FICTION, EARLY AND LATE. 147 



treated separately " Wood Magic," a fable, 

 1881, and " Bevis," three vols., 1882. Perhaps 

 " After London " may also be accounted a 

 work of fiction. 



" The Scarlet Shawl " was published in 

 July, 1874, in one volume. As the work 

 is stated on the title-page to have advanced 

 to a second edition, one of two things is certain 

 namely, either the book appealed to a large 

 number of readers, or the editions were very 

 small indeed. I incline, myself, to the latter 

 opinion. 



Great as is the admiration of Jefferies' 

 readers for his best and noblest work, it must 

 be frankly confessed that, regarded as a story- 

 teller, he is not successful. Why this is so 

 we will presently inquire. As regards this, 

 his earliest serious work of fiction, there is 

 one remarkable fact, quite without precedent 

 in the history of literature it is that the book 

 affords not the slightest indication of genius, 

 insight, descriptive or dramatic power, or, 

 indeed, of any power, especially of that kind 

 with which he was destined to make his name. 



102 



