Writings in the United Amateur, 1915-1922
Page 16
_THE UNITED AMATEUR_
OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE UNITED AMATEUR PRESS ASSOCIATION
VOLUME XVII ATHOL, MASS., NOVEMBER, 1917 NUMBER 2
A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson
Humphry Littlewit, Esq.
The Privilege of Reminiscence, however rambling or tiresome, is onegenerally allow'd to the very aged; indeed, 'tis frequently by means ofsuch Recollections that the obscure occurrences of History, and thelesser Anecdotes of the Great, are transmitted to Posterity.
Tho' many of my readers have at times observ'd and remark'd a Sort ofantique Flow in my Stile of Writing, it hath pleased me to pass amongstthe Members of this Generation as a young Man, giving out the Fictionthat I was born in 1890, in =America=. I am now, however, resolv'd tounburthen myself of a secret which I have hitherto kept thro' Dread ofIncredulity; and to impart to the Publick a true knowledge of my longyears, in order to gratifie their taste for authentick Information of anAge with whose famous Personages I was on familiar Terms. Be it thenknown that I was born on the family Estate in =Devonshire=, of the 10thday of August, 1690, (or in the new =Gregorian= Stile of Reckoning, the20th of August) being therefore now in my 228th year. Coming early to=London=, I saw as a Child many of the celebrated Men of King=William's= Reign, including the lamented Mr. =Dryden=, who sat much atthe Tables of =Will's= Coffee-House. With Mr. =Addison= and Dr. =Swift=I later became very well acquainted, and was an even more familiarFriend to Mr. =Pope=, whom I knew and respected till the Day of hisDeath. But since it is of my more recent Associate, the late Dr.=Johnson=, that I am at this time desir'd to write; I will pass over myYouth for the present.
I had first Knowledge of the Doctor in May of the year 1738, tho' I didnot at that Time meet him. Mr. =Pope= had just compleated his Epilogueto his Satires, (the Piece beginning: "Not twice a Twelvemonth youappear in Print.") and had arrang'd for its Publication. On the very Dayit appear'd, there was also publish'd a Satire in Imitation of=Juvenal=, entituled "=London=," by the then unknown =Johnson=; and thisso struck the Town, that many Gentlemen of Taste declared, it was theWork of a greater Poet than Mr. =Pope=. Notwithstanding what someDetractors have said of Mr. =Pope's= petty Jealousy, he gave the Versesof his new Rival no small Praise; and having learnt thro' Mr.=Richardson= who the Poet was, told me, "that Mr. =Johnson= wou'd soonbe =deterre=."
I had no personal Acquaintances with the Doctor till 1763, when I waspresented to him at the =Mitre= Tavern by Mr. =James Boswell=, a young=Scotchman= of excellent Family and great Learning, but small Wit, whosemetrical Effusions I had sometimes revis'd.
Dr. =Johnson=, as I beheld him, was a full, pursy Man, very ill drest,and of slovenly Aspect. I recall him to have worn a bushy Bob-Wig,untyed and without Powder, and much too small for his Head. His Cloathswere of rusty brown, much wrinkled, and with more than one Buttonmissing. His Face, too full to be handsom, was likewise marred by theEffects of some scrofulous Disorder; and his Head was continuallyrolling about in a sort of convulsive way. Of this Infirmity, indeed, Ihad known before; having heard of it from Mr. =Pope=, who took theTrouble to make particular Inquiries.
Being nearly seventy-three, full nineteen Years older than Dr.=Johnson=, (I say Doctor, tho' his Degree came not till two Yearsafterward) I naturally expected him to have some Regard for my Age; andwas therefore not in that Fear of him, which others confess'd. On myasking him what he thought of my favourable Notice of his Dictionary in=The Londoner=, my periodical Paper, he said: "Sir, I possess noRecollection of having perus'd your Paper, and have not a great Interestin the Opinions of the less thoughtful Part of Mankind." Being more thana little piqued at the Incivility of one whose Celebrity made mesolicitous of his Approbation, I ventur'd to retaliate in kind, and toldhim, I was surpris'd that a Man of Sense shou'd judge the Thoughtfulnessof one whose Productions he admitted never having read. "Why, Sir,"reply'd =Johnson=, "I do not require to become familiar with a Man'sWritings in order to estimate the Superficiality of his Attainments,when he plainly shews it by his Eagerness to mention his own Productionsin the first Question he puts to me." Having thus become Friends, weconvers'd on many Matters. When, to agree with him, I said I wasdistrustful of the Authenticity of =Ossian's= Poems, Mr. =Johnson= said:"That, Sir, does not do your Understanding particular Credit; for whatall the Town is sensible of, is no great Discovery for a =Grub-Street=Critick to make. You might as well say, you have a strong Suspicion that=Milton= wrote 'Paradise Lost!'"
I thereafter saw =Johnson= very frequently, most often at Meetings ofTHE LITERARY CLUB, which was founded the next Year by the Doctor,together with Mr. =Burke=, the parliamentary Orator, Mr. =Beauclerk=, aGentleman of Fashion, Mr. =Langton=, a pious Man and Captain of Militia,Sir =J. Reynolds=, the widely known Painter, Dr. =Goldsmith=, the Proseand poetick Writer, Dr. =Nugent=, father-in-law to Mr. =Burke=, Sir=John Hawkins=, Mr. =Anthony Chamier=, and my self. We assembledgenerally at seven o'clock of an Evening, once a Week, at the=Turk's-Head=, in =Gerrard-Street=, =Soho=, till that Tavern was soldand made into a private Dwelling; after which Event we mov'd ourGatherings successively to =Prince's= in =Sackville-Street=, =LeTellier's= in =Dover-Street=, and =Parsloe's= and the =Thatched House=in =St. James's-Street=. In these Meetings we preserv'd a remarkableDegree of Amity and Tranquillity, which contrasts very favourably withsome of the Dissensions and Disruptions I observe in the literary andamateur Press Associations of today. This Tranquillity was the moreremarkable, because we had amongst us Gentlemen of very opposedOpinions. Dr. =Johnson= and I, as well as many others, were high Tories;whilst Mr. =Burke= was a Whig, and against the =American= War, many ofhis Speeches on that Subject having been widely publish'd. The leastcongenial Member was one of the Founders, Sir =John Hawkins=, who hathsince written many misrepresentations of our Society. Sir =John=, aneccentrick Fellow, once declin'd to pay his part of the Reckoning forSupper, because 'twas his Custom at Home to eat no Supper. Later heinsulted Mr. =Burke= in so intolerable a Manner, that we all took Painsto shew our Disapproval; after which Incident he came no more to ourMeetings. However, he never openly fell out with the Doctor, and was theExecutor of his Will; tho' Mr. =Boswell= and others have Reason toquestion the genuineness of his Attachment. Other and later Members ofthe CLUB were Mr. =David Garrick=, the Actor and early Friend of Dr.=Johnson=, Messieurs =Tho.= and =Jos. Warton=, Dr. =Adam Smith=, Dr.=Percy=, Author of the "Reliques," Mr. =Edw. Gibbon=, the Historian, Dr.=Burney=, the Musician, Mr. =Malone=, the Critick, and Mr. =Boswell=.Mr. =Garrick= obtain'd Admittance only with Difficulty; for the Doctor,notwithstanding his great Friendship, was for ever affecting to decrythe Stage and all Things connected with it. =Johnson=, indeed, had amost singular Habit of speaking for =Davy= when others were against him,and of arguing against him, when others were for him. I have no Doubtbut that he sincerely lov'd Mr. =Garrick=, for he never alluded to himas he did to =Foote=, who was a very coarse Fellow despite his comickGenius. Mr. =Gibbon= was none too well lik'd, for he had an odioussneering Way which offended even those of us who most admir'd hishistorical Productions. Mr. =Goldsmith=, a little Man very vain of hisDress and very deficient in Brilliancy of Conversation, was myparticular Favourite; since I was equally unable to shine in theDiscourse. He was vastly jealous of Dr. =Johnson=, tho' none the lessliking and respecting him. I remember that once a Foreigner, a =German=,I think, was in our Company; and that whilst =Goldsmith= was speaking,he observ'd the Doctor preparing to utter something. Unconsciouslylooking upon =Goldsmith= as a meer Encumbrance when compar'd to thegreater Man, the Foreigner bluntly interrupted him and incurr'd hislasting Hostility by crying, "Hush, Toctor =Shonson= iss going tospeak!"
In this luminous Company I was tolerated more because of my Years thanfor my Wit or Learning; being no Match at all for the rest. MyFriendship for the celebrated Monsieur =Voltaire= was ever a Cause ofAnnoyance to the Doctor; who was deeply orthodox, and who us'd to say ofthe =French= Philosopher: "Vir est acerrimi Ingenii et paucarumLiterarum."
Dr. =Johnson= was second to no Man in the Pains he took to revise thebad Verses of others; indeed, 'tis said that in the book of poor blindold Mrs. =Williams=, there are scarce two lines which are not theDoctor's. At one Time =Johnson= recited to me some lines by a Servant tothe Duke of =Leeds=, which had so amus'd him, that he had got them byHeart. They are on the Duke's Wedding, and so much resemble in Qualitythe Work of other and more recent poetick Dunces, that I cannot forbearcopying them:
"When the Duke of =Leeds= shall marry'd be To a fine young Lady of high Quality How happy will that Gentlewoman be In his Grace of =Leeds'= good Company."
I ask'd the Doctor, if he had ever try'd making Sense of this Piece; andupon his saying he had not, I amus'd myself with the following Amendmentof it:
When Gallant LEEDS auspiciously shall wed The virtuous Fair, of antient Lineage bred, How must the Maid rejoice with conscious Pride To win so great an Husband to her Side!
On shewing this to Dr. =Johnson=, he said, "Sir, you have straightenedout the Feet, but you have put neither Wit nor Poetry into the Lines."
It wou'd afford me Gratification to tell more of my Experiences with Dr.=Johnson= and his circle of Wits; but I am an old Man, and easilyfatigued. I seem to ramble along without much Logick or Continuity whenI endeavour to recall the Past; and fear I light upon but few Incidentswhich others have not before discuss'd. Shou'd my present Recollectionsmeet with Favour, I might later set down some further Anecdotes of oldTimes of which I am the only Survivor. I recall many Things of =SamJohnson= and his Club, having kept up my Membership in the Latter longafter the Doctor's Death, at which I sincerely mourn'd. I remember how=John Burgoyne=, Esq., the General, whose Dramatick and Poetical Workswere printed after his Death, was blackballed by three Votes; probablybecause of his unfortunate Defeat in the =American= War, at =Saratoga=.Poor =John=! His Son fared better, I think, and was made a Baronet. ButI am very tired. I am old, very old; it is Time for my Afternoon Nap.
DEPARTMENT _of_ PUBLIC CRITICISM
=The Dabbler=, for September, in the entire unexpectedness and splendorof its appearance, must be counted as one of the most effective ofrecent rebukes to the pessimists. There have been several such rebukes,and those who had already prepared themselves for another barren year inamateur journalism are beginning to realize that even history cannot berelied upon to repeat itself indefinitely. =The Dabbler= is issued byH. L. Lindquist of Chicago, and contains 16 pages, exclusive of thecovers. The initial letters and a few incidental adornments are printedin green, and the title-page, with its harmonious arrangement of typeand decoration, is a delight to the eye. The typography, throughout, isalmost flawless, and the contents, in general, are worthy of the carewith which they have been presented to the reader. Paul J. Campbell, inhis article, "What Does Amateur Journalism Mean to You?" once againdefines the peculiar benefits and pleasures to be derived from ourhobby, and warns away all those who come to it because of an idlecuriosity, or a vain desire for self-glorification, or any motive otherthan a true impulse toward mental development and literary culture. "ACritical Review," by Frank C. Reighter, is devoted to the July=Brooklynite=, and subjects that publication to a well-nigh exhaustiveanalysis and criticism. The article is both interesting and instructiveand reveals Mr. Reighter as an acute and capable critic. The verses withwhich he concludes his remarks are particularly clever and melodious,and furnish an excellent example of light verse when it is written byone possessing a natural aptitude for that form of expression. Jennie M.Kendall, in her fragment, "The One Thing Needful," makes a modernbusiness woman give her opinion of idle wives, which she does inforceful, although not always accurate, English. "U. A. P. A. ConventionEchoes," by Litta Voelchert; "The Old-Timer's Comeback," by L. J. Cohen;and "The Only Hope of A. J.," by W. E. Mellinger, consist ofreminiscence, assurance and advice, from three well-known amateurjournalists. The articles were obviously written somewhat hastily butare, nevertheless, very interesting and suggestive. H. L. Lindquist, in"At It Again," tells how he severed his connection with amateurjournalism six years ago--being occupied with several professionalventures--only to find that the old passion would not die and finallycompelled him to return to his early love. Those who have seen theresult of Mr. Lindquist's acquiescence in his Fate will gain some ideaof what his activity must have meant in other days.
* * * * *
=The Dabbler=, for October, follows hard upon its predecessor and, inall essentials, is of equal merit. "Hiking in the Rocky MountainNational Park," by Louis H. Kerber, Jr., is a well-written account of atour through some of America's most wonderful scenery, and reflectsgreat credit on Mr. Kerber's powers of observation. "Day-Dreams," byFrank C. Reighter, is a didactic poem and so labors under an initialhandicap in attempting to hold the attention of the reader. Thetechnique of the poet, however, is deserving of praise, and if a faultmust be pointed out, it is in the forced pronunciation of the word"idea" in the last line, which seems too cheap a device to appear inpoetry, even when, as in the present case, it is used intentionally."Dominion Day in Winnipeg," by W. B. Stoddard, is an account of apatriotic celebration in Canada and was evidently witnessed by thewriter on his recent--and somewhat protracted--travels. "Ecstasy," apoem, by Eleanor J. Barnhart, begins rather promisingly but we do notproceed very far before detecting various crudities of craftsmanship.Lines like the following:
"The changing fire splendor of sky opals, rare,"
and
"Like sea gulls swift soaring in tireless sky flight,"
and, once again,
"Till star gleams bright glittering high in mid-sky,"
contain the germ of true poetry, but when we read them we are aware notonly of a harsh and difficult combination of consonants but also of anentire absence of metrical swing and grace. In fact, we get animpression from the above lines that an excessive number of importantwords have been crowded hap-hazard upon a metrical pattern which was notintended to hold so many, and it is not surprising that the fabricshould show signs of being subjected to a severe strain. But care andpractise may yet awaken that poet's instinct within Miss Barnhart whichwill enable her to detect and reject, instantly, all such blemishes inwhat should be the rounded beauty of her song.
Thomas Curtis Clark is indeed a poet of "Ring and Swing," as aneditorial note to his poems declares him to be. "The Dawn of Liberty"and "America's Men" must be read in their entirety to be appreciated,but a quotation from the latter poem may not be amiss.
We are America's men, Brave, dauntless and true; We are America's men, Ready to dare and do; Ready to wield the sword with might, Ready the tyrant's brow to smite-- And ready to sheath the sword--for Right! We are America's Men.
The unsigned story entitled, "The Man Out of Work," is very brief, butapparently not the effort of a tyro. It would probably hold theattention even if it were much longer and we are almost inclined toregret its extreme abruptness. Nevertheless, it is complete as it standsand an artistic whole. "Still At It," by Mr. Lindquist, gives usinteresting information regarding the editor and also some so
und adviceas to finding congenial employment. Mr. Lindquist seems to be aphilosopher whose practise will bear comparison with his theory.
* * * * *
=The Olympian= for October, awakens much of the old-time thrill withwhich amateurs were wont to receive the once frequent issues of thatjustly known and esteemed publication. The present number is not soambitious in some respects as many of its predecessors, but it must besaid that within a somewhat smaller scope it accomplishes quite as muchas a more pretentious issue could hope to do. Nor is the latest=Olympian= at all in need of any apologies for shortcomings in the wayof size, appearance, or general literary quality. Indeed, publicationsthat consist of 12 pages and cover are always certain of a heartywelcome, while the present production of Mr. and Mrs. Cole hasqualifications in addition to those just mentioned that recommend itwarmly to all readers. The poem, "Motherhood," by Ethelwyn Dithridge isa truly noble and inspired effort. Amateur journalism is fortunate tonumber a poet of Miss Dithridge's attainments in its ranks. In"Retrospect and Prospect," Edward H. Cole sums up the three years ofamateur history which have just passed and comes to the conclusion that"the best hope for amateur journalism in these days of stress andstrain ... is in the peaceful co-operation of the surviving associationsin a campaign of expansion of a practicable nature." "Here and Now," byHelene Hoffman Cole, consists of suggestions for the practicalco-operation proposed by Mr. Cole, and should be a stimulus to increasedactivity in some positive form among present-day amateurs. "TheReviewers' Club" is quite as authoritative and sound in its criticismsas in the past and must always be considered one of the most delightfuland instructive features of =The Olympian=.
* * * * *
The National Amateur Press Association could hardly inaugurate a year ofpromised activity more auspiciously than it has by the sterling issue ofits president's =Sprite=. It is just about everything that one could askfor in amateur journalism. The modest grey of the cover, the excellenceof the paper stock, the flawlessness of the typography, the exquisitetaste with which the component parts are blended--all these strike theeye at the first glance. When one comes to read the contents, he findseach contribution well worth the setting. For a leading article we havesomething that is well nigh unique in literature, either amateur orprofessional, an attempted reconstruction of a scene supposedly excisedfrom "King Lear." This is so unusual, in fact, that it might well becalled a "stunt," but certainly it is a successful stunt. In the notoverly long scene presented, which pictures the ruthless hanging ofCordelia and the Fool before the eyes of the aged Lear, we can discernno quality that is not strictly Shakespearian. The language has beenpurged of every trace of modernism and flows with that semi-solemn,archaic, Elizabethan cadence that almost makes it hard to believe thatit was written in this century. But all this might be done withoutachieving the supreme Shakespearian touch. The triumph of the scene isthat the character delineation is carried on with such a mastery of itsintricacies that this scene might be interpolated in a new edition ofthe play and fool the higher critics of the future. The author, SamuelLoveman, is an amateur of former days who celebrates his return to thehobby with this feat so characteristic of his peculiar genius. TheUnited has its Lovecraft, a belated Georgian who says he is nowhere somuch at home today as he would be in the coffee-houses of Pope orJohnson. The National once more after a lapse of years has its Loveman,a belated Elizabethan who could have walked into the Mermaid Tavern andproved a congenial soul to Kit Marlowe and friend Will. The Unitedwelcomes him back.
Harry Martin, the editor, follows with an essay on the elements of theclassic Greek tragedy to be found in "King Lear," which in depth, tone,and general literary quality are strongly reminiscent of the best workthat appears in the =Atlantic Monthly=. As an essay it is perfect inform, its thesis is stated clearly and developed with forceful logic,and the wealth of material brought to bear upon the subject displays aknowledge of Shakespeare and the classic drama worthy of Truman Spencer,of beloved amateur memory.
The editorial section is only to be criticized in that Mr. Martin hascut us off with so few of his readable "Views Martinique," but we shalllive in hopes of another excellent =Sprite= with a longer editorialdepartment. George Cribbs' "History" is just a little poem used for afiller, but this must not be taken in derogation, for it is fillerchosen with the good taste that characterizes the choice of all theother contributions. In spite of its simplicity and its brevity, itplays with the deft touch of mastery on that chord of pathos that alwaysvibrates to the thought of Time's ceaseless and inevitable surge. Fromevery point of view the whole journal is a symphony of excellence.
* * * * *
=The Yerma=, for October, is edited by John H. D. Smith of Orondo,Washington, and, aside from the fact that it is an attractive andwell-printed publication, may be considered as being rather in thenature of a promise of future achievement. The dedicatory verses "To theYerma," by Alice M. Hamlet are fairly good so far as rhyme and metre areconcerned. They run smoothly and are really graceful in sentiment. Theycontain one or two grammatical inversions, however, such as
"I would a little jingle write,"
and
"I'd love to be a poet great,"
which have no more right to appear in verse than in prose. Then, too,they betray an occasional inelegance of expression like the following:
"I find that I am stuck."
But Miss Hamlet should by all means persist in her versifying, sincethere can be no doubt that she owns an instinctive grasp of the basiclaws of rhyme and rhythm. If she will read and study the lighter effortsto be found in any standard anthology of poetry and then, with suchmodels ever before her, strive sincerely to overcome her present defectsby unremitting practise, Miss Hamlet may yet become a truly clever andaccomplished versifier. "The Reform Spirit--Its Mission," by P. A.Spain, M. D., is an exceedingly able and thought provoking essay. It isto be hoped that in future issues Mr. Smith will give us an inkling ofhis own ideas on various subjects. The chief defect in =The Yerma= isthe entire absence of editorial comment.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Fellow-Amateurs:--
The fourth month of the United's official year opens with theorganization still nearer completion; Mrs. Helene Hoffman Cole, formerPresident and thoroughly active and capable amateur, having acceptedappointment as Supervisor of Amendments. The Fourth Vice-Presidency hasbeen accepted by Alfred Galpin, Jr., 779 Kimball St., Appleton,Wisconsin.
The Official Editor is to be commended for the excellence of theSeptember =United Amateur=, as is also the printer, Mr. W. Paul Cook.The Association will be gratified to hear that Mr. Cook has accepted theposition of Official Publisher for the year; but the members mustremember that only by their liberality in replenishing the OfficialOrgan Fund, can regular issuance be ensured.
The 1916-1917 Year-Book of the Association, having been completed by theCommittee, is now undergoing critical inspection and condensation by theexpert judgment of Messrs. Paul J. Campbell and Edward F. Daas. Hereagain we appeal to the generosity of the members, especially the veteranmembers, to make possible the publication in full of this epitome ofamateur history. Unless the Year-Book Fund is materially swelled, thevolume cannot possibly be printed in its unabridged form of sixty-threeclosely typed manuscript pages.
The amateur press is now showing signs of a gradual recovery from thelate period of minimum activity. Mr. Martin's remarkable production,=The Sprite=, Mr. Lindquist's two numbers of =The Dabbler=, Mr. and Mrs.Cole's welcome =Olympian=, Mr. Cook's wonderfully ample =Vagrant=, andMr. John H. D. Smith's small but enterprising =Yerma=, all attest thereality of this awakening. Within the next few months many more papersare to be expected; including an excellent one from Miss Lehr, ascholarly =Piper= from Mr. Kleiner, a brilliant first venture, =TheArcadian=, from Mrs. Jordan, and both a =Vagrant= and a =Monadnock= fromMr. Cook. Mr. Cook makes a truly philanthropic offer to
print smallpapers at reasonable rates, and it is to be hoped that a large number ofmembers will avail themselves of it, communicating with Mr. Cookregarding particulars. His address is 451 Main St., Athol, Mass.
Recruiting proceeds steadily if not with meteoric rapidity, someexcellent material having been obtained since the beginning of theyear's campaign. The most serious defect in our system is the lack of ageneral welcome shown the new members, particularly as regards thedistribution of papers. One of our most important recruits of last July,now a responsible officer, declares he has seen but a fraction of thepapers issued since his entrance; a fact indicating a censurable buteasily remediable condition. Let us impress it upon ourselves, that ifwe would do our full share toward maintaining the Association and itsliterary life, we must see that all our respective publications reach=every= member new or old. A considerable part of our yearly losses inmembership are undoubtedly due to the indifferent reception which somany gifted newcomers receive.
The general signs of the times are bright and encouraging. A renascentamateur press, a closer co-operation between members, an influx ofinterested recruits, and an improved state of relations with ourcontemporaries, are but a few of the good omens which promise to makethe coming year a pleasing and profitable one.
H. P. LOVECRAFT, President. October 28, 1917.