AMERICAN CURIOSITY.

Evening Star, Issue 3848, 24 June 1875, Page 3

AMERICAN CURIOSITY.

Mr Black, the novelist, baa published the following amusing letter on this subject in the ‘Athenaeum’;— Reform Club, Sept. 9. I am sure many of your readers, who are much better known in the world of letters than I am, must have wondered at times whether the communications they receive from unknown correspondents in America are to be taken as representing a national characteristic. Are all Americans possessed by a wish to know minute details of the private affairs of any person whoso name turns up occasionally in the public prints ? I do not seek either to explain or condemn this curiosity—perhapsit is innocent (enough —but only to ask if it is the whim of individuals or a national habit. Every one, I suppose, who has resorted to literature to earn wbat may by courtesy be called a living, knows that in all parts of the world there are friendly folks who will, after reading a book, sit down and write a letter of grateful and even effusive thanks to the author; and that there are few things more welcome to an author than these evidences of kindly feeling coming from strangers whom he will probably never see. But I find that if I write a civil note to an Englishman who has sent me such a letter, the little incident naturally drops ; whereas, if I send the same sort of note to an American, he immediately replies with a polite request that 1 should send him some particulars of myself and my domestic affairs. Now, my domestic affairs are pretty comfortable ; but I cannot for the life of me understand why they should be of the slightest interest to a stranger. Of what concern can it be to anybody to know whether my income is derived from India four per cents, or from a share in a public-house—whether I have a blind aunt, or a brother gone over to the Roman Catholic Church. And if this objection applies to private inquirers, how much more to public and official inquirers ? Some little time ago the sub-editor of a New York daily newspaper wrote to me begging me to send him the proper materials for the construction of an “obit.” He said it was the custom of his journal to keep these “obits” in readiness. “ Heaven forbid ”—as near as I can recollect, these were his pious and comforting words—“that 1 should speculate on the possibility of having to use biographical memoranda in your case ; but I must tell you that sometimes we find occasion to use an ‘ obit ’ during the life of the subject.” It may be said, “ Why don’t you leave these friendly but impudent letters alone ?” But wait a bit. The other day a gentleman, commissioned to represent one of the best known American magizines, wrote to me as follows:—“ Another matter, of which I speak with diffidence, is Mr ’ B

anxiety to secure a critical-biographical sketch of your life and works. I have reason to believe that you shrink from the sort of publicity entailed by a hm graphical notice, but you know American publishers and editors. They will have it some way—correctly if possible, incorrectly if not ; and it would surely be better to have fact than fiction.” This sounded so very hke a threat that I immediately began to ask myself whether I had ever picked a pocket, shoved anybody down a well, or in. suited a bishop. My next impression was that T ought to send to this enterprising person such a history of myself as would have turned his hair white in a single night ■ but life is scarcely long enough for practical’ jokes. However, my correspondent spoke the truth. The American editor “ will have the biography some way; and publish your portrait, too, without giving you a chance of revising your own features fn the number of ‘AppleWs Journal’ which has just arrived in this country—- * Appleton’s,’ by the way, was not the magazine represented by my correspondent -I find a biography of myself, which amply confirms his warning. Now i*j in spirit of protest or complaint that I call attention to this latest mstan.ee of a curious curiosity. One cannot feel offended with a writer who is evidently moved by the "i d ' vb ? B P eaks ofone’B n ntiugs vuth a hearty and generous praise in which, if ono were a little youuS it might be possible to believe I? ufc Englishman, whatever his calling may be feels at once surprise and amused to find it recorded of him that, at a certain r 3 . 2 10D Vw 3 * flowcr in Outturn 1 hole; that hist dress was a faultless evening attire that “he carried h' mße ]f with a careless ease, which had in it neTther affectation nor consciousness that a “hundred eyes were watching him and E0 on w ide a fiY i “V uoh “ S nature, that one perceives a'* „ that

thing singular or unusual. The question is, do Americans, as a nrtion, sei nothing odd in this curiosity? For myself, I must say that I have seen no trace of it whatsoever iu the Americans whom I have met. in England, whether as visitors or residents ; but that it exists iu America in a very considerable degree is scarcely to be doubted. William Black.