Smyrna times., 1865-11-29
American Humorists,

WHICH mas Deen attributed to him, his writings
are replete with strong, broad, uncompromiS-
ing humor OF which he may be considered. in
iact, the parent. The everlasting popularity
nt his anecdotes and stories, rehashcd, inferno
lated, appropriated by others. but always nrn-
serving the original kernel of absurdity, show
how completely American they are, and how
completely the American mind is in sympathy
with that quality Of humor
1t would not be precisely exact, perhaps to
say that JrucAettS ) mantle fell uron john
PheniX, the nom de Dl,uto Of the late Ca..
tain George II. Derby; but the latrer's conIic
enuSlonS are no less American than tho,, OF
the redoubtablc hero o. the Amo and contain
much OF the same ludcrous breadth of in,,oi
nation Captain Derby, however, depended
Tar more on the employment Of ingcninuSly
chosen words and elaboratcy construct,. nbrt-
Scs than his predecessor; though in the mt.
ter OF elegance or ineleganrc, there is not a
| great deal to choose between them
The " Letters Of DoestckS," bv Mortimer
Thomson first published in Western journal
some years ago, and extensively copied. i
another characteristic series of American cy-
aggerationS. Mr.. Thompson seems to have
looked at the laborS, the ambitions the am,l,c-
ment1, and the social relations Of hi, fellow. be-
lngS through pane Of defective wind low gla,>.
and to have reproduced them by yiyaciou~ de-
clP!lon. 1t Is greatly to be regretted that he
tell INTO the common error of hunting down :,
brilliant first success, and published volume af
ter volume Of hasty and ili-digcstcd mat :er.
which soon overshadowcl and swallowed up
the pleasant reputation he had 50 easily and
deScrvedly won. The fault Of writing too
much Il most serious one with the clever Dor
ton OF the young journalists Of to-day. They
write columns where they should write para
graphs and seem to think that talent depends
upon measurement. In all branches ofhumor-
GUS writing this error is fatal IIumor is al
ways an overflow, and unless the man is kept
brlntul the whole time, by ample reading. by
reflection, by viyacous society. and by wiz
observation, he can have no overflow. The
moment that he locks himself into his room to
write funny things from morning till night he
ceases to be funny at all, and starts downward
upon the melancholy path Of dccadcnce known
only TO those who outlivc their reputation.
The most thoroughly American humorist
now actively before the public is Charles +.
Browne. whose SonJriInct, :" .\rtcmus Ward,
enjoys reputation on bo- Il sides of the Allan
TIC. lie has been fortunate enough to use a
certain awkward talent 70, public speaking to
place himself far beyond the necessity of wri-
qng for hi, daily bread 1t is difficult to read
nj. occasional letters, Published hther and
thIther, without wishing he had begun his ca
reer as humor>t independently of the rather
cheap and very hackneyel pecularity of orthog-
r1phy that distinguishes them The old En-
gllsh humorists exhausted their species of &C.
ccntrclty and if it retained any show of vitali-
ty, Tom Hood and Thackeray certainly left
nothing further to be done in that way 1t IS
'rue that IN some eases . Artcmus Ward point,
a Joke by his misspelling, which would not be
4 Joke otherwise; but it is also true, that for
every 6oa mat thus originated. ten are injured
A 4
sh, the simple drolIcry of his writings is ire
Sl~tloIe. The character of the old Hooser
Snowman. from whom the letters are supposed
to enanate, Is admirably delineated and one
never loses sight OF HIM, nor confuSes his idcu-
uty with that OF Mr. Browne. for moment. -
AS lecturer, this gentleman continued sue
cess is an evidence Of his merit and of hi,
sympathy with the national feeling for exaeec-
ration and burleSque. His quaint, grave, half
heSltant manner upon the rOstrum has quite a.
much to do with the liberal laughter and an
pause nc receives as the words lac utters and
both together have been the source of much
pleasure. Of a roIicking and unthinkinr sort
to many thousands Of persons of all classes and
conditions between Maine and California
vi more subtitle and sarcastic nature is the
huhor OF Robert IL. Newell, who has produc-
ca several volumes under the title Of the Or
PhGus Z. Kerr Papers" Mr.. Newell theme
/; the political inner history of the conduct of
'hc war, about which so much has henn sail
ana written by more dignificd and less cntrr'
tanning authorities. 1t can hardly be IMAGINED
that work bearing so closely up0n thn Hha.n
ol an historical event can enjoy the continIn,,.
popularity OF such books as = Phmnixinu,'' or
Artenus Ward His Book :" but their n.,.,
ent celebrity is widespread, and the author
has as yet given no evidence that lis vein o{
hunor Is IN any degree exhausted Although
his style is more polished than that Of = Arte
mus Ward, it is not the less truly American.
lie sclzes the acme Of the ludicrous as directly
as Crockett himself, and when he wishes to
describe the rapidity with which general off
GERS were at one time turned out in Washing
ton, ne AYERS that "A small boy threw a stone
in the street lately and hit six brlgadicrs, and
1t WASH good day for brigadiero cither!'
Among the most clever OF our humorou,
contributors to the weekly press is George Ar
nolds HIS McArOne Letters and other eff
forts are distinguished by genuine humor.
which needs none of the associations Of mis-
spelling or grOtesque imagery to give it curren-
cy. Ills style is always clear aud crisp, never
pretentlOus or wearisome. AS yet he has writ
tenno book, and hence has not come as promptly
before the public as some others who have at
tanned to the dignity of authors, but whose tai
ents are OF an order inferior to his. 1t is but
Ialr TO add that some Of Mr.. Arnod's best cf-
I0rtS nave been Of a more serious character
than those Just mentioned and if book ON
American humOr and humorists was called for
no litter author for it could be selected.