THE UNITED AMATEUR
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNITED AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
VOLUME XIV GEORGETOWN, ILL., JANUARY, 1915. NUMBER 3
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC CRITICISM
THE BADGER for January is the first number of a strikingly meritoriousand serious paper published by George S. Schilling. We here behold noneof the frivolity which spoils the writings of those who view amateurjournalism merely as a passing amusement. The Badger shows evidence ofcareful and tasteful editorship, combined with a commendable artisticsense in choice of paper and cover.
The leading article, an essay on the minimum wage, is from the pen ofthe editor, and shows both literary ability and a sound knowledge ofeconomics. "Sister to the Ox", by A. W. Ashby, is an excellent shortstory whose strength is rather in its moral than in its plot. Theeditorials are certainly not lacking in force, and seem well calculatedto stir the average amateur from his torpor of triteness and inanity.
THE INSPIRATION for November is an "Official Number", containing thework of none but titled authors. Rheinhart Kleiner contributes thesingle piece of verse, a smooth and pleasing lyric entitled "LoveAgain", which is not unlike his previous poem, "Love, Come Again". As anamatory poet, Mr. Kleiner shows much delicacy of sentiment, refinementof language, and appreciation of metrical values; his efforts in thisdirection entitle him to a high place among amateur bards.
One of the truly notable prose features of the magazine is Walter JohnHeld's delightful sketch of Joaquin Miller's home and haunts. Thisartistic picture of Californian scenery exhibits a real comprehension ofthe beauties of Nature, and stirs to an unusual degree the imaginationof the reader. Mr. Held's prose possesses a fluency and grace that bringit close to the professional quality, and its few faults are far lessconsiderable than might be expected from the pen of a young author.However, we must remark some rather awkward examples of grammaticalconstruction. The correct plural of "eucalyptus" is "eucalypti", withoutany final "s", the name being treated as a Latin noun of the seconddeclension. "Slowly and dignified--it pursues its way" is hardly apermissible clause; the adjective "dignified" must be exchanged for anadverb. Perhaps Mr. Held sought to employ poetical enallage, but evenso, the adjective does not correspond with "slowly"; besides, the use ofenallage in prose is at best highly questionable. "This free and rankflowers and brush" is another bad clause. But it is not well to dissectthe sketch too minutely. A youth of Mr. Held's ability needs only timeand continued practice to raise him to the highest rank in prosecomposition.
INVICTUS for January, the first number of Mr. Paul J. Campbell's newindividual paper, is one of those rare journals concerning which it isalmost impossible to speak without enthusiasm. Not one of its twenty-sixpages fails to delight us. Foremost in merit, and most aptly suited toMr. Campbell's particular type of genius, are the three inspiringessays, "The Impost of the Future", "The Sublime Ideal", and "Whom GodHath Put Asunder". Therein appears to great advantage the keen reasoningand sound materialistic philosophy of the author. "The Sublime Ideal" isespecially absorbing, tracing as it does the expansion of the human mindfrom a state of the narrowest and most violent bigotry to its presentmoderate breadth.
The three pieces of verse, "Inspiration", "The Larger Life", and "Downin Mexico", are all of smooth construction and musical metre, thoughnot exhibiting their author's powers as well as his essays. "Down inMexico", a virile poem in Kipling's style, is unquestionably the best ofthe three.
Mr. Campbell's comments on amateur affairs are well-written andentertaining, especially his reminiscent article entitled "After SevenYears".
OUTWARD BOUND for January is an excellent journal edited by GeorgeWilliam Stokes of Newcastle-on-Tyne, England. It is gratifying to beholdsuch a paper as this, one of the links between America and the parentcountry which the United is helping to forge.
Herbert B. Darrow opens the issue with a short story entitled "ALesson". The tale is of conventional pattern, containing a sound thoughnot strikingly original moral. The language is generally good, except inone sentence where the author speaks of "the vehicles in the street andbuildings about him". Surely he does not mean that the vehicles were inthe buildings as well as in the street. The use of the definite articlebefore the word "buildings" would do much toward dispelling theambiguous effect.
"The Haunted Forest", a poem by J. H. Fowler, is almost Poe-like in itsgrimly fantastic quality. We can excuse rather indefinite metre when weconsider the admirably created atmosphere, the weird harmony of thelines, the judicious use of alliteration, and the apt selection ofwords. "Bird-shunned", as applied to the thickets of the forest, is aparticularly graphic epithet. Mr. Fowler is to be congratulated upon hisglowing imagination and poetical powers.
"A Bit o' Purple Heather", by Edna von der Heide, is a delightful pieceof verse in modified Scottish dialect, which well justifies thededication of the magazine to this poetess.
Mr. Stokes' editorial, headed "Ships that Pass", sustains the nauticalatmosphere of his periodical. We wish he had given his thoughts a largerspace for expression.
THE PIPER for December comes as a surprise to those who have knownRheinhart Kleiner only as a master of metre, for he is here displayed asthe possessor of a pure and vigorous prose style as well. In this, theopening number of his individual journal, Mr. Kleiner provides us with apleasing variety of literary matter; two serious poems, two rhymes oflighter character, an essay on the inevitable topic of Consolidation,and a brilliant collection of short editorials and criticisms.
"A Carnation", which begins the issue, is an exquisite piece ofsentiment couched in faultless verse. The odd measure of the poem is onepeculiarly suited to the author's delicate type of genius; an iambicline of only three feet. The other lyric, "Heart, Do Not Wake", islikewise of excellent quality, though the succession of "again" and"pain" in the first line might suggest to some ears an unnecessaryinternal rhyme.
"The Rhyme of the Hapless Poet" is very clever, and can be trulyappreciated by every author of printed matter. Perhaps the misfortune ofwhich the poet complains is the cause of the extra syllable in the firstline of the second stanza; we hope that the following is what Mr.Kleiner intended:
"I wrote a poem, 'twas a prize".
Otherwise we are forced to believe that he pronounces "poem" as amonosyllable, "pome". "My Favorite Amateur" is a good specimen of light,imitative verse.
The article on Consolidation is cynical in tone, but eminently sensible.It is only too true that our greatest intellectual stimulus is found incontroversy and antagonism; we are really quite bellicose in ourinstincts, despite the utterances of the peace advocates.
Mr. Kleiner concludes his journal with a sparkling epigram on a ratherobvious though regrettable tendency in amateur circles.
The Piper is in general a paper of satisfying merit, to whose futureissues we shall look forward with eagerness.
THE RECRUITING FEMININE for 1914-1915 is a publication of unusual worth."The Rose Supreme," by Coralie Austin, is a delicate little poem inwhich we regret the presence of one inexcusably bad rhyme. To rhyme thewords "rose" and "unclosed" is to exceed the utmost limits of poeticlicense. It is true that considerable variations in vowel sounds havebeen permitted; "come" makes, or at least used to make, an allowablerhyme with "home", "clock" with "look", or "grass" with "place"; but afinal consonant attached to one of two otherwise rhyming syllablespositively destroys the rhyme.
Mrs. Myra Cole's essay on "The Little Things of Life" is well writtenand instructive.
"The Dirge of the Great Atlantic", by Anne Vyne Tillery Renshaw, is agrim and moving bit of verse, cast in the same primitively stirringmetre which this author used in her professionally published poem, "TheChant of Iron". Mrs. Renshaw possesses an enviable power to reach theemotions through the medium of written words.
"Two Octobers--A Contrast", by Eloise N. Griffith, is a meritorioussketch ending with the usual appeal for the cessation of the Europeanwar. We fear that the autho
r cannot quite realize the ambitiouspassions, essential ingredients of human nature, which render necessarya final decision.
Miss Edna von der Heide, in an able article, rallies to the defense ofMr. W. E. Griffin's now famous "Favorite Pastime". The Modern Lothariois fortunate in having so competent and experienced a champion. However,we cannot wholly endorse the sentiments of these excellent writers. Thestatement that "all amateur journalists are flirts, more or less", is abase and unwarranted libel which we are prepared completely to refute.
"The Audience", by Mrs. Florence Shepphird, is a masterly defense ofthose inactive amateurs whom we are all too prone to consider asdelinquent. It is indeed true that authors would be useless were it notfor some sort of a reading public.
TOLEDO AMATEUR for December is a wholesome juvenile product. Thetypography still leaves something to be desired, but the evidences ofcare are everywhere visible, and we may reasonably expect to see itimprove from month to month, into one of the leading amateur papers.Credentials form the keynote of the current issue, and a very promisingassortment of recruits are here introduced to the members of the United.Miss Sandborn, who is fortunate enough to be one of Mr. Moe's pupils atAppleton, contributes an interesting school anecdote, narrated in simplefashion. Miss Thie gives information concerning the "Campfire Girls".Some new members of adult years are also represented in this number. Mr.Jenkins shows an admirable command of light prose, and will undoubtedlyprove one of the United's most entertaining writers. Misses Kline andMcGeoch both exhibit marked poetical tendencies in prose, the latterwriter having something of Mr. Fritter's facility in the use ofmetaphor. Mr. Porter's editorials are refreshingly naive and unaffected.His grammar is generally good, except in the one sentence where hespeaks of the Toledo Times. He should say, "the newspaper which hasgiven me much experience, and to whose publishers I owe a great deal ofexperience gained."
THE UNITED OFFICIAL QUARTERLY for November marks the beginning of alaudable enterprise on the part of the official board. The magazine isof artistic appearance in cover, paper, and typography alike, while thecontents show considerable care in preparation.
Ira A. Cole's essay on "The Gods of Our Fathers" is the leading featureand, though not of perfect perspicuity nor faultless unity, is none theless noteworthy as a sincere expression of Pantheism. Mr. Cole keenlyfeels the incongruity of our devotion to Semitic theological ideals,when as a matter of fact we are descended from Aryan polytheists, andhis personification of the Grecian deities in the men of today is apleasing and ingenious conception. We are inclined to wonder whether theauthor or the printer is to blame for rendering the poet Hesiod's nameas "Hesoid".
The metric art is represented by three contributions. Paul J. Campbell'slines on "The Heritage of Life" are smooth in construction and proper insentiment, though they are far from showing their author at his best.Mr. Campbell is a supreme master of the philosophical essay and ofpointed, satirical prose, being a very "Junius" in bold, bitinginvective; but is placed at something of a disadvantage in the domain ofconventional poetry. Rheinhart Kleiner and ourselves revel in heroiccouplets of widely differing nature. Our own masterpiece is in fullQueen Anne style with carefully balanced lines and strictly measuredquantities. We have succeeded in producing eighteen lines without asingle original sentiment or truly poetical image. Rev. Mr. Pyke, theobject of the verses, deserves a better encomiast. Mr. Kleiner, on theother hand, uses an heroic metre of that softened type which wasevolved at the close of the eighteenth century from the disruption ofthe more formal style. In this sort of verse the stiff, classicexpressions are discarded, and the sense frequently overflows fromcouplet to couplet, giving the romantic poet a greater latitude forexpression than was possible in the old models. "Vacation" is notdistinguished by any strikingly novel idea, but is in general a veryclever piece of light work. The only substantial defect is in the eighthline, where the word "resort" is so placed, that the accent must fallwrongfully upon the first syllable.
Leo Fritter's article on criticism is timely and sensible. As he justlycontends, some authorized amateur critics deal far too roughly with thehalf-formed products of the young author, while most unofficial andinexperienced reviewers fairly run mad with promiscuous condemnation.The fancied brilliancy of the critic is always greatest when he censuresmost, so that the temptations of the tribe are many. We are at best butliterary parasites, and need now and then just such a restraining wordas our counter-critic gives us. Mr. Fritter's style is here, as usual,highly ornamented with metaphor. One slight defect strikes thefastidious eye, but since split infinitives are becoming so common inthese days, we shall attend the author's plea for gentleness, and remainsilent.
H. P. LOVECRAFT, Chairman, Department of Public Criticism.
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