Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-03-01

= GCNAAAo VI L4OpSl-
thus, a Roman poet, long lurked
nnsuspeoted in the darkness of a
wine cellar, from whence they we're
at length unearthed by accident,
lust in time to preserve them from
destruction by rats and mildew.
Not only from beneath our feet,
but from above our heads, may
chance reveal the hiding-places
Of treasure trove. The sudden
falling in Of a ceiling, for example,
OF some chambers in Lincoln's Inn
revealed the secret depository Of
the Thurloe state papers. Other
literary treasures have turned up
in an equally curious manner.
Milton's essay on the " Doctrines of
Christianity" was discovered in a
bundle Of old dispatches; a monk
found the only copy of "Tacitus "
accidentally in Westphalia; the
letters Of Lady Mary Montague
were brought to light from the re-
cesses of an old trunk the manu-
scripts of DIR. Dee from the secret
drawer of an old chest; and it is
said that one of the cantos of
Dante's great poem was found, af-
ter being long mislaid, hidden
away beneath window-sill. 3
1t is curious to trace how the orr
gin of some famous work has been
suggested apparently by the merest
accident. We need but remind the
reader how Lady Austen's sugges-
ton Of "the sofa" as subject for
blank verse was the beginning of
"The Task" a poem which grew to
formidable proportions under Cow
pers facile pen. Another example
of
what great events from trivial causes
spring,
is furnished by Lockhart's account
Of the gradual growth of "The Lay
tf the Last Minstrel" The lovely
Countess Of Dalkeith hears a wild
legend of Border diablerie, and
sportively asks Scott to make it the
subject Of a ballad. The poets ac-
cidental confinement in the midst
Of ayeomanry camp gave him leiS-
ure to mediate his theme to the
sound of the bugle; suddenly there
| flashes on him the idea Of extending
his simple outline so as to embrace
a vivid panorama Of that old Bor-
der life of war and tumult. A
friends suggestion led to the ar
rangement and framework of the
"Lay," and the conception of the
ancient harper. Thus step by step
grew the poem that Glst made its
author famous. The manuscript of
"Waverley" lay hidden away in the
old cabinet for years before the
public were aware Of its existence.
In the words of the great unknown,
81 had written the greater part Of
the first volume and sketched other
passages, when l mislaid the manu-
script, and only found it by the
merest accident, as | was rummag-
ing the drawer of an old cabinet,
and l took the fancy of finishing
lit"
Charlotte Bronte's chance diScov-
cry of . manuscript volume of
verses in her sister Emily's hand
writing led, from mutual confess
sion of the furor poelicus, to the
joint publication of their poems,
which, though adding little to their
subsequent fame, at least gives us
another instance of how much of
what is called chance has often to
do with the carrying out of literary
projects. 1t was the burning of
Drury Lane Theater that led to the
production of "The Rejected Ad-
dresses" the success of which, SAYS
one of the authors, "decided him
to embark in that literary career
which the favor of the novel-read-
ing world rendered both pleasant
and profitable to him." Most of us
know how that famous fairy tale,
"Alice in Wonderland" came to
be written. The characters in
"0liver Twist" Of Fagin, Sykes,
and Nancy, were suggested by some
sketches OF Cruikshank, who long
had design to show the life Of
London thief by a series of draw
ingS, Dickens, while paying Cruik-
shank visit, happened to turn over
some sketches in a portfolio. When
he came to that one which repre-
sents Fagin In the condemned cell
he studied it for half an hour, and
told his friend that he was tempted
to change the whole plot of his
story, not to carry Oliver through
adventures in the country, but to
take him up into the thievos' den
in London, show what this life was,
and bring Oliver through it without
SIN or shame. Cruikshank con-
sented to let Dickens write up to as
many of the drawings as he thought
would suit his purpose. So the
story as it now runs resulted in a
great measure from that chance in
spection Of the artists portfolio,
The remarkable picture Of the Jew
malefactor in the condemned cell
biting his nails in the torture Of