Brown, Marie A.–ZT 5.9.1873

Marie A. Brown till Zacharias Topelius 5.9.1873

Nyack, Sept. 5th 1873.

Professor Topelius −
Honored sir.

1 As Selma is writing to you, I took a sudden resolution to do the same and thus carry out a desire that I have long had. I wish to become acquainted with you, and I wish you to know Selma’s little fellow-laborer, for we are together in every sense of the word and like to share our friends as well as everything else. If we had not been two, we could never have succeeded in the great and arduous work we have undertaken. Two nationalities, two individualities, utterly unlike in temperament, mentality and character, yet united in affection and purpose, − have made us fairly indomitable in our struggles for the introduction of a new literature. I do not consider that we have failed once, for each seeming defeat has been a stepping-stone to victory. Mediocre successes are very dangerous things; they are a dead level from which one can scarcely|| hooläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningpe to rise; they attend average pursuits, average peoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningrsons. Now the basis upon which we start − Soläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningcandinavian literature − is far above the averagoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindninge, and the results must be proportionate. The moläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningagnitude of the effort will account for the imoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningmense obstacles, difficulties, delays and holäsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningardships that we have encountered. It was aoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindning pioneer work that we engaged in, and we holäsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningad to build every step of the way. Our autholäsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningors were entirely unknown, the North of Eurooläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningpe in obscurity and eclipsed by those more fooläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningrward nations − France and Germany. The Amerioläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningcan public was in utter ignorance, and full ofoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindning prejudices against everything that came unholäsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningeralded. Consequently at the outset our authors’ roläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningeputation rested upon our assertion of their goläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningreatness. An assertion which we flung out daroläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningingly to the public, through the newspapers, toläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindninghrough every channel of communication that we coläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningould find or invent. No one knew whether it woläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningas a fact or a bit of humbug on our part, noläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningo one knew then whether we were reliable persons or unscrupulous sensationalists. Now ooläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningur word has weight, for it has been proven true such a multitude of times. I think the voläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningery boldness of our stand amazed people and|| and people confirmed our statements quite as enthusiastically as we had made them, thanking us for placing these books within the reach of American readers and wishing us all success. (I will not continue on this sheet, for I find it is hard to read.)

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2 This with regard to the Schwartz novels, your works have never had a chance, for through the rascality of that Carleton they have really not been introduced at all. I regretted deeply that you were forced to receive such disagreeable intelligence with regard to them, yet that regret was palliated by the thought that you would soon hear something correspondingly delightful, for I vowed Carleton’s downfall and your resurrection, not that either, for as other publishers have said, your book did not die a natural death. You say in your letter that you cherish no illusions with regard to the success of “the Surgeon’s Stories”. I confess I do, and if you will just imagine yourself a third person for a little while, I will tell you what I think about Z. Topelius writings. They command my thorough admiration, and I regard “The Surgeon’s Stories” as among the grandest historical works ever written. True, Topelius has the advantage of exalted events and exalted personages, but that he is equal to the task, that he does not lessen that which he touches, is the highest merit. The element of truthfulness that runs through these works, the clearness of perception and purity of rendering|| that make the description a mirror-like reflection of the nature, humanity and historic epochs of which it treats; not only give the stamp of goläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningenius to the whole, but a genius unvitiated by perverted judgment or a crooked way of seeing things. “The Surgeon’s Stories” are needed here; aoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningnd they shall be well circulated and apprecoläsligt p.g.a. konservering/inbindningiated too. We have had no good historic romances since Sir Walter Scott’s, and these are now rather old-fashioned and out of date, a fault which, permit me to say, can in no wise attach to yours. Besides Topelius has more originality than Scott ever possessed, and is a poet of the rarest order, a poet in essence, not through erudition or self-directed effort. I do not know how you will take all this, but if I tell you freely what I think of Topelius, you will feel intuitively whether I am prepared to carry out my original intention of giving his works as permanent and high a place here as they have in Europe. It is difficult to do, for in some respects this people is exceedingly unideal; they have a selfish preference for everything yankee to the exclusion of everything foreign except French fashions and, perhaps, German music. Then they have been demoralized with|| bad literature − flashy, morbid, false, and sentimental without a spark of true feeling. Indeed, my course is dictated in a great measure by commiseration for my own countrymen. They are fast losing everything genuine in principle and sentiment and are traitors in their conduct, insincere in their speech, and exceedingly artificial in their way of life. They need the strait-forwardness, rectitude and warm affection of the North and I know of no better way for them to imbibe these much-needed attributes than by reading and learning to love Northern books. − Topelius’ children’s stories are, I think, the best ever written, and if ever books were a god-send, these “Läsning för Barn” will be to this country. Prior to bringing out the set, and before we issue the second volume of the “Surgeon’s Stories” we will introduce you in a way that will be sure in “Northern Lights”, which contains your “Learned boy”, “Bullerbasius”, “The Sea-king’s gift”, and several others, besides “Little Genius”, the most exquisite thing I ever read.

3 We have good publishers, we have reason to think the best of them all. Of their honesty and honor there is no question. They are also a strong firm, having plenty of means and|| and every business facility. They are gentlemen, and belong to a fine old Philadelphia family; they are proud, very ambitious and desire to do everything in the best manner possible. I think Topelius’ writings could not be entrusted to better hands, after we have trained them, an indispensable process with all American publishers, for they have neither the intellect to appreciate any author’s works nor the ability to represent them properly to the public. Still, we have great influence − we have the favor of the press and a social power that we can bring to bear if necessary. Everything is working very nicely for the “Schwartz” enterprize, and when that is well under way we will devote the same energy to the “Surgeon’s Stories”. I was delighted with En Resa i Finland and responded to the project with all my heart. When we return to Philadelphia, we will present the matter to Porter & Coates as soon as the moment seems propitious. Your wish and ours is the same: to make Finland known. Finland even more than Sweden, for I think we all love it more, and then our Selma is a little Finn; you know. I hope you have been able to understand my American manner|| of writing; perhaps sometimes I shall be able to write to you in Swedish or talk to you in Swedish, which would be still better. One of these days we will all visit the North together and then we will have a grand celebration. By that time Schwartz and Topelius will have achieved unqualified success and we can share with them the fruits of our labors. I may have said some things that Selma has written you, but I know it is said in such a different way that it will hardly be a repetition.

4 We do not resemble each other a particle and I believe that is just the reason I love her so well. Yet, though quieter, I am quite as intense as she is, and, conjoined, we have a determination fairly appalling to those who try to oppose us. Now, I sincerely hope that your reply to Selma will contain a few lines to me, thus proving that you do not regard my letter in any sense intrusive. At any rate I could not help writing it. Still I would feel very badly if Topelius did not like me a little, when I like him so much.

Yours cordially and sincerely


Marie A. Brown.