Itisdoubtfulwhetherthesurvivorofanyorderofthingsfindscompensationintheprivilege,howeverundisputedbyhiscontemporaries,ofrecordinghismemoriesofit。Thisis,inthefirsttwoorthreeinstances,apleasure。Itissweettositdown,intheshadeorbythefire,andrecallnames,looks,andtonesfromthepast;andiftheAbsencesthusentreatedtobecomePresencesarethoseoffamouspeople,theylendtothefondhistorianalittleoftheirlustre,inwhichhebasksforthetimewithanagreeablesenseofcelebrity。Butanothertimecomes,andcomesverysoon,whenthepensivepleasurechangestothepainofduty,andthepreciousprivilegeconvertsitselfintoagrievousobligation。Youareunabletochooseyourcompanyamongthoseimmortalshades;ifone,whynotanother,whereallseemtohavearighttosuchgleamsofthis’dolcelome’asyourreminiscencescansheduponthem?
Thentheygathersorapidly,astheyearspass,inthesepalerealms,thatone,ifonecontinuestosurvive,isindangerofwearingoutsuchwelcome,greatorsmall,asmetonesrecollectionsinthefirsttwoorthreeinstances,ifonedoesone’sdutybyeach。Peoplebegintosay,andnotwithoutreason,inaworldsohurriedandweariedasthis:\"Ah,hereheisagainwithhisrecollections!\"Well,butiftherecollectionsbysomemagicalgood—fortunechancetoconcernsuchacontemporaryofhisas,say,BretHarte,shallnothebepartiallyjustified,oratleastexcused?
I。
MyrecollectionsofBretHartebeginwiththearrest,ontheAtlanticshore,ofthatprogressofhisfromthePacificSlope,which,inthesimpledaysof1871,wasliketheprogressofaprince,intheuniversalattentionandinterestwhichmetandfollowedit。Hewasindeedaprince,afairyprinceinwhomeveryloverofhisnovelandenchantingartfeltapatrioticproperty,forhispromiseandperformanceinthoseearliesttalesof’TheLuckofRoaringCamp’,and’Tennessee’sPartner’,and’Maggles’,and’TheOutcastsofPokerFlat’,weretheearnestsofanAmericanliteraturetocome。Ifitisstilltocome,ingreatmeasure,thatisnotHarte’sfault,forhekeptonwritingthosestories,inoneformoranother,aslongashelived。HewrotethemfirstandlastinthespiritofDickens,whichnomanofhistimecouldquitehelpdoing,buthewrotethemfromthelifeofBretHarte,onthesoilandintheairofthenewestkindofnewworld,andtheirfreshnesstookthesoulofhisfellow—countrymennotonlywithjoy,butwithpridesuchastheEuropeans,whoadoredhimmuchlonger,couldneverknowinhim。
WhentheadventurousyoungeditorwhohadproposedbeinghishostforCambridgeandtheBostonneighborhood,whileHartewasstillinSanFrancisco,andhadnotyetbegunhisprincelyprogresseastward,readofthehonorsthatattendedhiscomingfrompointtopoint,hiscouragefell,asifhehadperhaps,committedhimselfintoogreatanenterprise。
Whowashe,indeed,thatheshouldthinkofmakingthis\"Dearsonofmemory,greatheiroffame,\"
hisguest,especiallywhenheheardthatinChicagoHartefailedofattendingabanquetofhonorbecausethegiversofithadnotsentacarriagetofetchhimtoit,astheallegedusewasinSanFrancisco?
Whethertrueornot,anditwasprobablynottrueinjustthatform,itmusthavebeenthisrumorwhichdeterminedhishosttodriveintoBostonforhimwiththehandsomesthackwhichtheliveryofCambridgeafforded,andnottrusttothehorse—carandthelocalexpressmantogethimandhisbaggageout,ashewouldhavedonewithalessportentousguest。Howeveritwas,heinstantlylostallfearwhentheymetatthestation,andHartepressedforwardwithhiscordialhand—clasp,asifhewerenotevenafairyprince,andwiththatvoiceandlaughwhichweresurelythemostwinningintheworld。Hewasthen,asalways,achildofextremefashionastohisclothesandthecutofhisbeard,whichheworeinamustacheandthedroopingside—whiskersoftheday,andhisjovialphysiognomywasaswinningashisvoice,withitsstraightnoseandfascinatingthrustoftheunderlip,itsfineeyes,andgoodforehead,thenthicklycrownedwiththeblackhairwhichgrewearlywhite,whilehismustacheremaineddarkthemostenviableandconsolingeffectpossibleintheuniversalmortalnecessityofeitheragingordying。
Hewas,asonecouldnothelpseeing,thicklypitted,butafterthefirstglanceoneforgotthis,sothataladywhomethimforthefirsttimecouldsaytohim,\"Mr。Harte,aren’tyouafraidtogoaboutinthecarssorecklesslywhenthereisthisscareaboutsmallpox?\"\"No,madam,\"hecouldanswerinthatrichnoteofhis,withanironytouchedbypseudo—
pathos,\"Ibearacharmedlife。\"
ThedriveoutfromBostonwasnottoolongforgettingontermsofpersonalfriendshipwiththefamilywhichjustfilledthehack,thetwoboysintenselyinterestedinthenoveltiesofaNewEnglandcityandsuburb,andthefatherandmothercontinuallyexchangingadmirationofsuchaspectsofnatureaspresentedthemselvesintheleaflesssidewalktrees,andpatchesofparkandlawn。Theyfoundeverythingsofine,sorefined,afterthegiganticcoarsenessofCalifornia,wherethenaturalformsweresovastthatonecouldnotgetoncompanionabletermswiththem。TheirhostheardthemwithoutmisgivingfortheworldofromancewhichHartehadbuiltupamongthosehugeforms,andwithasubtleperceptionthatthiswasnoexcursionoftheirstotheEast,butalifelongexodusfromtheexilewhichhepresentlyunderstoodtheymustalwayshavefeltCaliforniatobe。Itisdifferentnow,whenpeopleareeverydaybeingborninCalifornia,andmustbegintofeelithomefromthefirstbreath,butitisnotablethatnoneoftheCaliforniansofthatgreatearlydayhavegonebacktoliveamidthesceneswhichinspiredandprosperedthem。
Beforetheycameinsightoftheeditor’shumbleroofhehadmockedhimselftohisguestforhistrepidations,andHartewithburlesquemagnanimityhadconsentedtobeforthatoccasiononlysomethinglessformidablethanhehadloomedafar。Heacceptedwithjoythetheoryofpassingaweekinthehomeofvirtuouspoverty,andtheweekbeganasdelightfullyasitwenton。FromfirsttolastCambridgeamusedhimasmuchasitcharmedhimbythatairofacademicdistinctionwhichwasstrangertohimeventhantherefinedtreesandgrass。Ithasalreadybeentoldhow,afteralistofthelocalcelebritieshadbeenrecitedtohim,hesaid,\"why,youcouldn’tstandonyourfrontporchandfireoffyourrevolverwithoutbringingdownatwovolumer,\"andnodoubtthepleasurehehadinitwastheeffectofitscontrastwiththewildCaliforniahehadknown,andperhaps,whenhehadnotaltogetherknownit,hadinvented。
II。
Cambridgebeganverypromptlytoshowhimthosehospitalitieswhichhecouldvalue,andcontinuedthefableofhisfairyprincelinessinthecuriosityofthosehumbleradmirerswhocouldnothopetobehishostsorhisfellow—guestsatdinnerorluncheon。Prettypresencesinthetie—
backsoftheperiodwereseentoflitbeforethehomeofvirtuouspoverty,hungeringforanychancesightofhimwhichhisoutgoingsorincomingsmightgive。Thechanceswerebetterwiththeoutgoingsthanwiththeincomings,forthesewereapttobesohurried,inthefinalresultofhisconstitutionaldelays,astohavetherapidityofthehomingpigeon’sflight,andtoaffordhardlyaglimpsetothequickesteye。Itcannotharmhim,oranyonenow,toownthatHartewasnearlyalwayslateforthoseluncheonsanddinnerswhichhewasalwaysgoingoutto,anditneededtheanxietiesandenergiesofbothfamiliestogethimintohisclothes,andthenintothecarriagewhereagooddealoffinalbuttoningmusthavebeendone,inorderthathemightnotarrivesoverylate。Hewastheonlyoneconcernedwhowasquiteunconcerned;hispatiencewithhisdelayswasinexhaustible;hearrivedattheexpectedhousessmiling,serenelyjovial,radiatingablandgaietyfromhiswholeperson,andreadytoignoreanydiscomforthemighthaveoccasioned。
Ofcourse,peopleweregladtohavehimonhisownterms,anditmaybetrulysaidthatitwasworthwhiletohavehimonanyterms。Thereneverwasamorecharmingcompanion,aneasierormoredelightfulguest。
Itwasnotfromwhathesaid,forhewasnotmuchofatalker,andalmostnothingofastory—teller;buthecouldnowandthendropthefittestword,andwithaglanceorsmileoffriendlyintelligenceexpresstheappreciationofanother’sfitwordwhichgoesfartoestablishforamanthecharacterofboonhumorist。Itmustbesaidofhimthatifhetookthehonorseasilythatwerepaidhimhetookthemmodestly,andneverbywordorlookinvitedthem,orimpliedthatheexpectedthem。ItwasfinetoseehimhumorouslyacceptingthehumorousattributionofscientificsympathiesfromAgassiz,incomplimentofhisfamousepicdescribingtheincidentsthat\"brokeupthesocietyupontheStanislow。\"ItwasalittlefearsometohearhimfranklyowningtoLowellhisdislikeforsomethingover—literaryinthephrasingofcertainversesof’TheCathedral。’ButLowellcouldstandthatsortofthingfromamanwhocouldsaythesortofthingsthatHartesaidtohimofthatdeliciouslinepicturingthebobolinkashe\"Runsdownabrookoflaughterintheair。\"
This,Hartetoldhim,wasthelinehelikedbestofallhislines,andLowellsmokedwellcontentwiththepraise。Yettheywerenotmentogetoneasilytogether,LowellhavinglimitationsindirectionswhereHartehadnone。AfterwardinLondontheydidnotmeetoftenorwillingly。
LowellownedthebrilliancyanduncommonnessofHarte’sgift,whilehesumptuouslysurfeitedhispassionoffindingeverybodymoreorlessaJewbyfindingthatHartewasatleasthalfaJewonhisfather’sside;hehadlongcontendedfortheHebraicismofhisname。
WithallhisappreciationoftheliteraryeminenceswhomFieldsusedtoclasstogetheras\"theoldsaints,\"Hartehadaspiceofirreverencethatenabledhimtotakethemmoreironicallythantheymighthaveliked,andtoseethefunofaminorliteraryman’srelationtothem。Emerson’ssmokingamusedhim,asaJovianself—indulgencedivinelyoutofcharacterwithsosupremeagod,andheshamelesslyburlesquedit,tellinghowEmersonatConcordhadproposedhavinga\"wetnight\"withhimoveraglassofsherry,andhadurgedthescantwineuponhisyoungfriendwithahospitablegestureofhiscigar。ButthiswaslongaftertheCambridgeepisode,inwhichLongfellowaloneescapedthecorrosivetouchofhissubtleirreverence,or,morestrictlyspeaking,hadonlytheeffectofhisreverence。Thatgentleandexquisitelymodestdignity,ofLongfellow’shehonoredwithasmuchvenerationasitwasinhimtobestow,andhehadthatsenseofLongfellow’sbeautifulandperfectedartwhichisalmostatestofacritic’sownfineness。
III。
AsforHarte’stalk,itwasmostlyironical,nottotheextremeofsatire,buttemperedtoanagreeablecoolnessevenforthethingsheadmired。Hedidnotapparentlycaretohearhimselfpraised,buthecouldveryaccuratelyandperfectlymarkhisdiscernmentofexcellenceinothers。Hewasattimesakeenobserverofnatureandagainnot,apparently。SomethingwassaidbeforehimandLowellofthebeautyofhisdescriptionofarabbit,startledwithfearamongtheferns,andliftingitsheadwiththepulsationofitsfrightenedheartvisiblyshakingit;thenthetalkturnedonthegraphichomelinessofDante’snoticinghowthedog’sskinmovesuponit,andHartespokeoftheexquisiteshudderwithwhichahorsetriestoriditselfofafly。
Butonceagain,whenanazaleawasshowntohimasthesortofbushthatSandydrunkenlysleptunderin’TheIdylofIcedGulch’,heasked,\"Why,isthatanazalea?\"Tobesure,thismighthavebeenlessfromhisignoranceorindifferenceconcerningthequalityofthebushhehadsentSandytosleepunderthanfromhiswillingnesstomakeamockofanazaleainaverysmallpot,sodisproportionatetouseswhichanazaleaofCaliforniansizecouldeasilylenditselfto。
YounevercouldbesureofHarte;hecouldonlybychancebecaughtinearnestaboutanythingoranybody。Exceptforthoseslightrecognitionsofliterary,traitsinhistalkwithLowell,nothingremainedfromhisconversationbutthegeneralcriticismhepasseduponhisbrilliantfellow—HebrewHeine,as\"ratherscorbutic。\"Hepreferredtotalkaboutthelittlemattersofcommonincidentandexperience。HeamusedhimselfwithsuchthingsasthemystificationofthepostmanofwhomheaskedhiswaytoPhillipsAvenue,whereheadventurouslysupposedhishosttobeliving。\"Why,\"thepostmansaid,\"thereisnoPhillipsAvenueinCambridge。There’sPhillipsPlace。\"\"Well,\"Harteassented,\"PhillipsPlacewilldo;butthereisaPhillipsAvenue。\"Heenteredeagerlyintothecanvassofthedistinctionsandcelebritiesaskedtomeethimatthereceptionmadeforhim,buthehadevenagreaterpleasureincompassionatinghishostforthevastdisparitybetweenthecaterer’schinaandplatedwareandthesimplicitiesandhumilitiesofthehomeofvirtuouspoverty;andhesplutteredwithdelightatthesightofthelofty’epergnes’setupanddownthesupper—tablewhenhewasbroughtintonotethepreparationsmadeinhishonor。Thosemonumentalstructureswereaninexhaustiblejoytohim;hewalkedroundandroundtheroom,andviewedthemindifferentperspectives,soastogetthefulleffectofthetoweringformsthatdwarfeditso。
Hewasatease,asmanyasweetandfinewitisapttobe,buthisteasingwasofthequalityofacaress,somuchkindnesswentwithit。