Polynesian., 1858-06-19
How Nathaniel Hawthorne rose to fame.

1t Is not easy to conceive of stronger contrast
than is presented by comparing Nathaniel Haw-
thorne with n P. Willis. The former for
time one of the principal writer's for the Token
and his admirable sketches were published side by
side with those of the latter. Yet it is curious to
remark that everything Willis wrote attracted i'm
mediate attention, and excited ready praise while
the productions of Hawthorne were almost entirely
unnoticed. The personal appearance and demean-
our of these two gifted young men, at the early
period OF which speak, was also in striking con-
trast. Willis was SLENDER his hair sunny and sill
ken, his cheek ruddy, his aspect cheerful and con-
fdent. He met society with ready and welcome
hand, and was received readily and with welcome
Hawthorne, on the contrary, of a rather sturdy
form, his hair dark and bushy, his eve steel grew
his brow thick, his mouth sarcastic his complexion
stony, his whole aspect cold, moody, distrustful
He stood aloof, and surveyed the world from
shy and sheltered positions. There was a cores
pond;ng difference in the writings of these two
persons Willis was all sunshine and summer !;
the other chill, dark, and wintry. The one was
full OF hope and loves the other of doubt and dis
trust. The one sought the open daylight-sun-
shine, flowers music, and found them everywhere;
the other plunged into the dim caverns of the mind
and studied the grizzly spectres of jealousy, re-
morse, despair. 1t IS, perhaps, neither a subject
of surprise nor regret that the larger portion of
the world is so happily constituted as to have
been more ready to firt with the gay muse of the
one, than to descend into the spiritual charnel-
house, and assist at the psychological dissec tons
of the other. had seen some ANONYMOUS publica-
ton which seemed TO to indicate extraordinary
powers. | enquired of the publishers as to the
writer, and through them IL correspundence ensued
between me and an. Hawthorne" This name
considered a disguise, and it was not till after
many letters had passed that met the author, and
found 1t TO be true title representing very sub
stantial parsonage. At this period he was unset
tied to MS views he had tried his hand in liter
ature and considered himself to have met with a
fatal rebuff from the reading world. His mind va
cllIated between various projects vergng, think,
towards mercantile profession. | combaled his
dependence, and assured him of triumph if he
would persevere in a literary career. He wrote
numerous articles which appeared in the Token !;
occasionally an astute critic seemed to see through
them and to discover the soul that was in them /;
but in general they passed without notice. Such
articles as Sights from Steeple," Sketches be-
meath an Umbrella - the Wives of the Dead -
- the Prophetic Pictures" now universally ac-
knowledged to be productions of extraordinary
depth, meaning, and power extorted hardlya word
of either praise or blame, while columns were Civ
ell to pieces since totally forgotten. felt annoy
ed, almost angry indeed at this. | wrote several
articles in the papers, directing attention to these
productions and finding no echo of my views,
recOlleCt to have asked John Pickering to read
some OF them, ana give me MS opinion OF them.
He did as requested his answer was, that they
displayed a wonderful beauty of style, with u
kind of double vision, sort of second sight, which
revealed, beyond the outward forms Of life and be-
ing, sort of spirit world, somewhat as lake re-
fleets the earth around it and the sky above it yet
he deemed them to be too mystical to be popular.
Tie was right, no doubt, at that period, but, ere
long, portion of mankind, large portion of the
reading world, obtained a sense-how, or
where. or whence, is not easily determined
which led them to study the mystical, to dive be-
meath and beyond the senses, and to discern, gath
er, and cherish gems and pearls of price in the
hidden depths of the soul. Hawthorne was, in
fact, kind of Wordsworth IN prose-esS kindly,
less genial toward mankind, but deeper and more
PHI OsOphCal. His fate was similar at first he
was neglected, at last he had worshIppers. In
1897, | recommended Mr.. Hawthorne to publish a
volume, comprising his various pieces, which had
appeared In the Token and elsewhere. He con-
sented, but as | had ceased to be u publisher, it
was difficult TO find any one who would undertake
TO bring out the work. | applied to the agent of
the Statoner's Company, but he refused, until at
last l rellnqulshed my copyrights, on such of the
tales as had published, to Mr.. Hawthorne, and
joined friend of his in a bond to indemnify them
against loss and thus the work was published by
the StatIOners Company under the title of Twice
Told Tales" and for the authors benefit. 1t was
deemed failure for more than year, when a
breeze seemed to rise and fill its sails, and with it
the author was carried on to fame and fortune
GOodrlch'S RecOllectiORs Of q Lifetime.