The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-07-19

S0Hm interest 10 many OF our readers
while helping three Southern women.
\. B.--The failure of many Southern
literary work OF real merit was due to the
fact that it was not adequately advertised.
Authors frequently gtce aUny their LeS,
books, and when finally advertised into
"Notoriety, sell very trashy ones fol
their weight in gold -ED. L. x w.
THREE FEMALE AUTHORS OF THE SOUTH,
MISS REEVES, MISS FISHER,
MRS. BRYAN.
In precedence of power, among oul
female writer's OF fiction Of Southern ex
traction, Miss Reeves should unqueation
ably be ranked first She has written two
books which are sufficient IN themselye,
to establish her right To such a position,
although her merits as an author are nc
so generally known as they deserve to be.
Il remains for the critics Of the future tt
recognize that we have novelist Of rare
ability residing In the small State Of Del
aware, whose reputation ought, periorce,
to extend beyond the confines of any par
ticular town or section. and meet with
cordial acknowledgements tron our best
literary centres.
Marion G. Legare Reeves has Caro-
lima and Delaware blood Ia her veins, and
is cousin of the eloquent and beloved
Dr. b. Nj. Palmer, distinguished divine
belonging to the Southern branch of the
Presbyterian Church. Miss Reeves
father was native South Carolnian anG
her mother of the Read family OF Della.
ware Our authOress lives not very fan
from the busy manufacturing city of Vii
mington, and her home is cneered by the
presence OF her mother aud aunt Before
moving to the town of New Castle, where
she now resides, Miss Reeves began hel
literary career and passed tLrough those
Southern experiences which afford 5,
fruitful a field to the novelist She wrote
at first under the nom de plume of ''Fa-
dette, and continued to do 50 until after
the publication of her fourth book. He
earliest effort in fiction which the publ,
was permitted to read was story euti
tied "Ingemisco, and dedicated to he
cousin, the Rev DIR. Palmer. 1t is tn,
tale of travelling party in Germany
Some of the descriptions are very able
picturesque In scenery painting, and ver-
vously sketched The characters are wei
conceived, and painted with great power
'Ingemisco'' was published by Belocl
4 Co., of New York, in 1867.
| Miss Reeves's next work was distinc
ii ey Southern; it was called Randolph
Honor. and was issued by Richardson 4
| Co, in 1868. 1t related to scenes of th
war, and stauncfly took the Southern
view 1t is Interesting, also, to knOy
that, though with imaginary characters
it was, regarding war-incidents, draw
from sketches of that which came within
the authors own experience or knowl
edge In 1872, the Lippincott' pub
lished Miss Reeves third and in som
a book conceived in SO original a manner
and executed with SO firm a hand, as t
entitle it to rank very little, if at all, be
low Mrs. Burnett's famous Las
O'Lowries. " or her exquisite novelette, c
Louisiana. Miss Reeves's Wear
thorne, or, In the Light of To Day." be
longs to the Bronte type of stories and
if it had been issued with no name on il
title page. during her life time, Emil
Bronte would, doubtless, have been sus
pected of its authorship. This is war;
praise but a perusal of the book ma
convince some of my readers that it
not exaggerated. Wearitnorne" is
tragedy from beginning to end, without
single bright thre of humor runniu
across the dark fabric of its plot. 1t ha
the solemn beauty of "a moonless nigh
and the interminable sadness of the ocea
beating against rock hound coast. Fsi
less sombre and, therefore, more accep,
able to the general novel-rcader. wa
Miss Reeves's next story published by ID
Appleton & Co., in 1878. 1t was calle
"Old Martin Boscawen' Jest" an
was written In conjunction with her aunt
Miss Emily Read herself an exceeding
ly clever writer of magazine-stories
The literary results of this partnershi
were extremely telicitous and, if thes
ladies SO chose, they may yet establish
claim to be regarded as our female Besan
and Rice. Since the publication of ''Ol
Martin Boscawen's Jest" they hav
written a serial for Philadelphia maya
zine, but | have never had an opportu
nity to peruse it. :Oid Martin" is de
lighttul reading the heroine has an at
tractive personality that fingers with u
| dIloT we ClOSc Tie uOOh TIE nero an
villain of the tale are arawn with equa
skill aud consistency. The scenery of IN
Cornish coast and the landscapes of Brit
tany are brought before us with vivio
ness which derives an added charm frol
certain ideal touches, worthy Of poet
Miss Frances c. Fisher Is. withou
doubt, the best society novelist that tn
South has ever produced She has nc
the tersencss or orlg giualty OF Miss Reeve,
but her merits aS d story teller are yer
pronounced. and have been abundant
ly evidenced by the popuai ity OF he
books. The leading characteristic, Of he
~ty lie are graz and refinement, enhance.
by fluent command of language Il aU
from wells of Euglish uHdtti ed II,
plCts are the movements and motives
her characters are invariably In acc
dance with that ari,toclanc sphere |
which most Of them belong Miss Fishe
has been long and tavorably known