The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09
THE LITERARY OUTLOOK.
NOTABLE FORERUNNERS OF MR.
KIPLING IN INTERNATIONAL.
AFFECTION.

War and Satire-Wrftings That An
swered to the "DOOIey'' Papers
in the Civil Wharf.-The Indifference
to the Novel of Local Color i'm Its
own LOcality-Mr. Charles Henry
Bart in His Speciality.
New York, April s.-The recent union
of America and England in testimonies,
anxiety and regard for Mr. Kipling nat
urally suggests some earlier instances in
which the two nations have been as one
In their personal glorification of some au-
thor. The most eminent cases are those
of Dickens and Washington Irving. Dick
ems became as swiftly a popular idol in
America as In England, and even on his
first visit here in 1872 when he was but
30 years old, and had as yet brought out
out four books, he was followed and
feted and fondled beyond all bounds.
When he came a second time, twenty
five years later, he was the center of a
perfectly mad crush from the moment
he arrived until the moment he departed.
Irving, of course, was never the object
of public ovatlons like these; but when
he went to England after the publication
of "Diedrich Knickerbocker," all doors
opened eagerly to him, he became very
much of a social lion and to the large
royalties which his writings soon began
to bring him England contributed an ex-
traordnarily large share. For example,
Murray paid him $2,4Oo for the Sketch
Book" S, $50 for 'Bracebridge Hail." and
s7S75 for Tales of Traveller" Even In
these days, when everything is on a much
larger scale, and money has lower value,
these sums would be notable as paid by
an English publisher to an American au-
thor.
But there Is an earlier and much more
curious instance than either of these of
an English-writing author finding immense
favor In both countries. 1t is related that
when Daniel Webster returned from his
visit to England in 1S29-when, by the way
he proved a pretty successful and, in a
way, literary, lion himself-hs asked a
friend what two Americans he supposed
he (Mr. Webster) had heard more fire.
Quently named and found more generally
admired than any or all others. The
friend answered. Washington and Chief
Justice Marshall. Mr.. Webster said: "Oh,
L mean among the living and then he
answered his question himself, saying:
OuuSO OlOly anu ESNSE Every
| lawyer in England, he added, and people
| quite generally among the educated and
| well-informed knew of and honored Judge
| Story; but Peter Farley had hold on all
the young hearts in England Whenever
| he went into an English family, and the
children were brought in and presented
| to him as Mr.. Webster an American gen
! tleman, they were sure to approach him,
! and with the greatest of interest express
| cd in their fapas
know Peter Parey?"
I wonder who knows Peter Farley now?'
| Only the more curious can be aware that
| Samuel Grswold Goodrich put out under
| this name long list (nearly ZOO of juv-
emile books, that had a fabulous sale first
in this country, and then in Europe The
first, Tales Of Peter Farley About Amer
ioa," appeared two years before Mr.. Web
ster's visit to England. Others had fol-
lowed in quick succession, and Webster
| undoubtedly encountered the tide lust at
| its flood. The name became so good COM
| mercially that other publishers appropri-
ated it, and before 1t finally lost its en-
chantment it must have appeared on about
| 300 separate publications. Thus Peter Par
ley conformed to the present practice, and
finding himself the most popular of au-
| thors, became also the most prolific
| Montana, with a population less than
| that of a moderate sized city. and its
| mountains and isolated valleys and its
mines and stock farms is not exactiv
the locality we should look to for new
| recruits to the ranks of the artists. Bur
| 1t has supplied one of undeniable gifts
in Miss Fanny Young Cory. Miss Cory's
work has appeared lately in several of
| the weli-known magazines and she had
connection, through its short life
with the lively Bee She has now de.
| signed the cover and made the illustra
lions for Charles Batteil LOOMS forth
coming book of humorous verse, Just
| Rhymes" From an advance" view Of
the LOOMS book that 1 was accorded
the other day I should say that il INNS,
| add very sgnally to Miss Cory's renuta-
| ton and prosperity. The cover has to
| begin with, originality-as rare a virtue
| in cover designs almost as in comic
| operas-and it secures the commercial
consideration of 'fetchlngness" without
| the sacrifice of appositeness and svnna
thy. Much the same may be said of the
| Illustrations Pretty good proof, indeed
| that Miss Cory has done this work IN
| something out of the ordinary wav ,s
had in the fact that it has the enthusiast
tic approval Of the author. When an au
thor is really hearty in his Endorsement
| of what the illustrator has done for him
| it's an instance to make a special record
|
| She is not of Montana any longer. One
can be born an artist there;i but to live
| there as an artist would certainly put the
| resources of the country to their last TEST
Miss Corys present home is at AvondaIe
| N. j., an hours travel from this CITY
| Her artistic impulse Is family gift
| Campbell Cory the well-known cartoon
list on the New York World, Is her brother
| One would think that a novel especially
strong in local description and character
| ization, If 1t found readers anywhere, would
| find them most surely In the region and
among the people particularly typified. But
an instance has just come to my knowl-
| edge that shows that this is not necessar-
| lily so; and incline to believe from other
instances I have known of, that the rule
even Is the other way, and that novels, like
| prophets are least honored in their own
| immediate country. In the instance 1 have
in mind-I have to refrain for special rea-
sons from naming the book-all the re-
views have been of a kind to provoke Gu
| riosity. The reviewers argue that IA shows