Charles Lever, His Life in His Letters Volume I Part 17

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Carlsruhe (or Bonn), _July_ 26, 1845.

"...My mind is at ease by thinking that I owe nothing to or in Ireland save my affection for John* and yourself....

"My friend James has been spending a week with me here."

* His brother.

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Carlsruhe, _Aug_. 10, 1846.

"Your letter followed me here from Bonn, from which delightful little sojourn a royal visit and a musical festival had driven me,--Queen Victoria and Beethoven, with the due accompaniment of bonfires, blue lights, and ba.s.soons, being too much for my common nerves. Here we are for the present, located, as the Yankees say, in the stillest, quietest, most fast-asleep of all German cities, regularly, even beautifully, built,--with a Grand Duke and a Ministry and a _corps diplomatique_, but all seemingly mesmerised into a dreamy lethargy, in which all speech or motion is excluded. We had some thoughts of pa.s.sing a winter here, but though it would suit my pocket well, my impatience and restlessness could scarcely stand the sluggish tranquillity.... I am unable to say where we shall pa.s.s the winter. There was some thought of Lausanne, but all Switzerland is dear, and our party is a large one--ten souls and five quadrupeds."

In sleepy Carlsruhe he received two letters which disturbed him considerably,--one causing him the gravest annoyance and anxiety, the other affording him intense and justifiable joy.

The unpleasant communication was from Curry & Co. It took the form of a statement of account between publisher and author, and showed that the latter was heavily indebted to the former. Lever wrote to his _fidus Achates_ in Dublin, expressing his goodwill for Curry & Co., who had hitherto treated him fairly. He declared that he had no desire to quarrel with them. "I detest," he wrote, "the hackneyed fightings of bookseller and author,"--but he denied emphatically that he owed the money claimed by Curry.

The pleasant letter was from Miss Edgeworth. He had written to her twice from Templeogue, inquiring if he might dedicate to her 'Tom Burke of Ours.' Miss Edgeworth replied tardily. In the course of her welcome letter, the author of 'Castle Rackrent' spoke of having read aloud to her nephews and nieces 'The O'Donoghue,' which was appearing in monthly parts,--an announcement which afforded the author of 'The O'Donoghue'

a thrill of delight, animated him with high hopes, and filled him with fresh ambitions. To Spencer he wrote: "I hope John told you--I'd rather he had than I--of a letter Miss Edgeworth wrote to me about 'O'Donoghue.' I never felt so proud in my life as in reading it. There is, independent of all flattering, so much of true criticism, so much of instructive guidance, that for the first time I begin to feel myself able to take advice with advantage, and to hope that I have stuff in me for something like real success. What a prerogative true genius possesses when it can compensate by one word of praise for neglect and calumny! So do I feel that Miss Edgeworth has repaid me for all the bitterness and injustice of my Irish critics. I never made such an effort as in this book. I hope sincerely that you may think I have not failed, for with all my reliance on your friendship, I feel _your_ criticism will be as free from prejudice as so warm and affectionate a friend's can be."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Baden-Baden, _Sept_. 8, 1846.

"Your kind and satisfactory letter reached me here, where we have been sojourning in one of the sweetest valleys in the world,--a perfect wilderness of vineyards and olives, traversed by innumerable streams, and inhabited by a happy people. This day twelvemonth we were at Achill in the midst of dire poverty, when the very waves that thundered along the seash.o.r.e were less stormy than the pa.s.sions of man beside them. And yet in one case the law of the land is Despotism, and in the other there are the blessings (!) of the English const.i.tution. So much have political privileges to do with human happiness. In my own narrow experience, I should say that the most contented communities are those that know not how they are governed.

"As to my reserve fund, my intention is this--calculating loosely.

That between Daily (?), Clarence Street, and the Templeogue furniture, something like 250 may result, which with the 350 already in bank will make 600 (John's 100 added). I will myself lay by 300 more to make up 1000, the interest of which will meet one of the small nuisances, and thus make a beginning--whether to end in anything more or not [? who can say], for I am most unhappily gifted in the organ of secretiveness.

M'Glashan is far more eager to purchase my contingent copyright than he lets it be known. I am well aware that such has been a long time since a favourite object with him, but he's a thorough fox, and likes to be pushed on to his own inclinations.

"I have been fearfully walked into by that firm, but for many reasons would rather bear it all now than make what the Duke calls 'a little war.'

"If the fine weather continues--it is glorious now--we shall spend the month of October here, as by far the pleasantest spot I've set upon, and then return to Carlsruhe for the winter. I'll endeavour to pick up an Irishman as a witness to the deeds and send them back at once."

In Baden he spent a couple of pleasant months, though it is hinted that he lost heavily at the gaming-tables there. An anecdote of these Baden days is told by him. At a public dance an English lady of rank had declined many offers of partners, not deeming any of the gentlemen good enough for her. At length she was attracted by a handsome well-dressed German who spoke English fluently. He made himself so agreeable to the fine lady that she accepted his invitation to dance. She inquired who he was, and was informed that he was the Oberkellner at the Gasthaus von Rose. Under the impression that this meant that the favoured gentleman occupied a high official position, the lady danced boldly with him throughout the remainder of the night. When she consulted her dictionary next morning she was horrified to discover that "Oberkellner" was "head-waiter "!

Lever was now fit for work again, and he sketched out the plan of a new novel which he proposed to call 'Corrig O'Neill.' He sent this sketch to his literary counsellor, Mortimer O'Sullivan, instructing him to show it to M'Glashan. This novel was never written, but some of the material was used by the author later for 'The Daltons.' It was possibly his ill-luck at roulette, and a desire for quietness and retrenchment, which drove him back in October to drowsy Carlsruhe. He set earnestly to work at a new story, 'The Knight of Gwynne.' He forwarded the early chapters to his brother John.

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Stephanie Stra.s.se, Carlsruhe, _Nov_. 16, 1846.

"Has John sent you--if not, get it--the opening chapter of my new tale, 'The Knight of Gwynne'? I hope you may like it. I have a great object in view--no less than to show that the bribed men of the Irish Parliament are the very men who now are joining the Liberal ranks, and want to a.s.sist O'Connell in bringing back the Parliament they once sold, and would sell again if occasion offered. Of course, a story with love and murder is the vehicle for such a dose of 'bitters.'

"Will you also ask John to write half a dozen lines to M. O'Sullivan, requesting him to forward to your care a MS. of mine which John sent him, and which I would beg you to keep (and read if you like) for me? It was my originally intended story before I began my 'Knight of Gwynne.'"

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Carlsruhe: dated _Jan. 7_,1846 (at top), and _Dec_. 6,1846 (at foot).

"Being at that time of the year when one's creditors change their outward form and become duns, I am obliged to see where I can find anything available to meet them. I perceive in a letter of yours the remark that no a/c of sales of 'Hinton' has been rendered by the Currys for the past year--i.e., since October 1844, and in a letter from M'Glashan that my share of Indian profits amounts to 52, 10s., I think.

Would you see after these small sums for me, as I am really worried and vexed by the rascality of Orr and M'Glashan, who have cheated me in the most outrageous fashion on two small works--'Nuts' and 'Trains'--I gave them for publication? M. O'Sullivan writes me that under John's advice and sanction he gave my MS. of 'Corrig O'Neill' to M'Glashan to 'look at,' he, M'G., having applied to him for this. I desired no further dealings or doings with that d------d Scotchman, and well he knows it, for while asking to see my MS. he was in possession of a letter from me telling him I should have no further dealings with him.

"I find that my expenses are overwhelmingly great here. Wasteful habits dog me wherever I go, and I am obliged to think twice how I shall get through the year. I suppose Gogarty takes Templeogue at once. Is there any use of reminding him of his pledge to repurchase the furniture at the price I paid,--he gave his word of honour (!!!) to do so?

"If the settlement about 'Hinton' and the Indian copyright should not be easily effected now, let the matter lie over to meet the Insurances, only take measures to have the money forthcoming then, for I know well I'll not have sixpence to spare the whole year through. I hear (confidentially) that Remy* is about to review me again in 'The Mail,'

He be d------d! I've outlived such beggarly support. Is there an opinion of the 'K. of Gwynne' stirring in Dublin? My London accts. all so far satisfactory."

* Mr Remy Sheehan.--E. D.

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Carlsruhe, _Jan_. 19, 1846.

"I have been expecting somewhat anxiously to have heard from you or M'G.

relative to my late proposition, but suppose that the crafty Highlander has preferred to lie by in the hope that I would reply to a late communication of his which, in terms of great affected cordiality, asks for a renewal of our dealings together. To this I have not made, nor shall I make, any answer, nor will I write to him until he definitely says something in answer to my application for the sale of my copyrights.

"Yesterday my plate and linen arrived here quite safe. The books, I have just learned, are at Dusseldorf, where, the Rhine being now frozen, they must remain.

"You have before this read 'The Knight.' I hope your good opinion continues unabated. Are there any critiques in the Irish papers? 'The Mail,' I hear, will notice me now. Perhaps the Repealers think they have found a backer. Let them hug the belief till the 4th No., and I shall clear away the delusions.

"I have hints of a deep intrigue on the M'Glashan side to injure any dealings I may have with the London publishers. I am greatly provoked at M'Glashan being suffered to see my MS. of 'Corrig O'Neill.' It was a false move, and will [? inconvenience] me very considerably. He affected a half permission on my part which never was asked nor ever alluded to."

_To Mr Alexander Spencer._

"Carlsruhe, _Jan_. 26,1646.

"I think you over-estimate the value of the copyrights, and would gladly take 200 per vol.,--that is, 800 for 'Hinton,' 'Burke,' and 'The O'Donoghue'; but if the Currys are likely to make a proposal, it is best to wait patiently. For although your calculation is perfectly correct as to proportion, 'Hinton' was a more than usually successful book, and too favourable to form a standard to measure others by. 'O'D.' will, however, I am given to believe, eventually rival it.

"I yesterday received a long and confidential letter from Lord Douro.

The split in the Cabinet was not all on corn. The Duke wanted to give up the commandership-in-chief, and the Queen, _folle de son mari_, actually insisted on Prince Albert succeeding him,--an appointment which, if made, would outrage the service and insult the whole nation. To avoid such a _coup_ the Duke was induced to hold on and save us--for the present, at least--from such a humiliation. As to the announcements in 'The Times,' and the disclosure of Cabinet secrets, the story is rather amusing. Lord Douro says, 'If my father's beard only heard him mutter in his sleep, he'd shave at bedtime.' But Sidney Herbert is more in love and less discreet, for he actually told Mrs Norton what had occurred at the Council, and _she_ sold the information to 'The Times' for a very large sum!* Even in Virgil he might have read a nice lesson on this head,--but I suppose his cla.s.sical readings were more of Ovid latterly.