Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-10-07
Jonathan and Johnny Bull.

Tie English mind has been developing tor
centuries; English ruins are covered with
the moss aud ivy OF hundreds of years, and
therefore antiquity is the EngIishman's hob
by. Almost everything, it il is old, IS good
with him. Give him an old, family tree,
and the honor OF being descended from a
lord, and he will be rich with one meal q
day. We Of America cannot, OF course.
claim consangunity with our father country
in that respect. We hnve no ancient roels;
and il the earth should turn up some relic of
barbaric literature still it would not be ours
We are new people, emphalically bran
new people, and We have no proof to the
contrary That this place wasn't made for US
just before we came /; for n Ia Dickens
the stamp OF infancy is upon our mountains.
To he sure, Jonathan is an urchn, and
limid at that bur he is for from icing green.
Brim full Of ambition, lie yet shrInks from
shoeing his Pegasus, for fear il will kick
him. And he has so often heard of that an
,ique old fnther of Uncle Sam over the wa
Ter, that he is rather fearful of even his good
grares.
England, on The contrary, is a set, deter
mined ped ,gpgue of the old sort; don't
believe anybody ever did or ever can do as
well us the children he sends out from his
school. Consequently, when hsshful young
Jonathan performs some greal literary feat,
the old fellow rs very particular not to copy
Dominic Sampson, and cry out P-r-o-d-i-
g-i-o us. He betrays no astonishment; his
fnce is like leather his muscles are worn
into The flesh be never shows what he feels
and makes his boast Of il. So he handles
the composition very gingerly its value
grows upon him, and he casts sly glances to-
wards the blusling urchin, who stands trying
to bie his lips but can't because Of a finger
in one corner, and a cigar in the other
Old johnny sees that the youngsrer don't
know his own consequence hasn't got much
pride to be taken down any way; still as he
reads on,
:" His wonder grows
That one small head can carry all he knows"
But it won't do TO compromise his own
mouldy dignity by allowing that lie has done
uncommonIy well, it would be bad policy 10
puff The child up with pride; be don't dare
10 ask question for fear his peculiar ORR
cinshy will prompt some answer like the
little boys, who to the question, WHATS
the feminine Of heroes? replied, 'she roeses,
sir So he Fuckers up his lips with an in
cipient whistle, shuts his eyes hard, pushes
his specIacles NJ TO his crown, straighiens
his dumpy shoulders, jerks back his head,
taps his foot-Oh he is so unconcerned.
'Umph! well-yes rather fair, r-a-t-ll-e-r
fair ON the whole, promising, promising
somewhat A-m-e-r-i-c-a-n, though; par-
takes Of Columbia's wilderness, it's inexpe-
rienced-wants pruning, training, culture;
same fine thoughts. few, old beauties-ta-
ken pretty good advantage Of the classics.
Hmmph weII-yes fair; lacks the strength
of Shakespeare, the sunshine of Spencer, the
mnjesty Of Million, the versatility of Byron,
the plaintiveness of Cowper, the abandon Of
Moors, the fire of Dryded, the satire Of Pope,
the depth of WadswOIih, the ease of Cam
pelI, the deliCacy of Hemans, the sarcasm of
Swift, the humor and fertility Of Colds miIh,
the solemnl,v Of Young. the inimiabie word
painting Of Tennyson. But for all, there 10
a certain kind OF merit in them. Young
men, you're bound to go-if you don't stop
"a kind of Backwood's merit here-some
but r a-t-h-e-r crude ideas
And the way young America takes this
criticism is peculiar. He 'guesses' il 10
'sorne,' himself; whistles Yankee Doodle,
dances hornpipe OF one foot. and vanIsles
singing Hail Columbia; while the venerable
john stands solemnly in tie distance, won
dering if This is a sample Of American dig
nifty but rather excusing him OH the whole,
Lecause She hasn't got any ancestors