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By Charles Reade: Thackeray

THACKERAY TWICE in his later years did William Makepeace Thackeray seek temporarily another career than that of authorship. Shortly before writing "The Virginians" he tried unsuccessfully to capture a seat in Parliament. Politics had always attracted him, although his temperament was wholly unsuited to popular demands.

He was a radical, sympathizing with Richard Cobden in his anti-corn-law fight. "I would like to see all men equal," he wrote in 1840, "and this bloated aristocracy blasted to the wings of all winds." He was nevertheless absolutely opposed to any attempt on the part of the people to win their rights by force. His attitude is interesting in the light of to-day's radicalism, as is also his firm advocacy of Ireland's right to have home rule. After finishing "The Virginians," Thackeray became the first editor of "The Cornhill Magazine." His own wide popularity practically insured the initial success of the venture. Of the first number one hundred and twenty thousand copies were sold. The most distinguished writers of the day were attracted as contributors through the editor's prestige, and the "Cornhill" furnished magazine-readers with better fiction and articles than can be found to-day in any successful English periodical.

Although Thackeray was a good editor in many ways, he was handicapped by too tender a heart. He could not refuse poems and articles, however uninspired and even maudlin, if the writers needed money. So a few months later he gladly resigned his position and returned to novel-writing.