The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-01-14

How Fielding Disposed of .'Tom jones'
The Troubles of an Author-Sheridan's
Impeeuniosity and Jerrold's wit-stories
of johnson, Scott and Others.


of johnson, Scott and Others.
[Chambers JournsIl
80 Cottle, in his Life of Coler;dge," relates
the following amusing incident: al led the
horse to the stable, when a fresh perplexity
arose. l removed the harness without diff
Guilty; but after many strenuous efforts I
could not remove the collar In dispair l
called for assistance, when aid soon drew
near. Mr.. Wordsworth brought his ingenuity
into exercise, but after several unsuccessful
attempts he relinquished the achievement as
a thing altogether impracticable. Mr., Cole
ridge now tried his hand, but showed no
more grooming skill than his predecessors;
for, after twisting the poor horses neck
almost to strangulation and the great danger
of mis- eyes, he gave up the attempt, pro-
nouncing that the horses head must have
grown (gout or dropsy?) since the collar
was put on for, he said, it was "a down.
right impossibility for such a huge os
fronts to pass through such small collar
Just at this instant a servant girl came near
and, understanding the cause of our conster-
nation, La, MASTER said she, you don't go
about the work in the right way; you should
60 like this when, turning the collar upside
down, she slipped it off in moment, to our
great humiliation and wonderment, and each
knowledge in the world to which we had
not yet attained"
We are told of Fielding's "Tom Jones'
that when the work was completed the au-
thor "being at the time hard pressed for
money, took it to second rate publisher
with view of selling it for what it would
fetch at the moment. He left it with the
bookseller, and called upon him the next
day for his decision. The publisher hesitated,
and requested another day for consideration,
| and, at parting, Fielding offered him the
manuscript for f25. On his way home
Fielding met Thompson, the poet, whom he
told of the negotiation for the sale of the
| manuscript when Thomson, knowing the
| high merit of the work. coniured him to be
| off with the bargain. To the authors great
| joy, the ignorant trafficer in
literature declined and returned the
| manuscript to Fielding. He next set off
with a light heart to his friend Thomson, and
| the novelist and poet then went to Andrew
| Miller, the great publisher of the day. Mil
| Ter, as was his practice with works of light
| reading handed the manuscript TO his wife,
| who, having read it, advised him by no
means to let it slip through his fingers. Mil
| Ter now invited the two friends to meet him
at coffee house on the strand, where, after
| dinner, the BOOKSELLER with great caution, of
| fered Fielding f200 for the manuscript. The
novelist was amazed at the largeness of the
offer. Then, my good sir, said he recovering
himself from this unexpected stroke of good
| fortune, give me your hand; the book is
| yours; and waiter continued he, bring a
couple of bottles of your best port. Before
| Miller died he had cleared 10000 on tom
JONES' out of which he generously made
| Fielding various presents to the amount of
f2,000; and when he died he bequethed a
a handsome legacy to each of Fielding's
sons"
There are some amusing stories told of the
| two Sheridans, father and son. Sheridan
| probably with view ofimproving the finan-
| cial condition of the family-was very Sc
rious that his son Tom should marry young
lady of fortune; but he knew that Miss
| Callander had already won his heart The
| father, expatiating on the folly of his son, at
length broke out: "Tom, if you marry Car
oline Calander I'll cut you off without a
shilling"
Tom, looking maliciously at his father, said
"Then, sir, you must borrow it."
In large party one evening the converse.
ton turned upon young mems allowances al
college. Tom deplored the illjudging parsi.
mony of parents in that respect.
81 am sure, Tom,' said the father, 'you
have no reason to complain; always al.
lowed you $500 year"
Eyes, father, l confess you allowed it; but
then it was never paid"
| Hannah More and her sister visited Londor
in 1873 and IVA and were the guests o.
Garrick. They were received with favor
by johnson, Reynolds and Barke. HANNAH
More's sister has described their first inter
view with johnson. 1--WE have paid another
visit to Miss Reynolds; she had to en-
gage DIR. Percy-Percy Collection, now you
know him-quite sprightly modern, instead
of rusty antique, as l expected. He wa:
no sooner gone than the7most amiable and
obliging of women, Miss Reynolds, ordered
the coach to take us to DR.. Johnson's very
own house. Yes, Abyssinian JohnsonI Die
tlonary johnson lRamblers, Idlers and Irene
Johnson Can you picture to yourselves the
palpitation of our hearts as we approached
the mansion? The conversation turned upon
a new work of his just going to press, The
Tour ofthe Hebrides, and his old friend Rich.
ardson. Mrs. Williams, the blind poetess, who
lives with HIM, was introduced to us. She
is engaging in her manners, her converse
ton lively and entertaining. Miss Reynolds
told the doctor of all of her rapturous exca
nations on the road. He shook his scientific
head at Hannah and said she was a silly
thing. When our visit was ended, he called
for his hat as it rained, to attend us down 8
very long entry to our coach, and not Rasse
las could have acquitted himself more er
cavalier.
"Dr. Johnson's wigs were in genera
very shabby and their fore parts were
burned away by their near approach to the
candle which his short-sightedness rendered
necessary in reading. AT Streatham, Mr.
Thrale's butler always had wig ready, and
as Johnson passed from the Idrawing-room
when dinner was announced, the servant
would remove the ordinary wig and rcplac,
it with newer one; and this ludicrous Ger
emony was performed every day"
| Everybody has heard OF the ready wit Of
Douglas Jerrold. The following are few
specimens:
| "At an evening party ,Jerrold was lookino