The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
NEW LETTERS OF THACKEUAY
rBTrTEN TO LADY BLESSTNGTON
AND LONG SUPPRESSED.


About People, Eating and the World
We 1.-Two ma Lest Game Pie
TbAck erayu Effort to Get q Pest
once Job-Had He Succeeded PEN
depnisr Might Not Have Been Written.
The recent sale by John D. Crimmins Of
his collection OF autographs has revealed
ths existence Of some hitherto unpublished
letters Of Thackeray. They are addressed
% tbe brilliant, foolish and accordingly
Unfortunate Margaret, Countess Of Bless
ington. who from power, adulation and The
leadership Of literary society fell into bank
r,rtcv and died an exile, deserted by nearly
ararv one OF those fashionable and learned
scoiaintances who in her palmy days OF
Gore House focked to her with praise Of
her beauty and her wit. Meroifully enough
the neriod OF her isolation was short and
bpt a few weeks went by from the time OF
her escape from England until her death in
Paris.
Thackeray was one who remained faith
mi These letters, some written in Lady
plessington's hour Of prosperity. some
after her downfall. are uniformly kind.
For her in misfortune these letters show
Nothing but gentleness. AS to others they
are playful. sarcastic. severe. perhaps as
regards himself egotistic-iD other words,
they reflect the
When Madden wrote his life Of the Coun-
tess he came into possession OF copies OF
these letters. They were transcribed for
him by Margaret Power, a niece OF Lady
Blessington, and upon the covers in which
they we're placed he has written with some
disregard Of grammar and spelling:
None of these I~ettssSs6ave been published
in the memoirs and correspondence of Lady
Blcssington. Mr.. Thackeray having very
ncremptorely refused me permission to
make use Of them in my work. R. r. M.
Containing as these letters do free criti-
cisms Of several contemporary writer's
and written as they were in a spirit OF utter
relaxation it ia a wonder that Mr.. Madden
supposed Thackeray would let him publish
them at that time, when most OF the people
referred TO we're living.
Only seven in number, the letters are
nearly all very long, and Thackeray was
not usually verbose in epistolary CONVEX
sstlon. They cover t~wenty-six closely
written auarto pages. 1t is easy to see
vhv Mr.. Titmarsh would not like the fol-
lowing published while he and the subject
NJ il we're both in the sam world. The
RIFI IL udISu WAL
after,' and Thackeray says:
ANT1PATHY 10 BUIwKR LYrroN.
Il wish 10 explain what I meant last night
with regard to q certain antipathy TO q
certain great Author. 1 have nc sort Of
personal dislike mot that 1t matters much
whether I have or mott to Sir e, L. B. L.,
IN the contrary the only time / met him.
at the immortal Ainsworth's years ago,
| thought him very pleasant and I know
from his conduct to my dear little Blanoh-
ard that he can be q most generous and
delicate minded friend.
But there are sentiments In his writing
which always anger meI big words which
make me furious and q p~remeditated fine
writing against which / can't help rebel
ling. My antipathy don't 90 any farther
than this: and It Ia accompanied by a great
deal OF admiration.
Il felt ashamed Of myself when I came
home and thought how needlessly I had
spoken Of this. What does II matter one
way or the other; and what cauoe had I
to select Sir II. Bulwer Of all men in the
world for these odious confdenoes. 1t
wa very rude. I am always making rude
speeches and apologizing for them, like q
Nuisance to Society.
And now l remember how Sir b. Lytton
spoke in a very different manner to- mutual
friend about your very humble servant
The sincerity Of Thaokeray's explanation
may be doubted, Just as one may doubt il he
mean: the term immortal as applied to
Ainsworth. Thackeray's 'Epistle' to Bull
ver concluding what I've said, respected
Barnet I hoap you woan't take unkind,'
tz ans-ar ononrh to the lotfar cent Iolu
R!esington. Again in writing the name
Of the author Of aRienzi' three times he
varies the form as many times as he names
him.
"A FELLOW BI 81 HAMB Of DICKENS
In another letter Thackeray speaks Of his
own depression OF spirits and praises Dickens
with a broad hint that the author OF David
Copperfeld" was indebted TO him for an
improvement in style. 1t is hard to tell
whether Thackeray was Joking or serious
in his rather extraordinary assertion:
. there is a fellow by The name
n Dickens who is bringing out a rival
publication, and who has written beauti-
fully. Bravo, Dickensl Davy Copperfeld
has beautiful things in it-thoNe sweet
littls inimitable bits which make me 90
fond OF him.
And let me tell your Ladyship that 1
think he has been reading a certain yellow
covered book, and with advantage, too;
for he has simplifed his style; kept out
ri the fine words, and in fact ia doing his
hest. l am glad Of it,
In this letter Thaokeray speaks OF his
own depression and dulness-he was writing
'Pendennis" at the time and 1t wa coming
out in the famous yellow covered monthly
parts. He hopes that the good work lone
by Dickens will put somebody on his
mettle-somebody who has been careless
Of everything Of late-but I won't go into
the dolefuls. All, my Lady, who hasn't
his share?'
Lady Blessington certainly had her share
Of sorrow at this time. for Thackeray's
letter was written just after her escape to
France and the auction at her home. Gore
House. The sale took place in April, lsls,
and Thackeray's letter is dated May o. He
tells the Countess that an imperative jour
ney prevented a meeting TO say good-by.
and tells her:
soVnEIoN ron LADY BLEssNGTok's MAITBB
p'HoTEL.
hT b,ta .Lx. ~~1I L. ... - 49,