| R. PLUMER WARD. | 161 |
The following letters will speak for themselves. They were written immediately after the publication of “De Clifford; or, the Constant Man.”
“Dear Patmore,—I cannot help writing to say that I have finished ‘Cecil,’ and am greatly amused with its ineffable wit and impertinence. I feel your criticism in every line of it—‘flashy, and crammed too full of cleverness to be good for much, except to kill time.’ As I suppose Lord Howden* meant no more, it would not be fair to criticise it.
“As to its moral, it is entirely of the Bulwer school, savouring much of Pelham,
* For some weeks after the publication of “Cecil,” its authorship (since avowed by Mrs. Gore) was attributed to Lord Howden. |
| 162 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“By a puff in the ‘Observer’ I see the Baron de Clifford is out.
“Should you see any review, good, bad, or indifferent, in any other papers, morning, evening, weekly, or monthly, I will beg you to send them, and I will reimburse expenses directly. I suppose there can hardly be one in the ‘New Monthly.’ If there is, will you send it?
“I would gladly spare you this trouble, but I know not how to describe what I want to a common newsman, who can obey a matter of fact, but hardly a discretionary order, which a conditional one would be.
“If you have any more boudoir gossip, I shall be glad of it, being so much out of the world; but I own it is not fair to ask it, absorbed as you are. A reason why I should say adieu.
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 163 |
“Very few things could give me more pleasure than what you communicated in your last; and I trust it will, for the present at least, quiet your not unnatural anxieties. I cannot at all flatter myself that anything was able to say to —— influenced his change of decision; but from very sincere regard for your interest, and very unceasing wonder, as well as regret, to think you in a position so totally unworthy your attainments and deserts, I should be glad to think I could have been of the smallest service; which, however, I do not.
“I would have answered your letter much sooner, but
have been, I trust not dangerously, but uncomfortably ill, so as to be
particularly disabled from writing, the attack having been of bilious
giddiness. I quite enter into the propriety of your resolution, as soon as
possible to set yourself free from the uncertainties of a situation so totally
| 164 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“As to my bantling, I am an utter blank concerning it, having heard no one word about it, good or bad; except, indeed, from my sister-in-law, Lady Mulgrave, who, upon the information of about half the first volume, compliments me upon what she calls a freshness equal to ‘Tremaine.’ Well, if the world will think so too, no bad account.
Next week, I suppose, will bring something.
“Enough this, for a still giddy man; so I will no more than that I am as usual, “Much yours,
“I could not make out the name you gave to your supposed author of ‘Cecil.’ Pray repeat it. I have looked in vain for any other review than yours of the ‘Engagement.’ Extraordinary!”
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 165 |
“My dear Patmore,—Very many thanks for your kind communication. In my total dearth of intelligence respecting my bantling, it was worth a good deal; and the —— is really very flattering. I am quite surprised at the non-appearance of the work till last Wednesday. My copies certainly came before. I suppose there will be a notice in the next ——, and I hope it will be by a certain friend of mine. I will spare you the trouble as to the next week, by ordering it of my newsman.
“Pray can you tell me the writer of the little scrap in the —— ——, whose play upon ‘Time’ you made me notice.
“You did not tell me the name I could not make out as the author of ‘Cecil.’ Sir Greorge Anson says it is reported to be a Mr. Fairchild; probably thicker skinned than he of ‘De Clifford.’ I saw the notice of the ‘Engagement’ in the ——, but, except the extract from your own ample review of it, it was I thought, rather meagre.
| 166 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
You said you had two reviews of De C. to accomplish. Is the other for the next ‘New Monthly?’
“I shall look out for your promised letter in answer to mine on your own subject, and only repeating, that there is no man’s well-doing in which I take a greater interest,
“Since writing the above, I am much amused with a paragraph in the ‘Globe,’ Sir George Anson’s paper, which he has just brought me, fixing many of the characters in ‘De Clifford’ as portraits of originals, particularly Lord Rochfort, whom, it says, everybody will recognise. It is, at least, more than I can do myself, any more than Albany, and others mentioned. If this goes on, I shall have a fine kettle of fish, as Western says.
“Would you have me disclaim all this? or do you
think it a refined puff oblique of the shop? The paragraph desires a key
from the publisher; you know there is no such key. The only real bonâ fide
sketch I know
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 167 |
“Well, I have to thank you for a great deal of good-natured zeal for my author feelings (I will not, after being so hackneyed in them, call them anxieties), in sending me the ——, the ——, and the ——.
“In the last, I doubt, there was much more than the
mere transmission; for, besides that I know it is one of your papers, I am well
persuaded that no one but yourself is, or can be, so kind as to write of me in
a
| 168 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“I begin to receive other notices besides those in the papers. I mean in private reports, which are very comfortable; but I can hardly hope that, sixteen years (it my age too) after ‘Tremaine,’ what Mrs. Austen says is thought can be true,—that De Clifford is more vigorous and equally fresh with ‘Tremaine.’
“And so, repeating thanks and good wishes, I am, as usual, yours,
“Dear Patmore,—No end to my thanks to you. This day’s —— is more glowing even than the last. You are certainly resolved to allay any anxiety I might have (even were it greater than it is) as to the fate of ‘De Clifford.’ You have, I have no doubt, also given the tone to others, whose proofs of favour, through to-day’s post, in addition to those during the week, have flowed in beyond imagination. Can you help me to find out the authors of some of them, especially of the article in the ‘Britannia’? If Dr. ——, who I heard wrote in that paper, I shall be flattered. There was also a notice in the ‘Morning Herald,’ of last Tuesday (the 20th), very eloquent indeed, and very clear; perhaps, yours? If not, I should really like to know by whom, if you can help me.
“Many private letters (one from a gentleman, a
Mr. Stevens, whom I don’t know, but evidently a
person of reading and education,) ought also to satisfy me that I have got the
town with me, and, as Pope said,
‘I will
| 170 | R. PLUMER WARD. |
“I see you have lost your dramatic mentor and neighbour Reynolds, who agreed so with me about your comedy. I have no patience with your modesty, and have long hoped said comedy would be in rehearsal. I also wish to hear more of your decision as to your other manuscripts, actual or intended. Pray write to me when you can, though I know how much you must be engaged. Meantime, believe me, always yours,
“My dear Patmore,—“While I thank you for your letter, all I can
say in answer to it is that you are a comical fellow, if that term can apply to
a man who honestly confesses what I, for one, have long found out—that he is
troubled with a morbid sensibility. I am in twenty minds whether, even now,
though you have returned it, I will not still send my letter to Sir
John. The awkwardness to me is nothing in comparison with a wish
| R. PLUMER WARD. | 171 |
“C. is a funny little fellow, with his silence, and his shrewdness, and his procrastination. If he is satisfied with the reception of “De Clifford,” I certainly am. It is beyond what I could hope, far more expect, and no post but brings me an account of its success.
“Best of all, I am held to be Manners. It could not please me more. And so no more at present from your friend,
“Since writing the above I have a letter from Mrs. Austen. She says there is a ‘most beautiful’ review of De C. in the ‘New Monthly,’ which she attributes to Theodore.”
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