Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1878-11-05
Charles Reade and Mrs. Burnett.

TO nave negotiated Win an Ameri
can actress for its production IL
America, Mrs. Burnett, the author
of the novel, who also has dra
matte version of it, protested
against the course in a letter from
her husband, DIR. Swan NJ. Burnett
Reade made a sharp reply in defense
of his literary piracy, to which
Mrs. Burnett replied as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. q.
Mr.. Charles Reade:
DEAR SIR: I have just been
reading your reply to DR.. Burnett's
letter, and see from it that some
how a little misunderstanding has
arisen. l did not see DR.. Burnett's
letter before it was sent, but l can
scarcely think he meant to ask from
you what you seem to fancy. l
am a young woman and an English
woman, but 1 am not young enough
to expect anything from my com
patriots which the law does not de
mand for me: My Glass was
condescendingly printed in Eng
land with the announcement on the
front page that it was done with
"the special permission of the
authoress," and I was in
formed of that fact by a let
ter from Messrs. Warne s. Co.,
nobly accompanied by a gift of a
yellow-backed copy of the book
which l shall naturally ever cherish
sacredly and tenderly as a delicate
tribute from a generous publisher
to a grateful author-a publisher
who even went to the godlike 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 Matthison, wrote a play
founded on the story which made of |
Joan LoWrie a big-boned, maudlin
young woman with a sentimental
passion for a pretentious prig; of
Anice Barholm, an enhancing
creature with all the engaging
auntiness and abandon of barmaid,
md also improved the other charac>
ers in the most encouraging manner.
These gentlemen of course paid me
but l was not young
enough then to expect such roman
ic lavishness and beside, I telt it
vas only fair that they should have
III they could make as a recon-
,ense for writing such play, If 1
lad written such a play l should
ave expected to be remunerated
landsomely. When I read it l was
o moved by shall We deal in gilt
ering generalities and call them
onhicting emotions THAT [ wrote
long letter to you, giving you all
he permission owned-nay, even
'egging you as an act of generos-
ty to rescue the people l am fond
# from dramatic infamy, and make
. good play, which I knew you
could do if you took it in hand. 1
lid not ask you to give me any of
he proceeds of it. l did not think
# that at all; what [ cared for
vas something else. After l had
written the letter L thought
hat perhaps, as the thing had been
pooled already, you would not care
or it, and did not send it. | wish
had now, because then 1 might
AVE retained an illusion or so. I'm {
il now fancied that a mans right {
7as enough for him, notwithstand> J
ng other peoples wrong. But the
oint is that l wish you to feel quite :
t ease on the score of my asking
'ou to share anything of the pro
eeds of your play with me. As it
J, it would only be a fine accentua-
on of myself to demand what bet
,r people don't get.
1 have no rights in England, not
outstanding L have lived more
IAN half my life there; but I haze :
ghts in America, and it is because
on have tried to infringe even on ]
lese that protest. l wrote Glass" 3
ere, copyrighted it here, reserved c
.age-rights here (Which can be done 5
| the United States), wrote 2
y play here, copyrighted that here, :
nd it will be played here. If any
ne attempts to produce another
ersion 1 shall defend myself-as /
an. You have been badly treated
/ America, / have no doubt, but
id an American dramatist ever
rite play on book of yours and
Ike it to England and have it
layed there in the face of a YER
on of your own already copy
GIFTED and sold? IF it ever was
one, it was pretty hard, wasn't it ?
think it was, and | sympathize /
it'll you-and hope you like my
with you.