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"A GLUTTON FOB TRUTH"[bold] To the Editor of The Herald: I read your article in a recent issue about Kenneth Roberts, author of "Arundel," which article was headed "A Glutton for Truth." I also read his very interestlng novel, "Arundel," when it came out last winter. At that time his interpretation of the character, in-telligence, and habits of the Abenaki Indlans impressed me as not so truthful as drawn to fit the story. Lately I have read "The Candle in the Wilderness" by Irving Bacheller in which Mr. Bacheller gives a very dif-ferent conception of the Indians of colonial times. It is truce Mr. Bachel-ler's Indians were Iroquois and Algon-quin and his story of an earlier date. Mr. Bacheller gives, in the back of his book, references to his authorities for his historical facts and his rather unusual description of his Indians. Mr. Roberts does not quote any authorities. Presumably Mr. Roberts did consider-able research work before writing his book, but the main historical facts of Benedict Arnold's famous and fruitless expedition were first fathered together and published in July, 1901, in "Ar-nold's Expedition to Quebec," by John Codman, 2d (Macmillian Co.). This work is a historical narrative. . . . Omitting the rather absurd love story from "Arundel" and a few other fic-tional scenes, the book becomes a rep-lica of John Codman, 2d's, earlier nar-rative. Codman also give many au-thorities for his facts. He made the trip personally when the route was not so much of a wilderness as in Arnold's[?] time, but much more so than in Ken-neth Roberts's. The over-exertion from that trip in 1896 brought about Codman's death Aug. 31, 1897, so he never saw his book published. It was ably edited by Mark DeWolfe Howe. Codeman was president of class of 1885 at Harvard and on the varsity football team and, although admitted to the bar without even going to a law school, he made real estate brokerage his vocation. WILLIAM COOMBS CODEMAN. Boston, Aug. 20.
Boston Herald August 22, 1930
FROM AUTHOR OF "ARUNDEL" [bold] To the Editor of The Herald: William Coombs Codman, in a letter published in you Mail Bag of Aug. 22 in effect accuses me of plagiarizing John Codeman's "Arnold's Expedition to Quebec" in my novel "Arundel." His grounds for this charge seem to be, first, that his distinguished relative wrote a history of the expedition; and second, that I quoted no authorities for the historical background of my novel. I have always felt that it is somewhat out of place to append a long bibliogra-phy to a work of fiction; and I conse-quently did not do so in "Arundel." But since Mr. Codman raises the point, I here set down a partial list of authori-ties used in its preparation. The full list, together with my maps and the manu-script, has been in the hands of the Maine State Library, Augusta, Me., since last November. The able reference libra-rian of that institution. Mrs. Marion Cobb Fuller, has been kind enough to send the full list to those sufficiently interested to ask for it, and will, I am sure, be glad to do so in the future. Adams, James Truslow: "Revolution-ary New England." Anburey, Lt: "Travels Through the Interior Ports of America, 1776-1781." Arnold, B.: "Journal of the Expedi-tion to Quebec." Arnold, I. N.: "Life of Benedict Arnold." Bourne: "History of Wells and Kennebunk." Bradbury: "History of Kennebunk-port." Codeman, J: "Arnold's Expedition to Quebec." Davis, M.L.: "Aaron Burr." Dearborn, Henry: "Journal of the Quebec Expedition." Drake: "Tragedies of the Wilderness.""Indians of North American." Fobes, C.: "Account of the Quebec Expedition." French, Allen: "Siege of Boston." Hanson, J.W.: "History of Norridge-wock and Canaan." "History of the Kennebec Valley." Haskell: "Journal of the Quebec Ex-pedition." Henry, J.J.: "Account of Arnold's Campaign." Leland, Charles Godfrey: "Algonquin Legends of New England." Lincoln (Gov.): "The Abenaki In-dians." Lossing, B. J.: "Field Book of the Revolution." Maine Historical Society; collections: Vols. I and VI, containing material on "Arnold's Expedition" and the "Abenaki Indians." Melvin, J.: "Journal of Arnold's Expedition." Minnegerode & Andrews: "Life of A. Burr." Morison, G.: "Journal of Arnold's Expedition." Parkman, Francis: "Montcalm and Wolfe." Parton, J.: "Aaron Burr." Pope, Saxton: "Hunting With a Bow and Arrow." Remich: "History of Kennebunk." Senter. I: "Journal of Arnold's Ex-pedition." Smith, Justin H.: "Arnold's March from Cambridge to Quebec." Thayer, S.: "Journal of Arnold's Ex-pedition." Ventromille (Fr.): "The Abenaki In-dians." Williamson, W.D.: "History of Maine." Willis. W.: "History of Portland." There is one point, in view of Mr. William Coombs Codeman's groundless charge against me, that should be made clear. John Codman's "History of Ar-nold's Expedition" makes pretty good reading; but for accuracy it does not compare with Prof. Justin Smith's "Ar-nold's March from Cambridge to Quebec." In fact, Smith devotes about one-third of his history to pointing out the inaccuracies in Codeman's book---inaccuracies doubtless due to the fact that Codman died before he had revised it for publication. Mr. Codman seems to suggest, in his letter, that John Codman, by writing a history of Arnold's Expedition, has for-ever barred authors from further use of that expedition in fictional form. This suggestion, I feel, is too absurd to re-further comment. KENNETH ROBERTS. k Beach, Me. Aug. 22.
Boston Herald August 25, 1930
"ARUNDEL" [bold] To the Editor of The herald: After reading with great pleasure "Arundel," Mr. Codman's letter of Aug. 20 was of interest. There are some things in the wonderful book which amused me: Mr. Roberts's beans, for example, were baked in an entirely dif-ferent way from old-time beans. "My sister Hepsibah stood guard over the beanpot to make sure that the water never fell below the level of the top-most bean." My grandmother's stories carry me back 50 years. She always said that the reason beans were so much better baked in the brick oven was because the even heat and long cooking required no addition of water, after the first filling. Then, too, were the oven opened constantly, it would soon lose its hear. Again---"My sister Cynthia stood by the stove. . . . . . adding water to the beans." Why the stove? I have been in many old houses, and know many tales of old-time cook-ing, but not one of stoves. I think Mr. Ford would pay a good price for one of Mr. Roberts's stoves. There are several mentions of to-matoes stewed with a flavoring of all-spice and vinegar. I would like to know if tomatoes were used commonly in the 18th century. I supposed that then they were called "love-apples," and not thought of as much good. MRS. CAROLINE C. LAMPING SHEA. Hampton, Aug. 26.