The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852Greville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901
tell how) thousands are found who will read them. Her 'Works'
have been published in America, in one huge folio, where it seems
they meet with peculiar success; and this trash goes down,
because it is written by a Countess, in a country where rank is
eschewed, and equality is the universal passion. They have (or
some of them) been likewise translated into German; and if all
this is not proof of literary merit, or at least of success, what
is? It would be not uninteresting to trace this current of
success to its source, and to lay bare all the springs of the
machinery which sustains her artificial character as an
authoress. The details of course form the mystery of her craft,
but the general causes are apparent enough. First and foremost,
her magnificent house and luxurious dinners; then the alliance
offensive and defensive which she has contrived (principally
through the means of said house and dinners) to establish with a
host of authors, booksellers, and publishers, and above all with
journalists. The first lend her their assistance in composition,
correction, or addition; with the second she manages to establish
an interest and an interchange of services; and the last
everlastingly puff her performances. Her name is eternally before
the public; she produces those gorgeous inanities, called 'Books
of Beauty,' and other trashy things of the same description, to
get up which all the fashion and beauty, the taste and talent, of
London are laid under contribution. The most distinguished
artists and the best engravers supply the portraits of the
prettiest women in London; and these are illustrated with
poetical effusions of the smallest possible merit, but exciting
interest and curiosity from the notoriety of their authors; and
so, by all this puffing and stuffing, and untiring industry, and
practising on the vanity of some, and the good-nature of others,
the end is attained; and though I never met with any individual
who had read any of her books, except the 'Conversations with
Byron,' which are too good to be hers, they are unquestionably a
source of considerable profit, and she takes her place
confidently and complacently as one of the literary celebrities
of her day.
[19] [The first mention of His Imperial Majesty Napoleon
III., who was an _habitue_ of Gore House, and well
known to all who frequented it. The A.D.C. was M. de
Persigny, who accompanied the Prince everywhere.]
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