to be by
birth q countrywoman of her correspon-
dent. or because the shaft with which
she laws him low is winged with quills
of his own plucking and dressing
WASHINGTON, d. G., Oct. 27. 1873.
Mr.. Charles Reade
Dear Sir:-I have just been reading
vour reply to DR.. Buruett's letter, and l
see from it that somehow a little misun-
derstanding has arisen. | did not see
DIR. Burnett's letter before it was sent,
hut | can scarcely think it meant to ask
from what you seem to fancy L am
Young woman and an English woman,
but I am not young enough to expect
anything from my compatrlots which
the law does not demand for me. My
LASS" was cOndescendingly printed in
England with the announcements the
front page that it was done with 'the
sDeciai permission of the authoress."
and was informed of that fact by let
ter from Messrs. Warne 81 Co, nobly
accompanied by gift of yellow back
ed copy of the book which l shall nat
uralIy ever cherish sacredly and tender
lY as a delicate tribute from generuos
publisher to a grateful authOr-a pub
Usher who even went to the gedlike
length of saying that he should be glad
to give to the world any other books I
might write-upOn the same terms A
gentleman of the name of HattOn, in
conjunction with another of the name
of Hatthison. wrote q play founded on
the story which made of Joan LOwrie a
-bOned, maudlin young woman with
a sentimental passion for pretentiOus
prig of Anice BarhOlm, an enhancing
creature with all the engaging jaunti-
ne s and abandon of Il birmaid, and also
improved the other characters in the
most encouraging manner. These gen
tIemeu of course paid me nothing, but
was not young enough then to expect
such romantic Iavishness ; and besides,
/ felt it was only fair that they should
have all they could make as a recon-
pense for writing such play If I had
written such a play l should have ex-
pected to be remunerated handsomely.
When ] read it l was so moved by
shall we deal in glittering generalities
and call them conflicting emotions p
that I wrote a long letter to gOu, giving
YOU all the permission I owned-nay,
even begging you as an act OF generOsi-
ty to rescue the people | am fond of
from dramatic infamy, and make good
play. which knew you could do if you
took il in hand I did not ask you to
give me any of the proceeds of it. did
not think of that at all what l cared
for was something else. After l had
written the letter thought that perhaps
as the thing had been spoiled already,
you would not care for it, and did not
send it l wish lad now, because then
might have retained an illusion or so.
Until now fancied that a mans Right
was enough for him, Notwithstanding
other peoples Wrong But the point
"a that wish you TO feel quite at ease
on the score of my asking you to share
anything OF the proceeds of your play
with me- As IL is, 1t would only be
fine accentuation of myself to demand
what other people don't get.
I have no rights in England, notwith-
standing have lived more than half my
life there but hare rights in America,
and it is because you have tried TO In
fringe even on these that protest
wrote Lass here. copyrighted it here,
reserved stage-Tights here (which can be
done in the United States,) wrote my
play here, copyrighted that here and IL
will he played here. If any one at
tempts to produce another version
shall defend myself-as | can. You
have been badly treated in America,
have no doubt but did an American
dramatist ever write play on a book of