New-York tribune., 1909-07-31
Literary .Nes~s and Criticism

earlier days also his words fell rather in superb
monologue than in conversation. -oo+
sentences are thrown out with lavish opulenceL+
e er eaeesS @ opnence OF nature IA al m neT nerans
they come OF themselves, as water follows & Tseea
IS the same concentration the funess. and
the same irony: but it is all simpler because more
have become difficult and dark. the effect OF the the
spoken word when first it is uttered is wholly
illumination and delight.
Mr. Hammerton modifies. though he does not
altogether destroy, the current impression about
Merediths literary fortunes. It is true that they
not instantly established on a completely
prosperous basis but they were never in des-
perate condition, and Mr. Hammerton fatty as
serts that after 1870 they were in nowise cal
culated to waken the soicitude OF the sent-
mentalist. The new novelist put before tie
public some hard nuts to crack Both in SUD-
stance and in style his work was of a nature TO
require some little time in which to make its
way His income from his books was probably
not large one until his later years, else he
would not have continued for so long a period
to work as a publishers reader But il does not
appear that he ever suffered anything like hard
ship His position. infer, was not unlike
that Of Whistler The American painter had his
1Ips and downs and was obliged to wait for
long time before the flowing tide was with MIN,
but somehow or other he managed TO pun
through even Rn6n ne NsS hs'St SN''J~~'
ignorant opposition. As look back over his
career we cannot perceive that he had to bear
any heavier Affections than those which visit
nine out of ten men of genius while they are
irving to impose an unfamiliar ideal OF beauty
upon their contemporaries. Meredith huilS ms
seed for a time, upon unsympathetlc son. ne
was neglected, and occasionally writers VINO
noticed him did so but to parody his manner
isms. But from the very outset, like Whlsller'
again he had his friends and stanch defend
ers. Indeed, Mr. Hammerton is inclined 70 blow
upon the legend that his hero had TO wait for
exceptional appreciation until it came from
America, arguing that not a few Of the novel,
lists countrynen were prompt to praise him.
The notes here printed on his earlier friends
and supporters at home embrace several inter
esting anecdotes. Some Of these show MN III
contact with the notabilities Of his time, as wit
ness the following. related respectively by YORK
Powell and l.. F. Austin:
The story is that Mrs. CARLYLE begged Carlyle to
MA dear. that young mans nae fule ASK nm nm
When When on he eSf f f u en deep things and
begged him to come oftsn fie s&il ,; I; In vi
Meredith answered that woodworking was his his way
Of writing history, but Carlyle would noI quIe O. o.
doubted over r. as If there were in it than
he had thought al first
Mr. George MEREDITH tells amusing story Of
q va TX he took with Tennyson one day WHen inc
bard was very silent and gloomy. They walked
several miles, and suddenly Tennyson groWIed,
"Apollodorus says | not a great poet IlllS
critic was q Scottish divine. and neither his name
nor his opinioD of much consequence: Mr.
Meredith said something 10 that effect and Ten
nyson retorted, But he ought not to say am not
a great poet" This the entire conversation
Mr.. Hammerton has enriched his volume with
a generous number Of very good Illustrations
These include portraits and caricatures Of
Meredith. portraits of some of his friends and
~
IN his novels, such as the hero and heroine Of
THE Tragic Comedian" Lassalie and Helena
Won Doenniges and a few Of the Illustrations
made for his novels by. Du Maurier and others