The sun., 1882-08-20
The Hawthorne Controversy.

The Hawthorne Controversy.
This is an unfortunate controversy which
has arisen about the genuineness Of an al
legged posthumous novel of NATHANIEL HAw-
THoRNE-unfortunate for the two principal
parties to the dispute and for the publishers
who had announced the book. After COM
pairing the assertions made on both sides, we
are bound to say that the main question
raised has by no means been answered, and
that further steps must be taken to deter
mine whether or no an attempt has been
made to abuse great reputation and palm
Off literary forgery upon the public.
The original account of the novel ascribed
to the elder HAWTHORNE and entitled "Dr.
Grimshawe's Secret" appeared in the Boston
Advertiser, and is understood to have been
derived from the publishers, Messrs.
OsGooD d Co.. who in turn are supposed to
have obtained their information, together
with the manuscript, from Mr.. JULIAN HAw-
THoRNE. The latter gentleman, at all events,
was to furnish, it was said, preface to the
book. According to this first statement. the
manuscript OF the story was discovered
among the papers OF the late novelist, and
upon being deciphered revealed an almost
perfectly developed and finished work. re-
quiring only a few touches by way OF
revision or addition In unimportant particu-
lars. or this statement, which we presume
was transcript OF the assertions made to
the Messrs. OsGooD, we may say that it
was well adapted to convince the buyers Of
the book that they would get what they
paid for. that is to say, novel by NATHAN
IEL HAWTHORNE.
The announcement in the Advertiser, how
ever, was promptly followed by denial on
the part of Mr.. HAwTHoRNEs daughter, who
| is now Mrs LATHRoP, that there Is any such
| thing in existence as a complete romance by
| her father. She explains in detail the
disposition made OF her fathers papers
after his death, and AYERS that finished
work, such as Dr. Grimshawe's Secret is
asserted to be, could not have escaped the
notice OF any member Of the family. She
denies a number Of minor averments made
in the Advertiser statement, and unQuestion-
ably leaves upon the mind the impression
that, in her Judgment the publication Of the
forthcoming novel under her fathers name
would be an unscrupulous forgery. Now,
when we remember that the person ap-
parently responsible for the publication is
!
accusation could proceed from such source
reveals what need never have been made
public without this controversy, namely,
the existence OF bitter quarrel between the
children Of the late Mr. HAWTHORNE. With
that variance, Of course, we have nothing to
do beyond expressing regret that it should
ever have been brought to our notice
Whether Mrs. LATHRoP, however, or her
brother, is accountable for the present scan
| dal depends entirely on the answer to the
question which is right in the pending con-
troversy touching the authorship OF "Dr.
Grimshawe's Secret" II Mrs. LATHRoP
had good grounds for believing the book to
be a forgery, she did her duty-though it may
have been a most unpleasant duty-to the
public and to her fathers memory by pro-
claiming her opinion.
For a time 1t was hoped that the grave
misgivings excited by Mrs. LATHRoP's state
ment might be set at rest by explanations,
which, it was understood had been requested
from Mr.. JULIAN HAWTHORNE by those who
had made themselves responsible for the
original announcement. But it cannot be
said that the interview OF special corre-
spondent with Mr.. JULIAN HAWTHORNE,
whose results were printed in the Advertiser
on Aug. 16 was satisfactory. The corre-
spondent begins by acknowledging that much
of the first statement published in the ADDER
tiser was incorrect; that the novel lis not as
complete work" as was asserted; that
there is "a small break in the middle" and
that several chapters are needed to finish
the book" He admits. too, that the hand
writing Is very different from several speci-
mems Of HAwTHoRNE's manuscript which he
had seen. The writer Of the communication
likewise acknowledges that Mrs LArHRoP
was right in contradicting several OF the
minor afilrmatons in the first statement, re-
lating for the most part to the elder
HAwTHoRNE's literary habits. On the other
hand, this special correspondent has seen
the manuscript of DIR. Grimshawe's Secret. >
Tho writing" he says, "and its evident age
for it is old and brown-are proof to the
eye at once that the manuscript is genuine
work OF HAWTHORNE" The fact that it is
old and brown proves nothing as to author
ship; and the correspondent had just sale
that the writing differed notably from othel
specimens OF HAwTHoRNEs.
According to this revised statement pub
lished in the Advertiser, there were two sets
I Of papers among the late Mr.. HAwTHoRNE''
effects, one consisting OF some fragmentary
notes for novel-which alone Mrs. LATHRoI
I saw-and the other constituting an elaborat,
work. But in order to account for the exist
. ence OF an extensive manuscript which it II
> certain Mr.. HAwTHoRNEs daughter neve
heard OF, it seems Indispensable to enter int
, some explanations as to the disposal Of thu
1 late novelist's papers. Mrs, LATHRoP, on he
| part, has been careful to report all tn
facts she knows. But this is just wha
= Mr.. JULIAN HAWTHORNE declines to dc
} He can see no necessity, he says, 70
Q q detailed explanation of the disposition
q made OF his fathers papers. We are con
strained to differ with him completed
, on that subject. Until such an eX
S planaton is forthcoming, the publ
i will not be able to understand ho,
b Mrs LATHRoP could have been mistaken 4
;, her categorical assertion. Mr.. JULIAN HAw
: THoRNE declares that he will publish tn