The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-13
AUGUSTA EVANS HAD DIFFICULTY
 IN LEARNING ABOUT DOM RlVET
 AN EDITOR ENLIGHTENED HER
NH Rs. AUGUSTA EVANS WILSON. WI Miss Augusta as Mobilians fondly say in referring ia the dis

| IV Miss Augusta as Mobilians
 fondly say in referring to the dis dnguished author. has furnished an incl dent for as interesting story as the ce- lebrity loving world could desire. It is not surprising that an author with the ability to create situations as dramatic as those In St. Elmo" At the Mercy of Tiberius," "A speckled Bird" etc. could arouse an unsuspecting public into d state of almost morbid curiosity, over what now turns out to be a French monk and historian who died in 174S.
 Mrs. Wilson while perusing Matthew lArnold's Note Book" found reference Ito Dom Rivet. Ordinary persons would hardly have harassed their minds on this point, but Mrs. Wilson was not content luntil she hunted up Dom Rvet. She in lterested numbers of literary folk in this to them, unknown parsonage Naturally they felt immensely hattered when Miss Augusta" inquired of them "who was Dom Rivet? You know Matthew Arnold mentions him." The editions of the pa Fpers the literary critics the French schol- Ears, gave her the same answer. They Frankly confessed they were hopeessly ignorant. Reference was made to the 1i- fbraries and Dom Riyet would have turned over in his grave had he known that he was so discussed nearly two centuries after his death
 The search for him ended in England and became really an international af- fair Mrs. Wilson wrote to Eleanor Wade lhouse of Sloan Gardens London. She de- lsired information, a biography, of one Dom Rivet mentioned by Matthew Arnold letc Miss Wadehouse in reply sent an extract from the Geographic Generate.
 The story and sketch recently given in the Mobile Register is well worth the 'reading:
 'l have an interesting little story of a search for the owner of name. Several lmonths ago the editor of the Register. who is considered as ex-offico the depos- ntory of all sorts of recondte information, Twas appealed to in a nice little note writ sten by our well beloved Miss Augusta" ltowit, Mrs. Augusta Evans Wilson. the author of "St Elmo" to please tell her who was Dom Rivet.
 'The editor was hattered of course. by the implication that he had hidden about him a piece of knowleCge that was withheld from so learned an antiquarian as Mrs. Wilson, but he had to confess that he had never heard of the gentleman. Mrs. Wilson replied that Matthew Ar mold in his Note Book referred to Dom Rivet in language as follows As Dom Rivet says etc. The editor made an ex- cursion among all the books of reference In Mobile, and all that he could find was that the title of Dom is peculiar to the Carthusan order. He inferred that the quoted writer was a member of that or der who had taken a literary bent and attracted MT. Arnod's attention. The ed- ttor also made inquiry of persons con sidered the most learned in the communi- ty. Who was Dom Rivet?' he asked No one could answer One said he thought the Dom was the tutor of the Prince of Orange; but he could not verify the thought. Mrs. Wilson also was active in further search, and to her belongs at last the victory. She has reached the Dom. through the courtesy of Eleanor Wode- house, of Sloan Gardens London. who sends an extract from the Biogra phie Generale:
 Dom Antoine Rivet de la Grange, born 16s3, died 174S, was of d well to do French family of PoitouJ who became a religious % by reason ef escape from death, his horse throwing him and dragging him a good way by the foot, which was caught in the stirrup. He took the habit of St. Benoit, and, completing his studies, devoted him self mostly to writing upon historical subjects, an important work being the History of the Bishops Potiers. He wrote a vast quantity but the last thirty years of his life were given to his monumental work, the Historic Ltteraire de la France.
 |" There was very little material pre- pared to his hand. He was the original compiler of the greatest part of the work. He set the fashion; was the first, in fact, ito take hold of the subject seriously. The outline which he proposed to follow was the most vast possible, as the title indi- cates, says the Biographie Generale drom which I translate). He wished to treat not only of letters. the writers, but the ancient schools. universities and acade- mics, the libraries, printing establish ments, supporting all he wrote by cita- tions from the authors themselves. Ger tain of his confreres aided him in his re- researches. Thus supported, Dom Rivet wrote volumes I to TX, which contained the ''history of letters of our country from the beginning to the first years of the twelfth century, Volume TX saw the