The San Francisco call., 1904-10-30
Unpublished
L Ehackeray Letters

ready Welcome TO q volume Of
the great writer's corresnonde,oo
hitherto unpublished. which has inst
been brought out by the cent,rv
Company 'Thackeray's Letters to an
American Family it is called. For
years these half hundred letters.
covering the two visits of the novelist
TO America and dating up to the time
OF MS final Illness. have been Jealous
" guarded IN the family of George
Baxter OF New York, to the different
members Of which they were address,
cd They are now added to the al
ready rich sum OF Thackerayiana-
Prefacing the collection is a brief in
roouctory note by Miss Lucy d. Bax-
ter. 10 whom many Of the letters are
addressed. in which the manner OF
the chance meeting between Mr.. Bay
ter's family and Thackeray is set
forth and q fund Of intimate anecdote
concerning the subsequent delightful
friendship between them related.
OF all Thackeray's correspondence.
and II is voluminous. no part of II is
more a reflection OF the inner soul of
the man than this. In these gossipy
epistles, some serious. most of them
gay and brimming with the cheerful
exuberance Of the man. the genial
Pendennis has given full sway to his
own intimate thoughts. The whole
some love OF the man for his chill
cren, his mother and his friends
stands revealed. His convictions on
the snobbery Of the social world, so
trenchantly delivered in his works,
find place likewise in his communings
with these friends. His opinions on
America, his estimates of contem-
porsries, both in literature and state
craft his own ethical code of right
living-each Of these close and per-
sonsl elements in the life and thought
Of the man voice themselves through
his written words. Besides all this
there is given us still more of the in
imitable fooling that characterizes
Thackeray's light correspondence.
Quips turned on a word. or the hold
ing Of self UP TO derisive ridicule by
his correspondents, make whimsical
fun throughout the entire volume Of
letters.
Thackeray first came to this country
TO lecture in 1852, his course being on
his well-known English Humorists."
That he was we'll received. even lion
lied by the elite. on this side of the
water these letters bear additional evI-
6enee 10 that of other correspondence.
But this getting Of dollars at the ex-
pense OF comfort, even Of self-pride in
some instances, was thoroughly dis
tasteful TO the novelist.
4 get more ashamed and disguised
of my nostrums daily" writes Thacke-
ray from Boston: and again, But he
Cthe writer) is growing so mortally sick
OF the business that you may hear Of
his striking work any day. I have been
paid for these lectures four times as
much money as they honestly deserve"
This gerund grinding before literary
clubs had, however, its object dear to
the man who so thoroughly detested it.
Whenever he speaks of the dollars
rolling IN" OF the sack heaping up it
IS with an avarice sweetened by the
aim IN view. II is always for my girls
at home" that this money, gained at
such distasteful effort, came to the
authors pocket Through all of the
letters there runs a tender allusion to
the writer's family, their needs, and it
is ever the devotion Of the man to the
duty OF supplying these needs that i'm
presses itself unconsciously.
What did Thackeray think Of Amer
ica? He has answered that question
before in public and private corre-
spondence. In these Baxter letters he
reiterates his admiration for America
and the Americans through specific
allusions.
L hope. please Cod" writes Thacke-
ray after his first visit here. that the
love and friendship have had in your
family may even go so far as to do some
public beneft-the remembrance Of you
all sanctifies your country in my eyes.
When people speak here sneeringly. as
Isondoners will talk. I break cut in
dignantly and tell them how much
good and worth and love and good
breeding there is In the country Of
which they talk 50 hippantly. And
pray heaven It may be my chance. as
II VIII be my endeavor, TO be a peace
maker between us and you and to
speak good VIII toward you"
Again In reference 10 the misconcep-
ton prevalent in America as to his
estimate Of Washington. revealed in
The virginians." Thacksray declares:
Can't we find any plan Of healing
that absurd Mr.. Washington feud?
feel myself shocked and panied by 1t
as IL some dear friend had turned
round to abuse me; ! who for once in
my life kept my own counsel; who have
got TO consider yours as my country
almost; who have praised the States so
outrageously since I came home, and
made myself such violent partisan.
How dare people think / could be
guilty Of such stupid abuse as they at
tribute 10 me?"
The noted Americans Of the times
whom Thackeray met elicit character
sstic comment from him. OF George
William Curtis work in Nile Notes"
he says.
The book is capital-too luscious to
read much Of at a time" DR.. Oliver
Wendell Holmes. whom Thackeray met
in Boston, was "a dear little fellow, a
true poet ! told him." continues the
xurffer sslaow much ] liked his verses