MRS. ATHERTON'S "REZANOV."
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR,"]
Sin,—Concha Arguello was the most famous woman in early Californian history, and is also to be met with in all the old books of travel that embrace that part of New Spain. She became the first and by far the most distinguished nun in the State. Bret Harts wrote a poem about this same episode- " Concepcion Argiiello"—very charming, although all the "facts" were wrong. But they were hardly available at that time. I have been accused elsewhere of making too much of the love affair ; but had it not been for Concha Arguello, Rezanov would have received a bare mention in Californian histories—dying as he did before he could accomplish his great schemes—and remained quite unknown outside of Russia. By the way, a Russian has sent me an extract from the Russian " Brockhaus," in which I find that Rezanov was even more important than I made him out to be; I was afraid of going too far. I understand your objections (Spectator, November 24th) to fictionised biography, and only employ it when I want to obtain a wide recognition for some great man unjustly forgotten. I much prefer to write un- hampered by facts. Thank you for a sympathetic review.—I 75 Kaulbachstr.,. Munich.
P.S.—You should see Rezinov's portraits. You would not doubt his accomplishments, and he was the handsomest thing ever looked at. There was a full-length one of him in Court costume in San Francisco before the fire, and there is also a vary interesting one in Tan:awn although the shape of his head is somewhat spoiled by a fur cap.
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