Trilbyana: The Rise and Progress of a Popular Novel — John Shaqi
Trilbyana: The Rise and Progress of a Popular NovelGilder, Joseph Benson
History
Trilbyana: The Rise and Progress of a Popular Novel
Gilder, Joseph Benson
Du Maurier, George, 1834-1896. Trilby
E. C. OF NEW ALBANY, IND., thinks that "Trilby's" possibilities as a
vehicle of evil to the much-considered American "young person" are
emphasized by a conversation recently overheard by her between two
feminine "young persons" in Indiana. "What is this 'Trilby' everybody is
talking about?" asked one of these. "Oh," replied the other, "it's a
book--a novel." "They say it is awfully bad," said the first young
person. "Yes, I've heard so; but it isn't so at all. I read it clear
through, and there wasn't anything bad in it. I didn't like it either;
there is too much French in it." "French?" commented the first young
woman; "well that's it, then--all the bad part is in French." "I hadn't
thought of that," mused the other one; "I suppose that's just the way of
it. Anyway, it isn't nearly as good as 'Dally.'"
[Illustration: PLATT. THE NEW SVENGALI.
THE HYPNOTIZING OF MORTON.
Have you read "Trilby?" Svengali was a bad, wicked man, who used to
hypnotize poor, sweet little Trilby and make her sing and act as he
pleased--With apologies to Du Maurier.]
"Trilby" has even got into American politics. This shows better than
anything else how wide an audience the story most have reached. How many
allusions to a book of the current year would be comprehensible to the
average reader of a New York daily paper? We reproduce the accompanying
cartoon from the _World_ of Dec. 9 as a curiosity of literature and an
interesting contribution to "Trilbyana." It is adapted from Mr. du
Maurier's drawing entitled "Et Maintenant Dors, ma Mignonne!"
* * * * *
A Broadway caterer now "molds his ice-cream in the shape of a model of
Trilby's ever-famous foot." Mr. du Maurier can want no greater evidence
of the popularity of his story in America. That there is not a "Trilby"
shoe on the market reflects little credit upon the enterprise of our
bootmakers. It is an opportunity that no soap-maker would neglect if it
came his way. Possibly the fact that Trilby's foot was large (as well as
shapely) has something to do with the shoemakers' backwardness. Hers
were not Cinderella slippers. ("The Lounger," 30 March, 1895.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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