New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-04

the Author. BlOgrGpnlCa tulllVii
Vol. Y. Octave, pp. Kill, S09 Harper g BIOS
Mrs. Richie in her latest Introduction brings
before US the ThackeTay Of the period 1850
1859 Within these years the novelist paid MS
second visit TO this country and wrote that de-
ucb,ful hook THE Vi-g4nians" which was in
part the result of his visit. The lectures on tho
Four GEORGES were written for use on this tour
and the authors daughter reminds US that as
diamond" was naturally evolved from his
Studies for the "TIumorsts" 50 the LATER lectures
undoubtedly furnished the basis OF Tho Viz
gtnians." The tour was prosperous one ano'
though often III. the lecturer was happy ana
wrote home CHEEKY letters some Of which are
quoted in this Introduction. One curious thing
he notes is the effect Of tho American air upon
hin,-an effect which he experienced on MS
former VISIT asewell: II have difficulty IN form
ing the letters as I write them down on the
page. in answering questions, IN finding the
most simple words 20 form the answers a gen
tlernan asked me how long had been in New
York; I hesitated. and then said week mad
arrived tho day before. l hardly know
what is said, am thinking OF something else
nothing definite with an irresistible longing 10
30 in motion. sleep three hours less than IN
England, making up however with q he@VY'
loD, sleep every fourth night Talking
yesterday VIII - very C.~N~ 4i-ei--' -
OF Boston. he says the effect upon him on his
return from Europe IS the same. There is some
electric influence IN the air and sun here which
wa don't experience on our side of the globe
people can't cit still. people can't ruminate over
their dinners. dawdle in their studies; they must
kern moving I want 70 dash intc the street
now At home after breakfast want to read
M PAPER lesurely and then get TO my books
ard work. Yesterday. as some rain began to
fall felt q leaden cap taken off my brsIn-pan'
and began 10 speak calmly and reasonably and
not TO wish 10 quit my place"
Wherever he went ThaclIeray was received
with llindness-he would have been ungrateful
indeed If he had not been touched by so much
real friendliness. He was struck by the way
American men read-"surprisingly.' he says
He rnarvellea OF the fact that hard-working
man Of business should read Tennyson and.
Browning on the railway as he travelled TO and
fro between the city and his country home. He
was particularly delighted when DR.. Kane just
returned from the Icy North told him that he
saw one Of his seainen in one Of the holds
crouched over book for hours and hours ana
behold # was "Pendennis.' one amusing ad-
venture which Mrs. Richie quotes recalls as
she SAYS Mr.. Pickwick's most terrifying eXpe-
1ience: Had very pleasant dinner with 5
Ward and party at Delmonicos, wrote the
novelist Game home late and had an awful
T1scapc-I tremble when think of II. Took my
KEY at the bar entered my apartment, began
stralghtway TO pull of boots etc, etc, when
sweet female voice from the room within ex-
claimed George" I had gone into the second"
floor room instead OF the third I gathered my
,ainent together and dashed out Of the
premises"
~ 1917 that ThaCkpraX
stood for a seat in Parliament from oxford The
contest lasted only a few days. but during those
DAYS the candidate fought theoretically and
made divers sreeches-not specially striking
ones II we Judge from the extracts given by his
daughter This bit Of verse he sent to her and
her sister while the affair was going on:
NV dearest little woman, as far as ] can see,
The independent Voters is all along with me,
l}ut nevertheless own il, with not a little tunk
The more rcspectabIe classes Iney 80 WIN w is-
count AOnct:
But ight without tussle It is not worth
And so st. George for England. and may the
best man win.
This may the best man win" catch
word OF the occasion. and Thackeray. meeting
Lord Aioncls his opponent IN the street. shook
hands with him. talked over the situation, and
ended with MAY the best man win" Il hope
not" said Lord Monck cordially. with kind
little bow. which pointed his pretty speech-a
speech with which Thackeray was greatly de-
lighted. Pleasure and relief were what he felt
when the fight went against him. There were
some democratic phases OF It he didn't like az
ell "He has been telling us" wrote young
Anne Thackeray IN her diary. about an auc-
toneer who would call him 'Thackeray' lie
Gays il the poll had been put off one single
other day. he would have been obliged to kick
him" After the noyesfs death Charles
Dickens wrote OF this time: He dispatched
his agent to me from oxford with n droN note
urging me % come down and make speech
and tell them who he was. FOR he doubted
whether two Of the electors had ever heard Of
him. and he thought there might be as many as
six or eight who had heard of me-"
The story Of "Ths Virgnans" was begun IN
1856 soon after its author returned from the
United States and We find a quotation from the
pretty little letter in which one historian. Pres
colt. set forth the pleasure with which he read
its opening paragraph-that IN which appear
the crossed swords which, on the wall Of the
American writer's library. commemorated his
two ancestors, the Kings officer and the repub-
Ncan soldier This was the last Of Thackeray's
books that he Illustrated for himself He made
quantities Of notes in the British Museum not
only in writing. but with brush and pencil. and
several Of these artists notes appear in this
volume. Mrs. Eitchies "reminiscences concern
ing this novel are slight. and not Of much III
terest The Introduction does not, in fact. add
much 10 our knowledge OF the mainland we arc
not on this ground disposed 20 quarrel with It's
writer For enjoy as they may his daughters
recouections. her readers must stii havo an I'M
easy sub-consciousness that they are abettng
her in a work which IS mistaken, II not unflal
1t cannot be denied that these Introducuons TO
,ha successive volumes Of this biographical edf-
ton do form when taken together. more or
less connected biography Aud ThaoSeray de-
sired that no biography OF him should DO writ
ten.
f|AGA ZTNE NOTES