ANONYMOUS AUTHORSHIP.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1186, 21 November 1884, Page 3

ANONYMOUS AUTHORSHIP.

It is a curious fact that a large majority of literary men invariably seem anxious at some period or othef of their cireer to test by the medium of anonymous publication the value of public opinion with regard to their own work. *• It is perhaps not generally known,” writes a correspondent, “ That ‘ The Lady of Lyons ’ was brought out quite anonymously, and that on the night of the first production, beyond Macready and Bulwer Lytton him-elf, no one in Lon on had been a’lowe I to know the secret of the authorship of the play. Between ih« ac's Dickens, who had been one of a delighted audience, went behind the scenes to talk over the play with Macready and Bulwer, congratulating Macready on his wonderful impersonation of C au ie Melnotte. Dickens was in raptures with the whole thing, and asked Bulwer what be thought of it. Bulwer affected to find some fault with the plot, and suggested improvements here and there in the various B'tuatioos. ‘Come now,’ said Dickens, ‘it is not like yon, Bulwer, to cavil at such small things a* those. The min who wrote the p!sy may have imitated your work here and there, perhaps, hut he is a deuced clever follow for all that To hear you speak so unfairly is almost enough to make one think you are jealous.’” The papers the next morning lauded the play to the skies, even to go so far as to suggest that it' would be well for Mr Bulwer to take pattern by this unknown wiiter, and try to improve himself in those particular points in which the anonymous author of “ The Lady of Lyons ” had been so brilliantly successful. About a fortnight later Bnlwer’s authorship of the play was made known, to the mingled consternation and amusement of the critic" and the general public.