The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-03-15
THE SORROWS OF A NOVELIST.

Perhaps no greater compliment can
nc paid 10 the genius of n novelist than
the personal interest in his fictitious
characters of which the writer Of the fol-
lowing letter complains with fine hu.
NOR tina, reminds US of the author Of
- The Wonderful Adventures of Phac-
ton" II shows that he has invested
us characters with the personality Of
real men and women aud that his story
has touched TIE hearts a. well as inter
cSted the minds % his readers. The
experience Of Mr.. J Smith is not with.
out parallels in that Of such uoveli-is -
Sir Walter Scott. Charles Dickens
Thackcray, and others and very re,
Gently Mr. William Black incurred the
pleasure of many tender hearts bv giv.
ing 80 tragic an ending 10 Macleod OF
Dare" Tic circumstances that pour
ed in upon him were 80 numerous and
- intense that he resolved TO leave
tragedy entirely OH. Of his next novel /.
and those who have wcpt over the in
rxprcssiblV sad fate Of the Young Scotch
laird and the lady whom he loved in
vain will find nothing bit smiles and
laughter in the new stoTy-uoihing but
ijieucs, and nonsense, blue seas. love
making. and shooting. all mixed up
together in a charming romance If the
Yachting season. But we are keeping
our rcI'!rrs too long from Mr. j Smith :
exc had almost written Black'sD pleas
ant protest, which We find addressed To
the editor Of the London DAILY News
Sr.-Whcn | began the writing OF
novels. more wears ago now than | care
To count. | ~ct out with no more definite.
intention than that ui maxim. NV men
and wOmca a. ike n could - mel.
and women had seen and known A.
| never had the pleasure Of the @cuua;t:.
lance Of 4 murderer a .or@cr or IA blga-
mist. and a. il seemed to me that muir.
dcrcrs. furgcrS, and bigamis:S formed
after all, but small proportion Of the
population of this country. ! thought il
would be AT least safer 10 leave hose
persons out altogether Bat. on the
other haa.. it nryc. occurred to me that
| should hc expected to represent the
world u consisting exclusively -i sugar.
piGms and or4agc blossom. that the
business al 4 novelist was II he Limited
- the patching up 81 marriages. anu
that nv dcar,s; friends would cXecratc
me for admitting that even good people
may occasionally hc the victims .. al.
parcntlv quite unnecessary and unrc.
qu.tcd >uccrin-. However. for MANY &.
day | Was LEFT II do A. pleased |
might have made y Ihvlunycu" huIu
cau>t of the whole Of NV characters. and
the world would not have hudirrcd one
I bit. was allowed 90 work nv own
wild will on dcaih-LCls or marriages.
and nobody seemed To care. Then a
change cane suddenly discovered
on hat Il barrel nf dynamite had
been sitting, conlcDtrdlv k cAin- my
heels. Tie new story ended tragicallv
That il mist haze ended iragical!y !
should have though; any readers would
have perceived almost At the on. set
However. no sooner was il puhi>hc
than was appalled, al what had done
The rcmUns.rances. written with an
earnestncss. Nth i sense of deep pcrsu
nal injury there was no mistaking, thai
now poured in on me, would have star,
tied and sharkrd the least sensitive 81
persons hau been looking nj III,
whole thing ~ Il piece oi literature M,
correspondents appeared to take il as
I cruel and "raiui;uou- s,irriu" mp {"
painful rcro,!ccti"n- Of their own domcs
tic calamtc- Was there not enough
} sorrow in the world "Ob, how coult