CHAPTER VII

MR. BENTLEY’S ENCOURAGEMENT

The Thorny Path of the Literary Pilgrim--Old Publishers and New--Mr. George Bentley an Honorable Example of the Former Type--The Happy Relations that existed between Miss Corelli and her Publisher--A List of the Novelist’s Works Published by Bentleys--Mr. Bentley’s Appreciation of “Ardath”--His Refusal to make Overtures to the Press--A Reference to Miss Rhoda Broughton and the Treatment dealt out to her by Critics--Mr. Gladstone’s Visit--Concerning “Wormwood”--Maarten Maartens and his Opinion of “Ardath”--Press Attacks on “The Soul of Lilith”--The Late Queen Victoria and Marie Corelli’s Books--A Comment on the Chivalry of the Press--A Carlyle Anecdote--Mr. Bentley as Author--His Book: “After Business”--The Inestimable Value of Mr. Bentley’s Advice to the Young Novelist 134