The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-03-01
UNFINISHED NOVELS.
TALES THAI WERE STOPPED BY THE
HAND OF DEATH.

Nathaniel haN thorne's EorebodInE
About "rhe DnIiiver Romance."
The Fragment That Stevenson Left.
Thaci.erny's Last WORK.
George Gissing's "Naranilda" is
masterpiece that its author did not live
20 finish. One we'll known critic consid-
crs this tale Of the Roman and the
Goth the deceased writer's finest work.
and. though many may question this
Judgment, there can exist hut universal
regret that the romance must forever
remain incomplete.
y greater work by greater writer,
weir of Hermlston," by X. l.. Steven
son, was left mere fragment, OF
which the lurld grandeur proved that
its creator WAS taken from us In the
zenith of his power. Another romance.
"St. Ives" by the same pen, was run
ming in a monthly magazine at the time
of his premature death. Here, however
readers were not baked of satisfacto
ry denouemcnt. Tor the story was
brought to conclusion by Mr.. CUTLER
Couch, well known under the nom de
plume of 20.
Il hardly know what to say to the
public about this abortive romance,
though l pretty we'll know what the
case will be. shall never finish II"
wrote Nathaniel Hawthorne with ref
erenee TO The Dolliyer Romance"
which he had undertaken to write for
the Atlantic Monthly. This forebodlng
was but too soon verified, for the au-
thor had scarce time to do more than
lay the groundwork of the story and
write the initial chapters ere death
struck him down.
Al his funeral ut Concord the scarce
commenced manuscript lay upon his
coffin. Soon afterward the first chapter
appeared in the Atlantic. and subse-
quently the second chapter, which lie
had been unable to revise. was publish
ed IN the same periodical Several years
| elapsed when Il third fragment, revised
| and copied by the novellst'S wife, was
placed in tue publishers hands. Tho
original manuscript is now preserved In
| the Concord public library.
Wives and Daughters" was running
In the Cornhlll when the authoress.
! Mrs Gaskcll, died Fortunately the
work was nearing Its completion, SO
| that, although 1t WIS not actually fin
ished by the gifted writer. the plot was
| sufficiently advanced to enable liz To
make more than shrewd guess ut the
| ultimate fate of the characters and to
take leave of the hero fully assured of
his ultimate happiness.
Another serial that was being written
for the same magazine when its author
laid down pen forever was Denis Du-
val" Thackeray, indeed, WIS already
in his grave when its publication com
menced. Three parts and Il portion OF
fourth We're all that appeared, and
the story" wrote the editor, "breaks
off us his life eadcd-full OF vlgor ant
blooming with new promise like the
apple trees In this month Of May
With tie fourth part was given set OF
notes, taken from Thackerny's own pa
pers, elucidatory of the subsequent de
vclopment of the plot.
| Thackeray's great contemporary
Charles Dickens, died too In harness
For long his health had been but in.
different, but he stuck unhinchingly ia
the work he had in hand On June y,
1870, the end came. The morning and
| part of the afternoon OF that day were
| devoted To completing the sixth num-
Der of The Mystery OF Edwin brood,
but scarcely had he finished work and
sat down to dinner ere he was seized
with fit From this he never recov-
cred, but after lingering some hours,
without regaining consciousness. died
at q the next day.
Il shall publish late In this year,
wrote Laurence Sterne aud the next
l shall begin new work in four vol
umes, which, finished, shall continue
'Trlstran' with fresh spirit" This new
work here referred to Is the "Sentl-
mental Journey" one volume alone of
which was ever given 10 the world, nor
| by reason of the authors death was
the immortal "Tristram Shandy" ever
| continued
Arcadia" the pastoral romance
which Sir Philip Sidney composed at
Wilton House. was never completed and
ran no small danger OF being entirely
lost to future generations when Its
author. before his death, gave orders
| for Its destruction.
Only about 100 manuscript pages OF
Benjamin Dlsraell's last novel, which
| brought the story I'D to the first dozen
lines of chapter 10, was nil that was
written when the brilliant writer laid
aside his pen forever