Helamentedasanirreparablelosshishavingmissedseeingthatnightanabsent—mindedbrotherinliterature，whocameinrubbershoes，andforgetfullyworethemthroughouttheevening。ThathospitablesoulofRalphKeeler，whohadknownhiminCalifornia，buthadtrembledfortheiracquaintancewhenhereadofallthehonorsthatmightwellhavespoiledHarteforthefriendsofhissimplerdays，rejoicedintheunchangedcordialityofhisnaturewhentheymet，andpresentlygavehimoneofthoserestaurantlunchesinBoston，whichhewasalwayssumptuouslyprovidingoutofhisdestitution。Hartewasthelifeofatimewhichwasperhapslessafeastofreasonthanaflowofsoul。Thetruthis，therewasnothingbutcarelessstoriescarelesslytold，andjokesandlaughing，andagreatdealofmerelaughingwithoutthejokes，thewholeasunliketheidealofaliterarysymposiumaswellmightbe;buttherewaspresentonewhometwiththatpleasantBostoncompanyforthefirsttime，andtowhomHarteattributedasuperstitionofBostonseriousnessnotrealizedthenandthere。\"Lookathim，\"hesaid，fromtimetotime。\"Thisisthedreamofhislife，\"andthenshoutedandchokedwithfunatthedifferencebetweentheoccasionandtheexpectationhewouldhaveimaginedinhiscommensal’smind。AtadinnerlongafterinLondon，whereseveralofthecommensalsofthattimemetagain，withotherliteraryfriendsofalikeageandstature，Hartelaidhisarmswellalongtheirshouldersastheyformedinahalf—circlebeforehim，andscreamedoutinmockingmirthatthebulbousfavortowhichtheslimshapesoftheearlierdatehadcome。Thesightwasnotlessarapturetohimthathewashimselfthepreyofthesamepracticaljokefromthepassingyears。Thehairwhichtheyearshadwhollysweptfromsomeofthosethoughtfulbrows，orleftspindlingautumnalspears，\"orfewornone，\"to\"shakeagainstthecold，\"hadwhitenedtoawintrysnowonhis，whilehismustachehadkeptitsyouthfulblack。\"Helooks，\"oneofhisfriendssaidtoanotherastheywalkedhometogether，\"likeaFrenchmarquisoftheancienregime。\"\"Yes，\"theotherassented，thoughtfully，\"orlikeanAmericanactormadeupforthepart。\"
Thesayingcloselyfittedtheoutwardfact，butwasofasubtleinjusticeinitsimplicationofanythinghistrionicinHarte’snature。Neverwasanymanlessa’poseur’;hemadesimplyandhelplesslyknownwhathewasatanyandeverymoment，andhewouldjointhewitnessverycheerfullyinenjoyingwhateverwasamusinginthedisadvantagetohimself。Inthecourseofevents，whichwereinhiscasesoveryhuman，itcameaboutonasubsequentvisitofhistoBostonthatanimpatientcreditordecidedtorighthimselfoutoftheproceedsofthelecturewhichwastobegiven，andhadthelawcorporeallypresentatthehouseofthefriendwhereHartedined，andintheanteroomatthelecture—hall，andontheplatform，wherethelecturewasdeliveredwithbeautifulaplombanduntroubledcharm。Hewasindeedtheonlyoneprivytothelaw’spresencewhowasnottheleastaffectedbyit，sothatwhenhishostofanearliertimeventuredtosuggest，\"Well，Harte，thisistheoldliterarytradition;thisistheFleetbusinessoveragain，\"hejoyouslysmotehisthighandcrowedout，\"Yes，theFleet！\"Nodoubthetastedallthedelicatehumorofthesituation，andhispleasureinitwasquiteunaffected。
IfhistemperamentwasnotadaptedtotheharshconditionsoftheelderAmericanworld，itmightverywellbethathistemperamentwasnotaltogetherinthewrong。Ifitdisabledhimforcertainexperiencesoflife，itwasthesourceofwhatwasmostdelightfulinhispersonality，andperhapsmostbeautifulinhistalent。Itenabledhimtodosuchthingsashedidwithoutbeingatallanguishedforthethingshedidnotdo，andindeedcouldnot。Histalentwasnotafacilegift;heownedthatheoftenwentdayafterdaytohisdesk，andsatdownbeforethatyellowpost—officepaperonwhichhelikedtowritehisliterature，inthatexquisitelyrefinedscriptofhis，withoutbeingabletoinscribealine。ItmaybeownedforhimthatthoughhecametotheEastatthirty—
four，whichoughttohavebeentheveryprimeofhispowers，heseemedtohavearrivedaftertheageofobservationwaspastforhim。Hesawnothingaright，eitherinNewport，wherehewenttolive，orinNewYork，wherehesojourned，oronthoselecturingtourswhichtookhimaboutthewholecountry;orifhesawitaright，hecouldnotreportitaright，orwouldnot。Afterrepeatedandalmostinvariablefailurestodealwiththenovelcharactersandcircumstanceswhichheencounteredheleftofftrying，andfranklywentbacktothesemi—mythicalCaliforniahehadhalfdiscovered，halfcreated，andwroteBretHarteoverandoveraslongashelived。This，whetherhediditfrominstinctorfromreason，wasthebestthinghecoulddo，anditwentasnearlyasmightbetosatisfytheinsatiableEnglishfancyforthewildAmericanolongertobefoundonourmap。
ItisimaginableofHartethatthistemperamentdefendedhimfromanybitternessinthedisappointmenthemayhavesharedwiththatsimpleAmericanpublicwhichintheearlyeighteen—seventiesexpectedanyandeverythingofhiminfictionanddrama。Thelongbreathwasnothis;hecouldnotwriteanovel，thoughheproducedthelikeofoneortwo，andhisplaysweretoobadforthestage，orelsetoogoodforit。Atanyrate，theycouldnotkeepit，evenwhentheygotit，andtheydenotedthefatigueortheindifferenceoftheirauthorinbeingdramatizationsofhislongerorshorterfictions，andnotoriginallydramaticefforts。
Thedirectioninwhichhisoriginalitylastedlongest，andmoststrikinglyaffirmedhispower，wasinthedirectionofhisverse。
WhatevermindstheremaybeaboutHarte’sfictionfinally，therecanhardlybemorethanonemindabouthispoetry。Hewasindeedapoet;
whetherhewrotewhatdrollycalleditself\"dialect，\"orwrotelanguage，hewasapoetofafineandfreshtouch。Itmustbeallowedhimthatinproseaswellhehadtheinventivegift，buthehaditinversefarmoreimportantly。Therearelines，phrases，turnsinhispoems，characterizations，andpictureswhichwillremainasenduringlyasanythingAmerican，ifthatisnotsayingaltogethertoolittleforthem。
Inpoetryherosetoalltheoccasionshemadeforhimself，thoughhecouldnotrisetotheoccasionsmadeforhim，andsofarfailedinthedemandsheaccededtoforaPhiBetaKappapoem，astocometothataugustHarvardoccasionwithajinglesotrivial，sooutofkeeping，soinadequatethathisenemies，ifheevertrulyhadany，musthavesufferedfromitalmostasmuchashisfriends。Hehimselfdidnotsufferfromhisfailure，fromhavingreadbeforethemostelectassemblyofthecountryapoemwhichwouldhardlyhaveservedthecarelessneedsofaninformaldinnerafterthespeakinghadbegun;hetookthewholedisastrousbusinesslightly，gayly，leniently，kindly，asthatgoldentemperamentofhisenabledhimtotakeallthegoodorbadoflife。
ThefirstyearofhisEasternsojournwassalariedinasumwhichtookthesoulsofallhisyoungcontemporarieswithwonder，ifnobaserpassion，inthedayswhendollarswereofsomuchfartherflightthannow，butitsnetresultinaliteraryreturntohispublisherswasonestoryandtwoorthreepoems。Theyhadnotprofitedmuchbyhisbook，which，itwilldoubtlessamazeatimeoffiftythousandeditionssellingbeforetheirpublication，tolearnhadsoldonlythirty—fivehundredinthesixthmonthofitscareer，asHartehimself，\"Withsickandscornfullooksaverse，\"
confidedtohisCambridgehostafterhisfirstinterviewwiththeBostoncounting—room。Itwasthevolumewhichcontained\"TheLuckofRoaringCamp，\"andtheotherearlytaleswhichmadehimacontinental，andthenanallbutaworld—widefame。Storiesthathadbeentalkedover，andlaughedover，andcriedoverallupanddowntheland，thathadbeenreceivedwithacclaimbycriticismalmostasboisterousastheirpopularity，andrecognizedasthepromiseofgreaterthingsthananydonebeforeintheirkind，cametonomorethanthispitifulfigureoverthebooksellers’counters。Itarguedmuchforthepublishersthatinspiteofthisstupefyingresulttheywerewilling，theywereeager，topayhimtenthousanddollarsforwhatever，howevermuchorlittle，hechosetowriteinayear:TheirofferwasmadeinBoston，aftersomeoffersmortifyinglymean，andothersinsultinglyvague，hadbeenmadeinNewYork。
Itwasnothisfaultthattheirventureprovedofsuchslightreturninliterarymaterial。Hartewasinthemidstofnewandalienconditions，—
—[SeeacorollaryinM。FroudewhovisitedtheU。S。forafewmonthsandthenpublishedacomprehensiveanalysisofthenationanditspeople。
Twain’srebuttal（Mr。Froude’sProgress）wouldhavebeen’apropos’forHarteinCambridge。D。W。]——andhehadalwayshistemperamentagainsthim，aswellasthereluctantifnottheniggardnatureofhismuse。Hewouldnodoubthavebeenonlytoogladtodomorethanhedidforthemoney，butactuallyifnotliterallyhecouldnotdomore。Whenitcametoliterature，allthegayimprovidenceoflifeforsookhim，andbebecameastern，rigorous，exactingself—master，whosparedhimselfnothingtoachievetheperfectionatwhichheaimed。HewasoftheorderofliterarymenlikeGoldsmithandDeQuincey，andSterneandSteele，inhisrelationswiththeouterworld，butinhisrelationswiththeinnerworldhewasoneofthemostduteousandexemplarycitizens。Therewasnothingofhiseasy—goinghilarityinthatworld;therehewasofaPuritanicseverity，andofaconsciencethatforgavehimnopang。OtherCaliforniawritershavetestifiedtothefidelitywithwhichhedidhisworkaseditor。Hemadehimselfnotmerelythearbiterbuttheinspirationofhiscontributors，andinaregionwhereliteraturehadhardlyyetreplacedthewildsage—brushoffrontierjournalism，hemadethesand—lotsofSanFranciscotoblossomastherose，andcreatedaliteraryperiodicalofthefirstclassonthebordersofcivilization。
ItisuselesstowondernowwhatwouldhavebeenhisfutureifthepublisheroftheOverlandMonthlyhadbeenofimaginationorcapitalenoughtomeetthedemandwhichHartedimlyintimatedtohisCambridgehostastheconditionofhisremaininginCalifornia。Publishers，menwithsufficientcapital，areofagreatlyvaryinggiftintheregionsofprophecy，andheoftheOverlandMonthlywasnottobeblamedifhecouldnotforeseehisaccountinpayingHartetenthousandayeartocontinueeditingthemagazine。Hedidaccordingtohislights，andHartecametotheEast，andthenwenttoEngland，wherehislasttwenty—fiveyearswerepassedincultivatingthewildplantofhisPacificSlopediscovery。Itwasalwaysthesameplant，leafandflowerandfruit，butitperenniallypleasedtheconstantEnglishworld，andthencetheEuropeanworld，thoughitpresentlyfailedofmuchdelightingthesefastidiousStates。Probablyhewouldhavedonesomethingelseifhecould;hedidnotkeepondoingthewildmining—campthingbecauseitwastheeasiest，butbecauseitwasforhimtheonlypossiblething。Verylikelyhemighthavepreferrednotdoinganything。
IV。
Thejoyousvisitofaweek，whichhasbeenheresopoorlyrecoveredfromthepast，cametoanend，andthehostwentwithhisguesttothestationinasmuchvehicularmagnificenceashadmarkedhisgoingtomeethimthere。Hartewasnolongerthealarmingportentoftheearliertime，butanexperienceofunalloyeddelight。Youmustloveapersonwhoseworsttrouble—givingwasmadesomehowafavorbyhisownunconsciousnessofthetrouble，anditwasamostflatteringtriumphtohavegothimintime，oronlyalittlelate，tosomanyluncheonsanddinners。Ifonlynowhecouldbegottothetrainintimethevictorywouldbecomplete，thehappinessofthevisitwithoutaflaw。Successseemedtocrownthefondesthopeinthisrespect。Thetrainhadnotyetleftthestation;
therestoodtheparlor—carwhichHartehadseatsin;andhewasfollowedaboardforthoselastwordsinwhichpeopletrytolingeroutpleasurestheyhaveknowntogether。Inthiscasethesweetestofthepleasureshadbeensittinguplateafterthosedinners，andtalkingthemover，andthendegeneratingfromthattalkintothemeregiggleandmakinggigglewhichCharlesLambfoundthebestthinginlife。Ithadcometothisasthehostandguestsattogetherforthosepartingmoments，whenHartesuddenlystartedupinthediscoveryofhavingforgottentogetsomecigars。Theyrushedoutofthetraintogether，andafterawilddescentuponthecigar—counteroftherestaurant，Harterushedbacktohiscar。
Butbythistimethetrainwasalreadymovingwiththatdeceitfulslownessofthedepartingtrain，andHartehadtoclamberupthestepsoftherearmostplatform。Hishostclamberedafter，tomakesurethathewasaboard，whichdone，hedroppedtotheground，whileHartedrewoutofthestation，blandlysmiling，andwavinghishandwithacigarinit，inpicturesquefarewellfromtheplatform。
Thenhishostrealizedthathehaddroppedtothegroundbarelyintimetoescapebeingcrushedagainstthesideofthearchwaythatsharplydescendedbesidethestepsofthetrain，andhewentandsatdowninthathandsomesthack，andwasforamomentdeathlysickatthedangerthathadnotrealizeditselftohiminseason。Tobesure，hewasable，longafter，toadapttheincidenttotheexigenciesoffiction，andtohaveacharacter，nototherwisetobeconvenientlydisposedof，actuallycrushedtodeathbetweenamovingtrainandsuchanarchway。
Besides，hehadthenandalwaysafterward，theimmensesuper—compensationofthememoriesofthatvisitfromoneofthemostcharmingpersonalitiesintheworld，\"Inlife’smorningmarchwhenhisbosomwasyoung，\"
andwheninfinitelylesswouldhavesatedhim。Nowdeathhascometojoinitsvagueconjecturestothebrokenexpectationsoflife，andthatblithespiritiselsewhere。Butnothingcantakefromhimwhoremainsthewitcheryofthatmostwinningpresence。Stillitlookssmilingfromtheplatformofthecar，andcastsafarewellofmockheartbreakfromit。
Stillagaylaughcomesacrosstheabysmoftheyearsthatarenownumbered，andoutofsomewherethehearer’ssenseisraptwiththemellowcordialofavoicethatwaslikenoother。