New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20

her account Is in respects erroneous.
Should the story have been told at all? 1t is
useless 10 ask this question in a time when the
exploiting of the most intimate affairs and the
publication of letters of the most private sort
have grown more and more to be the penalty of
celebrity. If poor pretty, little Sally and Maria
Siddons. who died in girlhood were not exactly
celebrities themselves, they have had to pay the
price OF having been beloved by one In the
case of Lawrence his behavior was so extrava-
giant and selfish the expression of his passion so
theatrical that the readers undeniable interest
in the romance is not so much invaded by SYM
pathy as it might be,
He was a wonder, this Lawrence Born and
bred in an nn" says Mr. Knapp with little or
no schooling, save a child, at Bristol, and
later some instruction in French and Latin
from Dissenting minister at Devices: called
upon to contribute to the support of his family
by his pencil while yet in his teens. he can have
had but little opportunity for general culture
professional training" Yet in accomplishments
this youth Admirable Crichton and to
unusual perfection of face and form were united
the most distinguished manners the most en-
dearing ways Mrs. Siddons had known him
from his childhood, and never lost her affection
for him. though his treatment of her daughters
caused her much sorrow. Though the great
i
the unreal life of the stage could not but have
had some effect upon her point of view; in a
tickle young lovers hystericaI outcries she heard
the accent of tragedy and trembled at the sound.
The fmpulsive, unstable artist fell in love with
Sally when she was nineteen and her sister six
teen, and his courtship of the winsome girl is
supposed to have had the tacit approval of her
mother The happiness of the pair seemed to
De assured when suddenly the young man dis
covered that Maria was even lovelier than her
sister and that, on the whole he much preferred
her. Fascinating indeed must he have been. for
he persuaded Sally to renounce her hopes in
favor of Maria and Mrs. Siddons was brought
to condone the transfer. though she did not i'm
mediately consent to formal engagement Del
icate little Maria. whose fairy beauty and bright
eyes already indicated the presence of the vast
ing i'll of which she died, grew worse and her
father and mother reented. She and Lawrence
engaged; but before a date could be set
for the marriage LaWrences fancy veered again
toward Sally and he tilted Maria
Then began a period of uncertainty and mis-
cry for all concerned Sally would give the
capricious lover positive promise and Maria
whose health failed rapidly under this strain
cherished a deep resentment at his desertion
AS she approached the grave Lawrence's fear
lest she might interfere with his marriage to her
sister maze MIN an uHeHuurdDIe torment to poor
Mrs. Siddons He raved, he threatened suicide
unless Sally would promptly consent to be his;
he tore passion to tatters and all IN most ro-
mantle phrases Mrs. Siddons wrote to Mrs
Pennington with whom the invalid Maria and
her sister were staying: II shudder to think on
the effect this wretched madmans frenzy has
had on you know the effect too well. for he
well knows he has Terrified ma into my toteTo-