New-York tribune., 1911-03-19

the daring of Dick Turpin and Jack
Sheppard woke responsive quivers in
readers new to such exaltations or
scoundrels. The moral influence Of his
work was certainly not good. though no
worse, to be sure, than that to be en-
countered in the pages In which the
modern gentleman burglar is celebrated.
1t cannot be said that his books deserve
to live; but they will never, perhaps. be
quite forgotten, since they illustrate one
Of the curious phases Of literary period
which was rich in genuine genius.
Ainsworth vas the much INDUCED son
of a rich solicitor in Manchester, and
what education he had was acquired in
the ancient grammar school Of that
town. AS boy he was fond Of books,
and had a turn for writing and acting.
He loved to play at highwaymen and
robbers, and to listen to tales OF the ro-
mantle and supernatural. These tastes
grew with his growth, and when at last
his father placed him in lawyers office
the result was disastrous Hes an Idle
dog he never will work." lamented the
old gentleman. The youth certainly did
not apply himself to the law, but, as his
biographer notes, he was, in after days,
one of the most industrious of authors
His first published book was collection
Of poems-quite worthless poems-and ne
dedicated 1t to one of the objects of his
boyish enthusiasm. Charles Lamb.
Lambs response to the proposal OF dedi-
<.,rI - 1T <ar hnrn
worshipping young fellow. He felt the
honor of the offered dedication he said,
but did not think it would advantage the
publication. Il am hardly" he added,
"on an eminence enough to warrant IL
When, not long after, Ainsworth went
10 London to complete his legal training
one of his first visits was paid to Lamb.
The youth wrote to a friend that the
visit "has given the death blow to my
admiration of literary men. What a
bona fde Cockney he is!' Kind Ella
made Ainsworth welcome, and by dint
of repeated visits the aspiring provincial
managed to meet at the house OF the
"Cockney" many of the literary person
ages whom he wanted to know. One OF
them-Henry Crabb Robinson-has men,
toned Ainsworth in his diary as "a for
ward. talking young man" Then be-
gan Ainsworth's life Of authorship-for
his ventures as solicitor and pup
Usher need not be considered.
He became one Of the more or less IA
nous group of contributors to "Frasers
magazine" and he produced "Rookwood,
wherein (though not in real nfe) DICK
Turpin took his stirring Ride to York.
The author was exceedingly proud Of the
fact that he wrote the hundred pages
describing the ride in day and night.
He found himself plunged into fever OF
composition. 80 thoroughly" he has
declared, did identify myself with the
flying highwayman that once started l
found II impossible to halt" 1t is re-
corded that thousands Of persons have
,believed the story Of the ride to be fact.
and that the conviction fingers still on
ifhe Great North Road. "A volume OF
iTurpinian anecdotes" says the biogra-
pher, could be collected from Inn keep
ers and ostlers; here you may learn how
Turpin refreshed his mare with strong
ale and see the actual tankard he used;
and there how he leaped the five barred
tollgate." "Rookwood'' and its lively
criminal conquered the London Of 1884:
the authors portrait was pasted up In all
the omnibuses the novel was promptly
dramatiZed. and '"Turpin's Ride 10
York." an equestrian piece, charmed the
galleries at Astley's. 1t was then that
the successful young novelist burst upon
the town as "a buck of the first degree"
He had good looks OF sort, as his early
portraits show. A friend has said OF
him that he was "a handsome man. but
II was very much of a barber's block
type of beauty. with wavy scented hair,
smiling lips and pink and white complex
ion" His dark. abundant curls glittered
with macassar oil. long gold chain gilt
tered over a brilliant waistcoast and
there were countless sparkles from the
numberless rings that clothed his fingers.
They said he looked like Count D'Orsay
the supreme compliment for rival
dandy
Thus become a buck and a literary
celebrity-of a sort-Ainsworth set up as
a host, and most OF the English writer's
OF his day ate drank and were merry
with him. Dickens and John Forster
were among them. OF the latter Aims
worth once said that he had a knack of
making people do as he liked whether