New-York tribune., 1902-07-25

Here is a Thackeray story for which THE
Washington Post" is responsible:
When Thackeray made his first visit to the
United States, one of the Americans with whom
he formed very pleasant friendship was the
Rev. DR.. Henry w. Bellows the eminent Uni
tartan divine. Their tastes were similar in the
lines of scholarship, and Thackeray was very
much interested in everything DR.. Bellows said
in praise or criticism of his novels, which were
then beginning to make headway with the read
ing public in our country.
On his second visit he was met at the steamer
wharf by a few American friends. the clergy
man among others. A warm greeting passed
between the two men. and the visitors nrst IN
quiry thereafter was: What do you think of
The Newcomes'?" That novel had been ap-
pearing in monthly instalments this side of
the water, and had got enough to the end
to make fair judgment possible. "I have only
one fault to find with it," responded DR.. Bellows;
you are trying to impose plagiarism upon u.s."
the doctor went to explain: You have con-
structed your Colonel Newcome out of two char
acters already familiar 10 all students of good
iterature-Don Quixote and Sir Roger de Gov
erley" Thackeray started. You have touched
on the very truth" said he. 81 had been reading
the Don's memoirs and the Sir Roger papers in
The Spectator just before attacking that last
task. I tried TO make the colonel a creation of
my own, but I conscious all the while that
my two beloved old heroes blending in my
mind. No one else has guessed it, so far as
know"
Wholly fresh ground is covered by the un-
published letters Of Darwin, which will soon be
given to a world always interested IN the man
and his work. There is a perennial sale for his
writings.
Dr. Conan Doyle has made $1,000 out Of his
war pamphlet. With $1,000 of this he has estab-
lshed a South African scholarship at the Uni
versity of Edinburgh. The rest of the money
he has invested in gold cigarette cases for
friends abroad. who have helped in the work
of distributing copies. These cases are to be In
scribed From friends in England to a friend
of England"
fortnight ago we had occasion to quote an
English critic on the subject of American slang.
and TO point out the absurdity of his notion that
'the slang word Of to-day may be the poetic
word Of tomorrow" Mr.. F. S. Allen writes to
us in agreement with our protest. saying:
Amen to your comment upon the poetic
future Of slang. Twenty years of lexicography,
or word study. II might be called, have not
revealed to me any basis for such a prophecy.
Sporadic cases there are where the original
for serious literature; but that the slang of to-
day should be given its heritage the poetry
of the future is silly indeed.
The unfitness Of slang for poetic uses is for
chilly illustrated in Mr.. Thomas A. Janver's
poem on Santiago" in the current "Harper's
Weekly where he says:
And Wainwright-the cheek Of the thing to
Cuts in with the Gloucester. OF no-weight TONS"
etc.
The two slang expressions in these two lines
IN poem treating of a sublime battle sight
and Of the crushing OF a navy by Gods de-
cree" enough to destroy the dignity Of the
entire piece, If this had not been already done
by the fippancy of the last verse OF the first
fighting game" knives in their necks." in later
verses.