New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-07

title. Frequently the autobographer is suffering in
old age from poverty, and has been advised
by his friends to adopt the writing resource, and to
relieve his pocket by writing a book about his
career which has ended 80 disastrously He would
put " Pity the sorrows of poor old man upon the
title, only he has morsel of pride left and prefers
70 beg less directly. Going about with subscrp-
tion paper at least looks like business and less like
direct begging-there is guild pro quo offered what
ever Its quality. The gentlemen and ladies of the
dramatic profession have most frequently in the
sere and yellow leaf adopted this expedient, and
nave written about themselves with freedom
which inspires confidence in their veracity And
a1ter all. why should we quarrel with one who
having undertaken confession. makes it honestly
and keeps nothing back for the sake of little sham
ughltyf II the confosser has nothing but vices and
mistakes 10 put into his book. let him put them in
or give up the book! And having once printed it,
let him not be ashamed of it. provided he has told
no lies. There was bookseller in the last century
IN London named James Lackington, who pub
lished Memoirs of Himself" and subsequently,
Confessions and Letters" Both these works he
afterward spent much labor and money in trying to
suppress, never could exactly understand why
But may say in passing that The suppression of a
book OF which its writer is ashamed is by no means
an easy business. Southey proved in the
matter of " Wat Tyler" Let it once be known that
an author is anxious to consign his work to obi
Nioh, anu IL CopicS Ol III are not at nrSt plenty,
scampish booksellers will not be found wanting to
make them So No book with any life i it what
ever can ever be completely extirpated
There have been photographers who were
great and notorious liars; but these as in the case
of Napoleon, have usually deceived nobody. There
have been others who have painted themselves
blacker than was necessary, and have taken %
great pride ill their own depravity These have
frequently written in Jail, inst before being hung
or while serving some long term of imprisonment
There was an autobiOgrapher in this city who was
distinguished for nothing except keeping q seed
shop; and his life written by himself / have the
honor and glory to possess. If the reader will but
consider, he will discern that it is pretty wide
held this which we have entered-a field of success
and failure. OF fame and notoriey of all manner of
enterprises, of little and great ambitions of real
work and OF mere pretence at working. of pioty and
OF hypocrisy, of honesty and of knavery In the
series which propose, can promise something that
Is curious, but any new and striking exemplication
OF the persistent dignity of human nature cannot
promise. Here and there we shall meet with men
who fought good fight and won it but men will
also come to our notice who were base almost be.
You'd speaking of, and did not know it: or alas did
know it, and were not ashamed. But at any rate
we shall deal with real men and women and not
with the Imaginary characters of plays and of
novels. Mostly shall let them tell their own
story, and believe them as often as possible.