New-York tribune., 1884-11-02

,sp sour GENIAL COMMENTS OK Mr.. DE RAY

AND soMF GENIAL COMMENTS on MR. DF KAY
70 me Rditor Of The Tribune.
SIN. As n friend of Mr. Edgar Fawcctt,
should like TO ash rnp TRIBUNE FOR few lines of '
ro,,o,ie s,oce In reference Ia criticism published by
m, y,,r r-t fines ON Sunday last For about seteh
Years rast me times as never missed chance W he'
lue AT Mr. Fawcets literary work. and II is well known
that the sneeef haa been certain MT 'hatles I've hay'
AR Fevpett has horne with contenptuons silence many
, pstr sta, FROM Re Kaye ren. know him 10 have so
pnnripip q dsialn Tor this eenilcmahs nwh sileeeh
raetst that he regards " 10 ulte without tho pale ~
sssie discussion in enpe told no, 10 ar WIN rather
sad than wfathfni expression, mat hp Thought pp'
ian iuIgid y"nme ~ msnt hundred iihes' eaiisa I'VE
Vision ~ kinfph" onet 10 hn it-ohfistrhp me hsW'
of fadlaiuite iinwevef, he has moi enes shawn The
siightest hasitF toward Mn pe RAY ana ala sure has
cherished very little ranoor' fel 'h'nh inc i""''
criticism ON MIR FaNoetrs book of poems song
aud story" IA book warmly praised Ia ihh ih'nuSH
some few weeks agO 10 be 20 maeVolent ana Nhsoeh'
that the reading public knew o MI 'e NAY
singular hatred The last-named gentleman has been
very unsuccessful both novelist and poet hle
tale Of his called The Bohemian dn which II was said
that he attempted 10 earcaure Mr. Fawce by tho WayJ
WAS treated by most the newspapers yenonosy as
even his pen knows how to write, ana FELL "hoIy
Nat upon an ungracful public. His books OF verses nave
achieved for their author not even iOrth-rate pace III
literature They are in workmanship execrably soVenly
IA ouaty called rugged strength" believe by has al
nirinc friends defective IN all musical qualify as
to sound like odd parodies OF Mr. Browning's worst
manner Their ambition, regards length and sublect
is stupendous They treat the whole vast scheme OF e'o
ution as lightly as If 1t pansy. They have both
deph and power-but regret to add their depth j. that
of bathos and power that OF cora 1t puts one to
sleep All asde they pretty bad stun the sort
OF literature that will clog ubshers shelf for three or
four years and finally sold out by the lot at heavy
discount on the trade price Now should Ike to ask the
readers OF TRIBUNE TO consider fairly and Justly
whether Fawcetts place in literature Is not good
many degrees higher than this Has he been an unsnc-
cessfu writer Has he been successful one And
does not Mr. De Kay place msclf in very false light
when he writes of Mr. Fawcetts poetry: He chooses
for subjects things less Mandy pamby. but he Is always
open to the charge of flashing his aks to simulate the
divine anlatus" GIow. by the way, does Mr.. DE kay
simulate the divine ahlatus . BY wassing his ears y
Again, Mr. aWcetts Rhadamanthus declares OF him.
His choice OF adectives well as his reckless pro
fusion Of them carry his near to the verge OF
bathos that it needs much goodwill not to tumble
and have ones laugh out" tAas. Toor Mr.. De Kay
all about tuIbng over the verge ot bathos The
great mystery is that re-emergcd his
fall Yet" pursues this terrible little annhilatcI as
in his former volume there is here and there pleasant
mood recorded when he adniring himself with the
cheap tinsel of melodrama. from the ZEN OF the
Assyrian Mr. De Kay cheap tinsei Is good II Is III
deed exquisite There are pages In his own bulky oc-
tavos Nimrod" and Esther. that blaze with all the
taNydV
the astute Judges conclusion, 1t is clear that Mr. Faw-
cctt deserve. fair rank among the minor poets OF to-
day" diow We wonder, would Mr.. De Kay rank bis
own massive genius / should say that he had some
model of bombast, privately worshippc TO which he ap
plies Haialefs words Nay, an thOut mouth Ill rant
ils VI ell ~ thou!')
wish to finish by an amusing anecdote which am
sure Mr.. Fawcctt would not object 10 my telling Not
long ago certain friend informed him that Mr. DE Kay
had been one OF the persons chiefly Instrumental in
keeping HIM Of the Authors Club recently founded
In New-IOrk. I chanced To be present when this in
formation was received by Mr.. Favcett, and | shlll
never forget the blank look that crossed Ills face.
followed by shout Of laughter keepag me- O Of the
Authors Cubw he exclaimed Bat have never made
any application enter 1t. Nor have ever bad the
least desire 10 do Indeed could not be induced
any plea to join the Authors Club" Nevertheless
returned the informant 1t Is stated that you kept
out by Mr. DE kay and his friends" Mr.. Fawcett
Inu ed for moment; and then his eyes twnkled and hts
smile deepened The idea" he stid OF being black
balcd 10y a club which you would soon belong II
put head in hornets nest. That Is very funny
think" thought too. But also thought the occur
renee much serious for Mr. DE Kay and his friends
than for Mr.. Fawcett Respectfully, CANDIDUs.
Netc- York, Oct 20, 1881