Characterized as an "eccentric literary man not without a spice of genius," William North was born in England and eventually settled in New York City (W. Rossetti 48-49).
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015
A continuation of the correspondence published in the previous issue concerning claims that Fitz-James O'Brien borrowed the plot for The Diamond Lens from an unpublished manuscript by William North. Consists of a letter by Augustus Maverick, quoting in full a letter by Charles Bailey Seymour to Maverick on the matter.
Includes a letter by Seymour, who served as the literary executor of William North.
Seymour mentions discussing the controversy surrounding The Diamond Lens with "Mr. O'Brien's friend, a celebrated artist of this City... who was also one of Mr. N[orth]'s friends." This artist admitted that he gave the idea for the story to O'Brien, but had forgotten that North had told him this idea long ago. The artist was most likely Frank Bellew, who was a friend of both authors and was later identified by William Winter as one of two possible sources for the idea behind The Diamond Lens.
Seymour claims that North read him a story entitled Micro-Cosmos with a plot very similar to O'Brien's Diamond Lens.
Augustus Maverick uses Seymour's letter as evidence of O'Brien's plagiarism. He identifies Seymour as the literary executor of William North.
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Characterized as an "eccentric literary man not without a spice of genius," William North was born in England and eventually settled in New York City (W. Rossetti 48-49).
27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015