Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 1.djvu/267

 a fairly successful pantomime, and comparatively early in his literary career he thought of writing for the stage. After some preliminary trials he wrote and produced successfully at the Connaught Theatre, London, in 1880 a drama called 'A Nine Days' Queen.' From that time till 1897 he was independently or conjointly responsible for a long series of plays, which showed theatrical skill and won the public ear. He also engaged in theatrical management from time to time. He dramatised his two novels, 'The Shadow of the Sword' (1881) and 'God and the Man' (with the title 'Stormbeaten') (1883), the latter venture proving profitable. In 1883 he became lessee of the Globe Theatre for the purpose of producing 'Lady Clare,' his version of Georges Ohnet's 'Le Maitre de Forges.' He secured a run of over a hundred nights. In 1884 he visited America, and there staged in Philadelphia the melodrama 'Alone in London,' a composite work by himself and his sister-in-law, Harriett Jay, which was triumphantly produced at the Olympic Theatre in London in 1885. Two plays, 'Sophia' (1886) and 'Joseph's Sweetheart' (1888), which were produced by Thomas Thorne and his company at the Vaudeville Theatre, were based respectively on Fielding's 'Tom Jones' and 'Joseph Andrews.' An adaptation of 'Roger La Honte,' entitled 'A Man's Shadow,' was very popular at the Haymarket Theatre, 1889-90, with (Sir) Herbert Beerbohm Tree in the chief character. In co-operation with Mr. G. R. Sims he wrote for the Adelphi, during 1890-3, a series of melodramas, including 'The English Rose,' 'The Trumpet Call,' 'The White Rose,' 'The Lights of Home,' and 'The Black Domino.' Meanwhile Buchanan's 'Clarissa Harlowe' and 'Miss Tomboy' (adapted from Vanbrugh's 'Relapse') both appeared at the Vaudeville in 1890, Winifred Emery being heroine in each. In the same year 'The Bride of Love,' a rendering of the story of Cupid and Psyche, was produced at the Adelphi. During the same season Buchanan leased the Lyric Theatre, where he brought out 'Sweet Nancy,' a dramatic version of Miss Rhoda Broughton's novel 'Nancy.' On Dostoievski's 'Crime and Punishment' he based 'The Sixth Commandment' (1890). 'The Charlatan' (1894) was one of his later successes, with (Sir) Herbert Beerbohm Tree as chief exponent. There followed in 1895 'The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown.' 'His last dramatic experiment was 'Two Little Maids from School,' adapted from 'Les Demoiselles de St. Cyr' (1898).

Although his literary and dramatic profits were substantial, Buchanan, who was generous in his gifts to less successful writers, was always improvident, and he lost late in life all his fortune in disastrous speculation. In 1900 he was made bankrupt. An attack of paralysis disabled him late in that year, and he died in poverty at Streatham on 10 June 1901, being buried at Southend-on-Sea, Essex. On 2 Sept. 1861 Buchanan married Mary, daughter of Richard Jay, an engineer. She died without issue after a long illness in Nov. 1882. Just after her death Buchanan wrote a touching dedication to her for the 'Selected Poems' (1882). In his latter years he depended largely on the care of his sister-in-law, Miss Harriett Jay, who aided him in his dramatic work both as actress and as collaborator in authorship and management.

Buchanan wrote too much and too variously to achieve the highest results, but his lyric gift was strong, and there was abundant, if often ill-regulated, force in his novels and plays. He was loyal through life to the anti-religious tradition in which he was bred. In criticism his polemical spirit distorted his judgment, and his combative temperament precluded his making many friends. But with a few men, including Charles Reade, Roden Noel, and Mr. William Canton, his good relations were uninterrupted, and his work found a warm admirer in Mr. Lecky.

Besides the poetical work already mentioned he published: 1. 'Ballads of Life, Love, and Humour,' 1882. 2. 'The Earthquake,' 1885. 3. 'The Outcast,' 1891. 4. ' Buchanan's Poems for the People,' 1892. 5. 'The Wandering Jew,' 1893. 6. 'Red and White Heather' (a miscellany), 1894. 7. 'The Devil's Case,' 1896 (bitter but virile). 8. 'The Ballad of Mary the Mother,' 1897. 9. 'The New Rome,' 1900. The author published a collected edition of his 'Poems' (3 vols.) 1874, and a selection in 1882. His 'Poetical Works' appeared in 1884 and 1901. His prose work included, beside the volumes already mentioned, two characteristic miscellanies, 'A Look round Literature' (1887), and 'The Coming Terror and other Essays' (1891); and the following novels: 1. 'The Martyrdom of Madeline'; 2. 'Love Me for Ever'; and 3. 'Annan Water,' 1883. 4. 'Foxglove Manor,' and 5. 'The New Abelard,' 1884. 6. 'The Master of the Mine'; 7. 'Matt,' and 8. 'Stormy Waters,' 1885. 9. 'That Winter Night,' 1886. 10. 'The Heir of Linne,' 1887. 11. 'The Moment After,' 1890. 12. 'Come Live with