The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-01
PRICE 8 CENTS.

this same cabinet Mrs. Black brought forth for
my inspection two volumes of manuscripts; they
were respectively "Madcap Violet" and "Mac-
leod of Dare" the two tragedies of William
Blacks conception. The volumes are Of the
usual octave size, bound in dark leather, with
two plain metal clasps: the penmanship is
wonderful for its minuteness, frmness and
clearness, page after page without an erasure
or blot, although they were only the rough
copy, that is the ideas and reflections as they
flow spontaneously from the authors mind.
Mr.. Black never recopies; his sentiments
clotbe themselves in forms of speech so readily
and so correctly that he rarely amends or chan
ges any of his work. He takes long walks by
himself over the downs and along the south
east coast and during these solitary wander
ings he arranges the scenes and actors in
his drama, and when he returns has but to
set the stage and put his his dramatis persona
in motion.
His study is at the top of the house, free
from all noise or intrusion; here he works dur
ing all the available daylight hours, rarely APP
pearing until the day draws to its close. 1t is q
very plain room, this study, with two good
sized windows from which you can get view
Of the blue waters of the channel, a large writ
ing table in scrupulous order fills the space be-
tween the windows, line OF cases from floor
to ceiling, on the opposite side, filed with
books, old and new; some chairs, smaller
table and a lounge complete the furniture. One
or two heads, in pen and ink, notably one OF
Mr.. Black, done as caricature, but excellent
III llkbuc6o, arc LILO OlAy pAOtoAAdA 0aOthlhoANst
while pair of Indian clubs standing in a cor
ner have the droll appearance of guarding the
sanctum while he is absent. None OF the lux
ury that prevades the other apartmentsis is pres
ent here; the room might be that of a student
or a soldier in Spartan simplicity; whatever
flights of fancy he here indulges in gain no
coloring from his surroundings.
OF Mr.. Black individually fear l can give
you an inadequate impression, so much OF his
charm depends upon his personal presence.
oon n ia QliOht and fall. with
finely-modeled head and face, broad forehead,
and strong, rather square jaws, dark hair and
expressive dark eyes that regard you most
kindly through the habitual glasses that he
wears, dark moustache, and has the faintest
suspicion Of difficulty with his RS; that he
is courteous and genial in manner, with little
trick of looking down as he talks and suddenly
raising his eyes with quick, keen expression
at any remark that interests or amuses MIN.
In conversation he is charming, and In his own
house at his own table most gracious and
kindly host. His fund Of story, anecdote and
repartee is inexhaustible, while to be with him
is but constantly to recall Dick Steele's tri-
butte to the Lady Elizabeth Hastings,
that "to know her was a liberal education"
He has slender and well-formed hands, and
he is always preux chevaller IN MS appear
ance This is only bald description OF him.
but more is impossible; 1T is necessary TO SEQ
him and hear him in order to appreciate his
varied attributes. Mrs Black is, as according
to the law of contrasts she should be, blonde,
with blue eyes, a fair complexion, aud sort,
plenteous golden hair that waves about her
head most artistically. She is clever and IN
teresting beyond most women, all the more so
perhaps because of the little air of sadness that
surrounds her. She has a sweet voice and
pleasant manners, is an intense admirer OF her
husband, though thoroughly capable OF criti-
cising keenly and impartially his work, only
desirous that he shall not loose his position
with the public that he has so honestly
won.
VARIED LIFE.
William Bluck was born in Glasgow, and Is
now little more than 40 years of age. He re-
ceiyed an excellent education, and in his ear
lier years of manhood, SO marked was his tai
ent, he turned his. mind and thoughts to an
artists career, but later on the greater genius
outshone the lesser, and he took up the pro
fession of letters as his true vocation. He is a
liberal in politics, indeed radical, and mem
ber of the reform club in London, the center
of all liberal views and reforms His first
venture was as war correspondent, during the
Italian. Austrian war, to the Star, an organ OF
advanced liberalism; it was during this time
that he collected his material, actual daily life,
companionshp and experience, that he
has so ably worked up in his last novel, sun
rise"
It has been said by some critics that Mr.
Black is capable only Of writing about the
Hebrides and West Highlands, that on read
ing one of his books you read all, that his pal
ette is so deeply dyed in the grays and purples,
yellows and reds Of Vera and Lunga, and the
Dutchman's cap, that he can paint no otner
tints. nor sing in other strains than those Of
these scenes; in "Madcap Violet" we get little
or nothing; in " Green Pastures and Picca-
dilly" not even suspicion; in . Daughter
of Heth" one small bit only, and in Sunrise
not the faintest sign; but that the most popu-
lar of his works are those that portray High
land life and character is shown in the greater
demand for them above his others.
In Sunrise, popularity called nihllistic
novel, he writes Of an almost forgotten per-
iod, yet lately become strangely analogous to
the present, and of the influence and power,
political and social, welded by certain secret
society The plot is good, the story well told,
and the characters ably developed. In his lit
tie iel d'esprit, "That Beautiful Wretch"
story of Brighton he shows that he is equally
at home in light and entertaining matter.
One of Mr.. Blacks peculiarities is that he
often totally forgets what he has written, and,
indeed, was once heard to admire some re-
marks apropos of the Prussians in the late
Franco-Prussian war, and could not be con-
WINGED that they were quoted from one OF his
own works until the book was brought to him
4 t-;,, ,ba0 In AicrlouQd