Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-03-02

Written for the SENTINEL
BLACK, THE NOVELIST.

Since Trollopes death perhaps the
greatest living novelist, Victor Hugo
alone excepted, is William Black. Like
most untitled men of the day in Eng
land, as elsewhere, Mr.. Black is essen
tally a self-made man and owes his
present position solely to the force of
his own genius. Born of poor, though
respectable parents, Mr.. Black began
his literary career with but Il meagre
education. His first articles were pub
lished in an obscure Scotch newspaper
and do not seem to have been appre-
ciated by the Scots but genius, such
as Blacks, must force passage through
the clouds of obscurity, be they ever so
dark, and to-day William Black stands
pre-eminently the greatest writer Of ic-
ton in the English language
From a recent article in Harper we
gather that Mr.. Black is scarcely past
The middle age and is in the possession
of mental faculties trained by expert
encc and a full knowledge of the public
taste, coupled with an ability to please
it, so his greatest work may yet be
looked for with confidence born Of past
success.
Of his published novels Mcleod of
Dare" and "Madcap Violet are con-
sidercd the best, though "Sunrise' may
well dispute the preference. Most note
worthy of his other stories are Green
Pastures and Piccadilly," Strange Ad-
ventures of Pheton,' "a Princess of
Thule" and "In Silk Attire" All are
good, though the two former are best.
Much Of Mr. Blacks success may be
attributed to his appreciation Of Pope's
maxim
"Due science only will our genius llt;
So wide is art; 50 narrow human wit"
BY this concentration of purpose, this
oneness of aim, has Black been able TO
achieve his success. Though successful
as journalist, at no time does the edi-
torial chair seem to have been the grave
of Blacks ambition. Skillfully as he
welded the tripod, Black never pleased
public taste half so well with his edi-
torials as with the vagaries of his fancy
which he knows so. well how to recount.
In character and appearance il is said
Mr. Black resembles much our Ameri.
can genius, Holland, and in clearncss
and force Of expression there is great
similarity between the two authors. OF
his home life much is said and all in praise.
lie is very model Sir Benedict and
IavztnI O. RlaaE hoe Of tt..t
egotism usually attributed to genius In
conversation he carefully avoids all men
ton of his works, save to relate some
incident Of their creation. In politics
Mr.. Black is rather ultra-minded liberal
though there can be no doubt of his 10y
atty to his sovereign and no imputation
of unfcalty to the present form Of gov
eminent, ~ many assert is the case,
should be for moment considered In
Sunrise" he clearly shows tho futility
Of any attempt to introduce into Eng
land such organization as the Nibilists or
Camorra, though be acknowledges the
benefits which may accrue from prop
crly conducted labor and social leagues.
There are purer rhetoricians than Mr..
Black more profoundly skilled ana
lyzers Of human thought and conduct,
such as our American James, yet there
are few more naturot writer's than the
author of "Madcap Violet" 10 the
portrayal of unfortunate love he is cspe-
cially true to nature. In Mcleod Of
Dare" he draws truly beautiful pic
ture Of loyal heart trusting TO wo-
mans faithless one aud the effect which
the discovery Of his mistress falseness
to him and her engagement 10 another,
has in warping the noble nature which
is we'll nigh consumed by the heat Of
its own passion, is all the work Of mas
ter's hand. There is so much Of real
pathos in the last scenes on board the
yacht in which Mcleod has carried of
the young actress, and the deep work.
ings Of the then sadly twisted heart
which, while actuatcd by revenge, Graves
the death of his fair, false love, yet
with touch Of its old generosity loft
resolves that they shall taste Of deaths
black wine" together, and so sinks the
yacht with himself on board, are so ten
Derby, yet forcibly, shown as that dc.
spise The weakness Of the hero as you
will the most callous must DO moved
and the most critical acknowledge the
conception as noble one. ''Shandon
Bells" is Of somewhat similar character,
though the ending is brighter.
In singing the song Of disappointed
love Mr.. Black has struck tuncful
Tyre and it's chords yibrate beneath the
touch Of masters fingers. Few such
vived pages as he has transcribed have
been written during the nineteenth cen-
tury. II is objected by many, the late
! President Garfield among the number,