New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-14


The writer ~ these letters. IT is evident was
the most interchangeable Of readers, especially OF
novels. My love Of fiction she wrote To
Choricy. began with my breath and viii emo
with IL; and goes on increasing. ana the h"iSht5
and depths OF the consumption which II has IN
duccd YOU may guess nj perhaps hut u Is a SUD
lime idea from its vastn"ss and VIII gam on
you but slowly IN my tombston" may De writ
ten 'Ci git tho greatest novel reader IN the
world and nobody will forbid the inscription.
She shows upon occasion 80 much quick insight
and true critical ability that it ~ odd to iind her
repeating the conventional "Tinion OF vanity
Fair" current in 1919 The reading world long
oro outgr.w th, belief that that great novel was
.'crucl f. human uaturc'-"a pain nj book and
not the pain that pUriics and cNalts.' II is more
amusing than odd 10 note The ladys cond"sc"nd-
ing addition thai she certainly had no idea that
Mr. Thackcray had intellectual force for such a
book; "ihe power is considerable" Wordsworth
was one OF her early alterations. and she writes
with grlish animation OF her two interviews WIN
him:
7 or Henrietta must have told You that on" Of
INV privileges has been o., sc. Wordsworth twice.
lie was YER, lind to me-. and let me hear his
Papa has rV .n me the hist Two
volumes az Wordsworih's new clifton Inc en-
craving In tho first is his own face. You might
think me affected % told You all felt IN seeing
the living face Ills manners are very simple.
and his conversation not a. all proinincnt-lt
you quite understand what ! mean by that /
DO myself. for saw AT the same time Landor-
the brilliant Landori-and felt IN" difference be-
tween great genius ana eminent talent
MOI | was not n all disappointed In Words
worth although perhaps ! should not nave
singled him from the multitude AZ great man.
There is n reserve even in his countenance which
does not tighten AZ Laudor5 does, whom ! saw
the same evening. His eyes have more meekncsS
than brliancy and in his slow. even articula-
ton there Is rather the so!emnity ana calmncsS
Of truth Itself than the animation and energy
OF those who seek for IT, AZ To my being quite
at my ease when spoke to him. why. how could
Won ask such "A question? / trcmbcd both in
NV soul and body But he was very kind and
near me and talked to me as long IA he was
i'm the room-and recited a tran Station by Cary
Of a sonnet OF Dantes-and altogether 1t was
quite Il dream!
These volumes are full OF such gimpScs OF
people more or less famous in their day; our ex-
tr lcts show how entcrtainIngiy they are pre-
sented. There are a good many rcpetitions. for.
ike most people who have many corrcspondcnts
Mrs. Browning was apt to use an effective bit
u material more than once. And then she did
not anticipate the publication Of these epis,lesl
II has been done with the consent Of her son,
ana one ls bound. perhaps. to accept that fact
1uItlnCdtlpn 81 lnr ltdl put one 10 ut-
,idcdly not bound 10 approve Mr.. Kenyons very
ame excuse for putting into print the intimate
private letters If a woman who in life dreaded
nothing so much as publicity for her deepest
ceilings In his preface the editor declares that
there IS evidence Cwherc and whatD that the
Brownings recognized that the public has some
.laims with regard TO writers who have appealed
% and partly lived by It's favor" A settled
opinion OF this sort Is calculated to suppress
genius and lend n new horror to death Does
,Ot an author give entertainment, Inspiration
md delight IN return for the usually small sum
IL books cost the readerf 1t Is perfectly simple
business transaction. Why should the public
nj side that transaction have claim" to search
nto tho nnermost emotions, the plteous sor-
ows. the sacred bercavcments OF the man or
woman whose works II buys? Let US concede
hat as long as a curious world loves both gossip
nd gold the private letters Il the defenceless
lead Will be published, but let US be honest
nough to acknowledge that It has no inherent
claim" to such letters