New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-07-01
RARE FLIGHT of TMAGINATTON.

JULIAN HAWTHORNE CoRRECTs SOME ROMANTIC
FANCIEs CONCERNING HIS FATHERS FAMILY.
To the EditOr or The Trt6une
SIR: My attention has been called to letter in
Cincinnati paper, signed Cleaner" and puTportng
TO give a concise history Of the romantic fortunes
of the Hawthorne family. The history begins with
the information that Nathaniel Hawthorne began
his career by Jltmg Miss Sophia Peabody, and mar
rying her sister, whose name is kindly withheld,
but who must be either Mrs. Horace Mann or Miss
Elizabeth r. Peabody and it concludes with an
announcement, which confess took me by surprise,
that the author of -" The Scarlet Letter and" The
Marble Fam" is strongly suspected of having died
the death of a confirmed drunkard. In comparison
with statements so romantic these, the interme-
date parts Of the letter. although instinct with the
Ioftest flights of Imagination. must necessarily APP
pcar tame. The fortunes of Una" Julian" and
'Rose" are detailed at some lJngih, and very de-
plorable fortunes they appear to he though luckily
for the persons named, none Of them were IN the
least aware, until the publication of " Cleaners "
letter that any Of the experiences therein re-
corded had ever befallen them. 1t would afford me
high qualification TO be made acquainted WITH the
address of Cleaner" whom / venture to boleYe
from the internal evidence of her ucubraton, to
be a woman and meanwhile trust that the news
paper which enjoys the privilege OF publishing what
she writes will have liberalIty enough to recon-
pense her according TO her deserts. truly crea-
tive genius is a and very precious thing and It's
creations should not be placed on a level with tine
work of the mere base collector of facts. cleaner
moreover. seems to have struck out for herself a
strictly original path in fiction; unlike less power
full romancers, she names ker dramatis persona
after living, or lately deceased, men and women !;
and by dint of picturng these persons with traits
nd in, c1tu " :
BILE at variance with what actually belongs to them,
she is able to produce effects plquant as they are
novel; BY this device, too she can fill ont the mea-
gre and imperfect outlines of real history with
those graceful details which, when we read them,
we feel to be true III art as they are unyeracons
in reality. When. for example, she completes the
known character of Nathaniel Hawthorne ny tell
iuy lis that he was a tIrt aud a dTunkaTd, we per-
ceye at that these traits were all that were
wanting 10 bring That character Wltnlh Toe DouhuS
of artistic symmetry; and when she gives us 10
understand that Mr.. LathrOp was constant gucSt
al MIR Hawthorne's house during the latters con-
suishlp at Liverpool, and that he at that time en-
p3ocd himself 10 Miss Una Hawthorne, we are nam
to ACKNOWLEDGE that and not otherwise, u Oughi
TO have been and that although MI LaihI0p, at
the period Indicated, was barely two years OF age.
and resided In the Sandwich Islands, while the
lady in question had just entered her tenth year,
these circumstances were rather their misfortune
mHst moi, however. allow the fascination with
which tue works of this remarkable authoreos
inspire me TO betray me INTO appToprlat-
ing more of your valuable space; but
| could not refrain from offering up this
slight tribute to her talents. ! have done some
thing IN the storytelling line mNSeU ana, IKE
other authors have occasionally been aC used OF
borrowing incidents, more or less disguised, from
passages Of real life. But professional jealousy shall
hot nT.ytut me from contessIEg that " Cleaner
far as / have knowledge of her. Is incapable OF
descending TO any such eXpedlentS. Hcr IuNeAlloh
i absoute: II paws toll TO no conceivable rcalItc6
pa,t present or TO come. There Is not single sen
tence IN the letter AT present under consideration
which could be- twisted, even by the most cross
grained critic, into the reInOtest likeness 10 any
thing that has existed OF occurred. surely writer
oil whom this can be SAID need cOyet no other praise
grammar, orthOuaphy and style are inferior mat
ters, over which practice may ultimately enable her
10 Gain mastery. All she has 10 fear is the mali
cious envy and detructlOn OF those less highly
gifted than herself; but let her peIseyerc as she
Gas begun, and l have faith enough IN human ma
tgre 10 believe that she Will sooner or later win the
recognition and The reward which are her due. L
am, ST. your Obedicnt servant,
JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Hasfipas Lodge, Hastings, EEgiaad, June II, 1879.