New-York tribune., 1889-10-20
WILKIE COLLINS.
SOME PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES OF THE
DEAD NOVELIST

| FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THH TRrBUSEl
| Paris. October A.
| ] knew Wilkie Collins but my meetings with
him were far between. The first OF them was
good many years ago, when he was on his way
to Rome to meet there the Trollopes and some
other friends. lie came with letter OF intro-
ductlon, and asked him to luncheon. That
meal TOOK place at noon had taken pains that
IL should be dainty and in small company!
WllSle came at about ten minutes before the
! hour. L found him ready unobstrusivc tallIer
saying well all ne had to say
| good listener apt in answer, Judicious
open-minded, and speaking, as If out Of
! his fulDess, on every topic that was broached.
And hoy we did zig-zag through topics After
the cloth removed. l caused large easy-chair
to be placed for the lion tefore great wood
| fire. but far enough from it for him not TO be
roasted. II was dark day. and snow was
! falling The blaze was reflected in all the poll
ished furniture, and most Of all in Wilkes
spectaces, which were kept constantly turned on
the burning logs. He often stopped talking TO
look at them and to remark how happy one should
| be living in country where one could have such
hre-not knowing that the one he saw was
! luxury in which only the wealthy could indulge
| daily. He and the ample hgh-backed arm
| chair went admirably together. 1t was reposcful
and handsome. and was Willlie. thought
never saw handsomer man, If it were not for
the glasses. And there was no tinge Of foppish
seli-c' rSciousness to mar his good looks. Tho
straight features, brownish skin. dark eyes, fow-
ing beard also dark-brown). noble forehead. and
the easy posture, which he hardly changed. when
he sitting before the fire, formed picture
which is still viyidly painted in my minds eye.
He remained until quarter to :, when told him
that had TO 90 to dress for a dinner party
OF himself when he was wanted TO do so. without
mock modesty or vanity, but with knowledge Of
the points in which he was superior lie spoke Of
how he was briefess barrister at Lncons Inn
and deserved to be so-of Wills. of All the Year
Round great deal of Dickens, for whom no
showed affection and superlative admiration quite
free from gush. | said that Willde Collins struck
me as being iudicous The quality OF Judgment
was brought to bear on Dickens when he was
portraying and estimating him. Miss Braddon
was also touched upon. Her brother novelist said
that although his own pen flowed freely on when
he got his story well outlined IN his mInd no
envied Miss BraddOn her facility As TO her
sensaionalism he altogether justified 1t. How
could the writer of fiction, appealing to the
Millions succeed. unless through strong sensa-
ton? Shakespeare was a sensationlst. Ferhaps
he would not be 80 much so now, when costumes,
scenery, lmelights and stage trickery in general
captivate the mind through the eye But having
to appeal through words chiefly to the Intellect ana
imagination, he almost oyerdosed his plays WIN
sensations
Mrs. Mona Card was not then around Never-
theeSs marriage, as to whether 1t was or WAS
not a failure was discussed. Willde said it was
fearfully momentous question, because the COM
fort standard of ladies was high and con-
they themselves required as of what society re-
ouired of their husbands He owned frankly
that there was one bar to his making matrl-
raOnial venture himself. 1t was his habit 0t
eating opium Not that it interfered with his
health On the contrary, it soothed nerves thai
ached torturingly from neuralgia. lie had no
vistas opened to him either on Paradise or ths
neither world when he took strong dose Bns
opium made him fond of quiet and in some re-
spects moral coward. He felt that IL he had
wife who wanted carriage, which he was too
Door to give her, he would sink into the earth.
Saving no to any one whom he let in on him had
become painfully difficult. But he was sui
able to say it to sharp publishers and to write 1t
to all sorts of people. lie 1ound IL easier @
write it than TO say IL.
| thought it rather odd how he spoke Of the
patrarchal household of Abraham, and all the
more so that he was serious, Abraham, he thought
must have been in the solitude of pastoral pain
the happiest of men. with for his companion and
wife very experienced elderly lady, evidently
of fine manners and we'll preserved, since she had
made a sensation at the Court OF Egypt, and the
docile Hagar to complete the conjugal establish
ment | remarked that it was too good 10 lasS
and had rather bitter aftertaste when Sarah
ordered Abraham to send Hagar and her son about
their business Will<ie Collins, | remember,
heaved here a deep sigh-why did not ask him
and then asked me what thought OF marriage.
| was rather in favor Of the institution, but had
not the experience on which TO base an opinion
worth giving
well, then.o he said, if we are both alive
on your silver wedding day, won't you tell me =
| said yes As / can never keep the promise
[ NAV say here that | think marriage is OF all
human institutions the best, if you marry ths
right person. If you don't, it's a school ZOE
patience the most valuable of all the virtues
We both agreed that two persons OF irritable
nerves or hyper-sensitive dispositions should not
unite in matrimony. Dickens was one OF mo
best fellows, Wllle said, that ever lived, and a
very cheerful worker He bright and genial
in his home circle But he had nerves, often on
an edge. and Mrs Dickens sensitive and
mistrustful of herself This made her low-spiritd
inst at times when a flow Of good humor was
wanted TO soothe him. lie WINGED, and she shed
tears and so the dissolution of partnership came
about. She was good little woman, but she
did not develop mentally along with Dickens
who married her when he yery young, and
hardly knew his own mind.
Talking Of Miss Braddon, George Eliot and
other women of literary capacity, he thousht
10 a good thing for such persons 90 marry good
men of business. who could bring their works 70
the best market Mr. Maxwell and MI. Lewes
did this for Miss Braddon and George Ello1
Patti, Willkie Collins felt sure would regret having
married a fine gentleman. No great artist VINO
had TO work could long enjoy oeinS soc,ey s
lady Society was a deadly atmosphere, exceP'
to ibose Who to"lt IT, inst for what IL was worth
The sort Of personal Independence which VI, eTds can II
enjoyed In Paris without lneurhg ,Ie & usStv Sa,ar'