The morning call., 1894-01-12
A SAD CAREER.


life of Beaumarchais, the author of 1.-THE
Barber of Seville" was brought to close
the other day in London. 1t was that OF
Henry Vizetelli. who has been known for
many years in literary and newspaper
circles.
Just forty years ago, when he was
about thirty years of age, and had saved a
little money out of his earnings as artist
and reporter. he burst upon England as
the publisher of an American novel
Uncle Toms Cabin" Ii proved an as
founding SUCCESS, and Vizetelli followed
it up with an edition of the stories of
Edgar a. Poe, who was unknown TO
English readers. These publications
made Vizetelli rich. But lie was one of
those men who can make but not keep
money. When our civil war broke out, he
was an artist on the staff of the London
Illustrated NetUS, highly esteemed as one
who could use pen. pencil or brush. but
still barely earning enough for his daily
wants. He was dispatched TO this country
by the NelcS to report and illustrate the
war; but like most Englishmen of that
day. he bestowed his sympathies on the
wrong side. and more than once got into
broke out, he was again sent to the front
as correspondent. and this time he did
good service, and won both fame and
money. AT the close of hostilities he re-
turned to his old trade Of publisher, and
undertook to reproduce in English the
leading French novels of the day.
1t was natural that be should have Sc
lected lola to begin with; the author OF the
ROugOn- MaCQuard series is the lineal sue
cessOr of the author Of the Coincide Hu-
maine, ana deserves equal recognition.
But it was bad judgment to select as the
opening novel of the series ''L'Assom-
moir." a coarse book in which the lives of
low vulgar people are depicted with in
eXOrable realism. 1t was still worse judg-
ment to follow up this blunder with the
novel which has disgTaced the glory OF
Theopbile Gautier. Such publications
prejudiced the British public against
VIZetelli. and set the Anthony Com
stocks of London on his heels. He
failed to rehabiltate himself by publish
ing "Salammbo." and other works of un-
doubted genius and value. The police
notified him that he must be more circum-
spect thereafter.
to extremities. He was an impulsive man.
impatient of restraint and always spelling
Tor fight. He set the authorities at def
ance and published works which, without
being offensive to morality. carried realism
to great lengths: nothing worse, perhaps,
than David Grieye" or The Heavenly
Twins" but which. coming from his pen
and being of French extraction, were sup
posed to be worse than they were. The
Government came down upon him and in
dlcted him. The result was fOregone
conclusion. He was convicted, the con-
tents of his office, including his plates,
were seized, and he was thrown into prison,
from which lie was liberated to die at the
age Of seventy, without means to defray
his funeral expenses.
Thirty years ago, or Whereabouts, when
he was in his country drawing pictures
for the Illustrated NelrS, and writing let
tiers to prove that the Union could never
be restored. he appeared to be a young
man of promise. He was singularly gifted,
genial, brilliant, kindly. No one would
have taken rim for an Englishman. He
had no British morgue or lofty self-con-
ceit. He made friends with every one and
was qulte Itduy 10 dum4L tHaL tneTe were
good things in this poor sphere outside of
the British islands. He did object to GER
tain restraints which the Union Govern
ment saw fit to place on his goings and
cOmings through the lines; but he was in-
cIined to resent interference with his per-
sOnal liberty by any Government. He
wrote letters to his paper which we did
not ike at the time. But he was no worse
in this respect than George Lawrence or
George Augustus Sala. OF Mackay the bal
lad writer; and he was not nearly as often
sive in his sneers as Bull Run Russell.
Bitterly as Americans felt over his iibes in
those old days, they are sorry to-day 10
think that so bright man has gone to a
pauper's grave.