s: and its vicinity went on the same--the same!  Annually


s: about one circus ventured in, and vanished,


s: and was gone, even as a passing trumpet-blast; the


s: usual rainy season swelled the "Crick," the driftage


s: choking at "the covered bridge," and backing water


s: till the old road looked amphibious; and crowds


s: of curious townfolk struggled down to look upon


s: the watery wonder, and lean awestruck above it,


s: and spit in it, and turn mutely home again.


s: The usual formula of incidents peculiar to an


s: uneventful town and its vicinity:  The countryman


s: from "Jessup's Crossing," with the corn-stalk coffin-


s: measure, loped into town, his steaming little gray-


s: and-red-flecked "roadster" gurgitating, as it were, with that


s: commanded and ever must evoke the wonder and


s: bewilderment of every boy; the small-pox rumor


s: became prevalent betimes, and the subtle aroma of


s: the asafetida-bag permeated the graded schools


s: "from turret to foundation-stone"; the still


s: recurring expose of the poor-house management; the


s: farm-hand, with the scythe across his shoulder,


s: struck dead by lightning; the long-drawn quarrel


s: between the rival editors culminating in one of them


s: assaulting the other with a "sidestick," and the other


s: kicking the one down-stairs and thenceward ad


s: libitum; the tramp, suppositiously stealing a ride,


s: found dead on the railroad; the grand jury returning


s: a sensational indictment against a bar-tender


s: non est; the Temperance outbreak; the "Revival;"


s: town hall.  It was during the time of the last-mentioned


s: sensation, and directly through this scientific


s: investigation, that I came upon two of the


s: town's most remarkable characters.  And however


s: meager my outline of them may prove, my material


s: for the sketch is most accurate in every detail, and


s: no deviation from the cold facts of the case shall


s: For some years prior to this odd experience


s: I had been connected with a daily paper at the


s: state capital; and latterly a prolonged session of


s: the legislature, where I specially reported, having


s: told threateningly upon my health, I took both the


s: advantage of a brief vacation, and the invitation of a


s: young bachelor senator, to get out of the city for


s: a while, and bask my respiratory organs in the


s: revivifying rural air of Zekesbury--the home of my


s: "It'll pay you to get out here," he said cordially,


s: meeting me at the little station, "and I'm glad you've


s: come, for you'll find no end of odd characters to


s: amuse you."  And under the very pleasant sponsorship


s: of my senatorial friend, I was placed at


s: once on genial terms with half the citizens of the


s: little town--from the shirt-sleeved nabob of the


s: county office to the droll wag of the favorite loafing-


s: place--the rules and by-laws of which resort, by


s: the way, being rudely charcoaled on the wall above


s: the cutter's bench, and somewhat artistically


s: culminating in an original dialect legend which ran


s: And it was at this inviting rendezvous, two or


s: three evenings following my arrival, that the general


s: crowd, acting upon the random proposition of


s: one of the boys, rose as a man and wended its


s: "Phrenology," said the little, old, bald-headed


s: lecturer and mesmerist, thumbing the egg-shaped head


s: of a young man I remembered to have met that afternoon


s: in some law office; "phrenology," repeated


s: the Professor--"or rather the TERM phrenology--is


s: derived from two Greek words signifying MIND


s: and DISCOURSE; hence we find embodied in phrenology-


s: proper, the science of intellectual measurement,


s: together with the capacity of intelligent communication


s: of the varying mental forces and their flexibilities,


s: etc., etc.  The study, then, of phrenology is,


s: to simplify it wholly--is, I say, the general


s: contemplation of the workings of the mind as made


s: manifest through the certain corresponding depressions


s: and protuberances of the human skull when, of


s: course, in a healthy state of action and development,


s: as we find the conditions exemplified in the subject


s: "You recognize that mug, don't you?" whispered


s: my friend.  "It's that coruscating young ass, you


s: know, Hedrick--in Cummings' office--trying to


s: study law and literature at the same time, and


s: tampering with 'The Monster that Annually,' don't


s: you know?--where we found the two young students


s: scuffling round the office, and smelling of


s: peppermint?--Hedrick, you know, and Sweeney.


s: Sweeney, the slim chap, with the pallid face, and


s: frog-eyes, and clammy hands!  You remember I


s: told you 'there was a pair of 'em'?  Well, they're


s: up to something here to-night.  Hedrick, there on


s: the stage in front; and Sweeney--don't you see?--


s: "Phrenology--again," continued the lecturer, "is,


s: we may say, a species of mental geography, as it


s: were; which--by a study of the skull--leads also


s: to a study of the brain within, even as geology


s: naturally follows the initial contemplation of the


s: earth's surface.  The brain, thurfur, or intellectual


s: retort, as we may say, natively exerts a molding


s: influence on the skull contour; thurfur is the expert


s: in phrenology most readily enabled to accurately


s: locate the multitudinous intellectual forces, and


s: most exactingly estimate, as well, the sequent


s: character of each subject submitted to his scrutiny.  As,


s: in the example before us--a young man, doubtless


s: well known in your midst, though, I may say, an


s: entire stranger to myself--I venture to disclose


s: some characteristic trends and tendencies, as


s: indicated by this phrenological depression and


s: development of the skull proper, as later we will show,


s: through the mesmeric condition, the accuracy of our


s: Throughout the latter part of this speech my


s: friend nudged me spasmodically, whispering something


s: which was jostled out of intelligent utterance


s: "In this head," said the Professor, straddling


s: his malleable fingers across the young man's bumpy


s: brow--"In this head we find Ideality large--abnormally


s: large, in fact; thurby indicating--taken in


s: conjunction with a like development of the perceptive


s: qualities--language following, as well, in the


s: prominent eye--thurby indicating, I say, our


s: subject as especially endowed with a love for the


s: beautiful--the sublime--the elevating--the refined and


s: delicate--the lofty and superb--in nature, and in all


s: the sublimated attributes of the human heart and


s: beatific soul.  In fact, we find this young man


s: possessed of such natural gifts as would befit him for


s: the exalted career of the sculptor, the actor, the


s: artist, or the poet--any ideal calling; in fact, any


s: calling but a practical, matter-of-fact vocation;


s: though in poetry he would seem to best succeed."


s: "Well," said my friend seriously, "he's FEELING


s: for the boy!"  Then laughingly:  "Hedrick HAS written


s: some rhymes for the county papers, and Sweeney


s: once introduced him, at an Old Settlers' Meeting,


s: as 'The Best Poet in Center Township,' and never


s: cracked a smile!  Always after each other that way,


s: but the best friends in the world.  SWEENEY'S strong


s: suit is elocution.  He has a native ability that way


s: by no means ordinary, but even that gift he abuses


s: and distorts simply to produce grotesque, and oftentimes,


s: ridiculous effects.  For instance, nothing


s: more delights him than to 'loathfully' consent to


s: answer a request, at The Mite Society, some evening,


s: for 'an appropriate selection,' and then, with


s: an elaborate introduction of the same, and an


s: exalted tribute to the refined genius of the author,


s: proceed with a most gruesome rendition of 'Alonzo


s: coagulate the blood and curl the hair of his fair


s: listeners with abject terror.  Pale as a corpse, you


s: know, and with that cadaverous face, lit with those


s: malignant-looking eyes, his slender figure, and his


s: long thin legs and arms and hands, and his whole


s: diabolical talent and adroitness brought into play--


s: why, I want to say to you, it's enough to scare 'em


s: to death!  Never a smile from him, though, till he


s: and Hedrick are safe out into the night again--


s: then, of course, they hug each other and howl


s: over it like Modocs!  But pardon; I'm interrupting


s: "A lack of continuity, however," continued the


s: Professor, "and an undue love of approbation,


s: young man's progress toward the consummation of


s: any loftier ambition, I fear; yet as we have intimated,


s: if the subject were appropriately educated


s: to the need's demand, he could doubtless produce


s: a high order of both prose and poetry--especially


s: the latter--though he could very illy bear being


s: "He's dead wrong there," said my friend;


s: "Hedrick enjoys being laughed at; he's used to it--gets


s: "Is fond of his friends," continued the Professor,


s: "and the heartier they are the better; might even


s: be convivially inclined--if so tempted--but prudent


s: --in a degree," loiteringly concluded the speaker,


s: as though unable to find the exact bump with which


s: The subject blushed vividly--my friend's right


s: eyelid dropped, and there was a noticeable, though


s: elusive sensation throughout the audience.


s: "BUT!" said the Professor explosively, "selecting


s: a directly opposite subject, in conjunction with the


s: study of the one before us [turning to the group at


s: the rear of the stage and beckoning], we may find


s: a newer interest in the practical comparison of these


s: subjects side by side."  And the Professor pushed


s: "Sweeney!" whispered my friend delightedly;


s: "In THIS subject," said the Professor, "we find


s: the practical business head.  Square--though small


s: --a trifle light at the base, in fact; but well balanced


s: at the important points at least; thoughtful


s: eye, though not denoting language--unless, perhaps,


s: mere business forms and direct statements."


s: "Fooled again!" whispered my friend; "and I'm


s: afraid the old man will fail to nest out the fact


s: also that Sweeney is the cold-bloodedest guyer on


s: the face of the earth, and with more diabolical


s: resources than a prosecuting attorney; the Professor


s: ought to know this, too, by this time--for these


s: same two chaps have been visiting the old man in


s: his room at the hotel,--that's what I was trying to


s: tell you a while ago.  The old chap thinks he's


s: 'playing' the boys, is my idea; but it's the other way,


s: "Now, under the mesmeric influence--if the two


s: subjects will consent to its administration," said


s: the Professor, after some further tedious preamble,


s: "we may at once determine the fact of my assertions,


s: as will be proved by their action while in


s: this peculiar state."  Here some apparent


s: remonstrance was met with from both subjects, though


s: amicably overcome by the Professor first manipulating


s: the stolid brow and pallid front of the imperturbable


s: Sweeney--after which the same mysterious


s: ordeal was loathfully submitted to by Hedrick--


s: though a noticeably longer time was consumed in


s: securing his final loss of self-control.  At last, however,


s: this curious phenomenon was presented, and there


s: before us stood the two swaying figures, the heads


s: dropped back, the lifted hands, with thumb and


s: finger-tips pressed lightly together, the eyelids


s: languid and half closed, and the features, in


s: "Now, sir!" said the Professor, leading the limp


s: Sweeney forward, and addressing him in a quick


s: sharp tone of voice.--"Now, sir, you are a great


s: contractor--own large factories, and with untold


s: business interests.  Just look out there! [pointing


s: out across the expectant audience] look there, and


s: see the countless minions toiling servilely at your


s: dread mandates.  And yet--ha! ha!  See! see!--


s: They recognize the avaricious greed that would thus


s: grind them in the very dust; they see, alas! they see


s: themselves, half-clothed--half-fed, that you may


s: glut your coffers.  Half-starved, they listen to the


s: wail of wife and babe, and with eyes upraised in


s: prayer, they see YOU rolling by in gilded coach, and


s: swathed in silk attire.  But--ha! again!  Look--


s: look! they are rising in revolt against you!  Speak


s: to them before too late!  Appeal to them--quell


s: them with the promise of the just advance of wages


s: The limp figure of Sweeney took on something


s: of a stately and majestic air.  With a graceful and


s: commanding gesture of the hand, he advanced a


s: step or two; then, after a pause of some seconds


s: duration, in which the lifted face grew pale, as it


s: seemed, and the eyes a denser black, he said:


s: The voice was low, but clear, and even musical.


s: The Professor started at the strange utterance,


s: looked extremely confused, and, as the boisterous


s: crowd cried "Hear, hear!" he motioned the subject


s: to continue, with some gasping comment interjected,


s: "Yoop-ee!" yelled an irreverent auditor.


s: "Silence! silence!" commanded the excited Professor


s: in a hoarse whisper; then, turning enthusiastically


s: on!--'Thy head was fair with flaxen hair----' "


s: The speaker's voice, exquisitely modulated, yet


s: resonant as the twang of a harp, now seemed of itself


s: to draw and hold each listener; while a certain


s: extravagance of gesticulation--a fantastic movement


s: of both form and feature--seemed very near


s: akin to fascination.  And so flowed on the curious


s: In the pause following there was a breathlessness


s: And still the inspired singer held rapt sway.


s: "It is wonderful!" I whispered, under breath.


s: "Of course it is!" answered my friend.  "But


s: This was the evident conclusion of the remarkable


s: utterance, and the Professor was impetuously


s: fluttering his hands about the subject's upward-


s: staring eyes, stroking his temples, and snapping his


s: "Well," said Sweeney, as he stood suddenly


s: the old thing work?"  And it was in the consequent


s: hilarity and loud and long applause, perhaps,


s: that the Professor was relieved from the explanation


s: of this rather astounding phenomenon of the


s: idealistic workings of a purely practical brain--or, as


s: my impious friend scoffed the incongruity later,


s: in a particularly withering allusion, as the "blank-


s: blanked fallacy, don't you know, of staying the


s: hunger of a howling mob by feeding 'em on spring


s: The tumult of the audience did not cease even


s: with the retirement of Sweeney, and cries of "Hedrick!


s: Hedrick!" only subsided with the Professor's


s: high-keyed announcement that the subject was even


s: then endeavoring to make himself heard, but


s: could not until utter quiet was restored, adding


s: the further appeal that the young man had already


s: been a long time under the mesmeric spell, and


s: ought not be so detained for an unnecessary period.


s: "See," he concluded, with an assuring wave of the


s: hand toward the subject, "see; he is about to address


s: you.  Now, quiet!--utter quiet, if you please!"


s: "Great heavens!" exclaimed my friend stiflingly;


s: "just look at the boy!  Get on to that position for a


s: poet!  Even Sweeney has fled from the sight of


s: And truly, too, it was a grotesque pose the young


s: man had assumed; not wholly ridiculous either,


s: since the dwarfed position he had settled into


s: seemed more a genuine physical condition than an


s: affected one.  The head, back-tilted, and sunk between


s: the shoulders, looked abnormally large, while


s: the features of the face appeared peculiarly child-


s: like--especially the eyes--wakeful and wide apart,


s: and very bright, yet very mild and very artless; and


s: the drawn and cramped outline of the legs and feet,


s: and of the arms and hands, even to the shrunken,


s: slender-looking fingers, all combined to convey most


s: strikingly to the pained senses the fragile frame


s: and pixy figure of some pitiably afflicted child,


s: unconscious altogether of the pathos of its own deformity.


s: "Now, mark the cuss, Horatio!" gasped my


s: At first the speaker's voice came very low, and


s: somewhat piping, too, and broken--an eery sort of


s: voice it was, of brittle and erratic timbre and undulant


s: inflection.  Yet it was beautiful.  It had the


s: ring of childhood in it, though the ring was not pure


s: golden, and at times fell echoless.  The SPIRIT of its


s: utterance was always clear and pure and crisp and


s: cheery as the twitter of a bird, and yet forever ran


s: an undercadence through it like a low-pleading


s: prayer.  Half garrulously, and like a shallow brook


s: might brawl across a shelvy bottom, the rhythmic


s: "I'm thist a little crippled boy, an' never goin' to grow


s: An' git a great big man at all!--'cause Aunty told me so.


s: When I was thist a baby onc't I falled out of the bed


s: An' got 'The Curv'ture of the Spine'--'at's what the Doctor


s: I never had no Mother nen--fer my Pa runned away


s: An' dassn't come back here no more--'cause he was drunk one day


s: An' stobbed a man in thish-ere town, an' couldn't pay his fine!


s: An' nen my Ma she died--an' I got 'Curv'ture of the Spine'!"


s: audience marked the opening stanza, while a certain


s: restlessness, and a changing to more attentive positions


s: seemed the general tendency.  The old Professor,


s: in the meantime, had sunk into one of the


s: empty chairs.  The speaker went on with more gaiety:--


s: "I'm nine years old!  An' you can't guess how much I weigh, I


s: Last birthday I weighed thirty-three!--An' I weigh thirty yet!


s: I'm awful little fer my size--I'm purt' nigh littler 'an


s: Some babies is!--an' neighbers all calls me 'The Little Man'!


s: An' Doc one time he laughed an' said:  'I 'spect, first think


s: You'll have a little spike-tail coat an' travel with a show!'


s: An' nen I laughed-till I looked round an' Aunty was a-cryin'--


s: Sometimes she acts like that, 'cause I got 'Curv'ture of the


s: Just in front of me a great broad-shouldered


s: countryman, with a rainy smell in his cumbrous


s: overcoat, cleared his throat vehemently, looked


s: startled at the sound, and again settled forward, his


s: weedy chin resting on the knuckles of his hands as


s: they tightly clutched the seat before him.  And it


s: was like being taken into a childish confidence as the


s: "I set--while Aunty's washin'--on my little long-leg stool,


s: An' watch the little boys an' girls a-skippin' by to school;


s: An' I peck on the winder, an' holler out an' say:


s: 'Who wants to fight The Little Man at dares you all to-day?'


s: An' nen the boys climbs on the fence, an' little girls peeks


s: An' they all says:  'Cause you're so big, you think we're 'feard


s: An' nen they yell, an' shake their fist at me, like I shake


s: They're thist in fun, you know, 'cause I got 'Curv'ture of the


s: "Well," whispered my friend, with rather odd


s: irrelevance, I thought, "of course you see through


s: the scheme of the fellows by this time, don't you?"


s: "I see nothing," said I, most earnestly, "but a


s: poor little wisp of a child that makes me love him


s: so I dare not think of his dying soon, as he surely


s: must!  There; listen!"  And the plaintive gaiety


s: "At evening, when the ironin' 's done, an' Aunty's fixed the


s: An' filled an' lit the lamp, an' trimmed the wick an' turned it


s: An' fetched the wood all in fer night, an' locked the kitchen


s: An' stuffed the ole crack where the wind blows in up through the


s: She sets the kittle on the coals, an' biles an' makes the tea,


s: An' fries the liver an' the mush, an' cooks a egg fer me,


s: An' sometimes--when I cough so hard--her elderberry wine


s: Don't go so bad fer little boys with 'Curv'ture of the Spine'!"


s: "Look!" whispered my friend, touching me with


s: "Look at everybody!" said I.  And the artless


s: little voice went on again half quaveringly:--


s: "But Aunty's all so childish-like on my account, you see


s: I'm 'most afeard she'll be took down--an' 'at's what bothers


s: 'Cause ef my good ole Aunty ever would git sick an' die,


s: I don't know what she'd do in Heaven--till _I_ come, by an' by:--


s: An' no one there like me, to nurse an' worry over so!--


s: 'Cause all the little childerns there's so straight an' strong


s: They's nary angel 'bout the place with 'Curv'ture of the


s: The old Professor's face was in his handkerchief;


s: so was my friend's in his; and so was mine in mine,


s: as even now my pen drops and I reach for it again.


s: I half regret joining the mad party that had gathered


s: an hour later in the old law office where these


s: two graceless characters held almost nightly revel,


s: the instigators and conniving hosts of a reputed


s: banquet whose MENU'S range confined itself to herrings,


s: or "blind robins," dried beef, and cheese, with


s: crackers, gingerbread, and sometimes pie; the whole


s: Had sucked the fire of some forgotten sun,


s: And kept it through a hundred years of gloom


s: But the affair was memorable.  The old Professor


s: was himself lured into it and loudest in his praise


s: of Hedrick's realistic art; and I yet recall him at the


s: orgie's height, excitedly repulsing the continued


s: slurs and insinuations of the clammy-handed


s: Sweeney, who, still contending against the old man's


s: fulsome praise of his more fortunate rival, at last


s: openly declared that Hedrick was NOT a poet, NOT a


s: genius, and in no way worthy to be classed in the


s: same breath with HIMSELF--"the gifted but unfortunate


s: SWEENEY, sir--the unacknowledged author,


s: sir 'y gad, sir!--of the two poems that held you


s: It was a dim and chill and loveless afternoon in


s: the late fall of eighty-three when I first saw


s: the genial subject of this hasty sketch.  From time


s: to time the daily paper on which I worked had been


s: receiving, among the general literary driftage of


s: amateur essayists, poets and sketch-writers, some


s: conceits in verse that struck the editorial head as


s: decidedly novel; and, as they were evidently the


s: production of an unlettered man, and an OLD man,


s: and a farmer at that, they were usually spared the


s: waste-basket, and preserved--not for publication,


s: but to pass from hand to hand among the members


s: of the staff as simply quaint and mirth-provoking


s: specimens of the verdancy of both the venerable


s: author and the Muse inspiring him.  Letters as


s: quaint as were the poems invariably accompanied


s: them, and the oddity of these, in fact, had first called


s: attention to the verses.  I well remember the general


s: merriment of the office when the first of the old


s: man's letters was read aloud, and I recall, too, some


s: of his comments on his own verse, verbatim.  In


s: one place he said:  "I make no doubt you will find some purty SAD


s: I hope you will bear in mind that I am a great


s: sufferer with rheumatizum, and have been, off and


s: on, sence the cold New Years.  In the main, however,"


s: he continued, "I allus aim to write in a cheerful,


s: comfortin' sperit, so's ef the stuff hangs fire,


s: and don't do no good, it hain't a-goin' to do no


s: harm,--and them's my honest views on poetry."


s: In another letter, evidently suspecting his poem


s: had not appeared in print because of its dejected


s: tone, he said:  "The poetry I herewith send was


s: wrote off on the finest Autumn day I ever laid eyes


s: on!  I never felt better in my life.  The morning air


s: was as invigoratin' as bitters with tanzy in it, and the


s: folks at breakfast said they never saw such a' appetite


s: on mortal man before.  Then I lit out for the


s: barn, and after feedin', I come back and tuck my


s: pen and ink out on the porch, and jest cut loose.  I


s: writ and writ till my fingers was that cramped I


s: couldn't hardly let go of the penholder.  And the


s: poem I send you is the upshot of it all.  Ef you don't


s: find it cheerful enough fer your columns, I'll have


s: to knock under, that's all!"  And that poem, as I recall


s: it, certainly was cheerful enough for publication,


s: only the "copy" was almost undecipherable, and the


s: ink, too, so pale and vague, it was thought best to


s: reserve the verses, for the time, at least, and later on


s: revise, copy, punctuate, and then print it sometime,


s: as much for the joke of it as anything.  But it


s: was still delayed, neglected, and in a week's time


s: almost entirely forgotten.  And so it was upon this


s: chill and somber afternoon I speak of that an event


s: occurred which most pleasantly reminded me of


s: both the poem with the "sad spots" in it, and the


s: "cheerful" one, "writ out on the porch" that glorious


s: autumn day, that poured its glory through the


s: Outside and in the sanctum the gloom was too


s: oppressive to permit an elevated tendency of either


s: thought or spirit.  I could do nothing but sit listless


s: and inert.  Paper and pencil were before me, but


s: I could not write--I could not even think coherently,


s: and was on the point of rising and rushing out into


s: the streets for a wild walk, when there came a


s: "Come in!" I snarled, grabbing up my pencil and


s: assuming a frightfully industrious air:  "Come in!"


s: I almost savagely repeated, "Come in!  And shut the


s: door behind you!" and I dropped my lids, bent my


s: gaze fixedly upon the blank pages before me and


s: began scrawling some disconnected nothings with


s: "Sir; howdy," said a low and pleasant voice.  And


s: at once, in spite of my perverse resolve, I looked up.


s: The speaker was very slowly, noiselessly closing


s: the door.  I could hardly face him when he turned


s: around.  An old man, of sixty-five, at least, but with


s: a face and an eye of the most cheery and wholesome


s: expression I had ever seen in either youth or age.


s: Over his broad bronzed forehead and white hair


s: he wore a low-crowned, wide-brimmed black felt


s: hat, somewhat rusted now, and with the band


s: grease-crusted, and the binding frayed at intervals,


s: and sagging from the threads that held it on.  An


s: old-styled frock coat of black, dull brown in streaks,


s: and quite shiny about the collar and lapels.  A waistcoat


s: of no describable material or pattern, and a


s: clean white shirt and collar of one piece, with a black


s: string-tie and double bow, which would have been


s: entirely concealed beneath the long white beard


s: but for its having worked around to one side


s: of the neck.  The front outline of the face was


s: cleanly shaven, and the beard, growing simply from


s: the under chin and throat, lent the old pioneer the


s: rather singular appearance of having hair all over


s: him with this luxurious growth pulled out above


s: I arose and asked the old man to sit down, handing


s: "No--no," he said--"I'm much obleeged.  I hain't


s: come in to bother you no more'n I can he'p.  All


s: I wanted was to know ef you got my poetry all right.


s: You know I take yer paper," he went on, in an


s: explanatory way, "and seein' you printed poetry in it


s: once-in-a-while, I sent you some of mine--neighbors


s: kindo' advised me to," he added apologetically, "and


s: so I sent you some--two or three times I sent you


s: some, but I hain't never seed hide-ner-hair of it in


s: your paper, and as I wus in town to-day, anyhow,


s: I jest thought I'd kindo' drap in and git it back, ef


s: you ain't goin' to print it--'cause I allus save up


s: most the things I write, aimin' sometime to git 'em


s: all struck off in pamphlet-form, to kindo' distribit


s: round 'mongst the neighbors, don't you know."


s: Already I had begun to suspect my visitor's identity,


s: and was mechanically opening the drawer of


s: "Signed by my own name," he answered proudly,


s: --"signed by my own name,--Johnson--Benjamin


s: F. Johnson, of Boone County--this state."


s: "And is this one of them, Mr. Johnson?" I asked,


s: unfolding a clumsily-folded manuscript, and closely


s: "How does she read?" said the old man eagerly,


s: and searching in the meantime for his spectacles.


s: "How does she read?--Then I can tell you!"


s: "It reads," said I, studiously conning the old


s: man's bold but bad chirography, and tilting my chair


s: back indolently,--"it reads like this--the first verse


s: "Stop!  Stop!" said the old man excitedly--"Stop


s: right there!  That's my poetry, but that's not the


s: way to read it by a long shot!  Give it to me!" and


s: he almost snatched it from my hand.  "Poetry like


s: this ain't no poetry at all, 'less you read it NATCHURL


s: understand.  It's a' old man a-talkin', rickollect, and


s: a-feelin' kindo' sad, and yit kindo' sorto' good, too,


s: and I opine he wouldn't got that off with a face on


s: him like a' undertaker, and a voice as solemn as a cow-bell after


s: And the old man adjusted his spectacles and read:--


s: "Oh! the old swimmin'-hole! whare the crick so still and deep


s: Looked like a baby-river that was laying half asleep,


s: And the gurgle of the worter round the drift jest below


s: Sounded like the laugh of something we onc't ust to know


s: Before we could remember anything but the eyes


s: Of the angels lookin' out as we left Paradise;


s: But the merry days of youth is beyond our controle,


s: And it's hard to part ferever with the old swimmin'-hole."


s: I clapped my hands in genuine applause.  "Read


s: on!" I said,--"Read on!  Read all of it!"


s: The old man's face was radiant as he continued:--


s: "Oh! the old swimmin'-hole!  In the happy days of yore,


s: When I ust to lean above it on the old sickamore,


s: Oh! it showed me a face in its warm sunny tide


s: That gazed back at me so gay and glorified,


s: It made me love myself, as I leaped to caress


s: My shadder smilin' up at me with sich tenderness.


s: But them days is past and gone, and old Time's tuck his toll


s: From the old man come back to the old swimmin'-hole.


s: "Oh! the old swimmin'-hole!  In the long, lazy days


s: When the humdrum of school made so many "run-a-ways,"


s: How pleasant was the jurney down the old dusty lane,


s: Whare the tracks of our bare feet was all printed so plane


s: You could tell by the dent of the heel and the sole


s: They was lots o' fun on hands at the old swimmin'-hole.


s: But the lost joys is past!  Let your tears in sorrow roll


s: Like the rain that ust to dapple up the old swimmin'-hole.


s: "Thare the bullrushes growed, and the cattails so tall,


s: And the sunshine and shadder fell over it all;


s: And it mottled the worter with amber and gold


s: Till the glad lilies rocked in the ripples that rolled;


s: And the snake-feeder's four gauzy wings fluttered by


s: Like the ghost of a daisy dropped out of the sky,


s: Or a wownded apple-blossom in the breeze's controle


s: As it cut acrost some orchurd to'rds the old swimmin'-hole.


s: "Oh! the old swimmin'-hole!  When I last saw the place,


s: The scenes was all changed, like the change in my face;


s: The bridge of the railroad now crosses the spot


s: Whare the old divin'-log lays sunk and fergot.


s: And I stray down the banks whare the trees ust to be--


s: But never again will theyr shade shelter me!


s: And I wish in my sorrow I could strip to the soul,


s: And dive off in my grave like the old swimmin'-hole."


s: My applause was long and loud.  The old man's


s: interpretation of the poem was a positive revelation,


s: though I was glad enough to conceal from him my


s: moistened eyes by looking through the scraps for


s: "Here," said I enthusiastically, "is another one,


s: signed 'Benj. F. Johnson,' read me this," and I


s: The old man smiled and took the manuscript.


s: "This-here one's on 'The Hoss,' " he said, simply


s: clearing his throat.  "They ain't so much fancy-


s: work about this as the other'n, but they's jest as


s: much FACT, you can bet--'cause, they're no animal


s: And, search the world from west to east,


s: "The hoss is strong, and knows his stren'th,--


s: "He'll paw and prance to hear your praise,


s: The folks that loves her like theyr own,


s: "Of course they's differunce in stock,--


s: "Whilse one that's thick in neck and chist


s: Again I applauded, handing the old man still


s: another of his poems, and the last received.  "Ah!"


s: said he, as his gentle eyes bent on the title; "this--


s: here's the cheerfullest one of 'em all.  This is the


s: one writ, as I wrote you about--on that glorious


s: October morning two weeks ago--I thought your


s: "Oh, it WILL print it," I said eagerly; "and it will


s: print the other two as well!  It will print ANYTHING


s: that you may do us the honor to offer, and we'll


s: reward you beside just as you may see fit to designate.--


s: The old man's eyes were glistening as he responded


s: "When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,


s: And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,


s: And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,


s: And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence


s: O, it's then's the times a feller is a-feelin' at his best,


s: With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,


s: As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the


s: When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.


s: "They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere


s: When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here--


s: Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,


s: And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;


s: But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze


s: Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days


s: Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock--


s: "The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,


s: And the raspin' of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;


s: The stubble in the furries--kindo' lonesome-like, but still


s: A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;


s: The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;


s: The hosses in theyr stalls below--the clover overhead!--


s: O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,


s: When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!


s: "Then your apples all is getherd, and the ones a feller keeps


s: Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;


s: And your cider-makin' 's over, and your wimmern-folks is through


s: With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage,


s: I don't know how to tell it--but ef sich a thing could be


s: As the Angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on ME--


s: I'd want to 'commodate 'em-all the whole-indurin' flock--


s: When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock!"


s: That was enough!  "Surely," thought I, "here is a


s: diamond in the rough, and a 'gem,' too, 'of purest


s: ray serene'!" I caught the old man's hand and


s: wrung it with positive rapture; and it is needless to


s: go further in explanation of how the readers of our


s: daily came to an acquaintance through its columns


s: with the crude, unpolished, yet most gentle genius of


s: Since we have had no stories to-night I will


s: venture, Mr. President, to tell a story that I


s: have heretofore heard at nearly all the banquets I


s: have ever attended.  It is a story simply, and you


s: must bear with it kindly.  It is a story as told by


s: a friend of us all, who is found in all parts of all


s: countries, who is immoderately fond of a funny


s: story, and who, unfortunately, attempts to tell a


s: funny story himself--one that he has been particularly


s: delighted with.  Well, he is not a story-teller,


s: and especially he is not a funny story-teller.  His


s: funny stories, indeed, are oftentimes touchingly


s: pathetic.  But to such a story as he tells, being a


s: good-natured man and kindly disposed, we have to


s: listen, because we do not want to wound his feelings


s: by telling him that we have heard that story a


s: great number of times, and that we have heard it


s: ably told by a great number of people from the time


s: we were children.  But, as I say, we can not hurt his


s: feelings.  We can not stop him.  We can not kill him;


s: and so the story generally proceeds.  He selects a very old story


s: I heerd an awful funny thing the other day--ha!


s: ha!  I don't know whether I kin git it off er not,


s: but, anyhow, I'll tell it to you.  Well!--le's see now


s: how the fool-thing goes.  Oh, yes!--W'y, there was


s: a feller one time--it was during the army and this


s: feller that I started in to tell you about was in the


s: war and--ha! ha!--there was a big fight a-goin' on,


s: and this feller was in the fight, and it was a big battle


s: and bullets a-flyin' ever' which way, and bomb-


s: shells a-bu'stin', and cannon-balls a-flyin' 'round


s: promiskus; and this feller right in the midst of it,


s: you know, and all excited and het up, and chargin'


s: away; and the fust thing you know along come a


s: cannon-ball and shot his head off--ha! ha! ha!


s: Hold on here a minute!--no, sir; I'm a-gittin' ahead


s: of my story; no, no; it didn't shoot his HEAD off--


s: I'm gittin' the cart before the horse there--shot his


s: LEG off; that was the way; shot his leg off; and


s: down the poor feller drapped, and, of course, in that


s: condition was perfectly he'pless, you know, but yit


s: with presence o' mind enough to know that he was


s: in a dangerous condition ef somepin' wasn't done fer


s: him right away.  So he seen a comrade a-chargin',


s: by that he knowed, and he hollers to him and called


s: him by name--I disremember now what the feller's


s: Well, that's got nothin' to do with the story,


s: anyway; he hollers to him, he did, and says, "Hello,


s: there," he says to him; "here, I want you to come


s: here and give me a lift; I got my leg shot off, and


s: I want you to pack me back to the rear of the battle"


s: --where the doctors always is, you know, during a


s: fight--and he says, "I want you to pack me back


s: there where I can get med-dy-cinal attention er I'm


s: a dead man, fer I got my leg shot off," he says,


s: "and I want you to pack me back there so's


s: the surgeons kin take keer of me."  Well--


s: the feller, as luck would have it, ricko'nized him


s: and run to him and throwed down his own musket,


s: so's he could pick him up; and he stooped down and


s: picked him up and kindo' half-way shouldered him


s: and half-way helt him betwixt his arms like, and


s: then he turned and started back with him--ha! ha!


s: ha!  Now, mind, the fight was still a-goin' on--and


s: right at the hot of the fight, and the feller, all


s: excited, you know, like he was, and the soldier that


s: had his leg shot off gittin' kindo' fainty like, and his


s: head kindo' stuck back over the feller's shoulder


s: that was carryin' him.  And he hadn't got more'n a


s: couple o' rods with him when another cannon-ball


s: come along and tuk his head off, shore enough!--


s: and the curioust thing about it was--ha! ha!--that


s: the feller was a-packin' him didn't know that he


s: had been hit ag'in at all, and back he went--still


s: carryin' the deceased back--ha! ha! ha!--to where


s: the doctors could take keer of him--as he thought.


s: Well, his cap'n happened to see him, and he thought


s: it was a ruther cur'ous p'ceedin's--a soldier carryin'


s: a dead body out o' the fight--don't you see?  And


s: so he hollers at him, and he says to the soldier, the


s: cap'n did, he says, "Hullo, there; where you goin'


s: with that thing?" the cap'n said to the soldier who


s: was a-carryin' away the feller that had his leg shot


s: off.  Well, his head, too, by that time.  So he says,


s: "Where you going with that thing?" the cap'n said


s: to the soldier who was a-carryin' away the feller that


s: had his leg shot off.  Well, the soldier he stopped--


s: kinder halted, you know, like a private soldier will


s: when his presidin' officer speaks to him--and he says


s: to him, "W'y," he says, "Cap, it's a comrade o' mine


s: and the pore feller has got his leg shot off, and I'm


s: a-packin' him back to where the doctors is; and there


s: was nobody to he'p him, and the feller would 'a' died


s: in his tracks--er track ruther--if it hadn't a-been fer


s: me, and I'm a-packin' him back where the surgeons


s: can take keer of him; where he can get medical


s: attendance--er his wife's a widder!" he says, " 'cause


s: he's got his leg shot off!"  Then CAP'N says, "You


s: blame fool you, he's got his HEAD shot off."  So then


s: the feller slacked his grip on the body and let it


s: slide down to the ground, and looked at it a minute,


s: all puzzled, you know, and says, "W'y, he told me


s: 'And the common people heard him gladly'


s: Of what shall be said herein of dialect, let it be


s: understood the term dialect referred to is of


s: that general breadth of meaning given it to-day,


s: namely, any speech or vernacular outside of the


s: prescribed form of good English in its present state.


s: The present state of the English is, of course, not


s: any one of its prior states.  So first let it be


s: remarked that it is highly probable that what may


s: have been the best of English once may now by some


s: be counted as a weak, inconsequent patois, or


s: To be direct, it is the object of this article to show


s: that dialect is not a thing to be despised in any event


s: --that its origin is oftentimes of as royal caste as


s: that of any speech.  Listening back, from the stand-


s: point of to-day, even to the divine singing of that old


s: classic master to whom England's late laureate


s: ". . . the first warbler, whose sweet breath


s: Preluded those melodious bursts that fill


s: or to whom Longfellow alludes, in his matchless


s: Chaucer's verse to us is NOW as veritably dialect as


s: to that old time it was the chastest English; and even


s: then his materials were essentially dialect when his


s: song was at best pitch.  Again, our present dialect,


s: of most plebeian ancestry, may none the less prove


s: worthy.  Mark the recognition of its own personal


s: merit in the great new dictionary, where what was,


s: in our own remembrance, the most outlandish dialect,


s: Since Literature must embrace all naturally


s: existing materials--physical, mental and spiritual--we


s: have no occasion to urge its acceptance of so-called


s: dialect, for dialect IS in Literature, and HAS been


s: there since the beginning of all written thought and


s: utterance.  Strictly speaking, as well as paradoxically,


s: all verbal expression is more or less dialectic,


s: however grammatical.  While usage establishes


s: grammar, it no less establishes so-called dialect.


s: Therefore we may as rightfully refer to "so-called


s: It is not really a question of Literature's position


s: toward dialect that we are called upon to consider,


s: but rather how much of Literature's valuable time


s: shall be taken up by this dialectic country cousin.


s: This question Literature her gracious self most


s: amiably answers by hugging to her breast voluminous


s: affectionate spirit on the part of Literature, in the


s: Briefly summed, it would appear that dialect


s: means something more than mere rude form of


s: speech and action--that it must, in some righteous


s: and substantial way, convey to us a positive force


s: of soul, truth, dignity, beauty, grace, purity and


s: sweetness that may even touch us to the tenderness


s: of tears.  Yes, dialect as certainly does all this as


s: that speech and act refined may do it, and for the


s: same reasons: it is simply, purely natural and


s: Yes, the Lettered and the Unlettered powers are


s: at sword's points; and very old and bitter foemen,


s: too, they are.  As fairly as we can, then, let us look


s: over the field of these contending forces and note


s: their diverse positions: First, THE LETTERED--they


s: who have the full advantages of refined education,


s: training, and association--are undoubtedly as


s: wholly out of order among the UNLETTERED as the


s: Unlettered are out of order in the exalted presence


s: of the Lettered.  Each faction may in like aversion


s: ignore or snub the other; but a long-suffering Providence


s: must bear with the society of both.  There


s: may be one vague virtue demonstrated by this feud:


s: each division will be found unwaveringly loyal to


s: its kind, and mutually they desire no interchange of


s: sympathy whatever.--Neither element will accept


s: from the other any PATRONIZING treatment; and,


s: perhaps, the more especially does the UNLETTERED faction


s: reject anything in vaguest likeness of this spirit.  Of


s: the two divisions, in graphic summary,--ONE knows


s: the very core and center of refined civilization, and


s: this only; the OTHER knows the outlying wilds and


s: suburbs of civilization, and this only.  Whose, therefore,


s: is the greater knowledge, and whose the just


s: right of any whit of self-glorification?


s: A curious thing, indeed, is this factional pride, as


s: made equally manifest in both forces; in one, for


s: instance, of the Unlettered forces:  The average


s: farmer, or countryman, knows, in reality, a far better


s: and wider range of diction than he permits himself


s: to use.  He restricts and abridges the vocabulary


s: of his speech, fundamentally, for the reason


s: that he fears offending his rural NEIGHBORS, to whom


s: a choicer speech might suggest, on his part, an


s: assumption--a spirit of conscious superiority, and


s: therewith an implied reflection on THEIR lack of


s: intelligence and general worthiness.  If there is any


s: one text universally known and nurtured of the


s: Unlettered masses of our common country, it is that


s: which reads, "All men are created equal."  Therefore


s: it is a becoming thing when true gentility prefers


s: to overlook some variations of the class who,


s: more from lack of cultivation than out of rude


s: intent, sometimes almost compel a positive doubt of


s: the nice veracity of the declaration, or at least a


s: grief at the munificent liberality of the so-bequoted


s: statement.  The somewhat bewildering position of


s: these conflicting forces leaves us nothing further to


s: consider, but how to make the most and best of the


s: situation so far as Literature may be hurt or helped


s: Equally with the perfect English, then, dialect


s: should have full justice done it.  Then always it is


s: worthy, and in Literature is thus welcome.  The


s: writer of dialect should as reverently venture in its


s: use as in his chastest English.  His effort in the


s: SCHOLARLY and ELEGANT direction suffers no neglect--


s: he is SCHOOLED in that, perhaps, he may explain.


s: Then let him be SCHOOLED in DIALECT before he sets


s: up as an expounder of it--a teacher, forsooth a


s: master!  The real master must not only know each


s: varying light and shade of dialect expression, but


s: he must as minutely know the inner character of the


s: people whose native tongue it is, else his product is


s: simply a pretense--a wilful forgery, a rank


s: abomination.  Dialect has been and is thus insulted,


s: vilified, and degraded, now and continually; and


s: through this outrage solely, thousands of generous-


s: minded readers have been turned against dialect


s: who otherwise would have loved and blessed it in


s: its real form of crude purity and unstrained sweetness--


s: Let no impious faddist, then, assume its just


s: interpretation.  He may know everything else in the


s: world, but not dialect, nor dialectic people, for both


s: of which he has supreme contempt, which same, be


s: sure, is heartily returned.  Such a "superior"


s: personage may even go among these simple country


s: people and abide indefinitely in the midst of them,


s: yet their more righteous contempt never for one instant


s: permits them to be their real selves in his presence.


s: In consequence, his most conscientious report


s: of them, their ways, lives, and interests, is absolutely


s: of no importance or value in the world.  He


s: never knew them, nor will he ever know them.  They


s: are not his kind of people, any more than he is their


s: kind of man; and THEIR disappointment grieves us


s: The master in Literature, as in any art, is that


s: "divinely gifted man" who does just obeisance to


s: all living creatures, "both man and beast and bird."


s: It is this master only who, as he writes, can sweep


s: himself aside and leave his humble characters to do


s: the thinking and the talking.  This man it is who


s: celebrates his performance--not himself.  His work


s: he celebrates because it is not his only, but because


s: he feels it to be the conscientious reproduction of


s: life itself--as he has seen and known and felt it;--a


s: representation it is of God's own script, translated


s: and transcribed by the worshipful mind and heart


s: and hand of genius.  This virtue is impartially


s: demanded in all art, and genius only can fully


s: answer the demand in any art for which we claim


s: perfection.  The painter has his expression of it,


s: with no slighting of the dialect element; so, too, the


s: sculptor, the musician, and the list entire.  In the


s: line of Literature and literary material, an illustration


s: of the nice meaning and distinction of the art


s: of dialect will be found in Charles Dudley Warner's


s: comment on George Cable's work, as far back as


s: While the author was unfolding to his audience a life


s: and society unfamiliar to them and entrancing them with


s: pictures, the reality of which none doubted and the spell


s: of which none cared to escape, it occurred to me that here


s: was the solution of all the pother we have recently got into


s: about the realistic and the ideal schools in fiction.  In


s: "Posson Jone," an awkward camp-meeting country preacher


s: is the victim of a vulgar confidence game; the scenes are


s: the street, a drinking-place, a gambling-saloon, a bull-ring,


s: and a calaboose; there is not a "respectable" character in


s: it.  Where shall we look for a more faithful picture of low


s: life?  Where shall we find another so vividly set forth in


s: all its sordid details?  And yet see how art steps in, with


s: the wand of genius, to make literature!  Over the whole the


s: author has cast an ideal light; over a picture that, in the


s: hands of a bungling realist, would have been repellent he


s: has thrown the idealizing grace that makes it one of the


s: most charming sketches in the world.  Here is nature, as


s: nature only ought to be in literature, elevated but never


s: So we find dialect, as a branch of literature,


s: worthy of the high attention and employment of


s: the greatest master in letters--not the merest


s: passages of pathos: the death of poor Jo, or that


s: of the "Cheap John's" little daughter in her father's


s: arms, on the foot-board of his peddling cart before


s: the jeering of the vulgar mob; smile moistly, too,


s: at Mr. Sleary's odd philosophies; or at the trials


s: of Sissy Jupe; or lift and tower with indignation,


s: giving ear to Stephen Blackpool and the stainless


s: The crudeness or the homeliness of the dialectic


s: element does not argue its unfitness in any way.


s: Some readers seem to think so; but they are wrong,


s: and very gravely wrong.  Our own brief history as


s: a nation, and our finding and founding and maintaining


s: of it, left our forefathers little time indeed


s: for the delicate cultivation of the arts and graces


s: of refined and scholarly attainments.  And there


s: is little wonder, and utter blamelessness on their


s: part, if they lapsed in point of high mental


s: accomplishments, seeing their attention was so absorbed


s: by propositions looking toward the protection of


s: their rude farm-homes, their meager harvests, and


s: their half-stabled cattle from the dread invasion of


s: the Indian.  Then, too, they had their mothers and


s: their wives and little ones to protect, to clothe, to


s: feed, and to die for in this awful line of duty, as


s: hundreds upon hundreds did.  These sad facts are


s: here accented and detailed not so much for the sake


s: of being tedious as to indicate more clearly why it


s: was that many of the truly heroic ancestors of "our


s: best people" grew unquestionably dialect of caste


s: --not alone in speech, but in every mental trait and


s: personal address.  It is a grievous fact for us to


s: confront, but many of them wore apparel of the


s: commonest, talked loudly, and doubtless said "thisaway"


s: and "thataway," and "Watch y' doin' of?"


s: and "Whur yi goin' at?"--using dialect even in


s: their prayers to Him who, in His gentle mercy,


s: listened and was pleased; and who listens verily


s: unto this hour to all like prayers, yet pleased; yea,


s: haply listens to the refined rhetorical petitions of


s: There is something more at fault than the language


s: when we turn from or flinch at it; and, as


s: has been intimated, the wretched fault may be


s: skulkingly hidden away in the ambush of OSTENSIBLE


s: dialect--that type of dialect so copiously produced


s: by its sole manufacturers, who, utterly stark and


s: bare of the vaguest idea of country life or country


s: people, at once assume that all their "gifted pens"


s: have to do is stupidly to misspell every word;


s: vulgarly mistreat and besloven every theme, however


s: sacred; maim, cripple, and disfigure language never


s: in the vocabulary of the countryman--then smuggle


s: these monstrosities of either rhyme or prose somehow


s: into the public print that is innocently to smear


s: them broadcast all over the face of the country they


s: How different the mind and method of the true


s: intrepreter.  As this phrase goes down the man


s: himself arises--the type perfect--Colonel Richard


s: Malcolm Johnston, who wrote "The Dukesborough


s: Tales"--an accomplished classical scholar and


s: teacher, yet no less an accomplished master and


s: lover of his native dialect of middle Georgia.  He,


s: talk, act and live, Just as nature designed them.  He


s: does not make the pitiable error of either


s: patronizing or making fun of them.  He knows them and


s: he loves them; and they know and love him in


s: return.  Recalling Colonel Johnston's dialectic


s: sketches, with his own presentation of them from


s: the platform, the writer notes a fact that seems


s: singularly to obtain among all true dialect-writers,


s: namely, that they are also endowed with native


s: histrionic capabilities:  HEAR, as well as read, Twain,


s: Cable, Johnston, Page, Smith, and all the list with


s: Did space permit, no better illustration of true


s: dialect sketch and characterization might here be


s: offered than Colonel Johnston's simple story of


s: "Mr. Absalom Billingslea," or the short and simple


s: annals of his like quaint contemporaries, "Mr. Bill


s: Williams" and "Mr. Jonas Lively."  The scene is


s: the country and the very little country town, with


s: landscape, atmosphere, simplicity, circumstance--all


s: rural and dialectic, no less than the simple,


s: primitive, common, wholesome-hearted men and women


s: who so naturally live and have their blessed being


s: in his stories, just as in the life itself.  This is the


s: manifest work of the true dialect writer and


s: expounder.  In every detail, the most minute, such


s: work reveals the master-hand and heart of the


s: humanitarian as well as artist--the two are indissolubly


s: fused--and the result of such just treatment


s: of whatever lowly themes or characters we can but


s: love and loyally approve with all our human hearts.  Such masters


s: perfecting as is here attained may be in part the


s: mellowing result of age and long observation,


s: though it can be based upon the wisest, purest


s: With no less approval should the work of Joel


s: Chandler Harris be regarded:  His touch alike is


s: ever reverential.  He has gathered up the bruised


s: and broken voices and the legends of the slave,


s: and from his child-heart he has affectionately


s: yielded them to us in all their eery beauty and


s: wild loveliness.  Through them we are made to


s: glorify the helpless and the weak and to revel in


s: their victories.  But, better, we are taught that even


s: in barbaric breasts there dwells inherently the sense


s: of right above wrong-equity above law-and the


s: One Unerring Righteousness Eternal.  With equal


s: truth and strength, too, Mr. Harris has treated the


s: dialectic elements of the interior Georgia country--


s: the wilds and fastnesses of the "moonshiners."  His


s: tale of Teague Poteet, of some years ago, was


s: contemporaneous with the list of striking mountain


s: stories from that strong and highly gifted Tennesseean,


s: In the dialectic spirit her stories charm and


s: hold us.  Always there is strangely mingled, but


s: most naturally, the gentle nature cropping out amid


s: the most desperate and stoical: the night scene in


s: the isolated mountain cabin, guarded ever without


s: and within from any chance down-swooping of the


s: minions of the red-eyed law; the great man-group


s: of gentle giants, with rifles never out of arm's-


s: reach, in tender rivalry ranged admiringly around


s: the crowing, wakeful little boy-baby; the return, at


s: last, of the belated mistress of the house--the sister,


s: to whom all do great, awkward reverence.  Jealously


s: snatching up the babe and kissing it, she


s: querulously demands why he has not long ago been


s: put to bed.  "He 'lowed he wouldn't go," is the


s: Thomas Nelson Page, of Virginia, who wrote


s: his work is veritable--strong and pure and


s: sweet; and as an oral reader of it the doubly gifted


s: author, in voice and cadence, natural utterance,


s: every possible effect of speech and tone, is doubtless


s: Many more, indeed, than may be mentioned now


s: there are of these real benefactors and preservers


s: of the wayside characters, times, and customs of our


s: ever-shifting history.  Needless is it to speak here of


s: the earlier of our workers in the dialectic line--of


s: James Russell Lowell's New England Hosea Biglow,


s: Dr. Eggleston's Hoosier School-Master, or


s: the very rare and quaint, bright prattle of Helen's


s: Babies.  In connection with this last let us very


s: seriously inquire what this real child has done that


s: Literature should so persistently refuse to give him


s: an abiding welcome?  Since for ages this question


s: seems to have been left unasked, it may be timely


s: now to propound it.  Why not the real child in


s: Literature?  The real child is good enough (we all


s: know he is bad enough) to command our admiring


s: attention and most lively interest in real life, and


s: just as we find him "in the raw."  Then why do we


s: deny him any righteous place of recognition in our


s: Literature?  From the immemorial advent of our


s: dear old Mother Goose, Literature has been especially


s: catering to the juvenile needs and desires, and


s: yet steadfastly overlooking, all the time, the very


s: principles upon which Nature herself founds and


s: presents this lawless little brood of hers--the


s: children.  It is not the children who are out of order;


s: it is Literature.  And not only is Literature out of


s: order, but she is presumptuous; she is impudent.


s: She takes Nature's children and revises and corrects


s: them till "their own mother doesn't know them."


s: This is literal fact.  So, very many of us are coming


s: to inquire, as we've a right, why is the real child


s: excluded from a just hearing in the world of letters


s: as he has in the world of fact?  For instance,


s: what has the lovely little ragamuffin ever done of


s: sufficient guilt to consign him eternally to the


s: monstrous penalty of speaking most accurate grammar


s: all the literary hours of the days of the years of his


s: --Is this a real boy that would make such a request,


s: and is it the real language he would use?  No, we


s: are glad to say that it is not.  Simply it is a libel,


s: in every particular, on any boy, however fondly


s: and exactingly trained by parents however zealous


s: for his overdecorous future.  Better, indeed, the


s: dubious sentiment of the most trivial nursery jingle,


s: since the latter at least maintains the lawless though


s: wholesome spirit of the child-genuine.--


s: Though even here the impious poet leaves the scar


s: of grammatical knowledge upon childhood's native


s: diction; and so the helpless little fellow is again


s: misrepresented, and his character, to all intents and


s: purposes, is assaulted and maligned outrageously


s: Now, in all seriousness, this situation ought not


s: to be permitted to exist, though to change it seems


s: an almost insurmountable task.  The general public,


s: very probably, is not aware of the real gravity of


s: the position of the case as even unto this day it


s: exists.  Let the public try, then, to contribute the


s: real child to the so-called Child Literature of its


s: country, and have its real child returned as promptly


s: as it dare show its little tousled head in the presence


s: of that scholarly and dignified institution.  Then


s: ask why your real child has been spanked back


s: home again, and the wise mentors there will virtually


s: tell you that Child Literature wants no real children in it, that


s: defective grammar and lack of elegant deportment


s: would furnish to its little patrician patrons suggestions


s: very hurtful indeed to their higher morals,


s: tendencies, and ambitions.  Then, although the general


s: public couldn't for the life of it see why or


s: how, and might even be reminded that it was just


s: such a rowdying child itself, and that its FATHER--


s: the Father of his Country--was just such a child;


s: that Abraham Lincoln was just such a lovable, lawless


s: child, and yet was blessed and chosen in the


s: end for the highest service man may ever render


s: unto man,--all--all this argument would avail not


s: in the least, since the elegantly minded purveyors


s: of Child Literature can not possibly tolerate the


s: presence of any but the refined children--the very


s: proper children--the studiously thoughtful, poetic


s: children,--and these must be kept safe from the


s: contaminating touch of our rough-and-tumble little


s: fellows in "hodden gray," with frowzly heads,


s: begrimed but laughing faces, and such awful, awful


s: vulgarities of naturalness, and crimes of simplicity,


s: and brazen faith and trust, and love of life and


s: everybody in it.  All other real people are getting


s: into Literature; and without some real children


s: along will they not soon be getting lonesome, too?


s: Song.  To Lucasta.  Going beyond the Seas


s: Song.  To Amarantha, that she would Dishevell her Haire


s: Lucasta's Fanne, with a Looking-glasse in it


s: Lucasta paying her Obsequies to the Chast Memory of my


s: Upon the Curtaine of Lucasta's Picture, it was thus Wrought


s: Amyntor from beyond the Sea to Alexis.  A Dialogue


s: To Ellinda, that lately I have not written


s: To Ellinda, upon his late Recovery.  A Paradox


s: The Lady A[nne] L[ovelace].  My Asylum in a Great Extremity


s: A Lady with a Falcon on her Fist.  To the Honourable


s: A Guiltlesse Lady Imprisoned; after Penanced


s: To His Deare Brother Colonel F[rancis] L[ovelace]


s: To a Lady that desired me I would beare my part with her


s: Various Publications between 1638 and 1647.


s: Clitophon and Lucippe translated.  To the Ladies (1638)


s: resolv'd the Art Gladiatory into the Mathematicks (1638)


s: In Allusion to the French Song:  "N'entendez vous pas


s: To a Lady with Child that ask'd an Old Shirt


s: Advice to my best Brother, Coll: Francis Lovelace


s: Peinture.  A Panegyrick to the best Picture of Friendship,


s: On Sanazar's being honoured with 600 Duckets by the


s: To My Dear Friend, Mr. E[ldred] R[evett] on his Poems moral


s: On the Best, Last, and only Remaining Comedy of Mr. Fletcher,


s: To Dr. F. B[eale]; on his Book of Chesse (1656)


s: of the author of LUCASTA.  In the present edition, which is the


s: first attempt to present the productions of a celebrated and


s: elegant poet to the admirers of this class of literature in a


s: readable shape, both the text and the pointing have been amended


s: unquestionably nonsense.  It is proper to mention that several


s: rather bold corrections have been hazarded in the course of the


s: volume; but where this has been done, the deviation from the


s: original has invariably been pointed out in the notes.


s: On the title-page of the copy of LUCASTA, 1649, preserved among


s: the date of publication.  A copy of LUCASTA, 1649, occasionally


s: appears in catalogues, purporting to have belonged to Anne,


s: Lady Lovelace; but the autograph which it contains was taken


s: from a copy of Massinger's BONDMAN (edit. 1638, 4to.), which her


s: Ladyship once owned.  This copy of Lovelace's LUCASTA is bound up


s: of Benjamin Rudyerd, Esq., grandson and heir of the distinguished


s: In the original edition of the two parts of LUCASTA, 1649-59,


s: the arrangement of the poems appears, like that of the text,


s: to have been left to chance, and the result has been a total


s: absence of method.  I have therefore felt it part of my duty to


s: poems in 1649, or between that date and the issue of his Remains


s: ten years later, have been placed by themselves, as an act of


s: justice to the writer, of whose style and genius they are, as is


s: generally the case with all compositions of the kind, by no means


s: &c. have been left as they stood; they are, for the most part,


s: destitute of merit; but as they were inserted by the Poet's


s: brother, when he edited the posthumous volume, I did not think it


s: Lovelace's LUCASTA was included by the late S. W. Singer, Esq.,


s: in his series of "Early English Poets;" but that gentleman,


s: besides striking out certain passages, which he, somewhat


s: unaccountably and inconsistently, regarded as indelicate,


s: omitted a good deal of preliminary matter in the form of


s: commendatory verses which, though possibly of small worth,


s: were necessary to render the book complete; it is possible,


s: that Mr. Singer made use of a copy of LUCASTA which was deficient


s: independently of its imperfections in other respects,


s: Mr. Singer's reprint abounds with the grossest blunders.


s: The old orthography has been preserved intact in this edition;


s: but with respect to the employment of capitals, the entirely


s: arbitrary manner in which they are introduced into the book as


s: It is a singular circumstance, that Mr. Singer (in common with


s: In the hope of discovering the exact date of Lovelace's birth


s: both English and foreign.  On the fly-leaves of his copy


s: of Rosse's MYSTAGOGUS POETICUS, 1648, 8vo., he has written


s: the names of a variety of works, of which he was at the time


s: With the exception of Sir Egerton Brydges, who contributed to the


s: and writings of the subject of the present memoir, all the


s: biographers of Richard Lovelace have contented themselves with


s: least, by giving word for word the narrative of Wood in his own


s: the reader must not expect much that is new: for I regret to say


s: that, after the most careful researches, I have not improved, to


s: any large extent, the state of knowledge respecting this elegant


s: "Richard Lovelace," writes Wood, "the eldest son of Sir William


s: Lovelace<2.1> of Woollidge in Kent, knight, was born in that


s: country [in 1618], educated in grammar learning in


s: Charterhouse<2.2> School near London, became a gent. commoner of


s: beautiful person that ever eye beheld; a person also of innate


s: modesty, virtue, and courtly deportment, which made him then, but


s: Canterbury [Laud], then Chancellor of the University, actually


s: George Goring, afterwards Earl of Norwich, was by him adopted a


s: soldier, and sent in the quality of an ensign, in the Scotch


s: wrote a tragedy called THE SOLDIER, but never acted, because the


s: stage was soon after suppressed.  After the pacification of


s: annum.  About which time he [being then on the commission of the


s: peace] was made choice of by the whole body of the county of Kent


s: not to stir out of the lines of communication without a pass from


s: he lived beyond the income of his estate, either to keep up


s: the credit and reputation of the king's cause by furnishing


s: men with horses and arms, or by relieving ingenious men in want,


s: whether scholars, musicians, soldiers, &c.  Also, by furnishing


s: his two brothers, Colonel Franc. Lovelace, and Captain William


s: Lovelace (afterwards slain at Caermarthen)<2.7> with men and


s: money for the king's cause, and his other brother, called Dudley


s: Posthumus Lovelace, with moneys for his maintenance in Holland,


s: to study tactics and fortification in that school of war.  After


s: the rendition of Oxford garrison, in 1646, he formed a regiment


s: for the service of the French king, was colonel of it, and


s: wounded at Dunkirk;<2.8> and in 1648, returning into England, he,


s: gentlewoman of great beauty and fortune, named Lucy Sacheverell,


s: married.<2.10>  He also wrote ARAMANTHA [Amarantha], A PASTORAL,


s: very melancholy (which brought him at length into a consumption),


s: went in ragged cloaths (whereas when he was in his glory he wore


s: cloth of gold and silver), and mostly lodged in obscure and dirty


s: servants, &c.  After his death his brother Dudley, before


s: mentioned, made a collection of his poetical papers, fitted them


s: for the press, and entitled them LUCASTA: POSTHUME POEMS, Lond.


s: them.<2.15>  These are all the things that he hath extant; those


s: that were never published were his tragedy, called THE SOLDIER or


s: SCHOLAR,<2.16> which he composed at sixteen years of age, when he


s: Salisbury Court.  He died in a very mean lodging in Gunpowder


s: Alley,<2.17> near Shoe Lane,<2.18> and was buried at the west-end


s: hearing, that his common discourse was not only significant and


s: witty, but incomparably graceful, which drew respect from all men


s: either to his most generous mind in his prosperity, or dejected


s: estate in his worst state of poverty, but for brevity's sake I


s: shall now pass them by.  At the end of his Posthume Poems are


s: several elegies written on him by eminent poets of that time,


s: wherein you may see his just character."


s: Such is Wood's account; it is to be regretted that that writer


s: did not supply the additional information, which he tantalizes us


s: As might be expected, the Journals of Parliament cast additional


s: light on the personal connexion of Lovelace with the Kentish


s: Petition of 1642, which was for the GENERAL redress of existing


s: grievances, not, as the editor of the VERNEY PAPERS seems to have


s: lies in the LORDS' AND COMMONS' JOURNALS.  The subject was


s: apparently introduced, for the first time, into Parliament on the


s: On the 28th April, the Commons acquainted the Upper House,


s: by Mr. Oliver Cromwell, "that a great meeting was to be held


s: next day on Blackheath, to back the rejected Kentish


s: Two days later, a strange scene occurred at Westminster.


s: Let the Commons' Journals tell the story in their own language:--


s: "30 April, 1642.  The House being informed that divers gentlemen


s: of the county of Kent were at the door, that desired to present


s: "They were called in, presented their Petition, and withdrew.


s: "And their Petition was read, and appeared to be the same


s: that was formerly burnt, by order of both Houses, by the hands


s: of the common hangman.  Captain LEIGH reports that, being at


s: the Quarter Sessions held at MAIDSTONE, he observed certain


s: "Captain Lovelace, who presented the Petition, was called in;


s: and Mr. Speaker was commanded to ask him, from whose hand


s: he had this Petition, and who gave him warrant to present it.


s: "'Mr. GEO. CHUTE delivered him [he replied] the Petition the next


s: "[The Speaker then inquired] whether he knew that the like was


s: burnt by the order of this House, and that some were here


s: "'He understood a general rumour, that some gentlemen were


s: "'He knew nothing of the bundle of printed petitions.'


s: "He likewise said, 'that there was a petition at the Quarter


s: Sessions, disavowed by all the Justices there, which he tore.'


s: "Sir William Boteler was likewise called in, [and] asked when he


s: "[He] answered, 'On Wednesday last was sevennight, he came from


s: "'He heard of a petition that was never delivered.


s: "'He never heard of any censure of the Parliament.


s: "'He heard that a paper was burnt for being irregularly burnt


s: "'He had heard that the Petition, that went under the name of


s: "'He never heard of any order of either, [or] of both, the Houses


s: "'He was at Hull on Thursday or Friday was a sevennight: as he


s: came from Yorke, he took Hull in the way.  He had heard, that


s: Sir Roger Twisden was questioned for the like Petition.


s: "Resolved, upon the question, that Captain Lovelace shall be


s: presently Committed prisoner to the Gatehouse.


s: "Resolved, upon the question, that Sir William Boteler shall be


s: presently committed prisoner to the Fleet.


s: "Ordered, that the sergeant shall apprehend them, and carry them


s: in safe custody, and deliver them as prisoners to the several


s: On the 4th May, 1642, the House of Commons ordered Mr. Whittlock


s: matter till the 17th June, When Lovelace<2.23> and Boteler


s: petitioned the House separately for their release from custody.


s: the case of his companion in misfortune it was ordered, on the


s: question, that "he be forthwith bailed upon GOOD security."  This


s: ATHENAE is ONLY wrong by a cypher, and that the amount fixed was


s: confinement did not exceed seven weeks in duration, and the


s: The description left by Wood and Aubrey of the end of Lovelace


s: to the Cokes by marriage with Mr. Henry Coke, by presuming that


s: those manors were entailed; while Lovelace Place, as well perhaps


s: upon the whole, very probable that he died in a hovel, in a state


s: (equal to about <pounds>4 of our money) from two friends,


s: Cotton and another, Aubrey himself admits; and we may rest


s: It has not hitherto been remarked, that among the Kentish gentry


s: who, from time to time, elected to change the nature of their


s: tenure from gavelkind to primogeniture, were the Lovelaces


s: As well as the subjoined lines by Lovelace in the poem entitled,


s: "To Lucasta, from Prison," (see p. 44 of present edition):--


s: There is evidence to prove that Lovelace was on intimate terms


s: with some of the wits of his time, and that he had friendly


s: relations with many of them--such as Hall, Rawlins, Lenton, and


s: particularly the Cottons.  John Tatham, the City Poet, and author


s: In 1643, Henry Glapthorne, a celebrated dramatist and poet


s: of the same age, dedicated to Lovelace his poem of WHITEHALL,


s: printed in that year in a quarto pamphlet, with elegies


s: on the Earls of Bedford and Manchester.<2.27>  The pages


s: of LUCASTA bear testimony to the acquaintance of the author


s: with Anthony Hodges of New College, Oxford, translator of


s: CLITOPHON AND LEUCIPPE from the Greek of Achilles Tatius


s: (or rather probably from a Latin version of the original),


s: and with other<2.28> members of the University.<2.29>


s: Although it is stated by Wood that LUCASTA was prepared for the


s: press by Lovelace himself, on his return from the Continent in


s: LUCASTA, the two texts have been collated, and improved readings


s: The few poems, on which the fame of Lovelace may be said to rest,


s: at different epochs of his life.  Lovelace had not the melodious


s: and exquisite taste of Herrick, the wit of Suckling, or the power


s: Mr. Singer has praised the exuberant fancy of Lovelace; but,


s: in my thinking, Lovelace was inferior in fancy, as well as in


s: grace, both to Carew and the author of HESPERIDES.  Yet Lovelace


s: has left behind him one or two things, which I doubt if any of


s: those writers could have produced, and which our greatest poets


s: hard to name any one in the entire circle of early English


s: differently Sydney at least would have handled it!  We know what


s: Herrick would have made of it; it would have furnished the theme


s: too much of his neck to write verses with much felicity, and


s: preferred waiting, till he got back to Beaconsfield (when his


s: inspiration had evaporated), to pour out his feelings to Lady


s: Dorothy or Lady Sophia.  Wither's song, "Shall I wasting in


s: for the better, occasionally for the worse.  We can scarcely


s: picture to ourselves Lovelace blotting a line, though it would


s: have been well for his reputation, if he had blotted many.


s: And an address to the Cicada by the same writer, (IBID. i. 415)


s: "Oh, shrill-voiced insect that, with dew-drops sweet


s: Inebriate, dost in desert woodlands sing."


s: In the poem called "The Grasshopper" (p. 94), the author speaks


s: "Drunk ev'ry night with a delicious tear,


s: The similarity, in each case, I believe to have been entirely


s: a model to Cleveland, who carried to an extraordinary length that


s: vocabulary; but as regards the author of LUCASTA himself, it may


s: be asserted that there are few writers whose productions exhibit


s: Middleton, Herrick, and others, there is great room to question,


s: whether the circumstance can be treated as amounting to more than


s: The Master of Dulwich College has obligingly informed me,


s: that the picture of ALTHEA, as well as that of Lovelace himself,


s: bequeathed by Cartwright the actor to Dulwich College in 1687,


s: bears no clue to date of composition, or to the artist's name,


s: and that it does not assist in the identification of the lady.


s: This is the more vexatious, inasmuch as it seems probable that


s: ALTHEA, whoever she was, became the poet's wife, after LUCASTA'S


s: marriage to another.  The CHLOES, &c. mentioned in the following


s: same time an obscurity has hitherto hung over some of the persons


s: which a little research and trouble would have easily removed.


s: For instance, no one who reads "Amarantha, a Pastoral,"


s: doubts that LUCASTA and AMARANTHA are one and the same person.


s: ALEXIS is Lovelace himself.  ELLINDA is a female friend of


s: the poet, who occasionally stayed at her house, and on one


s: occasion (p. 79) had a serious illness there.  ELLINDA marries


s: AMYNTOR, under which disguise, I suspect, lurks the well known


s: Maecenas of his time, Endymion Porter.  If Porter be AMYNTOR, of


s: course ELLINDA must be the Lady Olivia Porter, his wife.  ARIGO


s: (see the poem of AMYNTOR'S GROVE) signifies Porter's friend,


s: The following lines are prefixed to FONS LACHRYMARUM, &c.


s: by John Quarles, 1648, 8vo., and are subscribed, as will be seen,


s: it is strange that they were not admitted, with other productions


s: himself in 1649, or into that edited by his brother in 1659.


s: The Son begins to rise, the Father's set:


s: Heav'n took away one light, and pleas'd to let


s: Another rise.  Quarles, thy light's divine,


s: And it shall teach Darkness it self to shine.


s: Each word revives thy Father's name, his art


s: I've read thy pleasing lines, wherein I find


s: Proceed as well as thou hast well begun,


s: Richard Lovelace, of Queenhithe (temp. Hen. VI.).


s: Richard Lovelace,     William Lovelace     John (ancestor of the


s: d. s. p.                 (ob. 1501).         Lords Lovelace, of


s: Sir William Lovelace, ob.1629===Elizabeth, daughter of


s: (according to Berry).         ! Edward Aucher, Esq., of


s: Sir William Lovelace===Anne, daughter and heir of


s: !                            A daughter,           !


s: ! Justice, and ancestor        Anne.  Juliana.  Johanna.


s: The above has been partly derived from a communication to the


s: GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE for Dec. 1791, by Sir Egerton Brydges,


s: who chiefly compiled it from Hasted, compared with Berry's


s: KENT GENEALOGIES, 474, where there are a few inaccuracies.


s: It is, of course, a mere skeleton-tree, and furnishes no


s: information as to the collateral branches, the connexion between


s: the houses of Stanley and Lovelace, &c.  Sir Egerton Brydges'


s: series of articles on Lovelace in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, with


s: the exception of that from which the foregoing table is taken,


s: does not contain much, if anything, that is new.  On the 3rd of


s: May, 1577, Henry Binneman paid "vi<pence> and a copie" to the


s: Stationers' Company for the right to print "the Briefe Course of


s: In 1563, Barnaby Googe the poet dedicated his EGLOGS, EPITAPHES,


s: The following is a list of the members of the Lovelace family


s: Richard Lovelace,    "    1557.  Reader in 1563. Barnaby Googe's


s: Francis Lovelace     "    1640.  Probably the poet's younger


s: (of Canterbury),                  brother.


s: For these names and dates I am indebted to the courtesy


s: Sir William Lovelace, the poet's grandfather who, according to


s: Berry, died in 1629, was a correspondent of Sir Dudley Carleton


s: direction: for the latter was on service in the Low Countries,


s: perhaps under his father (of whose death we do not know the date,


s: printed in a volume entitled OSTELLA (printed in 1650).


s: usual kindness, examined for me the books of the institution,


s: in the hope of finding the date of Lovelace's admission, &c.,


s: but without success.  Mr. Keightley has suggested to me that


s: perhaps Lovelace was not on the foundation, which is of course


s: highly probable, and which, as Mr. Keightley seems to think,


s: may account for the omission of his name from the registers.


s: in a note on this passage in his edition of the ATHENAE.


s: of Smarden, near Surrenden.  "The manor of Lovelace," says Hasted


s: times the property of a family named Grunsted, or Greenstreet,


s: manor to KINET, in which name it did not remain long; for WILLIAM


s: to JOHN LOVELACE, who erected that mansion here, which from hence


s: military line, acquired great reputation and honour, and by their


s: SITTINGBORNE, and at KINGSDOWN in this county, the Lords Lovelace


s: in his HISTORY OF CANTERBURY, has preserved many memorials


s: of the connexion of the Lovelaces from the earliest times


s: with Canterbury and its neighbourhood.  William Lovelace,


s: in the reign of Philip and Mary, died possessed of the mansion


s: belonging to the abbey of St. Lawrence, near Canterbury;


s: after the death of his son William, it passed to other hands.


s: in 1638, Richard Lovelace, Esq., held that office; and in the


s: "Original Papers of the Molineux and LOVELACE Families." I regret


s: Commonalty, for the county of Kent, agreed upon at the General


s: Assizes for that county." See JOURNALS OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS, iv.


s: archbishops, &c., whereas one of the articles of the petition of


s: restoration of the Liturgy and the maintenance of the episcopal


s: bench in its integrity.  A numerously signed petition had also


s: been addressed to both Houses by the county in 1641, in which


s: the strongest reasons were given for the adoption of Dering's


s: proposed act.  From 1641 to 1648, indeed, the Houses were


s: overwhelmed by Kentish petitions of various kinds.  This portion


s: of Wood's narrative is confirmed by Marvell's lines prefixed to


s: "And one the Book prohibits, because Kent


s: Their first Petition by the Authour sent."


s: "Sir William Boteler, of Kent, returning about the beginning of


s: APRIL 1642, from his attendance (being then Gentleman Pentioner)


s: on the king at YORKE, then celebrating St. GEORGE'S feast,


s: was by the earnest solicitation of the Gentry of Kent ingaged


s: LOVELACE, for which service the Captain was committed Prisoner to


s: time brought in against him [Boteler], many Petitions being


s: that, although on the 7th of April, 1642, the Kentish petition in


s: OF ENGLAND, 1839, p. 384), Boteler and Lovelace had the temerity,


s: "Captaine Lovelace committed to the Gatehouse     !  Concerning


s: Sir William Butler committed to the Fleete       !  Deering's


s: of the Abbey, which leads into Dean's Yard, Tothill Street,


s: and the Almonry"--Cunningham's HANDBOOK OF LONDON, PAST AND


s: PRESENT.  But for a more particular account, see Stow's SURVEY,


s: "The Gatehouse for a Prison was ordain'd,


s: When in this land the third king EDWARD reign'd:


s: Good lodging roomes, and diet it affords,


s: But I had rather lye at home on boords."


s: WILLIAM, Lovelace having perished at Caermarthen, in a note


s: in Tatham's OSTELLA, 1650, 4to., that Lovelace made a stay


s: in the Netherlands about this time, if indeed he did not serve


s: They have changed their mirth for cares,


s: belonged at one time to the antient family by whose name it was


s: known.  The third Lord Petre, dying in 1638, left it, with other


s: possessions in and about the city of London, to his son William.


s: (Collins's PEERAGE, by Brydges, vii. 10, 11.)  When Lovelace was


s: committed to Peter House, and probably long before (MERCURIUS


s: street was London House, which continued for some time to be the


s: HEROINUM, 1651, p. 127. "Democion, the Athenian virgin," he tells


s: Lucasta, whoever she was, seems to have belonged to Kent;


s: the SACHEVERELLS were not a Kentish family.  Besides, the


s: corruption of Lucy Sacheverell into Lucasta is not very obvious,


s: and rather violent; and the probability is that the author of


s: the ATHENAE was misled by his informant on this occasion.


s: The plate etched by Lely and engraved by Faithorne, which


s: is found in the second part of LUCASTA, 1659, can scarcely


s: be regarded as a portrait; it was, in all likelihood, a mere


s: fancy sketch, and we are not perhaps far from the truth in our


s: surmise that the artist was nearly, if not quite, as much


s: in the dark as to who Lucasta was, as we are ourselves


s: others) ought to be corrected in a new edition of the ATHENAE.


s: Lawes did not set to music AMARANTHA, A PASTORAL, nor any portion


s: manor of Lovelace-Bethersden passed by purchase to Richard Hulse,


s: he is, curiously enough, called SIR Richard Lovelace, KNT.  It is


s: copies was made for Harding's BIOGRAPHICAL MIRROR.  Bromley


s: of the portrait before the POSTHUME POEMS.


s: lost dramas from the pen of Lovelace, when he thus characterizes


s: him in his LIVES OF THE POETS, 1687, p. 170:--"I can compare no


s: 'Nor is it fit that more I should acquaint,


s: A Scholar, SOULDIER, Lover, and a Saint.'"


s: As to the comparison, Winstanley must be understood to signify


s: a resemblance between Lovelace and Sydney as men, rather than


s: as writers.  Winstanley's extract is from WITS' RECREATIONS,


s: but the text, as he gives it, varies from that printed by


s: the editor of the reprint of that work in 1817.


s: Alley which Lovelace knew, having been rebuilt more than once


s: since 1658, It is now a tolerably wide and airy court, without


s: any conspicuous appearance of squalor.  There is no tradition,


s: I am sorry to say, respecting Lovelace; all such recollections


s: have long been swept away.  When one of the old inhabitants


s: told me (and there are one or two persons who have lived here


s: all their life) that a great poet once resided thereabout,


s: I naturally became eager to catch the name; but it turned out


s: to be Dr. Johnson, not Lovelace, the latter of whom might have


s: been contemporary with Homer for aught they knew to the contrary


s: in Gunpowder Alley.  It appears from Decker and Webster's play


s: that there was another Gunpowder Alley, near Crutched Friars.


s: the accomplished Colonel Richard Lovelace died IN THE GATEHOUSE


s: the received view on the subject, and I am afraid that Hone has


s: but which are, in fact, merely rough biographical memoranda,


s: states under the head of Lovelace:--"Obiit in a cellar in


s: Long acre, a little before the restauration of his Matie.


s: Mr. Edm. Wyld, &c. had made collections for him,


s: and given him money.....Geo. Petty, haberdasher, in Fleet street,


s: Aubrey was certainly a contemporary of Lovelace, and Wood seems


s: to have been indebted to him for a good deal of information;


s: but all who are acquainted with Aubrey are probably aware that


s: he took, in many instances, very little trouble to examine for


s: himself, but accepted statements on hearsay.  Wood does not,


s: in the case of Lovelace, adopt Aubrey's account, and it is to


s: be observed that, IF the poet died as poor as he is represented


s: by both writers to have died, he would have been buried by the


s: parish, and, dying in Long Acre, the parochial authorities would


s: not have carried him to Fleet Street for sepulture.


s: This gentleman, the friend of Aubrey, Author of the MISCELLANIES,


s: the former with a variety of information on matters of current


s: interest.  See Thoms' ANECDOTES AND TRADITIONS, 1839, p. 99.


s: He is, no doubt, the E. W. Esq., whom Aubrey cites as his


s: authority on one or two occasions, in his REMAINS OF GENTILISM


s: AND JUDAISM.  He was evidently a person of the most benevolent


s: character, and Aubrey (LIVES OF EMINENT MEN, ii. 483) pays him


s: a handsome tribute, where he describes him as "a great fautor


s: of ingenious and good men, for meer merit's sake."


s: with Hellenic literature possibly extended very little beyond


s: by some Kentish gentlemen to the House of Commons, disclaiming


s: and condemning the former one.--JOURNALS OF THE H. OF C. ii. 558.


s: a prisoner in the Gate-house, by a former order of this


s: of the reign of Henry VI, by Richard Lovelace, of Queenhithe.


s: "To my Noble Friend And Gossip, CAPTAIN RICHARD LOVELACE.


s: "I have so long beene in your debt that I am almost desperate


s: in my selfe of making you paiment, till this fancy by


s: ravishing from you a new curtesie in its patronage, promised


s: me it would satisfie part of my former engagements to you.


s: Wonder not to see it invade you thus on the sudden; gratitude


s: is aeriall, and, like that element, nimble in its motion and


s: performance; though I would not have this of mine of a French


s: disposition, to charge hotly and retreat unfortunately: there


s: may appeare something in this that may maintaine the field


s: courageously against Envy, nay come off with honour; if you,


s: Sir, please to rest satisfied that it marches under your


s: may have been Lovelace.  It was a very usual practice (then even


s: more so than now) among familiar acquaintances to use the


s: had, besides, some taste and aptitude for military affairs, and


s: could discourse about strategics in a city tavern over a bowl of


s: canary with the author of LUCASTA, notwithstanding that he was a


s: little troubled by nervousness (according to report), when the


s: it seems that Lovelace and himself were on tolerably good terms,


s: and that when the former presented the Kentish petition, and was


s: imprisoned for so doing, his friends, who exerted themselves to


s: "But when the beauteous ladies came to know," &c.


s: and AN.5.  These notes have been moved to appropriate locations


s: Printed by Tho. Harper, and are to be sold


s: One poore false pearl, but ten true tears:


s: Cleveland, who was equally devoted to his sovereign, and whose


s: estates were ordered by the Parliament to be sold, July 26, 1650.


s: Now y' have oblieg'd the age, thy wel known worth


s: Is to our joy auspiciously brought forth.


s: Good morrow to thy son, thy first borne flame


s: Which, as thou gav'st it birth, stamps it a name,


s: That Fate and a discerning age shall set


s: Why then needs all this paines, those season'd pens,


s: That standing lifeguard to a booke (kinde friends),


s: That with officious care thus guard thy gate,


s: Forgive their freedome, since unto their praise


s: They write to give, not to dispute thy bayes.


s: As when some glorious queen, whose pregnant wombe


s: Brings forth a kingdome with her first-borne Sonne,


s: Marke but the subjects joyfull hearts and eyes:


s: This slayes a lambe, that, not so rich as hee,


s: Brings but a dove, this but a bended knee;


s: And though their giftes be various, yet their sence


s: Speaks only this one thought, Long live the prince.


s: Pardon my love, since none can make thee shine,


s: Vnlesse they kindle first their torch at thine.


s: Then as inspir'd, they boldly write, nay that,


s: Which their amazed lights but twinkl'd at,


s: And their illustrate thoughts doe voice this right,


s: Lucasta held their torch; thou gav'st it light.


s: En puer Idalius tremulis circumvolat alis,


s: Quem prope sedentem<4.1> castior<4.2> uret amor.


s: Lampada sic videas circumvolitare Pyrausta,<4.3>


s: Cui contingenti est flamma futura rogus.


s: Ergo procul fugias, Lector, cui nulla placebunt


s: Carmina, ni fuerint turpia, spurca, nigra.


s: Sacrificus Romae lustralem venditat undam:


s: Cui scelus est Veneris vel tetigisse fores.


s: How humble is thy muse (Deare) that can daign


s: I shall disgrace my master, prove a staine,


s: Though all that read me will presume to swear


s: I my owne want betray, not wrong thy wit.


s: Did thy worke want a prayse, my barren brain


s: Could not afford it: my attempt were vaine.


s: It needs no foyle: All that ere writ before,


s: Are foyles to thy faire Poems, and no more.


s: Then to be lodg'd in the same sheets with thine,


s: May prove disgrace to yours, but grace to mine.


s: I cannot write a verse, but can write love.


s: Write books much greater, but not half so good.


s: But as the humble tenant, that does bring


s: Is tane into the buttry, and does fox<5.1>


s: Equall with him that gave a stalled oxe:


s: So (since the heart of ev'ry cheerfull giver


s: Makes pounds no more accepted than a stiver),<5.2>


s: Though som thy prayse in rich stiles sing, I may


s: In stiver-stile write love as well as they.


s: I write so well that I no criticks feare;


s: For who'le read mine, when as thy booke's so neer,


s: Vnlesse thy selfe? then you shall secure mine


s: From those, and Ile engage my selfe for thine.


s: They'l do't themselves; <thee> this allay you'l take,


s: I love thy book, and yet not for thy sake.


s: is TO GET DRUNK, and to fox a person is TO MAKE HIM DRUNK.


s: The word in this sense belongs to the cant vocabulary.


s: of this name, probably related, figure in the history of the


s: present period, viz., Colonel John Jephson, apparently a military


s: of verses to LUCASTA, and to the first folio edition of Beaumont


s: So from the pregnant braine of Jove did rise


s: Pallas, the queene of wit and beautious eyes,


s: As faire Lucasta from thy temples flowes,


s: Alike in birth, so shall she be in fame,


s: Now, when the wars augment our woes and fears,


s: And the shrill noise of drums oppresse our ears;


s: Now peace and safety from our shores are fled


s: To holes and cavernes to secure their head;


s: Now all the graces from the land are sent,


s: Whence spring these raptures? whence this heavenly rime,


s: Well might that charmer his faire Caelia<6.1> crowne,


s: And that more polish't Tyterus<6.2> renowne


s: His Sacarissa, when in groves and bowres


s: They could repose their limbs on beds of flowrs:


s: When wit had prayse, and merit had reward,


s: To love the Muses, and their priests to raise,


s: And interpale their browes with flourishing bayes;


s: When peace is hurried hence on rages wing,


s: When the fresh bayes are<6.3> from the Temple torne,


s: And every art and science made a scorne;


s: Then to raise up, by musicke of thy art,


s: Our drooping spirits and our grieved hearts;


s: Then to delight our souls, and to inspire


s: Our breast with pleasure from thy charming lyre;


s: Then to divert our sorrowes by thy straines,


s: Making us quite forget our seven yeers paines


s: In the past wars, unlesse that Orpheus be


s: He stroke his lute with like admired art,


s: And made the damned to forget their smart.


s: but I apprehend that the writer here intends Carew.


s: Pinchback neither is nor was, I believe, a name of common


s: occurrence; and it is just possible that the Colonel may be the


s: very "old Jack Pinchbacke" mentioned by Sir Nicholas L'Estrange,


s: in his MERRY PASSAGES AND JESTS, of which a selection was given


s: by Mr. Thoms in his ANECDOTES AND TRADITIONS, 1839.  L'Estrange,


s: it is true, describes the Colonel as a "gamester and rufler,


s: daubed with gold lace;" but this is not incompatible with the


s: identity between the PINCHBACKE, who figures in LUCASTA, and


s: picture, which Lovelace himself may have presented in GUNPOWDER


s: He that doth paint the beauties of your verse,


s: Must use your pensil, be polite, soft, terse;


s: Forgive that man whose best of art is love,


s: Speaks sharp affection, when my words fall flat;


s: I reade you like my mistresse, and discry


s: In every line the quicknesse of her eye:


s: Her smoothnesse in each syllable, her grace


s: To marshall ev'ry word in the right place.


s: When ev'ry thing is free as well as fit:


s: For metaphors packt up and crowded close


s: Swath <ye> minds sweetnes, and display the throws,


s: And, like those chickens hatcht in furnaces,


s: Produce or one limbe more, or one limbe lesse


s: Then nature bids.  Survey such when they write,


s: No clause but's justl'd with an epithite.


s: So powerfully you draw when you perswade,