New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-28

DiCkcce. r A..
Volume VII. octave, PIP XVII 10 Harper "
Brothers.
The seventh volume Of Mrs. Ntchies edition
Of her fathers works contains Henry Esmond
ard the lectures on The English Humorists
The Four Georges" and Charity and Humor.
One cannot but wish that the novel might nave
occupied the volume in solitary majesty 'hus
irving an opportunity for the Of larger
type 1t is Only strong eyes that can long read
this particular text without strain
Mrs Ritchie's biographical introduction Is OF
exceeding interest. presenting as II does many
moro or less complete letters from her fathers
pen letters written in the period 1Sol-'o3 When
the greatest OF his novels was the stocks,
and when he was writing and delivering his
lectures Ia England and America. Not much Is
said about Henry Esmond" in these ep!stles-
what there iG refers to the gravity and sadness
NJ the story II am writing a book Of Cut-throat
melancholy suitable TO my state. he says In
letter 70 Lady Stanlay. land have no news or
,rvser or ANYBODY to give YOU which should not
he written on black edged paper and sealed with
a hatchment" Miss Bronte has seen the first
volume" he writes to his mother, and pro
nounces It admirable and odous. Well thlnK
II is very we'll done and very melancholy 100
81 wish the next novel wasn't so grand ana
melancholy" he repeats elsewhere; the nero IS
as stately as Sir Charles Grandison-somethlng
like Warrington-a handsome likeness or an
ugly son Of yours. There's deal OF pains IN II
that goes for nothing"-and he makes sketch
Of a dlgnifieG gentlemen in a full-bottomed WIZ
ringerlv escorting a fair damsel down a shrub
berry walk ami labelled Sir Charles Grandson
Esmond" He did. indeed take pains with the
book Gang great amount OF reading for us
Bake. e takes az much trouble as Macauay's
J. and he
advantage Of remembering everything he has
read whilst everything but impressiors-l mean
facts dates and so fOrth-slip out of my head,
:n which there's some great faculty lacking de-
mend upon IT," Mrs. Richie notes that Castle
wood was Clevedon Court in Somersetshre; and
That once when his daughters were walking with
The novelist through Kensington Square. ne
yonted to No I. and said: There is where
Lady Castlewood lived" His biographer says
elsewhere Il have also written OF sort
@. second sight my father used sometimes 10
speak Of Occasionally when he described places
he said he could hardly believe be had not been
there: ID in one Of the battles In Esmond. ne
told US that the very details Of the foreground
were visible TO him as he wrote, even to some
reeds growing by streamlet. and the curve OF
the bank by which It flowed.
The lectures were written con anore but the
first. and he presently grew very tired of "the
business" as he used TO call it. But he persisted.
for It meant moderate fortu le for his children.
and care and comfort for his cruelty afflicted
wife II is an extraordinary CONNIE ntary on the
profession Of letters that one Of the greatest OF
English authors should have been obliged thus
% exc out the rewards OF authorship. 1t Will
seem still more Extraordinary to the men OF the
next century for already the old order changes.
Some OF the letters given in this volume were
written In America during his lecturng tour
and they are full of appreciation Of the welcome
he received. LAS for writing about this coun-
try" he says in a letter 10 Mrs. Proctor. about
Goshen about Canada" (Canaan0 flowing
with milk and honey. about the friends | have
5ound here and who are helping me to procure
independence for my children. If ! cut jokes
against them may choke on the Instant II |
can say anything to show that my name Is
really MakepeaCe. and 10 increase the source or
love between the two countries. then please God
] will The laugh dies cut as We get old. you
zee, but the love and the truth don't. praised he
God, and begin to think of the responsibilities
Of this here pen now writing to you with feel
Ing Of no small awe The first name heard in
the railroad going hence to New-York was my
own. by pretty child selling books and was
touched somehow by his fresh voice and kind
face and should have liked to take him by the
hand So-here It IS after fifteen years. think
J. here's the fame they talk about. my impress
sion though Ole Of awe and humility rather
than exultaton. and to pray God that might
keep honest and tell truth always Boston So
ciety the lecturer declared. was Ike the society
Of a rich Cathedral town in England-Srave and
decorous, and very pleasant and well-read AS
for Americans generally, he thought them not 50
highly educated as individuals. but circle or
people knows more than an equal number or
English" Writing TO Lady Stanley from Phila-
delphia he said:
find wonderfully little difference in manners
an accent not quite like ours but why should IL
be? Why should not Jordan be as good as
ALBANIA and Pharpar. rivers Of Damascus! Even
the ideas Of the New-York girls. which struck
me as odious first, on account OF their speh,
daciOusness. ! think now quite spendid.
have found kind matrOns and pretty girls every
where. and in Boston very good fogeyfled' NJ
erary society. with everywhere a love for the
old country quite CurOus-nay. touching-to re-
mark They are great about pronunciation es-
pecally and take down at my lectures words
which this present arb,er of English pro-
nounces differently TO them. If Carlyle comes
] wonder IL they will take him as an exemplar;
Everybody lectures In this country, ana
It isn't nor any trade or calling else, for that
matter, thought mira dig. Nor is a man
thought the worse Of for showing little nd@-
pendence. For instance. when / came here tAey
told me II was usual for lecturers Mr. Is. OF
England. had done III 20 call upon all the edi-
tors Of all the papers, hat in hand. and ask them
20 puff my lectures Says l. TN see them all
=" here ] used Il strong expression. which
you will find in the Athanasian Creed Well
they were pleased rather than otherwise. and
now the papers putting me so as TO make me
blush.
Another letter at an earlier time IS so char
acterlstc Of It's writer that cannot forbear
quoting t. IT Is written 10 his friend Fargues
in Paris, with whom he says at the beginning
he had been angry for three whole years
In 1851 apropos Of my lectures, you wrote in
q French paper published here that | had
praised Addison in order 10 curry favor with the
English aristocracy My honor was wounded at
IL ~ frinld sLnull mako Sunh a