New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-03
than any lady I'm the white House since the days ~ LAZY
Warrington whom she somewhat resemDiee
CHARLES READE'S INTEREST ~ J6E
UNITED STATES.
&c co,,,, :, In. 4I1any z,ening J>yya,


So Coaant IN Tn. Atoany Ereainq J1grnsl
NJ personal acquaintance with Charles Reade tegaa
at peasant dinner the house Of Ir. Wbkie collins
in the summer If 1875. We had exchanged many
letters chiefly Of business character but confess that
looked forward 20 the meeting with a vague appe
hensiou that the oyerbearng tone aud manner WHICH
appear in his trenchanr and sarcastic eonfroversla
writings night be characteristic Of him IN social inter
course The apprehension entirely mnfoUnded.
so far from being aggressive oyerbcarng, Mr. keade
~ the most genial and agreeable men ever
met. His manner was quiet and dignihed and there
not the slightest trace in his conversation Of
tendency 10 dOgmatze, or insist upor his opinions,
he at all inclined " InOnOpOllc the CONVEX
sation.
Mr. Reade was At that time about sixty one wears old
He appeared to be in the very prime and ygor Of
hood Iis tall and commanding figure showed hardly
trace If ears hi. fine brown eyes shonr with intel
ectual fire. and his c0untenance wore an Expression Of
benevolent good nature. was surprised - the extent
and thor0ughness Of Ma knowledge Of this country. In
which he was very different from most Engii-hmsn.
even those who are highly educated He kneG all oar
leading men. in literature and poitica, was we'll
acquainted with The history and policy 0f III" two great
political parties and was accurately Informed ~ tO the
geography Of the country have heard an educated
Engishman speak Of Boston the capital OF The state
Of New En- glaDd ard asked h Tar fruni
NewlOrk ~ Buen0s Ayres, both cities beng IN tho
Americas YOU know. Another inqI red of on o.
quaa of mine how IL possible fer the immense
armies If North and South America 70 opcrAe during
the Civil War on the narrow and mountainous lsthfnus
Of Daren which wasn't 20 pad for intelligent Eng
lshman, VII probably got his ideas Of the Amereas
from some Iltiquated school atla1
But Charles Reade possessed n really accurate
knowledge If the LATED states, so intimate, In fart
that in tie course OF conversation yentured 10
nauire into it, He smiled ~ he avoHed that
he did depend books, least OF all the books ~
English travellers in America, out derived his inior'
nation directly from American newspapers. u fsn
once been his Intention he said, to VII; The United
States, aud he proposed 10 qualify himself for ntell-
gent observation By recourse 10 contemporary sources
Of information, and he REGARDED the leaiiug news.
papers OF country lik ours as the most faithful and
Trustworthy guides " When you 10 my house." be
d,.d % I xuiII. mn e -sTi
treasury Of contemporary knowledge"
Have You abandoned the intention Of lstng asi
asked adding that our people would give him mort
80 yes' said Mr. Resde. " I am too old now. ]
have dread Of the long sOyagc, and am aIrad of
the too generous hospitality Of you Americans. ~ ny
age should break down under IL am obi god Ia be
careful of myself ana myself Tor The work
have laid out. Bat -holld Ike well 70 visit y3ur
grand country and see with my o"H eyes the mINeA 81
which have read so much
A few evenings afterwsrd dincd At Hr. Reades
to the ladies' Of the party, showing himself 10 be-
OF the most difficult OF social accolpi -huents
that oi witty and original conversation. b" Wa Irady
Ia listen and auck to answer and far from doing all
the IA king himself he displayed the greatest tact m
drawing out others and making the on'ersacn gen
eral. .,
heard great deal about his so-called arrogance
and Impotence of contradiction There l. story that he
0loe almost brutay snubbed stranger. who yenturcd
10 praise his "Coisier aud the Hearth ~ his pest
novel by telling hun oluntly that any one VINO va 70
stupid to think hat, was only nj Tor unat'e Sf
Lam. II NAV be that bores sometimes angere'l hlm
beyond the limits Of endurance but those who knew
him most intimately declare that he was one Of tho
most genial and kind hearted of men, thoughtful Ok
others and always ready 10 do Il generous act.
After dinner went into Mr.. Reaces library.
where he exhibited his famous scrap-bo0 and Ell
planned he system which they were made. and how
he mad OF them They contained clippings from
new spapers. magazines, and book, on every conciv.
able tniecf and from all the world, classified
before pa,iing snd these indeed under appropriate
headings. " When want peculiar murder, for M
stance" said Mr. Reade " turn 10 NY index and itnd
lust The one want. one Won know, which the critics
will tell You could never happen out OF novel" One
Of the scrap books made up wholly II remember
II h. nf quaint anecdotes recOlect that VIZ. Reade
showed me several of President Lincoln 0pt stories.
He was very anxious to know If cOald give an imiis
ton oi his -t,e of telling them, and appeared To lie
quite greyed 10 lind that had never had the pleasure
of heliia. them from " Old Abe himself " should
appreciate them mIch better he SAID. " II conl1
catch the tone and manner III which they were told"
When took my leave of him that evening he made
me promise To send him characteristic things from
America anything that would illustrate customs and
Manners and especially the peculiar dialects 0 differ
regions of this country. His last inIuncuJD as
left hi- door step, ws7 Don I take hansdp, they
are dcath-traps II the horse -tumbr- aud ias, you
20 under hi. heels aud get your brains knocked out
Then. putting his hand afiectionatey my shoulder.
he said kindly Good bye God bless y0u mT son -
The sound of his genial voice the expression 81 his
eye. and he pressure Of hi hand, h. said those
words, will always be pleasant for MT Ia remember