The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-28
MARGARET O. ELEPHANT
DEATH OF THE NOTED AUTHOR WAS
DUE TO CANCER.
Her End a Relief from LOng-Endured
Pain-Her High Rank in En-
gIish Literature.

LONDON, June 1.-THE death of Mrs.
Margaret o. Oliphant, which took place
Friday night, was due to cancer. She had
suffered greatly for many months, and her
death, recognized as unavoidable, came TO
her as a welcome relief from pain
Mrs. Oliphant was one of the most prolific
and versatile authors of modern times, and
her name is known wherever the English
language is read. Her novels have been a
recognized feature of the best English liter
allure for many years, and despite all the
changes in standards of taste, they have
succeeded in keeping an undiminshed popu-
larity. While it is upon them that her fame
chiefly rests, she has also written books
both along historical and biographical lines
which have given her the highest standing
in each of these spheres of literary activity.
Mrs. ELEPHANTS reputation as writer is
not merely a matter of the latter part OF
her life. Ever since her first novel was pub
lished, when she was twenty-one, she has
had a place III the hearts of a very large
class of readers. She had special skill in
delineating characters and scenes of the
Scotch life with which she was best ac-
quainted, and she was able to make the
persons she portrayed stand before the
reader in all the reality of life She was
but even on this side often accomplished
most satisfactory results.
She was an exceedingly rapid writer,
turning out with great regularity after she
began to write a three-volume novel every
year. She published over forty works of
fiction, in addition to the numerous
biographical and historical works. 1t would
be very hard to find her equal in this re-
Spect, considering the high ana even stand
ard of style which she maintained.
Mrs. Onphant was born al WauyIOrd,
near MusSelburgh in Midlothian, IN 49,
her maiden name being Margaret Onphant
Wilson. Her early attempt at writing Tor
the immediate pleasure OF her own circle
of friends met with so much appfopatlon
that her tlrst novel, called Passages IN the
Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland OF sunny
side" was given TO the publisher WIN
this work her long career OF activity was
entered upon, Most OF her novels were were
stories OF daily life, or were CHOSEN from
historical scenes. They were all noted Ior
the exceeding purity of their tone, as she
steadily and consistently refused to have
ANYTHING to do with the criminal sides OF
life whether amongk the higher or the lower
classes of society
gave freer reign to an underlying mysticism
which could be found in germ even IN her
earlier work. "a Little Pilgrim in the
Unseen is a fantastic story OF a happy
spirit content to roam in her new World:
'Old Lady Mary is a speculative study OF
spirit filled with repentance tor WI, wrong l
strong that the spirit finally came PACK
to earth to repair the evil as well as posi-
BILE but found there that it could not enter
into communication with beings still IN
life OF course a clearly defined moral is IN
volved in the tale Neither OF these works
is equal in fascination to the BeleaSuereQ
City." a tale of the invasion of an old
French town by the countless souls or all
its departed citizens, and the expulsion OF
If Mrs. Oliphant is and remains more
widely known to the general public through
her novels, it is not at all lmpropaole siIat
she will receive a higher permanent place
in literature from her biographical writings
Indeed, she manifested here very peculiar
power The same spirit OF character p9r-
ment in her novels seemed to appear with
even greater effect when the subjects she
formerly lived and labored. Especially
where religious fervor rose high ana Strohg
did she find herself at nome, In Inc o Di1
Of Count Charles de Monta1embert are par
ticularly noteworthy and have been held up
by critics as striking examples Oh syn nh9 -
acter. Other biographical WORKS she mas Is
published are the Makers of Florence;
Thomas Chalmers and Laurence oll-
plant" O,;,,1o,+,a o,roo+-
est production is The Literary I1dS13ry o5
beginning of the Nineteenth centuries. IN
this work she seemed to be at her very
best. The narrative flows smoothly ana
nuicixIv. the interest is wholly sustained
and people seem re- fbi c Mith
s!rTha Victorian Age of English Literature,
is equally clear, suggestive and admirable mir
In addition to these works Mrs; ON 0}nph9f ant
EneIish Readers" and herself contributed
the Volumes on Dante and Cervantes: One
of her very latest works was VoluIne on
Rome. published by Macmillan in UNIFORM
stVle with her Makers of Venice. Al in
ali Mrs. Oliphant was one of the freshest
purest and simplest spirits in recent hngllSh