MEREDITH AS "READER."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 18

MEREDITH AS "READER."

: —» —: —- The "Fortnightly Review" for August contains a very intorcsting Y nccount of :tlio work done by. George. Meredith as "reader" for Messrs. Cliapman and Hall during more than thirty years, beginning in.1860.',. The article is written by Mr. B. W. Matz, who' enteredtho firm in 18S0. Meredith was a ,young,man of thirty-two when ho succeeded John Foster as taster of tho innumerable MSS/'; pouring in day,by day to' ai publishing house of high", reputo. ■:':. '' .;';;,;■. Ho had previously, published-with: tho firm "Tho Shaving of.'Shagpat."-and/"Tho-Ordeal of Richard Feverel,". but his; next book, "Evan Harrington,", was 'issued •; through Bradbury and Evans, in whose "'journal; "Onco a Week," "it-had appeared'serially. Modern Love" brought him back: .to. Chapman and Hall ,in 18C2,. and thenceforward all his novols issued; from ..that.'house' until 1895, with the exception; of "Rhoda' Fleming," "The Adventures of Harry .Richmond," and "Tho Egoist." sfr.' Moreaith'.s connection, with ■ the "Fortnightly Review"- need not bo recorded in:-detail; it will suffice to say that'during Mr. John '(now, Lord) -Morley's absence in Aiherica Mr.' Moredith occupied .tho editorial' chair,' whilo further association with' Chapman and' Hall, is/discovered in his editorship of the 'series of monographs on great soldiers, bearing (ho title of "Military Biographies." .. '/ -Naturally the- 'Moredithian . standard was high—"tremendously high. . i- .But .some doubt may be expressed as to whether that standard was the right one from which .to. judge a book for commercial , purposes." The firm's "manusoript book" contains many entries in Meredith's own-, hand, -<and. many more whipb have been.transcribed from his written.opinions, "Many an early. MS. of a. popular novelist to-day has received a; summary dismissal by him in a cryptic sentence." "Some ; time .before Hugh awoke ono day. and found' 'Called Back' had made hiiri famous; he. had- sent'.us a story .which 1 had Appeared in a provincial paper as a serial under the title-oi ' 'The Red ■ Hills Mysfcry.' It had by no, means met with tho greatman's approval,,'but' had/ for/'somo reason not been returned to the author. A month or two after success had como to its author, Mr.'Meredjtlr'was in'the office,'and. I drew his attention to the fact that we 1 still had-, that former -MS., and : iasked..him if, in view of tho'success of' Called Back,' ho thought it worth, while looking, at again. I He agreed to do so, but his opinion was not ■shaken, and the book, was' ultimately returned, to be published by someone. ■ elso (under.the title of 'A-Cardinal-Sin.' ■■"'; ~'

' "In 1861 there" is a particularly, interesting entry: 'East Lynne.' 'Opinion emphatic-, ally against it.'. 'In tho light of its ultimate sjiccess, this" may "at first .sight; seem an] astounding criticism. •. But. how many sound' critics would differ from that opinion-if they could read tho manuscript,for the'first;time' now? Or,it may bo asked how many.critics did at the time?" / / ,',,■/ ~

In'tho 'sixties 'author's'/ so' popular.-as "Ouida,"\'Mrs. Lynn Lint'o.4, Mr. Thornas' Hardy, Mr. Baring,Gould; Herman Merivale, "Cuthbert. Bedo," and "others,■ > suh-, mitted MSS.;which failed' to.' plcaso; Mr. Meredith. ; .'."'■ .'; :,.,/.',:/,,;. .. ' ■.-. ; "Two mariuscrip'tj.w'ere'roceived,.'frbm Wil-, Ham :' Black.; entitled '"respectively. _. 'Alec Grange' and James Merle,'..probably.his first attempts as a novelist,- for, his • ago would havo. been twenty at. the time. Here'is an .instance of Mr. Meredith's ability' for discovering' talent in an author whoso works ho could not conscientiously recommend: Of. the' former he. says: .'ln its way'very: good— in the carlier.'.'part highly promising. ' I have not ■ seen the concluding portion; but it. is but a thin thread of storj.l-.have .got, as\ yet. Tho author's rnind ;e'vinces. strpng' sense and x poetic conceptions; ho'lias'a. remarkably clear style, and.-a:, ppwer-'.-of giving soft pathetic touches,-which I commend/ "Ho" does not know.much of life, nor has he tho. proper artistjb.,feeling, for- tho.-developtri'em;. of his characters in-an interesting, way. Write encouragingly.: Don't lose sight of him.' His opinion of tho latter was.'sent direct .to. the author in' a" letter. Book will not do,', he says'.;"' 'but .thp/.author encouraged.; 'A man.',.on;whbm keep an_ eye.' .Later tho book rfas sent again,. haffiigT heen revised, but it was not recommended for publication. xJanics'/Merle' was ;'riot : ' issued until throo years la-tor,.and appeared as Williamvßlack's .first published' novel," whilst /'Alec'Grange' not seem to have been priuted—at any rate, under..:tha't-;title..: "In :18bl there is ,' another .interesting entry: 'l'oems'iby,Edwin Arnold. ,'I/should' 1 say this'man'will-do; something. -The collection of poems hero/is/hot of- ; sufficient weight ; to justify any speculation, in the book.' ' The translation in hexameter; from Bion is especially l good. He.should wait'till ho'.hits' composed a poem" likely to catch' the public- ear. There, is no distinct original mark(in these poems: not euough.to rely on.' "The last. entry, of tllis year; is. 'Georgo Meredith: a Talo- ofj the.Me'rchant Service,' upon which tho only comment; made is,' Pray speak to this man concerning the/impropriety of taking living names as titles for.works of fiction." ' '-.';..' "'.■,*;

'Samuelßutler's."Erewhon" was 1 dismissed ■with a'"Will not 'do.",'-"' Whether' "Immaturity," by G. B. £haw,,was an early.effort of the G. B. Shaw is _nojr apparent. But the fatal- "No" was written against it. 'Mr. Meredith saw merit, of course, in .many writers whom'ho could not recommend for publication. Ho always- spoke well' of Miss Hannah Lynch's ability, "but could never be persuaded that her books would ever become popular."' Mr... Matz says:—"Thoro.ia no doubt Miss Lynch ,was. an! extremely. accom-' plishcd and' clever'woman, who' never haphit upon a.themo in fiction worthy of her powers. She* published other books ivhichwere well received, notably her: appreciation of George Meredith, which, perhaps, is the.best pieco of criticism in many.,ways,. as; it was one of the first, on tho novelist. But wo have reason for: knowing i-that, ■ she felt her failure to catch the public ear-very; keenly indeed."' '''.'■•/ v.v ■ "Tho Heavenly Twins", and '"Somo Emo-. tions and a Moral" did not please 'George Meredith as they' afterwards pleased . the public; but he liked books'describing nature and the sea, books of 'travel, and 'those concerning foreign peoples; ...,•'•.-. '' Here is a string of- reports':— . v.-'. - "A, provincial maidenauht of the old time had about the t same notions of humour'and horror.'v A .similar manner of narrating.".;..■ : "This is laughable enough in MS. But in print'the ridicule would ; fall. upon the publishers."/ v ,''■. ■'. '...,■;' "Might gain a prize for dullness.". . i' "Rather pretty,frail piece of young-lady's 'work."' : ,'/',■:■■.-■ ,: ' ■.'■''-, ,',.,-: ;■ ••' 'Poor; story_ of tho ■■ French Terror!'" Historical portraiture befitting the pen'of -an 'urchin fifty years back." ........ ..'■ '/"This.is tho.vocabulary of a boy of fourteen."-. •■; ■;/'■■•". r."' :. -.■'. .-. . ,'•• . ■'■-~ ■, •■ : "Called humorous by the author. Cockneyish dialogue, gutter English, ill-contrived in-' cidents, dono in daubs, maintain the. assertion.". -■ ■ :,.;■ v ■.;...; ;.'.■ "_ ; "A tale reading as if told by a'romantic grandmother of tho present generation." '■■' ; : i'Absurd in point'of style, which is that of a' child." : '." 'The Mystery; of .the Pigeon. Holes': Melancholy' stuff to ieo'.and smell." "'The Autobiography : of. .a ,Donkey': Faithful only to tho donkey's dullness;'!