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After the record-breaking success of “The Master Christian” and the world-wide discussions following the publication of that famous book, the editor of a magazine addressed the following communication to Miss Marie Corelli:
“Dear Madam,—
“I venture to ask whether you would kindly undertake for us a review of Mr. Hall Caine’s new book, ‘The Eternal City’?
“Your own novel on a somewhat similar theme leads us to believe that a criticism of Mr. Caine’s book from your pen would be of great interest and of singular literary value. I suggest that it might run to three or four thousand words, for which we would be ready to pay an honorarium of fifty guineas.”
Vastly entertained by this proposition, and seeing very clearly through the evident “hole in a millstone,” the novelist replied promptly:
“Dear Sir,—
“I cannot but admire the astute and businesslike character of your request; but I do not write ‘reviews.’ Nothing would ever persuade me to criticise the work of my contemporaries. Moreover, my book, ‘The Master Christian,’ is not at all on the same theme as ‘The Eternal City.’ Mr. Hall Caine treats of Rome,—I, of the Christ. The two are direct opposites.
“‘The Eternal City’ is recognizably inspired by and founded on Zola’s ‘Rome,’ in which great work the ‘religious message’ of Mr. Caine’s novel is fully set forth. The idea of a democratic Rome under a democratic Pope is Zola’s ‘own original’ and belongs to Zola alone. Wherefore, let me suggest that you should ask M. Zola to review the work of his English confrère!”
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