6 'Before their author was known, I observed so much of the power and defects of Mrs. Radcliffe's compositions in these dramas, as to believe them hers; and I hear she owns them. Mrs. Radcliffe, in whatever she writes, attentive solely to the end, is not sufficiently attentive to observe probability and unity of character in the means she uses to attain it. She bends her plan- or, if it will not bend, she breaks it to her catastrophe, instead of making the catastrophe grow out of the preceding events. Still she always takes strong hold of the reader's feelings; and effects her purpose boldly, if not regularly. Her descriptive talent, used to satiety in her novels, is here employed with more temperance, and consequently to better purpose.' Mrs. Radcliffe was greatly affected by the imputation in the first of these sentences. It was indeed indirectly removed, or greatly weakened, by two letters of a few months later date, - in one of which, Miss Seward, speaking of the Plays on the Passions, says, My literary friends now assert that they are not Mrs. Radcliffe's ;' and in another, The literary world now asserts, that the Plays on the Passions are not Mrs. Radcliffe's ;'-- for, if Mrs. Radcliffe had owned them, it is scarcely probable that the literary world would have so promptly and positively denied them to her, (the real author not having publicly asserted her right,) or, at least, would have omitted to accompany their contradiction with some well-deserved reproof of the infamous claim. There was, however, no direct retraction of the alleged hearsay which Miss S. had thus chosen to leave upon record; and Mrs. Radcliffe found little relief in the virtual refutation. She learned that Mrs. Jackson, after having resided at Bath, had removed to Edinburgh. Mr. Davies the bookseller, (of the eminent firm of Cadell and Davies,) who had opportunities of procuring information as to whatsoever was literary in Edinburgh, was requested to inquire whether Mrs. Jackson was then in that city, in order that Mrs. Ratcliffe might ask from whom Mrs. J. had heard the report. The answer to inquiries made at his request was, that the Mrs. Jackson who appeared to be meant had left Edinburgh; that the place of her subsequent residence had not been learned; and that she was not even supposed to be living. Thus the subject was dropped; for to Miss Baillie herself Mrs. Radcliffe could address nothing but protestations, which could not prove a negative, and which might be held intrusive; as there was no reason to suppose that that lady had ever credited the report. It was utterly untrue. The whole conduct of Mrs. Radcliffe must have shown that she was incapable, not only of seeking, but of desiring any illegitimate fame, — of any indirect means of increasing the praise which she could not fail to know was given to her writings. She had within her reach abundance of such means. It is within the knowledge of persons yet alive, that care was taken, and solicitations used, to prevent the issuing of any factitious commendation. 0 grant me honest fame, or grant me none!' was never more sincerely wished than by her. The delusion which persuades some to be gratified by praises prompted by themselves, or on their behalf, was matter of astonishment to her at all times; and as to pecuniary profit, a silence of more than twenty years has shown how little she was inclined to make even a fair demand for that. Is it credible, that a person, favoured as she was with genuine esteem, should resort to a desperate and abandoned adventure, which, after a few weeks or days of stolen fame, must expose her to a life of disgrace? For she could not expect that the author of the Dramas, however little inclined to make an unprovoked appropriation of them, would suffer them to be claimed by another. There was not the slightest pretence for the impu→ tation. No person ever asked Mrs. Radcliffe if she was the author of the Dramas; it was never hinted to her that they were conjectured to be hers; she never knew the report, except from Miss S.'s letters: she therefore could not give it even the indirect encouragement of designedly omitting to contradict it. 66 "I have been tedious upon this subject, but it was a great one with the deceased; and if it be possible that her spirit, now, as I humbly hope, beatified, can know what is passing here, may this asseveration of her innocence, solemnly made on her behalf, be one of its feeblest gratifications! The letter, as far as me,) had mentioned The note says, that "The other uneasiness alluded to was very slight, in comparison with this. A note added to one of the letters of the late Mrs. Carter was the occasion of it. I recollect, (the book is not now near Mrs. Radcliffe's writings with praise. 'Mrs. Carter had no personal acquaintance with Mrs. Radcliffe.' This is strictly true; but as the remark may be misunderstood to imply that Mrs. Carter had rejected, or avoided, or would have rejected, or avoided, that acquaintance, it cannot be improper to show that she had in some measure sought it. The following short correspondence is sufficient upon the subject: “If Mrs. Radcliffe is not engaged, Mrs. Carter will have the pleasure of calling upon her about twelve o'clock tomorrow morning.' "Mrs. Radcliffe is extremely sorry that an engagement to go into the country to-morrow, for some time, on account of Mr. R's state of health, which is very critical, will deprive her of the honour intended her by Mrs. Carter; for which she requests Mrs. C. to believe that she has a full and proper respect.' "There is no date to either of these notes; but that of Mrs. Carter enclosed the following letter: "Dear Madam, "Bath, April 18th, 1799. "I venture to give you this trouble, at the request of Mrs. Carter, whose admirable talents, and far more admirable virtues, are too well known to need any introduction from me. She very much wishes to have the pleasure of knowing you; and will deliver this letter, if she has the good fortune of fnding you at home. As I am persuaded the acquaintance must afford mutual satisfaction, I could not refuse the request with which Mrs. Carter honoured me; though it is made on the supposition of my having some degree of interest with you, to which I have no claim, except from the very sincere admiration I have ever felt for your talents, and the regard and esteem with which I am, dear Madam, "Your obliged and affectionate humble servant, "H. M. Bowdler." "P. S. If Mrs. Carter does not deliver this letter herself, she will, I believe, take an early opportunity of waiting on you, with a very amiable friend of mine, Miss Shipley, who has promised to carry her in her carriage.' "I intreat you to excuse the length of my communication on these subjects, in consideration of the feelings with which it is unavoidably made. In other respects, the reception which Mrs. Radcliffe experienced far exceeded her hopes. Praise, unsolicited praise, reached her ear, directly or indirectly, from professed critics, from some of the first scholars of the age, and even from statesmen, whose attention she had little expected to excite. Of censure she had as small a share as could be, considering her distinction; and that, too, chiefly from the writers of other novels or romances, whose candour upon the subject may be suspected; since it is certain that no writer of fictitious narrative is required, otherwise than by his or her own motives, to deliver an opinion upon contemporaries. She never spoke of their writings, except when she could have the delight, which she often had, of expressing admiration; or when, indeed, she had the other entertainment, of observing that those who betrayed a wish to expel her violently from the field of literature, or at least to close it roughly against her as she retired, seldom failed to imitate her in one part of their works, after having endeavoured to proscribe her by another. If these had been only the feeble, they might be pitied, or unnoticed: but there were others; and I cannot refrain from saying of the latter, that, as the degree of temptation determines in some measure the degree of an offence, so the poverty of their hearts must be nearly in proportion to the greatness of their talents. Had there been any unworthy intention, or tendency, in her writings, there can be few classes of composition in which it would not be meritorious to reprobate them: but it is beyond dispute that her works were never injurious to morality; and that their tendency, however feeble in this respect, was often to promote benevolent moderation in prosperity, and pious confidence under affliction. 66 " The following is a list of Mrs. Radcliffe's works, nearly, we believe, in the order in which they were published :-- The Castles of Athlin and Dumblaine. The Sicilian Romance. The Romance of the Forest. A Journey through Holland, in the Year 1793. The Italians. We understand that Mrs. Radcliffe left several manuscripts, some of them in a fit state for the press; but we do not know whether or not the public may expect the gratification of their perusal. |