An Amusing Correspondence.

Washington , D . G ., Mr . Charles Reach : October 27 , 1878 . DEAR SIR , '—I have just been reading your reply to Dr . Burnett ' s letter , and I see from it that somehoAv a little misunderstanding has arisen . I did not see Dr . Burnett ' s letter before it Avas sent , but I can scarcely think he meant to ask from you AA'hat you seem to fancy . I am a young Avoman , ancl an Englishwoman , but I am not

voimg enough to expect anything from my compatriots Avhich the law does not demand for me . My " Lass " Avas condescendingly printed in England Avith the announcement on the front page that it Avas done Avith " the special permission of the authoress , " ancl I AA'as informed of that fact by a letter from Messrs . Warne & Co ., nobly accompanied by a gift of a yeEoAv-backed copy of the book , Avhich I shaE naturaEy ever cherish sacredly and tenderlas a deUcate tribute from a generous publisher to a grateful author—a

y publisher Avho even Avent to the godlike length of saying that he Avould be glad to giA'e to the world any other books I mig ht Avrite—upon the same terms . A gentleman of the name of Hatton , in conjunction AA'ith another of the name of Matthison , Avrote a play founded on the story , Avhich made of Joan LoAyrie a big-boned maudlin young Avoman , Avith a sentimental passion for a pretentions prig ; of Anice Barhohn , an entrancing

creature , AA'ith aE the engaging jauntiness ancl abandon of a barmaid , and also improA'ed the other characters in the most encouraging manner . These gentlemen , of course , paid me nothing , but I Avas not young enough then to expect such romantic lavishness ; and besides , I felt it was only fair that they shoidd have aE they coidcl make as a recompense for AVriting such a play . H I had . Avritten such a play I should haA'e expected to be remunerated handsomely . When I read it I Avas so moved by—shaE AA'e deal in

glittering generaUties , and call them conflicting emotions ?—that I wrote a long letter to you , giving you aU the permission I oAvned—nay , even begging you , as an act of generosity , to rescue the people I am fond of from dramatic infamy , and make a good play , Avhich I kneAV you could do if you took it in hand . I did not ask you to giA'e me any of the proceeds of it . I did not think of that at all ; Avhat I cared for AA'as somethingelse . After I bad AA'ritten the letterI thought that perhapsas the thing had been

, , spoiled already , you Avould not care for it , and did not send it . I Avish I had nOAv , because then I might haA'e retained an iEusion or so . Until IIOAV I fancied that a man ' s right Avas enough for him , notAA'ithstanding other people's AA'rong . But the point is that I \ A'ish you to feel quite at ease on the score of my asking you to share anything of the proceeds of your play with me . As it is , it would only be a fine accentuation of myself to demand Avhat better people don't get .

I . haA'e no rights in England , notwithstanding I have lived more than half my life there ; but I have rights in America , and it is because you have tried to infringe eA'en on these that I protest . I Avrote " Lass " here , copyrighted it here , reserved stage-rights here ( which can be clone in the United States ) , Avrote my play here , copyrighted that here , and it AVEI be played here . If any one attempts to produce another version I shall defend myseE '—as I can . Ton haA'e been badly treated in America , I haA'e no doubt- ; but did an American dramatist ever AA'rite a play on a book of yours and take it to

England and haA'e it played there in the face of a version of your OAVII already copyrighted and sold ? If it ever Avas done , it was pretty hard , Avasn't it ? I think it AA'as , ancl I sympathize Avith you—ancl I hope you like my sympathizing Avith you . With many thanks for your generous offers—they are generous , since you haA'e so conclusively proA'ed that I haA'e no rights anyiuhere —¦

I remain yours respectfully , Charles Reacle , Esq . FRANCES HODGSOH BURNETT , _ . This correspondence Avoidd not be complete Avithout adding a characteristic advertisement of Mr . Reade ' s , Avhich appeared in an English neAVspaper : — " NOTICE TO MANAGERS . —Charles Reade claims Stage-Right in so much of his IIOAV drama , ' JOAN , ' as is not taken from Mrs . Burnett ' s Novel ; ancl particularly in the order and sequence of the Scenes : in the Avhole of the First Act , except TAVO Dialogues