Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-03-29
UNFINISHED NOVELS.
TALES THAT WERE STOPPED BY The
HAND OF DEATH.


Nathaniel Hawthorp~'- Foreeost,
About ''rhc DolIiver Romance >,
The Fragment That stevenson Left.
fhsekeray's Last work.
George Gissing's "varaniIda' Is a
masterpiece that its author did nat live
to finish. One well known critic cons,d-
ers this tale of the Roman and tho
Goth the deceased writer's finest WORT
and, though many may question this
Judgment, there can exist but universal;
regret that the romance must forever
remain incomplete.
A greater work by a greater wr,,er
Weir Of Hermiston." by X. l.. Steven.
son, was left a mere fragment NJ
which the lurid grandeur proved that
It's creator was taken from us I'm the
zenith OF his power. Another romance
81 Ives, by the same pen. was run
ming In monthly magazine at the time
OF bis premature death. Here. however.
readers We're not baked OF a satIsfacto-
~ denouement, for the story was
brought To conclusion by Mr.. CUTLER.
Couch. well known under the nom do
plume OF 90"
hardly know what 10 say to the
public about this abortive romance
though 1 pretty we'll know what the
case will be. 1 shall never finish IT."
wrote Nathaniel Hawthorne with ref.
erence 10 The Dolliver Romance"
which he had undertaken TO write for
the Atlantic Monthly. This foreboding
was but too soon verified. for the au-
thor had scarce time to do more than
iay the groundwork OF the story and
write the initial chapters ere death
struck him down.
AT his funeral at Concord the scarce
commenced manuscript lay upon his
cofhn Soon afterward the FIRST chapter
appeared in the Atlantic. and subse-
quenuy the second chapter. which he
mad been unable to revise. was publish
ed In the same periodical. Several years
elapsed when third fragment. revised
and copied by the novelist's wife. was
placed I'm the publishers hands. The
original manuscript is now preserved I'm
the Concord public library.
Wives and Daughters" was running
In the Cornhill when the authoress.
Mrs Gaskell, died. Fortunately the
work was nearing its completion. SO
mat although IL was not actually fin
ished by the gifted writer. the plot was
sufficiently advanced to enable us to
make more than a shrewd guess at 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 it's author
laid down pen forever was Denis Du-
val Thackeray. indeed. was already
in his grave when its publication com
menced- Three parts and portion OF
a fourth were all that appeared. and
the story" wrote the editor. breaks
OF as his life ended-full OF vicor and
blooming with new promise Ike the
apple trees I'm this month OF Nav"
With the fourth part was given a set OF
notes. taken from Thackerays own pa
pers, elucidatOry Of the subsequent de-
velopment Of the plot
Thackeray's great contemporary.
Charles Dickens, died. too. I'm harness.
For long his health had been but in
different, but he stuck unninchlngly to
the work he had I'm hand. On June s.
1870, the end came. The morning and
part OF the afternoon OF that day were
devoted 20 completing the sixth num-
Der OF The Mystery OF Edwin brood"
but scarcely had he finished work and
sat down 10 dinner ere he was seized
with fit. From this he never recov-
cred, but after lingering some hours.
without regaining consciousness. died
nj q the next day.
Il shall publish late in this year"
wrote Laurence Sterne. and the next
| shall begin new work in four vol
umes, which. finished, shall continue
'Tristram' with fresh spirit" This new
work here referred 10 is the "Senti-
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 nj
Wilton House. was never completed and
ran no small danger of being entirely
lost 10 future generations when its
author, before his death. gave orders
for its destruction.
Only about 100 manuscript pages OF
Benjamin DiSrael's last novel. which
brought the story up 10 the first dozen
lines Of chapter 10, was all that was
written when the brilliant writer laid
aside his pen forever