The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-13
VA, FRIDAY, JUNE Ii, 1890.

sur'lty. 4 great author once made such a
mistake: bui il was in his early youth; as is
recorded. by Thomas d. euincey. That
able critic tells MS that when Schiller vas
nineteen he published his play OF rhe Rob
bors; brilliant but most eXtrayagant
drama. ProuDuncing the three leading
characters in that play 10 be mere impossi-
bilities." De Quincy goes on to say that "a
poet may postutate his witches. his Cali
bans. his Ariels, invest them with
unnatural, that is with superhuman
attributes, and use them as consistent crea-
ti0ns. But this species Of assumption, on
the largest scale. Is, when applied to modes
Of existence, which, after all, are i'm such
total darkness to US, more within the
limits Of credibiliiy and plausible yeri-
similitude, than the very slightest lib
critics taken with human character or
with the principles Of action, motives
and feelings. which in common prudence
they would be likely to adopt" In his
maturcr years. De Quincy tells us, Schil-
Ter had the candOr and good sense 10 recOg-
nize and pronounce his drama to be "a
monster" TO admit his failure and to ascribe
il TO the fact that lat the time when he
composed The Robbers he knew absO-
lutcly nothing OF the actual men in the
Nagia.v On the contrary, Mr. Page
commits his error at the time Of life when
Schiller confessed and abiured bis, diabOl-
lies a whole community In order to get II
lurid perspective for one angelic Young
lady. calls il "a picture Of civilization. per-
suades himself and tells Us that the public
are enthusiastic" about il. and resents re-
spectful criticism a. unkind, unreasonable,
shallow and stupid.
Aud this il one of the differences between
Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page and the author of
Wallenstein.
TO Mr.. Pages rather complaining re-
mark that have preserved ian uhwonted
silence for four years. beg to make this
apOlogetic reply: In common with many
more people than Mr.. Page imagines,
never approved "Meh Lady" and regret
ted that hc had published it. And
for this reasoni knew that the
most numerous class Of Mr.. Pages read
ers were the people Of the North, who
would be delighted to have testimony
from Nirginian that negro slavery had 50
hrltaiZcd the people of the south that they
deserted their nearest Kin and most attrac-
tive associates when poverty and distress
came upon them, leaving them 10 the care
Of the kndlier and nObler negro. supple
mented by the constancy and magnaminlty
of Captain Wilton. Nirginian, one re-
move. whose Yankee rearing had purgcd
the infection from his slayc-hOlding
blood. And ! objected that my people
should be presented in this false and odious
light anywhere, but particularly before enc
mics eager to misjudge and misrepresent Us
10 the world. But as | had enough 10 do in
other lines, was rather too old for literary
and. besides, really liked
Mr.. PAGE. declined 10 criticise "lleh
Lady, or any other Of his writings. But
when | saw. in the letter about "Uncle
Balla," a sort Of disposition to heroify "a
old negro, was impelled 10
take him down from the pedestal on which
Mr.. Page had placed him and assign him
histruc place at least in the estimation of
Nirginians.
I'm doing that, | took occasion to say:
That 'Meh Lady is untrue throughout to
our white society. as we'll as to the negro
race. and that the conditions Of the plot
could never have existed anywhere" Mr..
Pages letter Of May 2'h challenged me to
argue that matter. This | did in Tue
TIMES Of June 9Th. and have done again in
this article. proyingmy points in both byap-
peaing 10 the experience Of every white
soul in Virginia and the South.
rims. FRANK G.. RUFFIN.