New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-10
4 CRITICS STORIES.
"reminiscences of the Late Suther-
land EdzCards.

One more veteran has just passed forever
out of the journalistic ranks in London. Henry
Sutherland Edwards was the author Of half
dozen books popular in their day. and he was
musical critic of long experience. His Personal
Recollections," published in 1900. fill volume
worth preservation for it's lively anecdotes of
celebrities who f1ourshed in the third and fourth
quarters of the last century. Some glinlpses
of Thackeray there. all interesting to lovers
of the great novelist. Edwards once asked him
whether the success of Vanity Fair" had taken
him at all by surprise Very much So" he
replied. When little time before had asked
for permission TO republish tales from
'Fraser's Magazine it given to me with
a smile-almost an ironicaI one-as much to
say, Much good may you get out Of them
They bring me in three hundred year now.
reference to an anonymous review which
reused Thackeray's wrath leads to the telling
of this comcal story:
An elderly gentleman once wrote to 1.-THE Pail
could not ask another to dine with him at club
without both OF them putting evening dress. A
this old fogey could be. with his Objections to the
decences of civilized life The first Correspondent
so the editor informed me, was Herman Merlvale,
the historian. and the second his son, Herman
Merivale the dramatist.
Edwards wrote play. had it printed and
sent it to Charles Reade for criticism. That ex-
good and intelligibly set forth, but there We're
faults of construction; the lively and amusing
dialogue in the serious scenes was right enough.
but in the serious scenes il too ''chatty."
And then he offered the would-be dramatist an
admirable suggestion which. in its main lines,
may be commended to all unpractsed adventur-
ers in dramatic authorship:
Catch a playwright called Haslewood; give him
five pounds TO turn what you have written into a
stage play. Then compare his piece with your own
and out Of the two make really servlGeabe Drama
pect any young man TO follow It.
Gavarni was one of Sutherland Edwards's
friends in Paris, and talked much about him
self to the young man. It is interesting to note
the artists statement that he never received
any lessons except as draughtsman in the office
of an engineer. to whom he was articled AS
for his favorite study that was mathematics.
Balzac he placed above all other novelists. To
Edwardss question How is Balzac in ordinary
conversation" Gavarni replied III est bette
But what do you mean by 'bete?' asked the
Englishman. What every one else means" re-
sponded Gavarni. He had no wit except pen
in hand and he found it very difficult to get TO
work He would cover sheet of paper with
words and phrases and sentences without any
particular meaning just you have sometimes
seen me cover wood block with initial letters
and fantastic designs of all kinds. Then when
working for hours without stopping. beginning
perhaps in the evening and working throughout
the night
OF Eugene Vivier the remarkable hornplayer
"the most charming of men and the spoiled child
of nearly every court in Europe" Edwards has
some characteristic stories. 1t was Vivier who
said of Napoleon H. He is the most gentleman
ly Emperor know"
What can ! do for you?' said this gentlemanly
EmDprOr
at the T1eries. :, ,
Come out on the balcony with me: Sire, replied
the genial cync. Some of my creditors are sure
TO be passing and it Will do me good TO be seen In
conversation with your majesty
And Napoleon did 1t. He. moreover, made
the hornblower an inspector of mines. Viyier
drawing the pay but doing nothing else in the
matter. AS a practical joker Vivier had rep
utation as widespread as was that won by his
brilliant playing. II is remembered that on one
occasion he alarmed his fellow passengers In an
omnibus by pretending 10 be mad.
He INDUCED in the widest gesticuations, and
then, as II in despair drew pistol from his
pocket. The conductor was called upon by accla-
nation interfere, and Nivier the point OF
being dsarmed when suddenly he broke the pistol
IN TWO, handed half TO the conductor and began TO
eat the other half himself 1t was made OF ehoco-
latei
Viyier could not bear TO people in hurry.
According to him. there nothing in life worth
4 hurryiuE for; and, living on the Boulevard, just