MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2379, 8 February 1915, Page 2

MARY ELIZABETH BRADDON

HER WORK AS A NOVELIST. A wide section of tho reading public will have Tead with regret in recent cablegrams of the dead! of Miss Mary Elizabeth Braddon, known iu private life as Mrs. John Maxwell. Miss Braddon belonged to the older school of novelists, and while her books are free from modern character complexities and sex problems, so that it may bo rather difficult for the present generation of novel readers to comprehend the sway that she possessed over her mid-Vic-torian public, she, in common with Wilkie Uollins, is held to havo founded a iliore or less distinct school of sensational fiction. Clive Holland, iu a character sketch of Miss Braddon which appeared in "Tho Bookman" about three years ago, defines her sensationalism as being a revival of the mysterious and sensational element in fiction which had its origin in "The Castle of Otranto" and other works, and ho holds that for a period of fifty years she held a place in English fiction which no other writer has succeeded in attaining. A Family Sketch. Braddon's father was a writer also, but almost entiraly upon sporting subjects, and her cojsin. John Delaine, the famous editor of "The Times," was as powerful an influence in his ago with his pen as he was in hie autocratic rule of "The Thunderer." Miss Braddon's only brother (continues Clive Holland) might possibly have attained to some distinction in tho world of letters had not the realm of action claimed him for its own. He had a successful career in India, settled in Tasmania, was Premier of the colony during two Governments, and afterwards represented it in England for some years ia tho capacity of Agent-General. The early aspirations of Miss Braddon were in the direction of poetry, and it was by a chance that she became a novelist. For her first work she was to have received £10, but the printer failing who had commissioned her to write a story, it never materialised.

"Lady Audley's Secret." Miss Braddou's initial experience of novel writing was curiously enough almost repeated by tie fate which betel her second and much more famous story, "Lady Audley's Secret," first published in 1862. Written when quite a young girl, this story, which may almost be said to have founded a school of English fiction, and is not only world famous, but probably Miss Braddon's best selling book after a period of so many years since its first publication, commenced to run in a periodical called "Robin Goodfellow." This unfortunately oamo to an end after tho twelfth number, and the story would probably have remained in its fragmentary stage and never have been completed but for a very warmly appreciative letter received from J. B. Buckstone, a brilliant actor and play writer in tho. early sixties of tho last century, wh<i wrote saying how greatly he had been impressed by the story, and how deepI ly he regretted its interruption. Buckstone entreated tho author to finish I the novel, which he said ho considered to bo of striking interest and admirably suited for stage purposes. The story was completed, and on the day after publication Lionel Brough, not then an actor, paid the authoress a visit to tell her from the publishers, Tinsley Brothers, that ho book was a startling success. Edition after edition was called for, and could not b'o supplied quick enough. "Lady Audley's Secret" was, not unnaturally—for Miss Braddon always was a rapid and tireless worker —followed in quick succession by "Henry Dunbar," "Eleanor's Victory," and "Aurora Floyd." In each case the authoress bad tho pleasure of knowing that her hold upon her immense publio. w;is being strengthened as well as maintained. Tribute from Robert Louis Stevenson. A very, interesting tribute as to the popularity, not alone of "Lady Audley's Secret," but of other of Miss Braddou's ■ works k comes from that great stylist and brilliant writer, Kobort Louis Stevenson, who in a hitherto unpublished letter to Miss Braddon from his Samoan home at Vailima, writes: —"I member reading 'Lady Audley's Secret when I was fifteen, and I wish my days to bo bound each to each by Miss Braddou's novels. Apparently 'I am not alone in this opinion. I have been over by far the greater part of the Pacific. When a ship comes in the local trader or traders are always on the look-out for new novels. In a small _ way the schooner plays the part of a circulating library.' But there is one book, lam sorry to be obliged to inform you, which is a mere d*ug in tho market 'n. tbe pacific. 'Oh, no, I have that already,' is the cry—and the book is 'Aurora Floyd.' 'After all, it is something to be out and away greater and more popular than Scott, Shakespeare, and Homer in the South Seas, and to that you have attained."

Novels, Stories, and Plays. In addition to the astonishing industry and mental energy which has produoed upwards of seventy long novels — as a matter of fact there are some sev-enty-three, still in constant- demand and in print at the present time, selling in every sort of edition and in all countries of the English-speaking race—Miss Braddon has written many stories, which were published as serials anonymously, and not a few verses and essays in newspapers, including contributions, to "Punch" during the period it was- edil> ed by her old friend the late Sir Francis Burnand, and to "The World" while it was under the control of another old and valued friend, the late Edmund Yates. She has also written several dramas, comedies, and a blank verse play. On of them, "The Missing Witness," a melodrama played very successfully in the English provinces and the United States, is probably well known to many older leaders. She is also the anonymous author of quite a number of the farces which wore ponular in the sixties and seventies of the last century. The serial story which she wrote in French for tho Paris "Figaro" some years ago has, we believe, _ never been translated or re-published in English. All the work mentioned would provo a more than full record for most_ human beings. But, in,addition to this, Miss Braddon has yet during her busy life found time to edit several magazines, to writo the greater part of those extremely popular Christmas numbers or "Anliiials" known as "The Mistletoe Bough," published in the eighties and nineties. At the time of her death Miss Braddon had reached 78 years of age.

Great anthracite coal deposits have been discovered in the territory through which the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway rims in British Columbia. The Groundhog district is estimated to contain 1,141,444,000 tons of ocal. This hard coal will be available for steamers using the Panama Canal.