National Republican., 1883-02-10
MRS. soUTHwoRTH.
Some Misstotcments I'm Regard TO Her First
Story Corrected.
T,1 fbe Ellior.


There was recently copied into your columns
a Washington letter to the Philadelphia Press
relating to Mrs. Southworth the popular
novelist, which was, in some respects, so un-
! just to that estimable lady that / trust you
will allow me space sufficient for few words
in reply thereto.
The letter, though written in an evidently
friendly spirit, contains many statements
which could hardly have been made from
personal knowledge, the first of which re-
lates "to the tall spare woman" pointed out
! to the writer as Mrs. SouthwOrth, as it is now
| nearly nine months since Mrs. Southworth
! has been in this city, her last visit having
been during the latter. part of May, 1882
| Mrs Southworth, IL may be remarked is not
tall and spare" rs described by the Press cor
respondent, being under the medium height
| and weighing over 40 pounds. She does not
dress in black, as stated by this writer, but,
| on the contrary, has u fondness for bright and
cheerful colors, which are always conspicuous
in her ordinary attire. Her first story was a
model of good English, and not "crude and
ungrammatical," and requiring to be fixed
and changed, and cut and added to-" Tho
first part of this story was sent by the author
! to DR.. j. f. Snodgrass, editor of the Baltimore
Saturday Visitor, and accepted, on condition
that she would write the second part and the
conclusion. That small commencement of
her literary life made her fortune so far us it
ever has been made.
The story of the bundle of manuscript
which Mrs. Southworth is said to have taken
from under her shawl in u bookstore of this
city is, to say the least, slightly imaginary,
as she has always written from pen to
printer" from the first half Of. her first story
to the siXty-third serial, on which she is now
engaged. "The little schoolhouse" alluded
to is purely imaginary, as at the time alluded
to such structure as q schoOlhOuso was un-
known in this city, the public and private
schools being kept in the Easements of
churches or in private houses. This was
more than thirty years ago, at which time
Mrs. Southworth taught a small school in the
lower portion of the house in which she re-
sided, in that portion of the city now known
as South Washington"
Mrs. Southworth's first novel was entitled
Retrbution," and was written by request of
DIR. Bailey, editor of the National Era, an anti
slavery and literary newspaper, which he had
first established in this city, and of which
John G. Whittier, the poet, was correspond
lug editor. This paper was remarkable from
the first for its high toned literary character,
some of the most noted writers of the day be-
ing contributors to its columns, including
Harriet Beecher Stowe, the sisters, Alice and
Phoebe Carey, John q. Whittier, William ID.
Gallagher, aud many others scarcely less
noted.
That the first novel OF young and COM
paratively unknown authOress like Mrs.
Southworth should be deemed worthy of
publication in u journal that numbers among
its regular contributors some of the most
gifted of American writers, is conclusive evil
dence that its literary merits were of no COM
mon order. Its publication in the Era had
the effect to augment the list of subscribers
to that journal to u remarkable degree, and
so great was its popularity that the publish
ing house of Harper ~ Bros, New York.
purchased the copyright of the authOress
soon after its completion, and included it in
their library of select novels and it is said
before the copyright was transferred to the
Philadelphia publisher, who afterward issued
her novels in uniform style and in permanent
book form.
As happend to be employed in the office of
the National Era at the time Mrs South
wOrths story was in the course Of publication,
1 speak with confidence when / state that tho
manuscript went to the printer week after
week precisely as it came from her pen.
Such statements as are contained in the
letter to which l have alluded, must have a
tendency to mar the true and simple story of
the literary life of Mrs. Southworth, and it is
therefore to be hoped that the journal in
which it first appeared, as well as those in
various portions of the country into whose
columns it has been copied, will have the
| generosity to print at least so much of this
communication as relates to the erroneous
statements with which the said letter abounds.
G. ii. B.
w. INaI