An Amusing Correspondence.

Avork , but only copyright , or the sole right of printing ancl publishing : I wiE add that of the three other English dramas on this subject one AA'as played all over England for ten months , ancl another for four months , ancl the third publicly advertised before I took the subject in hand , ancl I should not have done it then if Mrs . Burnett had been the author of either of these versions , or if the authors had shown themselves capable of dealing with the subject . But here Avas a subject wretchedly handled , open in law , open by custom , ancl

apparently open in morality , for noA'elists do not dramatize their works , ancl the book itself claimed no such right . So much for England , Avhere eA'ery noA'el of mine is dramatized by others , unless I produce a drama on the subject before the novel and giA'e due notice of star ; e-right . The American business is a mere offshoot . Miss Eytinge AA'as here ancl kneAV I AA'as about to produce the drama , and had taken a theatre at Liverpool for the purpose . She kneAV my drama AA'ould be taken for the United States by somebody , and she treated Avith me for it . Some time ago she , let me ICUOAV that Mrs , Burnett desired to deal AA'ith the subject in her OAA ' interest .

I AA'rote to say that neither in England nor in the United States does there exist any such thing as stage-right in a novel , but still , it would be agreeable to my feelings if she AA'oidd come to terms AA'ith Mrs . Burnett and pay her so much for each representation ; ancl that I , myself , AA'ould forego a similar proportion of my A'ery moderate fee . Thus the matter stands as regards Mrs . Burnett ancl myself . As regards me ancl American citizens generally , they haA'e ahvays robbed me of my dramatic property under

circumstances A'ery different . I am a dramatist . Nothing but bad laAA's eA'er droA'e me into the novel . My noA'els are knoAA'u to haA'e a drama already Avritten behind them , yet the American managers take eA'ery one of them aud get some scribbler to AA'rite the drama , though I offer them mine . They chive me off their stages Avith bad A'ersions of " White Lies , " " Griffith Gaunt , " "Rachel the Reaper , " "Put yourself in his Place , " " Foul Play , " etc ., though I offer them the good dramas . The scribblers and thieA'es of

the nation have neA'er consented to share AA'ith me ; they haA'e ahvays taken every cent , and driven me entirely off the American stage by means of my OAvn talent and labour . No egg can be roasted all on one side . I cannot be divinely just to American citizens in a business AA'here they never SIIOAV me one grain of human justice or even mercy ; and so long as your nation is a literary thief you must expect occasional reprisals . These reprisals are a sort of bad equity .

HoAA'ever , I only throw this out as a general proposition . Notwithstanding my OAVII bitter AA'rongs as a dramatist , I am unwiEing to injure Mrs . Burnett ' s interests in the United States . I shall UOAV Avrite to Miss Eytinge more decidedly , requesting her to offer a nightly fee to Mrs . Burnett . Shoidd she come to terms AA'ith Miss Eytinge , that lady AA'EI also pay her a portion of my fee , if she does not rob me of these fees , as Miss , the last American actress I trusted , did . I wiE , AAdth pleasure , also alloAv Mrs . Burnett something out of my English profitsif any . Butnot to raise any great

ex-, , pectations on that point , I must tell you that my predecessors on this subject haA'e A'ery much prejudiced the London managers against it , ancl I have no offer for it Avhatever at present . But it is only in London that an English author can realize large profits by a piece of this land , which entails great expenses ancl requires a full company of good actors to do it properly .

I shaE ask Miss Eytinge to suspend performance until she has used all reasonable endeaA'ours to come to a friendly understanding AA'ith you , ancl I respectfully advise you not to neglect to negotiate Avith her , but to make terms ancl stipulate that she puts on the bills , " By consent ancl special treaty AA'ith Mrs . Burnett . " That AVEI serve to bolster up your imaginary right , for , believe me , in the United States , as in England , there is no such thing as stage-right in a novel . .Yours respectfully , Dr . Burnett CHAELES E-EADE .